th
a running noose. These he threw in a coil over his arm.

He also made a pair of hobbles, and placed them in the breast of his
coat, and then, taking up his rifle, advanced cautiously through the
bushes--Crusoe following close behind him. In a few minutes he was
gazing in admiration at the mustangs, which were now within easy shot,
and utterly ignorant of the presence of man, for Dick had taken care
to 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. He 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's-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