"say that I can beat the best of them at that. I could
teach them to ride a horse."

The savage reported what his prisoner had said, and shortly after
several mounted warriors rode up, and replied to the taunt.

"You! a poor white slave, ride with the warriors of Navajo! Ha! ha!
ha!"

"Can you ride upon your head?" inquired the torero.

"On our heads? How?"

"Standing upon your head while your horse is in a gallop."

"No; nor you, nor anyone. We are the best riders on the plains; we
cannot do that."

"I can," affirmed the bull-fighter, with emphasis.

"He is boasting! he is a fool," shouted several.

"Let us see!" cried one. "Give him a horse; there is no danger."

"Give me my own horse, and I will show you."

"Which is your horse?"

"None of them now, I suppose; but bring me that spotted mustang, and
clear me a hundred lengths of him on the prairie, and I shall teach you
a trick."

As I looked to ascertain what horse Sanchez meant, I saw the mustang
which he had ridden from the Del Norte. I noticed my own favourite,
too, browsing with the rest.

After a short consultation among themselves, the torero's request was
acceded to. The horse he had pointed out was lassoed out of the
caballada and brought up, and our comrade's thongs were taken off. The
Indians had no fear of his escaping. They knew that they could soon
overtake such a steed as the spotted mustang; moreover, there was a
picket constantly kept at each entrance of the valley. Even could he
beat them across the plains, it would be impossible for him to get out
to the open country. The valley itself was a prison.

Sanchez was not long in making his preparations. He strapped a
buffalo-skin tightly on the back of his horse, and then led him round
for some time in a circle, keeping him in the same track.

After practising thus for a while, he dropped the bridle and uttered a
peculiar cry, on hearing which the animal fell into a slow gallop around
the circle. When the horse had accomplished two or three rounds, the
torero leaped upon his back, and performed the well-known feat of riding
on his head.

Although a common one among professional equestrians, it was new to the
Navajoes, who looked on with shouts of wonder and admiration. They
caused the torero to repeat it again and again, until the spotted
mustang had become all of one colour.

Sanchez, however, did not leave off until he had given his spectators
the full programme o