approach in such a way that the wind did not carry the scent of him in
their direction.

And well might he admire them. The wild horse of these regions is not
very large, but it is exceedingly powerful, with prominent eye, sharp
nose, distended nostril, small feet, and a delicate leg. Their
beautiful manes hung at great length down their arched necks, and their
thick tails swept the ground. One magnificent fellow in particular
attracted Dick's attention. It was of a rich dark brown colour, with
black mane and tail, and seemed to be the leader of the drove.

Although not the nearest to him, he resolved to crease this horse. It
is said that creasing generally destroys or damages the spirit of the
horse, so Dick determined to try whether his powers of close shooting
would not serve him on this occasion. Going down on one knee he aimed
at the creature's neck, just a hair-breadth above the spot where he had
been told that hunters usually hit them, and fired. The effect upon the
group was absolutely tremendous. With wild cries and snorting terror
they tossed their proud heads in the air, uncertain for one moment in
which direction to fly; then there was a rush as if a hurricane swept
over the place, and they were gone.

But the brown horse was down. Dick did not wait until the others had
fled. He dropped his rifle, and with the speed of a deer, sprang
towards the fallen horse, and affixed the hobbles to his legs. His aim
had been true. Although scarcely half a minute elapsed between the shot
and the fixing of the hobbles the animal recovered, and with a frantic
exertion rose on his haunches, just as Dick had fastened the noose of
the short line in his under jaw. But this was not enough. If the horse
had gained his feet before the longer line was placed round his neck, he
would have escaped. As the mustang made the second violent plunge that
placed it on its legs, Dick flung the noose hastily; it caught on one
ear, and would have fallen off, had not the horse suddenly shaken its
head, and unwittingly sealed its own fate by bringing the noose round
its neck.

And now the struggle began. Dick knew well enough, from hearsay, the
method of "breaking down" a wild horse. He knew that the Indians choke
them with the noose round the neck until they fall down exhausted and
covered with foam, when they creep up, fix the hobbles and the line in
the lower jaw, and then loosen the lasso to let the horse breathe, and
r