That was the spirit in which the expedition started. Late that
afternoon they emerged from the timber and were on the sandy
foothills where progress was faster. Ned's feet bothered him and he
was in constant pain, but the adhesive plaster and cotton had been
of the greatest help. There was no pause. The first day's schedule
he was determined to make and at about eight o'clock the relief
expedition gave a shout. The Chusco lay before them.
A little fire, some tea and bouillon--made in the pan after the tea
was consumed--and the two boys found a bed on the soft sand with no
covering but the deep Mexican sky. At dawn they were up and away
after a bath in the muddy river. Elmer was now the guide and he
readily picked up Buck's old wagon trail. Sharp at ten o'clock a
halt was made for breakfast, bouillon now without tea. Ned, his
face a little more sunken and his legs a little more unsteady than
the day before, was sitting on the ground resting his burning feet,
when Elmer suddenly touched him on the shoulder, set the soup pan
quickly on the sand and drew his revolver.
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