The Bradys Desert Trail (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...King Brady pointed off at the range. "I can see it even without the glass," he said, "but I doubt if you can until you have located it first." "I see a black spot on the range not far from that tall tree which stands out alone." "Then you are sharper than I gave you credit for being. That is it." "And we want to steer directly for it?" "Yes, until we strike the spring. After that we head for the range to the right of it, always keeping the rock in sight on our left." Thus encouraged, the Bradys pushed on, covering another ten miles. The heat had now become intolerable. The tired horses showed every sign of fatigue, and the detectives themselves were parched with thirst. "We shall have to tap one of the water kegs, Harry," said Old King Brady, halting at last. "We will give the horses a good drink now and then no more until nightfall." "We must be half across, don't you think?" questioned Harry. "Somewhere near it. I figure that we have done about twenty'miles." "And still our desert trail holds, Governor. It is not so bad." The horses drank eagerly of the water which Harry let run out of one of the kegs into a pail which he had brought along. Harry cut them short, however, and the detectives were very sparing in their own potations. Soon they were on the move again, and the next five miles brought the trouble Old King Brady had so long anticipated. They lost the trail. For some time the imprints of the wagon-wheels had been more distinct than ever. Then all at once they vanished and beyond was nothing but an unbroken stretch of sand as far as the eye cpuld reach. "It is as I thought," remarked Old King Brady. "The sandstorm has done t...