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ground my feet into the sand in a help less sort of anger； not
only at the man himself； but also at the whole way things had
turned out。 I don't believe the least notion of our predicament
had come to any of us。 All we knew yet was that we had been done
up； and we were hostile about it。
But at camp we found something to occupy us for the moment。 Poor
Billy was not dead； as we had supposed； but very weak and sick；
and a hole square through him。 When we returned he was
conscious； but that was about all。 His eyes were shut； and he
was moaning。 I tore open his shirt to stanch the blood。 He felt
my hand and opened his eyes。 They were glazed； and I don't think
he saw me。
〃Water； water！〃 he cried。
At that we others saw all at once where we stood。 I remember I
rose to my feet and found myself staring straight into Tom
Denton's eyes。 We looked at each other that way for I guess it
was a full minute。 Then Tom shook his head。
〃Water； water！〃 begged poor Billy。
Tom leaned over him。
〃My God； Billy； there ain't any water！〃 said he。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BURIED TREASURE
The Old Timer's voice broke a little。 We had leisure to notice
that even the drip from the eaves had ceased。 A faint； diffused
light vouchsafed us dim outlines of sprawling figures and
tumbled bedding。 Far in the distance outside a wolf yelped。
We could do nothing for him except shelter him from the sun； and
wet his forehead with sea…water； nor could we think clearly for
ourselves as long as the spark of life lingered in him。 His
chest rose and fell regularly； but with long pauses between。
When the sun was overhead he suddenly opened his eyes。
〃Fellows；〃 said he； 〃it's beautiful over there； the grass is so
green； and the water so cool； I am tired of marching； and I
reckon I'll cross over and camp。〃
Then he died。 We scooped out a shallow hole above tide…mark；
and laid him in it； and piled over him stones from the wash。
Then we went back to the beach； very solemn； to talk it over。
〃Now； boys；〃 said I； 〃there seems to me just one thing to do； and
that is to pike out for water as fast as we can。〃
〃Where？〃 asked Denton。
〃Well；〃 I argued； 〃I don't believe there's any water about this
bay。 Maybe there was when that chart was made。 It was a long
time ago。 And any way； the old pirate was a sailor； and no
plainsman； and maybe he mistook rainwater for a spring。 We've
looked around this end of the bay。 The chances are we'd use up
two or three days exploring around the other； and then wouldn't
be as well off as we are right now。〃
〃Which way？〃 asked Denton again； mighty brief。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃there's one thing I've always noticed in case of
folks held up by the desert： they generally go wandering about
here and there looking for water until they die not far from
where they got lost。 And usually they've covered a heap of
actual distance。〃
〃That's so；〃 agreed Denton。
〃Now； I've always figured that it would be a good deal better to
start right out for some particular place； even if it's ten
thousand miles away。 A man is just as likely to strike water
going in a straight line as he is going in a circle； and then；
besides； he's getting somewhere。〃
〃Correct；〃 said Denton；
〃So；〃 I finished； 〃I reckon we'd better follow the coast south
and try to get to Mollyhay。〃
〃How far is that？〃 asked Schwartz。
〃I don't rightly know。 But somewheres between three and five
hundred miles； at a guess。〃
At that he fell to glowering and grooming with himself； brooding
over what a hard time it was going to be。 That is the way with a
German。 First off he's plumb scared at the prospect of suffering
anything； and would rather die right off than take long chances。
After he gets into the swing of it； he behaves as well as any
man。
〃We took stock of what we had to depend on。 The total assets
proved to be just three pairs of legs。 A pot of coffee had been
on the fire； but that villain had kicked it over when he left。
The kettle of beans was there； but somehow we got the notion they
might have been poisoned； so we left them。 I don't know now why
we were so foolishif poison was his game； he'd have tried it
beforebut at that time it seemed reasonable enough。 Perhaps
the horror of the morning's work； and the sight of the
