eer, that they two should pursue the
thirty Indian warriors, rescue the captives, and regain the animals. They
soon struck the Indian trail and followed it nearly all the night. The
Indians, not apprehensive of pursuit, were travelling leisurely. Towards
morning, Carson and his companion halted for an hour or two, to allow
their horses to graze and to get a little sleep. At daybreak they were
again in the saddle, and just at sunrise discovered the Indians in a snug
little valley, feasting luxuriously upon horse-steaks. They had already
killed five of the stolen animals.

These two men immediately charged, with a loud shout, upon the thirty
warriors. The savages were taken utterly by surprise, and thrown into a
panic. Carson's practiced eye selected the chief, who instantly fell
pierced through the heart by a bullet from Carson's rifle. Godoy missed
his aim, but instantly reloading, another warrior dropped in his blood.
The Indians, not doubting that the two were but the advance party of a
strong force, fled with precipitation, abandoning everything. Deliberately
Carson collected the horses, counted them and found that they had them
all, excepting the five the thieves had killed.

They then followed the trail back to the spot where the savages had
attacked the Mexicans. The captives had all been killed and their bodies
had been shockingly mangled. Carson and his heroic companion, with fifteen
horses, rejoined the camp. The property was at once restored to the
Mexicans without any remuneration whatever being received by either of
these men for their exploit. They had been absent from the camp thirty
hours, and had ridden over a hundred miles.

The march was now resumed and, after a tedious journey of many leagues,
they reached Fort Bent on the second of July, where the exploring party
was disbanded. Colonel Fremont proceeded to Washington. Kit Carson
returned to Taos. Thinking that he had had enough of wandering, he decided
to become a farmer, that he might reside at home with his family. He
purchased quite a large tract of land a little out from the straggling
village of Taos, and commenced farming upon a pretty large scale.

As he was very busy erecting his buildings and breaking up the soil, an
express arrived from Colonel Fremont, stating that he was about to set out
on a third exploring tour and that he should depend upon Mr. Carson's
accompanying him. He also reminded him of a promise once given that he
would be