chance of replenishing his slight store and may be compelled to take a tuck in his belt as a substitute for tucker.
Before setting out on an overland ride one has to sit down calmly and count the cost. It is not pleasant to have your name associated with a failure, and, if you are not prepared to go right through with it, better leave the journey alone, For, as the miles are many so also are the difficulties, but, as forewarned is forearmed, it may pay to parade them and be prepared to overcome them.
One of the worst enemies to be encountered is the wide, waterless wastes, of which there are several en route and, as the little tank only holds a gallon and a as they say in half, the risk of doing "a perish," desert parlanee, is great. Again, there are hundreds of miles of black soil country to be crossed and should it happen to rain you may find yourself bogged in black mud, and, instead of your bicycle carrying you, you have to carry it.
Just as trying are the vast, sliding sandhills which you must plough through day and night in order to reach the rockland by a given time. The sand is so hot and so fine that it penetrates every seam and crevice, sneaking in over your boot tops until you feel as if your legs were encased in molten lead.
