ttle water; but we can hunt as we go, and all will be well."

"You know the way from here down into the plain?" said the Doctor. "It
is a long way, is it not?"

The Indian smiled. "It is a very short journey," he said. "I know the
way."

In effect they started as soon as the camp was struck, and the Beaver,
leading the way, took them down a deep gulch, of whose existence they
were unaware, by which they made an easy descent into the plain, and
into which they passed with such good effect that at sunset the bold
bluff where the adventure with the bears had taken place stood up in the
distance, with the steep wall falling away on either side, looking
diminutive in the distance, and very different to what it really was.

They had had a rapid progress over a long range of perfectly level
plain, the horses, after the toils in the mountains, seeming quite
excited at having grass beneath their feet; and hence it was that when
they were camping for the night, and Bart's beautiful cob with long mane
and tail had been divested of saddle and bridle, and after being watered
was about to be secured by its lariat to the tether-peg, the excitable
little creature, that had been till now all docility and tractableness,
suddenly uttered a shrill neigh, pranced, reared up, and before Bart
could seize it by the mane, went off across the plain like the wind.

The loss of such a beast would have been irreparable, and the Doctor and
Joses ran to untether their horses to join pursuit, but before they
could reach them, the Beaver and half a dozen of his men were after the
cob at full speed, loosing their lariats as they rode and holding them
over their heads ready to use as lassoes as soon as they could get
within reach of the fugitive.

No easy task this, for as, dolefully enough, Bart looked on from the
waggon, he could see his little horse keeping a long distance ahead,
while now the Indians seemed to be making to the left to try and cut the
restive little creature off, as he made for a wild-looking part of the
plain about a couple of miles away.

Bart was helpless, for there was no horse of their own left that was of
the slightest use for pursuit of his swift little cob, and all he could
do was to stare after those engaged in the pursuit in a hopeless way as
the truant galloped on at full speed, swishing its tail, tossing its
head, and apparently revelling in its newly-found liberty.

All at once Bart became aware of the fact tha