Soitcameaboutthatalittlearmycrossedthedriftfencesandenteredthebordercountry。Twodayslateritcameout，andmightypleasedtobeabletodoso。Theropehadnotbeenused。
Thereasonforthedefeatwasquitesimple。Thethiefhadrunhiscattlethroughthelavabedswherethetrailatoncebecamedifficulttofollow。Thisdelayedthepursuingparty；theyranoutofwater，and，astherewasamongthemnotonemanwellenoughacquaintedwiththecountrytoknowwheretofindmore，theyhadtoreturn。
\"Nouse，Buck，\"saidJed。\"We\'danyofuscomeinonagunplay，butwecan\'tbuckthedesert。We\'llhavetogetsomeonewhoknowsthecountry。\"
\"That\'sallright——butwhere？\"queriedJohnson。
\"There\'sPereza，\"suggestedParker。\"It\'stheonlytowndownnearthatcountry。\"