The Broncho Rider Boys Along the Border

  CHAPTER XI.

  AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE.

  At first poor Billie was almost wild with the fear that swept over him,when he realized his true condition, and that he was lost in that sandstorm in the heart of an Arizona desert.

  He started to shout, but made a sorry mess of it. The fine sand almostchoked him as soon as he opened his mouth; and the fierce wind that wassending it scurrying all around in little whirlwinds carried his feeblecry away, so that he knew it could not be heard twenty feet distant.

  He sat there on the back of Jupiter, and waited, still hugging the hopeto his heart that his chums would immediately miss him, and come hastilyback on their course to find him. And if that happened, Billie knew thathis chances would be considerably improved did he stay where he was,rather than start roaming this way and that.

  But the minutes lengthened into nearly half an hour, and there was notthe slightest sign of any one being near him. The storm still kept up,and Donald had said that the probability was it would continue untilsundown, when the wind might lull, so as to allow the choked atmospherea chance to rid itself of the floating gritty sand.

  By degrees Billie began to get his nerve back. He was far from being acoward; only he lacked experience; and was moreover hardly fitted eitherphysically or through education for butting up against these rudeexperiences.

  "I've just got to do something, and I can't stay here, that's plain," hetold himself; "which means I've got to go on. But I want to be mightycareful about how I travel. I've heard tell how people are apt to goround and round in a circle till they're played out, and exhausted. Noneof that for me; and why should there be when I'm carrying that preciouslittle compass."

  Thereupon Billie fumbled around in the various pockets of his khakihunting coat, meaning to find the said compass, and get his bearings. Hehad quite a fright at first, for he failed to find it where he expected;and was running through all his other pockets wildly, when he happenedto remember placing it in his hat at the time he last looked at theinstrument, which was when one of his chums mentioned the fact that theywould have to depend on the magnetic needle should they be overwhelmedin just such a storm.

  It was a great relief to the fat boy to discover the little brass boundcompass safely lodged in his hat when he hastily looked. Owing to theair being filled with the flying sand it was only after considerabledifficulty that he could see just which way the indicator pointed. So hestarted off, urging the unwilling Jupiter to put his best foot forward,though the animal gave evidences of being more inclined to stand still,with his tail toward the storm.

  Billie would never be likely to forget that terrible experience. Why,the worst he had pictured came far short of the reality.

  He suffered keenly constantly, and many times thought he could not bearit any longer; but it is wonderful how much any one can do when they arecompelled to by a merciless fate; and so as the time dragged on poorBillie kept moving along, always keeping toward the north, as best hecould decide.

  When he came to examine his little watch, and saw how late it wasgetting, he was ready to throw up his hands, and quit. It looked asthough he was just bound to spend a lonely night out there on the wilddesert, no matter how he fixed it; and that being the case, why not givein now, and have it done with?

  Besides, he was utterly worn out with trying to urge the unwillingJupiter on; as well as from his own physical sufferings. Half blinded,and hardly able to get his breath on account of the fine dust thatsettled in both nostrils and throat, Billie was an object of pity tohimself about that time.

  When he made up his mind that he must grin and bear it, even ifcompelled to camp there all by himself on that dreary waste, Billiestarted to dismount. Why, at first he could hardly move, he was so stiffwith sitting there in the saddle so long, and in a cramped position; butexerting himself again, he managed to half tumble to the ground.

  Jupiter did not offer to run away. Indeed, the horse seemed to cowerclose to his young master, as though trusting to his sagacity in thisemergency. Billie noticed this, and somehow it struck him as curious; italso did more than a little to bolster up his courage. For if thebroncho felt such confidence in him, surely he must exert himself toprove that he was worthy of such sublime faith.

  After all it was little he could do save cower there, patiently waitingfor sundown to come; for he remembered that one of his chums had saidthe sand storm was very apt to peter out at about that time.

  How glad he was that he had water with him,--not enough to share withJupiter, to tell the truth, for he could not tell how long he mightremain lost, and was apt to need every drop himself, to keep life in hisbody.

  The animal whinnied whenever he opened his canteen to wet his parchedthroat, and somehow the sound made sympathetic Billie feel badly. Afterthat he made it a point to step aside when he meant to quench his ownthirst, just to avoid having Jupiter reproach him for being stingy. Butit was not to be thought of for a minute, because the horse wouldexhaust the flask, and then not be a quarter satisfied, leaving him in adesperate state indeed.

