CHAPTER XXI--THE CHASE OF THE LEADER
Long before daylight the following morning Kit Carson and his threecompanions mounted their horses and departed from the camp.
The plan which had been agreed upon was for Kit Carson himself to gointo the valley into which the drove of wild horses had disappeared andawait their return to the plains. It was confidently believed that thehorses would leave their place of shelter about sunrise or a littlebefore. The three companions of the scout had been stationed atintervals of two or three miles among the foothills in places wherethey would be concealed from the sight of any passerby. It also wasplanned that the scout, if it was possible, was to separate the leaderfrom the other horses in the drove and to chase him at his highestspeed. If it was in his power to do so, the scout expected to turn theblack leader toward the south, where Reuben and Jack were to be readyto take up the pursuit as soon as Kit Carson drew near theirhiding-place. In this manner it was believed that however swift thepaces of the leader might be he would be soon worn out by the swiftnessof the pursuit of the three horses, every one of which was fresh at thebeginning of his part of the chase.
Never before had Reuben seen Kit Carson so eager to secure one of thewild ponies. Frequently the men in the camp had caught and brokenhorses, which they had taken on the plains. Indeed, almost every horsein their possession now was one that had been captured and broken andtrained to service by the trappers. Several times men had secured thesehorses by firing at them, stunning the animals without injuring them.However, only the most expert shots were able to do this, and even withthem the danger of killing or harming the horses they were chasing wasso great that the plan was seldom tried.
In the present case long ropes of a lariat or noose were hanging fromthe horn of Kit Carson's saddle. It was not often that the fearlessscout deigned to use a saddle, as we know, but in this case, as heneeded his rope and at the same time was aware that occasions for theuse of his gun might arise, he consented to use a light saddle.
"Now, then, every man look sharp!" he said in a low voice, as he partedfrom his companions. "One of you go to the north and the other two tothe south. Be sure to hide in places where you can take up the chasewithout having to climb very much. The most important thing, however,is to find some rock or hill behind which you will not be seen, forthis leader, unless I am much mistaken, will be off like a shot theminute he sights you, and you'll need to be fresh to keep close to himin the chase."
The directions of the scout were carefully followed, and Reuben secureda place behind a rocky barrier near the border of the foothills. Hiscompanion proceeded two or three miles farther before he, too,concealed himself. By the time each of the trappers had found hishiding-place, Kit Carson had disappeared from sight. Cautiously thescout made his way up the narrow valley or gorge in which the wildhorses had sought refuge for the night.
The sun had not yet risen above the eastern horizon, but the light ofthe coming day was already beginning to appear. This hour was selectedbecause, as has been stated, it was believed by the trappers that thehorses would leave their shelter among the hills at the approach ofday.
Reuben, who had dismounted and thrown the bridle over the head of hishorse, an act which as effectually prevented his horse from leaving asif he had been tied to a post, impatiently awaited the coming of theday.
He now was almost as eager as his friend to secure the wonderful leaderof the drove of wild horses. The shining coat and the proud air of theblack horse had marked the animal as one not only of unusual beauty,but of marked speed and power as well. In his mind Reuben again saw thearched neck, the long sweeping tail, the high step, and the pride ofthe animal as in response to his call the twenty-five or more horsesfollowed his lead. Surely he was worthy of all that the effort to catchhim might cost.
The horses which the trappers had selected for the chase were allfleet, but as Reuben glanced at his own beast he smiled as he thoughtof the possibility of the black leader being overtaken by such ananimal. To divide the pursuit into relays was the only feasible plan.And his own part, provided the wild leader turned southward, would notbe slight. There was, however, the possibility that instead of turningeither northward or to the south the black leader might move directlytoward the east. In that event pursuit would be well-nigh hopeless.There were no horses in the possession of the trappers that would beable to overtake the fleet-footed leader in a straight chase across theplains.
A half-hour slowly passed and still no signs of Kit Carson or of thewild horses had been seen. A second half-hour passed and still thesilence was unbroken. The sun was now well above the horizon and thepeaks of the mountains were capped with light. Indeed, the glory of thecoming day was already reflected from the snowclad mountain peaks, fromthe occasional little lakes on the mountainside, and from the crags androcks that were to be seen in whichever direction Reuben looked. Theair, too, was marvellous, and Reuben said to himself that, as hebreathed it, it almost seemed to him as if he could bite it, it was sostrong and bracing.
