“No wonder you feel gone,” said Raymond; “we haven’t eaten a thing to-day. We’ve been so busy drinking since we got down to the cañon that I had forgotten all about grub.”
“I can’t remember exactly,” said Sidney, “but I don’t think there is much grub.”
“Well, there’s some, anyway. You get out what there is, Sid, and I’ll take the cup and bring up some water. I feel as though I should want to keep right on drinking forever.”
It had been very late in the morning when the boys roused from their night of stupor on the side of the mountain, and then it had taken a long time for Sidney to get himself and his brother down to the bottom of the cañon. After they had reached water they were also a long time in getting back any semblance of strength, so when they retreated to the little cave under the cañon wall, it was nearly night and the sun had already dropped back of the mountains.
Sidney, when he examined the knapsacks, found there was a moderate supply of bread and cheese. The latter, with water to remove the effect of its salty condition, was extremely palatable, and the boys made what they declared was a sumptuous supper.
“Do you realize, Sid,” said Raymond, as they lay on the sand munching bread and cheese, and frequently sipping water, of which they seemed never to be able to get enough, “that we have eaten nothing for twenty-four hours, and then only a little bread in that deserted house, because we had no water to wash it down? And we’ve done some strenuous work since, too.”
“We haven’t eaten much, but you know we did eat a little bread up on the mountain last night.”
“I don’t remember eating any bread,” declared Raymond.
“Have you forgotten how I urged you to eat something, and you finally took a dry crust?”
“Yes; I don’t remember a thing about it. But I do remember the dreams I had. I was in swimming most of the time, and it was always down in Mexico, in the Conchos River. Gee, but it was fine!”