I think that miracle helped to fix the incident indelibly in Buddy's mind; that, and the bellowing of the cattle.

It seemed a month to Buddy, but as he grew older he learned that it was three days they went without water.
The first day he did not remember especially, except that mother had talked about clean aprons that night, and failed to produce any.

The second he recalled quite clearly.

Father came to the wagons sometime in the night to see if mother was asleep.

Their murmured talk wakened Buddy and he heard father say: "We'll hold 'em, all right, Lassie.