The young trapper was becoming impatient. He was almost convinced thatKit Carson had failed to discover the hiding-place of the wild horses.If that were true, it was strange that the scout did not return. Reubensmiled, however, as he recalled the fact that when Kit Carson haddecided to follow any line of action it was almost impossible to diverthim from his purpose. Quiet the scout always was, but it was the quietof confidence and strength.
Suddenly Reuben darted forward and seized the bridle rein of hiswaiting horse. At the same time he was peering eagerly toward theoutlet of the valley into which Kit Carson had entered not long before.A moment later the young trapper was convinced that his surmise wascorrect. Forth from among the rocks suddenly the black leader appeared,running swiftly and yet lightly. Indeed, it almost seemed to Reuben asif the feet of the animal scarcely touched the ground, so lightly didhe step. What pride and confidence, too, were in his very air.Occasionally he glanced behind, snorting with anger, but his swift pacewas unbroken. Behind him came the other horses of the drove, the coltsrunning in the centre, protected by the others. The presence of thecolts prevented the leader from increasing the speed at which they weremoving.
Not long after the appearance of the wild horses Reuben discovered KitCarson. The scout was riding at the pace which the leader had firsttaken, and it was quickly plain that he could increase his speed at anymoment. Several times the black leader halted and turned as if healmost had decided to stop and give battle. Each time, however,apparently he thought better of the project and returned to his placeat the head of the drove.
For a mile or more the flight and the pursuit continued, Kit Carson notgaining, or even apparently attempting to gain, upon the horse he wasso eager to secure. The scout, however, had outflanked the wild poniesand had succeeded after a time in turning their flight southward.
Assured now that the chase would lead directly to the place where hewas waiting, and that he was almost certain to have a share in theexciting pursuit, Reuben drew his horse a little closer to the rock andin such a manner that he would be able to peer around its edge andwatch the events that were occurring not far away.
Try as he might Kit Carson had been unable entirely to separate theblack leader from his companions. Several times the wild horse hadcircled the body without permitting them to lessen the speed at whichthey were running. In this manner apparently he had satisfied himselfthat the pace he had set was not too swift for the colts.
On every such occasion the leader had stopped behind the running drove,watching the man approaching on horseback. Evidently he was suspiciousof the danger that was threatening him, as indeed he well might be. Hadhe ever before been chased by the white men? The question was inReuben's mind, as he watched the actions of the departing animal, andthe young trapper was convinced that the horse never had been incaptivity. His spirits were not broken and his confidence in his ownability apparently was supreme.
When the chase had led two or three miles beyond the entrance to thevalley,
Kit Carson succeeded in turning the flight of the horses he waspursuing. Shouting and brandishing his gun, he rode directly toward theband, and in a moment the leader had changed the course and swungsouthward.
Kit Carson still remained upon the outer flank and once he dischargedhis rifle, an act which, as Reuben believed, was intended only tofrighten the horses. If that had been the hunter's purpose it waseasily achieved, for the speed at which the drove was running quicklyincreased. At the same time it was equally clear to the leader that hehad been unable to shake off the enemy that was pursuing him.
Shouting still more loudly and persistently increasing the swiftness ofhis pursuit, Kit Carson succeeded in steadily pressing the horses tohis right and at the same time compelling them to move much morerapidly.
Reuben's excitement increased as the band steadily drew nearer theplace where he was awaiting their approach. As yet Kit Carson had notsucceeded in separating the black horse from his companions. It was notuntil the hunter drew near the place where Reuben was hiding that hesuddenly, with a renewed shout and a second discharge of his gun,dashed swiftly in between the leader and the drove. Again shouting inhis loudest tones, he forced the startled animal southward and at thesame time glanced all about him, evidently expecting Reuben to appear.
Only a few moments elapsed before Reuben decided that the time had comefor him to join in the chase. He dashed forth from behind thesheltering rock and, urging his horse into its swiftest paces, took upthe chase as Kit Carson dropped behind.