CHAPTER XVIII.
DAN COMES TO GRIEF.
"Well, this looks as if it was going to be a long-winded search."
"So it does, Ralph; but you must remember that a wild mustang who hadbeen shut up in a corral for a couple of weeks will feel very much likestretching his legs when he gets out."
"We must have come at least eight miles."
"It's nearer ten."
"And we haven't seen the least sign of him."
"Oh, yes, we have; we discovered that trail."
"But we are not sure it was the mustang's."
"I take for granted that it was, for I do not believe any other ponypassed this way since it rained."
The boys had not gone on straight ahead, but in a grand semicircle,until the footprints mentioned had been discovered. Now they wereriding over a broad patch of prairie land, with a belt of timber to thenorth and another to the south.
"I wonder if there are any Indians in the vicinity," resumed Ralph, awhile later. "I won't care to fall in with some of those Comanches whomade it so hot for us at the cabin."
"Oh, they were chased a good many miles off, Ralph. Besides, they won'tdare to show up here while they know that all of our best fighters aremassing between Gonzales and San Antonio."
"I wonder how matters are going on at the front. I should think ourarmy would march on Bexar without delay."
"They don't want to make an attack until they are strong enough toovercome General Cos's force. He may have considerable reinforcementsby this time."
So the boys talked and rode until noon was passed. Both were nowhungry, and coming to a pool in the prairie surrounded bymesquite-trees and bushes, they drew rein and tethered their ponies,and sat down to enjoy the midday meal they had brought along.
Pompey had packed for them a tempting hamper, and the boys remainedover the repast rather longer than anticipated. The sun shone bright,and as there was no wind, the day was pleasant, even though late in theseason.
"I suppose some day all this territory will be built up with towns andvillages," remarked Dan, as he dug his knife-blade into the earth in ameditative way. "And when it is, I wonder if the boys of thatgeneration will ever remember what a howling wilderness it was in ourgeneration."
"A few will, but not many," laughed Ralph. "We are too much of ago-ahead people to do much looking back." The youngest Radbury leapedsuddenly to his feet. "What's that, Dan?"
The brother sprang up also, and gave a searching glance in thedirection Ralph pointed out.
"Unless I am greatly mistaken, it's the mustang."
"Just what I thought. He seems to be grazing just at the edge of thetimber. How had we best get at him?"
The matter was talked over for several minutes, and they came to theconclusion to ride to the timber at some point below where the pony wasgrazing and then work up behind him.
"Then, if he bolts, it will be for the prairie," said Dan. "That willgive me a chance to lasso him."
The timber was soon gained, and they skirted this with the silence ofIndians until within a hundred yards of the white mustang. Then theolder brother called another halt.
"Now you take the north side, and I'll keep to the south," said Dan."Have you got your lasso ready?"
Ralph had, and it was decided that he should make the first throw, butnot until Dan was prepared to make the second.
With great caution the two boys advanced to the point agreed upon. Thenthey rode out to where the lassoes could be used freely.
In the meantime the mustang was grazing peacefully, utterly unconsciousof their presence in the vicinity. But now, as they drew still closer,he stopped cropping the grass and raised his head as if to listen.
"Throw!" cried Dan, and the lasso left Ralph's hand with a whizzingsound. A few seconds later Dan made his own cast.
As luck would have it, both landed over the mustang's head, but whileDan's was drawn tight with great quickness, Ralph's remained loose, sothat in a twinkle the mustang shook it off, and then of course the linetightened around Dan's lariat instead.
"'HOLD BACK!' YELLED DAN."]
"Hold back!" yelled Dan, as he saw Ralph sit bewildered in the saddle."Run off to the other side!"
The younger Radbury attempted to obey, but as quick as a flash themustang turned and rushed forward, bringing the lasso around Ralph'sown steed. Then came a snap of the lariat, and Ralph went down, withthe mustang on top of him.
All this took scarcely more time than to describe it, and now Dan foundhimself holding the white mustang alone, with Ralph's lariat endentangled in his own. Then off went the wild animal, kicking andplunging in a desperate fashion, which even the tightened leather abouthis neck did not appear to hinder. His course was straight for thetimber, and he went on dragging Dan's pony after him. It is true thepony might have held back, but he was not well broken for such apurpose, having participated in but few round-ups.
"Look out! You'll be killed!" yelled Ralph, as he struggled to get outfrom under his pony. The wind had been knocked out of him, butotherwise he was uninjured.
Dan scarcely heard him, so busy was he trying to bring the whitemustang to a halt. Soon he disappeared into the timber, and then Ralpharose, mounted the pony once more, and came after him.
The white mustang did not enter the forest far before the lariat aroundhis neck began to hurt him. He tried to circle around several trees,and thereby cut himself short to such an extent that he was in greatdanger of choking to death.
"Hold my pony!" shouted Dan to Ralph, and slipped to the ground. Thefree end of the lariat was passed around a tree and tied, and Dansprang forward toward the white mustang, who was now acting as if readyto give up the battle.
"Easy now, easy," said Dan, soothingly, and watching his chance, hehopped up on the mustang's back. Immediately the animal bucked andplunged, trying his best to throw his rider. The lariat was deprivinghim of his wind, and of a sudden he stopped short and trembled, as ifabout to fall.
Not wishing to strangle the animal now he had caught him, Dan cried toRalph to come up and help hobble the steed, that he might walk but notrun. At the same time he continued to talk soothingly to the mustangand patted him on the neck. Then, fearing he would breathe his last ifthe lariat remained as it was, he drew his knife and cut the leather.
In a twinkle the whole manner of the mustang changed, and, before Ralphcould reach his big brother's side, the steed was off like a streak oflightning, with Dan clinging fast to his neck. Over some low brush thepair went, and then under some tall pines and out of sight.
"Hi! hi!" cried Ralph, but Dan had too much to do to call back to him.On and on went the mustang, and the youth could neither stop him, nordid he dare try to leap to the ground, for fear of a kick from one ofthose flying hoofs. It was such a wild ride as Dan never forgot.
By instinct the white mustang seemed to know the best course to pursue,and went on where the trees were high branched and tolerably far apart.This was lucky for Dan, for had the limbs been low he must certainlyhave been knocked off and killed. He bent as low as he could.
"Go it, if you must," he thought, grimly. "You'll get tired some time.But I hope you don't go all the way to Bexar."
Fully two miles were covered, when the white mustang came out of thewoods at the edge of a ravine. He ran like the wind until the very edgewas reached, then stopped short all in an instant.
Dan was holding on with might and main, but no boy's grip couldwithstand such a shock, and up flew his body, and over the pony's headhe sailed. Then he felt himself going downward, toward the bottom ofthe ravine. Some brushwood scratched his hands and face, there followeda great thump,--and then he knew no more.