gain in the
beginning the better."

He urged his horses into a long, easy gallop and Will promptly followed
at the same gait. The night darkened somewhat, at which they rejoiced,
and then lightened again, at which they were sad, but they continued the
long, swinging pace, which the horses could maintain for hours.

"Try your glasses again, Will," said the hunter. "They will cut through
the dark a long way, and maybe they can tell if the Sioux are now in the
plain."

Young Clarke slowed his pace, and bending in the saddle took a long
look.

"I see nothing," he said. "Do you want to try 'em too, Jim?"

"No. Your eyes are of the best, and your news is good. It's likely that
we've got a lead of seven or eight miles at least. Two or three miles
more and we'd better turn for the mountains. Our horses are a lot bigger
than those of the Sioux, but their ponies, though not much to look at,
are made out of steel. They'd follow for days, and if we stuck to the
plains they'd be sure to run us down at last."

"And we'd have little chance against a big Sioux band?"

"That's the ugly truth, and it's bound to be the mountains for us. I see
a line on the prairie, Will. What do your glasses tell us about it?"

Young Clarke turned his gaze to the front, and after a single glance
said:

"Water. It's one of those shallow prairie streams, I suppose, a foot of
sand, and an inch of water on top."

"If there's not too much alkali in it it'll be mighty welcome to the
horses. Ah, Selim smells it now!"

His great mount raised his head and neighed. Boyd smoothed his long,
silky mane.

"Yes, old friend," he said, as if he were talking to a man, "I'm quite
sure it won't have much alkali, you're going to have a nice, big drink,
so are your friends, and then, ho! for the mountains!"

The stream was just what Will predicted it would be, a foot of sand and
an inch of water, but it was only slightly brackish, and both horses and
horsemen drank freely from it, took a rest and then drank as freely
again. Another half hour and the two remounted.

"Now, Will," said Boyd, "the ridges are our target, and we'll shoot as
straight at 'em as our horses can go, though we'll make the pace slow
for the present. Nothing to be gained by tiring out our mounts before
the race begins."

"And so you look for a real chase?"

"Surely. Those Sioux on their ponies will hang on like grim death and
mighty glad I'll be when the trees on the first slopes reach