ne of the fantastic palaces of the Ar

poke, reclining with the rest of the party under a

the far horizon. But Miss Prescott had not been the first to notice them. For some reason Mr. Bell, after gazing at the vaporous masses for a few minutes,

e a storm coming?" a

ewhat trou

not certain yet either," was the r

od tents and shelter, and as far as a good wetting is concerned

astern storm I should not mind any more than you. But the desert has many moods-as many as-you will

or an umbrella dealer the

through lightning, although, during their progress, not a drop of rain falls. The electri

ed Jess; "I always go in the

l dig you one if the storm hits

" cried Miss Prescott; "I'm d

"When I lived my solitary life I often used to wander out in the height of a storm. It was beautiful to watch

msy before the old man could complete his verse. A good natured laugh, in which

avy a water supply, and I am anxious to replenish it by nightfall. By the way, that mea

get water in this desert?"

ours," was the reply with w

ant clouds grew more imposing and blacker in hue, but they seemed to draw no closer

ht along those old smoked glasses I wore on the b

broken hills clothed with a scanty vegetation. Juan nodd

e is any water fir

e the trouble," declared Roy, "i

hed Mr. Bell, "appearances are often

forked stick. Then, while they all gazed in a puzzled silence at his ac

ow!" cried Peggy suddenl

d?" echoed Roy

s, before Peggy could

seen to bend and sway and hop and skip about as if it had been suddenly endued with life. Mr.

rom which it took not a little effort to awaken him. When he was finally roused and made to un

ave a delighted cry. Actual water was beginning to drain into it from the side. True, it was not of the color or temperature t

eave the hole to fill up, which it

nerally. A sort of blue-colored bunch grass grew in considerable quantities about the water hole, and this the burros seemed to find quite pala

e a sudden sharp cry from the wate

He's fallen into the

gg

Hurry and we'll get h

mpus in the water when his rescuers appeared. Luckily, it was not deep, and they soon had him out of it and on his feet. The old man, with great good nature, declared that he had rather enjoyed his involuntary bath than otherwise. He

mud hole's w

I almo

s pulled out Ali

pher. But now, if you are quite finished with the water hole, we will d

use was drawn, Peggy hastened

she exclaimed; "I'm dying with

" cried Jes

d and eyed the

o try it till it has been boiled," he

cried b

s, Juan," ord

ised the receptacles. But hardly had they taken

" sputtered Peggy, whi

added Roy, who had also taken

of it as I have you'll be used to it and not mind it. But I must admit that on first introduction

at supper on the desert. As dusk fell, Juan produced a battered guitar from a case which was strapped to the back of his saddle

ior to anything heretofore seen. But the little entertainment was to come to an abrupt conclusion. So engrossed had they been i

only for the fraction of a second, but in its brief ex

that Mr. Bell had d