noon
Far as eye could reach the desert had marvelously changed ; it was now a rippling sea of sand dunes . Away to the north rose the peak that was their only guiding mark . They headed toward it , carrying a shovel and part of their packs . At noon the peak vanished in the shimmering glare of the desert . The prospectors pushed on , guided by the sun . In every wash they tried for water . With the forked peach branch in his hands Warren always succeeded in locating water .