None of the auditors of the two men needed detailed description either of the ardors of that trip nor of the embarrassment of the meeting.  Nor did Forrester or Harden attempt any.  After they had met they tried to keep a course that moved southwest.  There were no trails.  For endless miles, fissures and buttes, precipices to be scaled, mountains to be climbed, canyons to be crossed.  For one day they were without water, but the morning following they found a pot hole, full of water.  Weakness from lack of food added much to the peril of the trip, one cottontail being the sole contribution of the gun to their larder.  They did not strike the trail until the day previous to their arrival in the camp.

“Have you had enough desert to last you the rest of your life?” asked Curly as Harden ended the tale.

“Not I!” said Forrester, “nor Canyon either!  I’m going to find some method of getting Milt to let me finish the trip with him.”

“Me too,” added Harden.

“How much quarreling did you do?” asked Milton, abruptly, from the bunk.

Neither man answered for a moment, then Forrester, flushing deeply, said, “All we ask of you, Milt, is to give us a trial.  Set us ashore if you aren’t satisfied with us.”

Milton grunted and Diana said, quickly, “What are you people going to do until Mr. Milton gets well?”

All of the crew looked toward the leader’s bunk.  “Wait till we get the doctor’s report,” said Milton.  “Hard, you were going to show Curly a placer claim around here, weren’t you?”

“Yes, if I can be spared for a couple of days.  We can undertake that, day after to-morrow.”

“You’re on!” exclaimed Curly.  “Judge, don’t forget you and I are due to have a little conversation before we separate.”

“I haven’t forgotten it,” replied Enoch.

“Sometime to-morrow then.  To-night I’ve got to get my revenge on Agnew.  He’s a wild cat, that’s what he is.  Must have been born in a gambling den.  Sit in with us, Judge or anybody!”

“Not I,” said Enoch, shortly.

“Still disapprove, don’t you, Judge!” gibed Curly.  “How about the rest of you?  Diana, can you play poker?”

“Thanks, Curly!  My early education in that line was neglected.”  Diana smiled and turned to Enoch.  “Judge, do you think you’ll feel up to starting to-morrow afternoon?  There’s a spring five miles west that we could make if we leave here at two o’clock and I’d like to feel that I’d at least made a start, to-morrow.  My father is going to be very much worried about me.  I’m nearly a week overdue, now.”

“I’ll be ready whenever you are, Diana.  How about you, Jonas?”

“I’m always on hand, boss.  Mr. Milton, can I have the broken oar blade we kept to patch the Ida with?”

“What do you want it for, Jonas?” asked Milton.

“I’m going to have it framed.  And Mr. Harden and Mr. Agnew, don’t forget those fillums!”