,
only a fence and a guard had held him all these weeks of his
captivity, but that fence had been built up, on his arrival, two
planks higher than the one in which he now found himself again, and
from which he had all but escaped at the first opportunity.

Haig put his feet cautiously into the stirrup, and sprang into the
saddle. He was prepared for a repetition of the trick that had almost
cost him his life, and ready to swing himself out of the saddle if
Sunnysides should go over backward again. But the horse was indeed
"foxy"; one would have said that he knew his man, and would waste no
time or energy on manoeuvers that his enemy had discounted. For some
seconds he stood quite motionless, while Haig settled firmly in his
seat, and gripped the bridle rein expectantly. At length the horse
lifted and turned his head, and looked, as it appeared, toward the
western mountains, half hidden in the gray swirl of clouds.

"Yes, over there's the San Luis," muttered Haig. "But it's a long way,
and you're not going."

Farrish grinned. But Pete stood like a wooden Indian, so still and
intent was he, with his black eyes fixed on the outlaw. Curly loosened
the coils of the lariat in his hands. In a corner of the corral Bill,
mounted and watchful, held his rope ready for a throw.

Still Sunnysides did not move. But his tail swished with the slow and
menacing movement of a tiger's, and there was just a quiver of muscles
under his golden hide.

"Watch out!" called Pete.

And then it came. The horse bounded into the air, and came down
stiff-legged, with a jolt that Haig felt in every bone. Then he leaped
sideways half a dozen feet, and Haig was flung far over, hanging
perilously in the saddle. With almost one motion the horse was in the
air again, to come down with the same frightful, jarring shock.
Instantly thereupon he lunged forward, stopped short, ducked his head,
and narrowly missed hurling Haig like a stone from a catapult.

All these tactics were repeated with variations; and then, of a
sudden, as if he thought Haig had forgotten his experience by this
time, he reared, and with the same lightning swiftness as before, went
over backward on the ground. But Haig was too quick for him. He swung
himself to one side, released his right foot from the stirrup, and
rolled away from beneath the horse as they came down with a crash. At
the same instant Pete and Curly rushed in, and the horse leaped to his
feet only to be brought d