nd defence. Horses were in this remote region very valuable.
They could not easily be obtained, and were indispensable to transport the
furs. They were worth two hundred dollars each.

This Indian, one night, selected six of the fleetest horses, and mounting
one and leading the rest, with his stolen property, disappeared over the
trackless waste. It was a sum total loss of twelve hundred dollars. But
the immediate pecuniary loss was not all, for the horses could not easily
be replaced, and without them all the movements of the trapping party were
greatly crippled. Mr. Robidoux, knowing Kit Carson's reputation for
sagacity and courage, immediately applied to him to pursue the Indian. It
was just one of those difficult and hazardous enterprises which was
congenial to the venturous spirit of Carson.

There was a friendly tribe of Indians in the vicinity, in which there was
a young warrior whose chivalric spirit had won the confidence and regard
of Carson. This young man was easily induced to join him in the chase. But
a short time was required for preparation. Grasping their rifles, and
taking their blankets, they each mounted a fine horse and set out in
pursuit of the fugitive, who had several hours the start of them. The wary
thief had so successfully concealed the direction of his flight that it
took them some time to discover his trail. Having at length found it, they
set off, at the highest speed which they felt that their animals could
endure. Over soft ground, the marks left by six horses, running in one
compact band, could be without difficulty followed. But at times the
nature of the soil was such that but a very indistinct imprint of their
footprints was left.

As the thief, in his flight, conscious that he might be overtaken, would
make no difference between day and night, it was necessary that his
pursuers should also press on without allowing darkness to delay them.
This added greatly to the difficulty of following the trail. But the
sagacity of Carson and his intelligent Indian comrade triumphed over all
these obstacles. For one hundred miles they followed the fugitive with
unerring precision. But now they encountered a serious calamity.

This singular race was down the valley of the Green river. The Indian's
horse suddenly gave out completely. He could go no farther. Nothing
remained for Carson but to relinquish the pursuit, and slowly to return
with the dismounted Indian, or to continue the chase alone. C