The prospect was not bright, for he had never heard any one mention water there.
He rested where he was for awhile and watched the slope for the pack animals; more particularly for William and the water cans.

He could shoot rabbits and live for days, if he had a little water, but he had once tried living on rabbit meat broiled without salt, and he called it dry eating, even with water to wash it down.

Without water he would as soon fast and let the rabbits live.
A dark speck moving in the sage far down the slope caught his eyes, and he got up and peered that way eagerly.

He started down to meet it hopefully, feeling certain that his present plight would soon merge into a mere incident of the trail.

Sure enough, when he had walked for half an hour he saw that it was William, browsing toward him and limping when he moved.
But William was bare as the back of Casey's hand.