the midday sun
He found no water , and he ate only a handful of sugar as he rode . He journeyed constantly toward the northeast , in which direction , he thought , must be the ranch which was his destination . At each intervening gulch a hope arose that it might contain water , but always he was disappointed . Between the alkali dust and the heat of the midday sun , which was unusually hot for the time of year , his lips were cracked and his throat dry . `` Ai n't this hell ! '' he finally muttered fretfully . `` And no more jump in this horse nor a cow .