It is narrow, deep, extremely crooked, and very rapid, while the water is both salt and bitter.  The banks are very steep and there are but few places throughout its entire length where it can be crossed in safety.

But little grass grows near it, and neither man nor beast can drink the water with impunity.

Upon reaching the top of a long line of bluffs, towards which we had been travelling for the last two days, we came in sight of a large wagon-train encamped, apparantly upon the open plain.

Jerry at once declared it to be Magoffin’s; and the boys and myself volunteered to ride forward and ascertain the cause of their delay.

A brisk canter of a couple of hours brought us to the encampment, which sure enough, proved to be Magoffin’s train, delayed by the high water in the Pecos.

Right glad were we all, to fall in with our old companions once more; for, aside from the company their presence furnished, we felt infinitely safer than when travelling alone with our small party.

As soon as Jerry arrived with the wagons, a consultation was held; and it was decided to go into camp and wait for the water to subside.

“It’s high’n I ever see it afore,” said Jerry, standing on the brink and gazing at the turbid, swift current, that almost filled its banks; “and the mischief is, that when she once gits up, there’s no tellin’ when she’ll go down.  We may hev to lay here two weeks, afore we kin cross.”

“Two weeks!” exclaimed I, why we’d better build a boat.”

“Ef we hed a lot of empty casks, we might float our wagons over and swim the mules; but we hain’t got ’em, that’s sartin.”

“I’ll tell you what we can do,” said Hal; “we can build a raft.”

“Yes; or better still, float the things over in one of the wagon-bodies,” suggested Ned.

“Well thought of,” exclaimed I:  “we can at least make the attempt.”

We soon had one of the wagons unloaded and on the ground; beneath which we carefully stretched a couple of the sheets.  One of the men was sent across the stream with a small cord, by which he drew over a rope, to which was attached a common block, after which the wagon-body was launched, and pulled across the river in safety.  It was then returned and loaded, reaching the opposite bank without mishap, or leaking a drop.

The wagons were now taken apart; and piece by piece, carried across and put together; into them, the goods as fast as ferried over, were reloaded; and at the end of the second day we were ready to swim our mules.  This was accomplished without loss; and thanks to Ned, the day following we were once more on the road.

I ventured to remind Jerry of his favorite saying regarding boys, but the old man had no reply to make, save that “Ned was a most ‘stonishin’ boy.  He’d killed a Injin, and had a wonderful head on him, which was more’n he could say of t’other one.”

In consideration of Ned’s valuable services, old Jerry consented that evening, to relate for his especial benefit, the story of his first experience in bear hunting, which I shall give as nearly as possible in the old man’s words:—­