  Fortunately he had a little food with him, and this he proceeded tomunch as he sat there behind the shelter of the horse.

  He asked himself if the storm showed any signs of diminishing its fury;and after taking several estimates joyfully admitted that at least thewind was not so fierce as formerly.

  This in itself was a glorious sign, for without the wind the sand couldnot fill the air; and by degrees it must settle down once more, so thatone might breathe without feeling choked.

  If that would only come about Billie felt that he could easily standanything and everything else that was liable to happen. But should hehave to endure that agony another few hours he believed he would go outof his mind.

  Yes, there could not be any mistake about it, the storm was surelysubsiding, and if conditions kept on improving as they seemed to bedoing now, by the time night set in fully it was going to be a thing ofthe past.

  Billie even began to tell himself that he had no reason to complain,because it might have been a great deal worse. Except for the fact thathe was compelled to keep a lone camp, away out there on that desert, andwas tired almost to death, he could not say that his condition was inany way dreadful. Yes, he even believed he had plenty of water to quenchhis thirst; though it was evident that he would have to cut hisallowance down to half rations, for his repeated sips had already causedthe big canteen to feel considerably lighter.

  Looking up toward the heavens when he found that night had really setin, he was surprised to find that he could not see a single star; andthe moon was also absent. This must mean that there were clouds sailingover him, something quite out of the common where a desert is concerned;since rain seldom if ever is known to fall there; for if it did thedesert would not long remain such, but blossom like the rose withfertility.

  "Going to be a black night, in the bargain," he grumbled; "seems like afellow just has to rub up against all sorts of things when once they getstarted. But so far I hadn't ought to complain. I only hope the otherboys fare as well. Wonder how about them now; and if they got off thedesert? Chances are they hunted around for Broncho Billie more'n halfthe afternoon. P'raps they're keeping everlastingly at it even now. Huh!reckon Billie ain't a baby, and can look out for himself some, if I dosay it myself, as hadn't ought to. Huh! I'm alearning right fast, seemsto me."

  The fact that he had come out so well thus far seemed to inspire a newconfidence in the stout boy. He even patted himself proudly on hischest, and congratulated himself on having snapped off several picturesof the gathering cloud of sand as it bore down upon them. If theseturned out half-way decent, he would have something worth while toexhibit to his schoolboy friends away off in the East, when he went homeagain after his vacation was over.

  The wind having died down fully now, the sand settled, and Billybelieved that if it were daytime he might see where the hilly countrylay in the midst of which was the Zuni village. But of course, in thedarkness of a moonless night he co
uld not make any sort of a discovery,and must apparently be satisfied to remain there in his makeshift campuntil another day dawned, and brought new hope in its train.

  He had secured Jupiter the best way he could, not wanting the pony towander away during the time he, Billie, might be asleep. That would be acalamity the fat boy disliked to even contemplate. It was bad enoughhaving to ride over that scorching sand; but to be compelled to goafoot, with the heat burning through the soles of his shoes, must be tentimes worse.

  The pony had evidently made up its mind that what "could not be curedmust be endured." He stood there, close to where Billie had camped, andhardly moved. Perhaps later on he would lie down to rest, for he toomust be weary, after such a strenuous day.

  Billie found himself nodding presently. He was tired clean through, andknew of no reason why he should not secure his fair portion of balmysleep, the strength renewer.

  Once he had thought he might try shouting as loud as he could, but gavethe idea up as useless. Even if his chums heard him in the far distancewhat good would it do to start them out on the desert again, roaming allaround in search of him? No, it was best that he simply make the timepass by what means lay in his power, and with the dawning of another dayhe would feel refreshed, so that he could set out toward the north,always toward the north, he kept on telling himself, as he fondlytouched the pocket where the compass was securely hidden.

  Again Billie was nodding as he sat there. Had he been left undisturbedthe chances were that before five minutes he would have rolled over inhis blanket, and settled down to sleep; and after that the hours wouldslip along, for Billie was a famous sleeper.

  But this was not to be, for a certain sound came stealing along over thedesert and struck upon the ears of the boy, causing him to instantly situp, wide-awake:

  "Wolves, as sure as anything!" he told his pony, already whinnying thealarm.