truck terror to Jack's heart, for he knew from such sounds that
they must have been drinking heavily.  Their loud, rough voices
frightened him, and he lay very still inside the waggon for fear they
should see him.  He could tell Lem was in a quarrelsome mood, and
trembled as they hunted about in the back of the waggon for their
blankets, swearing and growling all the time.  At last they sank into
heavy slumbers, but all sleep had fled from Jack's eyes at the fresh
trouble that had arisen for him.  The two men were evidently given to
drink, the awful curse in the West, and had taken the opportunity of a
first halt at a village to satisfy their craving for it.  It was a
terrible thought for poor Jack, for he knew, from what they had said,
there must be many mining camps ahead of them, and of course in such
places there would be great temptations for men like them, and his
heart sank at the idea of being alone with such companions.

He lay awake for hours, but dropped into a kind of doze towards
morning.  He rose early and moved very quietly, fearful of disturbing
Jeff and Lem after their night's carousal.  He went to water the
horses, and to his surprise found one had disappeared.

It had evidently dragged its picket-rope from the pegs that secured it,
doubtless frightened by the noise in camp the previous night.  It was
the horse that had been led behind the waggon on account of its sore
shoulder, and it probably was fresher than the other three horses and
more likely to run away.  It was not shod, and unfortunately had made
no impression on the short, dry herbage, to show Jack which way it had
gone.  He wandered away a short distance from the camp looking for the
fugitive, but, unable to see anything of it, he returned, and began to
prepare breakfast.

Just as it was ready Lem roused up, and came grumbling towards the
fire.  Jack deemed it wiser not to speak to him, as he looked very
cross indeed, and the boy could not help wishing his friend Jeff would
also wake up, as he always felt safer in his presence.

They