Chapter 22 Summary

Marcus demands to know where the five thousand dollars is and then asks McTeague if he has any water. As Marcus turns to the mule to get the water, the animal takes off running, with their only water supply still on his back. The two men wonder how to solve this situation. Without water, they will never survive in the desert. They decide to shoot the animal, taking care not to shot through the canteen. A possibility they do not account for, however, is that the mule may fall, after being shot, and land on the canteen, bursting it and spilling the water. This is precisely what occurs. Now without water in the scorching desert, the two men turn their attentions to the matter of the money. Each feels he is entitled to it.

The two men fight over the money, despite the...