It was thought best that this company should spread out and approach the mountains in as broad a front as possible so as to multiply the chances of finding water, and so they started out in pairs, some to the right and some to the left, each selecting the point where water seemed most probable.
Tom Shannon and a companion were one of these pairs.

Tom was one of the few who still stuck to his gun, for he felt that it might save his life sometime.

He and his companion separated about a mile, each looking at all points that showed the least sign of water.

Suddenly a jack rabbit started from a bush, the first game Shannon had seen for more than a month.

He pulled the rifle on him as he was making some big bound and had the good luck to nearly split his head open.