with Lerisco if they were to exist at the mountain.

"I don't know what is to be done, Bart," the Doctor said one day. "I
cannot ask the Indians to go without horses, and if a message is not
conveyed to the governor asking him for help, the time will come, and is
not far distant, when we shall be in a state of open revolution, because
the men will be starving."

"Not so bad as that, sir," cried Bart.

"Yes, my dear boy, it is as bad as that I begin to repent of coming upon
this silver expedition, for I am very helpless here with these wretched
savages to mar all my plans."

It was the very next morning that, after being on guard at the gate all
night, Bart was thinking of the times when, for the sake of protecting
the cattle, they had kept guard in the gallery over the corral and by
the cavern stable, when, out in the bright sunshine at the foot of the
mountain, he saw a sight which made him rub his eyes and ask himself
whether he was dreaming.

For there, calmly cropping what herbage he could find, was his old
favourite who had carried him so often and so well--Black Boy.

"He must have escaped," cried Bart excitedly, "or else it is a trap to
get us to go out, and the Indians are waiting for us."

With this idea in his mind he called Joses and the Beaver, showing them
the little horse, and they both agreeing that it was no trap or plan on
the Indians' part, Bart eagerly ran out and called the docile little
steed, which came trotting up and laid its soft muzzle in his hand.

"If he could only have coaxed the others into coming with him," said
Bart, "we should have been all right;" and leading his favourite up to
the gateway, he coaxed it to enter and climb carefully up over the
rugged stones till it was well in a state of safety, for he felt that he
dared not risk leaving it outside.

It was almost absurd to see the curious way in which the little horse
placed one foot before another, pawing at the road to make sure of its
being safe before he trusted it and planted it firmly down, and so on
with the others; but Bart's word seemed to give him confidence, and step
by step he climbed up till he was in the spot where his master intended
him to stay, when he gave a loud snort as if of relief, and stood
perfectly still while he was haltered to a peg.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

A WILD NIGHT-RIDE.

"Yes, Bart," said the Doctor, "we have a horse now for a messenger, but
I dare not send you; and if you lent Blac