Four horsemen reined up beside him--not Pete Johnson and his friends, but four strangers, who looked at him curiously.
Their horses were sadly travel-stained.
"Anything wrong, young man?
We saw your fire ?" "No--not now." Boland's thoughts were confused and his head sang.

He attributed these things to sleepiness; in fact, he was sickening to a fever.
"You look mighty peaked," said the spokesman.

"Got water?
Anything we can do for you ?" "Nothing the matter with me, except that I'm pretty well played out.

And I've been anxious.

There was a boy lost, or hurt--I don't know which.