u mean to tell me, that that Indian could steal my horse, right
here, under my very eyes, and I not see him?" angrily asked Hal.

"Well, you see he has, don't yer?" replied Jerry; "and not only you
didn't see him, but nobody else; and didn't he come walkin' into camp
this mornin' and not a soul know it, till he was right amongst us?"

"I don't care if he did, he never could have carried off my pony and I
not see him," declared Hal.

"But he did though youngster, as sure's you're a livin boy."

"I'm inclined to think you're right, Jerry; the Comanche has stolen the
pony without doubt," said I.

"But how could he?" demanded Hal. "I was sitting right here, close by him
all the time."

"Listen Hal, I'll give you a bit of my experience with these same
Comanches," said I: "About two years ago, I was sitting on the porch of
my ranche, one afternoon, and a couple of Comanches came up and asked for
food.

"Manuel, the herder, recognized one of them as a fellow named 'Creeping
Serpent,' one of the most expert horse-thieves in his tribe. Naturally
enough, I wanted to know how he got the name; and, in consideration of a
bright red blanket, he consented to give an exhibition of his skill.

"The animals were all in plain sight, not a hundred yards from the ranche
door. I was bound not to lose sight of them, and I didn't; but, in less
than half an hour, I saw one of them bounding away over the plain, with
an Indian on his back.

"I was so astounded that when the fellow brought the horse back, I made
him show me just how it was done; and ever since then, I'm disposed to
believe anything relative to the thieving abilities of the Comanches,
without question."

"But how did he do it?" persistantly questioned Hal. "He never would have
done it before my eyes."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed old Jerry. "Didn't one of the cussid varmints, just
play the same trick on you?"

"But I won't admit he's got my pony," declared Hal.

"Tell us please, how he stole your horse, will you?" inquired Ned.

He laid himself flat upon the ground, and crawled through the grass
towards the animal selected, using his elbows as the propelling power.
This was done so slowly as not to alarm the herd in the least. Upon
reaching the picket-pin, he loosed it so that it could be easily
withdrawn; all the time taking good care that his head should not appear
above the top of the grass.

"He then began to slowly coil the rope, each coil imperceptibly drawing
th