brittle…brown mountains； and the ghastly yellow glare of the sun；
and the blue waves racing by outside； and the big strong wind
that blew through us so hard that it seemed to blow empty our
souls； had turned our judgment。 Anyway； we left a full meal
there in the beanpot。
So without any further delay we set off up the ridge I had
started to cross that morning。 Schwartz lagged； sulky as a muley
cow； but we managed to keep him with us。 At the top of the ridge
we took our bearings for the next deep bay。 Already we had made
up our minds to stick to the sea…coast； both on account of the
lower country over which to travel and the off chance of falling
in with a fishing vessel。 Schwartz muttered something about its
being too far even to the next bay； and wanted to sit down on a
rock。 Denton didn't say anything； but he jerked Schwartz up by
the collar so fiercely that the German gave it over and came
along。
We dropped down into the gully； stumbled over the boulder wash；
and began to toil in the ankle…deep sand of a little sage…brush
flat this side of the next ascent。 Schwartz followed steadily
enough now； but had fallen forty or fifty feet behind。 This was
a nuisance； as we bad to keep turning to see if he still kept up。
Suddenly he seemed to disappear。
Denton and I hurried back to find him on his hands and knees
behind a sagebrush； clawing away at the sand like mad。
〃Can't be water on this flat；〃 said Denton； 〃he must have gone
crazy。〃
〃What's the matter； Schwartz？〃 I asked。
For answer he moved a little to one side； showing beneath his
knee one corner of a wooden box sticking above the sand。
At this we dropped beside him； and in five minutes had uncovered
the whole of the chest。 It was not very large； and was locked。
A rock from the wash fixed that； however。 We threw back the lid。
It was full to the brim of gold coins； thrown in loose； nigh two
bushels of them。
〃The treasure！〃 I cried。
There it was； sure enough； or some of it。 We looked the rest
through； but found nothing but the gold coins。 The altar
ornaments and jewels were lacking。
〃Probably buried in another box or so；〃 said Denton。
Schwartz wanted to dig around a little。
〃No good；〃 said I。 〃We've got our work cut out for us as it is。〃
Denton backed me up。 We were both old hands at the business； had
each in our time suffered the 〃cotton…mouth〃 thirst； and the
memory of it outweighed any desire for treasure。
But Schwartz was money…mad。 Left to himself he would have staid
on that sand flat to perish； as certainly as had poor Billy。 We
had fairly to force him away； and then succeeded only because we
let him fill all his pockets to bulging with the coins。 As we
moved up the next rise； he kept looking back and uttering little
moans against the crime of leaving it。
Luckily for us it was winter。 We shouldn't have lasted six hours
at this time of year。 As it was； the sun was hot against the
shale and the little stones of those cussed hills。 We plodded
along until late afternoon； toiling up one hill and down another；
only to repeat immediately。 Towards sundown we made the second
bay； where we plunged into the sea； clothes and all； and were
greatly refreshed。 I suppose a man absorbs a good deal that way。
Anyhow； it always seemed to help。
We were now pretty hungry； and； as we walked along the shore； we
began to look for turtles or shellfish； or anything else that
might come handy。 There was nothing。 Schwartz wanted to stop
for a night's rest； but Denton and I knew better than that。
〃Look here； Schwartz；〃 said Denton； 〃you don't realise you're
entered against time in this raceand that you're a damn fool to
carry all that weight in your clothes。〃
So we dragged along all night。
It was weird enough； I can tell you。 The moon shone cold and
white over that dead； dry country。 Hot whiffs rose from the
baked stones and hillsides。 Shadows lay under the stones like
animals crouching。 When we came to the edge of a silvery hill we
dropped off into pitchy blackness。 There we stumbled over
boulders for a minute or so； and began to climb the steep shale
on the other side。 This was fearful work。 The top seemed always
miles away。 By morning we didn't seem to have made much of
anywhere。 The same old hollow…looking mountains with the sharp
edges stuck up in about the same old p