really unlucky. Less than quarter of a mile had been
covered when one of the mustangs, going at full speed, stepped into the
hole of some wild animal, and pitched headlong with a broken leg. The
rider behind the one to go down, pitched in on top of him, and in a
thrice there lay on the prairie a mustang so badly injured that he had
to be shot, and two men so bruised that further pursuit for them of the
Mexicans was out of the question.

"Halt!" cried Lieutenant Radbury, and brought the balance of his
command to a standstill. "Are you much hurt, Readwell?"

"I--I reckon not," was the answer, but when Readwell attempted to stand
up he found his foot and back badly strained.

"And you, Alton?"

"My left arm is bruised,--I don't know but what it is broken."

"The mustang is done fer," put in Poke Stover, after examining
Readwell's steed. "Might as well shoot him, and put him out of his
misery."

This was ordered by the lieutenant, and the command carried out on the
spot. The second mustang was slightly injured, but could still be
ridden.

"Both of you had better go back, on the one mustang," said Amos
Radbury. "And, Glenwood, you can go back with them, for fear they may
have trouble with other Mexicans who may be wandering about."

So it was arranged, and this brought the lieutenant's force down to ten
men. The two parties separated without delay, and those in pursuit of
the flying Mexicans went on as fast as before.

But the delay had given the enemy an advantage, and before the Texans
could come within good firing distance the four Mexicans reached the
timber. At the edge they came to a halt.

"They are going to fire on us, leftenant!" cried Stover.

"Down!" cried Amos Radbury, and the Texans had scarcely time to drop to
the sheltered sides of the steeds, a favourite trick with old
frontiersmen, when a volley sounded out, and the bullets whistled over
their heads. Another volley followed; then, as the Texans swept closer,
and fired in return, the Mexicans disappeared into the timber.

Ordinary soldiers would have hesitated about following the Mexicans
into the forest, but all of the Texans were expert in woodcraft, and
thought they could keep out of an ambuscade as well in the woods as out
of it.

"Stover, supposing you and Dilberry go ahead and reconnoitre,"
suggested the lieutenant. "I know I can trust you to keep out of
trouble."

"Certainly, I'll go ahead, if ye want me to," answered Poke Stover, in