The failure in regard to Nacaytzusle was not the cause of his disappointment.

What angered him was that he had not killed the Navajo whom he struck down on the mesa, and taken his scalp.

There would have been ample time, and he could have concealed the trophy, returning for it in the daytime.

He had already taken one scalp in his life, but to have missed this opportunity of securing a second one was an unpardonable failure.

It was this which caused him to avoid the cooling waters and forget the demands of cleanliness.
He rose and walked on.