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Charlie struggled with the rock for a few seconds then managed to get a hold of it. He ran back to the bigger rock and waited for Dan to come looking.
It didn't take long. Quickly he mounted the big rock and as Dan rode by him, he threw it as hard as he could at Dan.
It hit him in the head. At first he staggered on his horse a bit, and it looked as though he hadn't hit him hard enough because Dan turned, looked and spotted Charlie.
Charlie started to run, but as soon as Dan got off his horse he staggered again and finally fell not ten feet from Charlie.
Charlie sighed. It had clipped him on the side of his head pretty good, there was blood oozing and some had splattered on the rock. Charlie didn't have the time to check to see if Dan was still breathing.
Charlie grabbed Dan's horse and after one last glance at Dan he headed toward Cord's place.
But it didn't take long to realize he was off course. He'd missed the ranch and was lost.
That's all he needed. He'd hurt Dan, stole his horse and was lost out in nowhere. Now what did he do?
Slowly he kept moving on. There was no sign of water, no sign of the ranch, and no sign of anyone catching him. He almost wished someone would catch him. He'd never been this dry before.
The sun was up now and Charlie worried about Dan. He hoped he wasn't hurt too bad. But on foot he wouldn't catch him out here.
Problem was, it didn't look like anyone would find him. He was smackdab in the middle of nowhere.
He tried to remember all the things Cord had taught him about survival. Cord had taken him hunting a time or two and fishing several times and during those times they talked a lot about how to survive out on the prairie.
Right now, Charlie was so thirsty his tongue nearly stuck to the roof of his mouth. He glanced at the horse. The horse looked parched too and had worked up a soapy sweat.
Now, what had Cord showed him about the cactus. There was water in them. The plumper the cactus, the more the water. He glanced around, it looked like there was some straight ahead. He rode toward it.
There he found what looked like a plump cactus. He remembered that Cord said you had to handle it with gloves or something to protect the hands and not to squeeze it tightly in the hand. He got off the horse and looked in the saddle bags for something, anything to help him handle it.
He found some old stained and mildewed gloves in the saddle bags down deep. He pulled them out and even though they reeked from being left in there during a rain probably, Charlie thought he could use them.
He put them on and then got closer to the cactus.
Gently he took his pocket knife out and began to cut on the cactus. The gloves were well worn and the cactus pierced through in several places. Charlie managed to get a piece cut off though and he sucked the side of the cactus to get the water from it.
It wasn't much, but it did refresh.
Seeing his horse needed some too, he went to cut another piece.
That's when his horse took off. "Dang it, I forgot to hobble him."
Charlie saw the horse run off and threw his hat down on the ground in a fit of temper. "Double Damn!" Charlie cursed.
Now how was he going to get back?
He took some more cactus and sucked it dry.
He checked his pockets and had a few peanuts he'd stuck inside from the saloon to take on his fishing trip.
His ankle was still swollen and began to feel numb. He needed a stick he could lean on with that foot.
Peanuts and cactus water! Some pioneer he'd make!
Charlie looked out at the prairie and nearly cried. He felt the lump of tears stuck in his throat and realized he was too dry to cry. He had no idea where the ranch was from here. He didn't even know where he was. He did know he was about as lost as anyone could get. He'd hurt Dan, maybe even killed him, and stole a horse. Just too many things clouded his mind. He was so tired. He sighed heavily. He sure hoped he hadn't killed Dan. Dan was alright compared to his brothers, especially when he wasn't around his brothers. Besides, they might hang him if he killed Dan. Charlie grabbed his throat at the thought.
He was so hot now since the sun announced itself. If he'd gone home he'd be eating bacon and eggs for breakfast and telling Mom what had happened. He wished he'd gone to town. He wished a lot of things. Could it get any worse?
Chapter Sixteen
