Crossing the Great Plains 45 



The watercourses, which usually con- 

 sisted of sluggish creeks, could always be 

 seen a long way off, by small cotton woods 

 that usually fringed them. The water 

 problem was often a very serious one upon 

 the parched, desert-like portions of the 

 prairie, and on two occasions they were 

 obliged to travel for half the night before 

 coming to water. It was always necessary 

 to camp by a creek so that they could have 

 water for both man and beast. 



Deer and bear were quite plentiful in the 

 Missouri Bad Lands, and the boys were al- 

 ways upon the lookout for game of any sort, 

 partly because they could call the attention 

 of their father to it, and thus secure fresh 

 meat for their larder, and also because they 

 enjoyed the excitement. Their young eyes, 

 especially those of Bennie, soon became 

 very sharp to spy out game. The field- 

 glass, in the use of which he soon became 

 expert, always stood him in good stead 



