Smith Morley looked foolish and embarrassed.
“But you don’t understand, Mrs. Reemy,” he defended himself. “This water is mighty precious. We’ll have to let it drip twelve hours to get enough for ourselves and the pack animals for a day; and I can see right now that the horses will have to go to the mountains in the morning. And this fellow here—I know him well. He’s the recognized nuisance of the Shinbone Country. A burro can go for days without water—they’re like a camel, Mrs. Reemy. And this old desert rat can do it, too. He’s less than ten miles from his home. Why don’t he go there for his water? We were here first. It’s first come first served in the Shinbone Country, when it comes to water.”
“Ten miles is a long trip when one hasn’t had a drink in about seven hours,” said Charmian.
