CHAPTER XXIV—A FRESH ATTEMPTSo eager was Kit Carson to secure the wonderful leader of the drove that he had spent much time in thinking out various plans by which the black pony might be captured. There had been times when he acknowledged that it seemed a pity to try to take such a noble-looking animal from its state of freedom and compel it to become a servant. And yet, although the trapper’s feelings were tender and he seldom permitted his men even to shoot game without some necessary purpose in view, nevertheless the eagerness of the leader to obtain possession of the beautiful animal increased with every passing day.When at last he explained his plans to his friends he said: “I have discovered a pocket about ten miles below that gorge into which the black rascal led his followers. I think it will be possible for us to run him into that. There will be no use in trying it until we have tired him out, but I think we shall be able to do that.”“How?” inquired Reuben.“I have found that the wild horses come about two nights a week into that valley where we drove them. They seem to have regular rounds. The old fellow that leads them is smart, and if any bears or wolves have thought they could lie in wait for him they have been mistaken, for he never is two successive nights in the same place.”“But how do you think you are going to drive him into that pocket?”“I’m telling you, lad, to-night the wild ponies will be in the place where we drove them the last day we chased them. We mustn’t let them get inside. Probably the leader will do just what he did before—send his family and his friends off in one direction and he will start for another. Then the thing for us to do is to chase him back and forth over the ten miles.”“But you’ll need an army of men to do it,” suggested Reuben.“I have already sent ahead four men. They are as full of the game as we are. They haven’t seen that black horse, but what I have told them about him makes them all hungry to join in the chase. I’m going to put you and Jack down below that pocket. You two must turn back the fellow if he tries to get past you. I don’t think he will, for he won’t want to leave his charges quite so far away. I have got some pieces of tin and I want you both to pound on them and yell like good fellows. Turn him back anyway. Chase him. Make him go as far as the place where I am going to have two other men waiting. Then I’ll have two more up near the valley.”“Where will you be?” inquired Reuben, who was becoming deeply interested in the project.“I’m going to be where I’m needed most, for my horse is the swiftest in the camp. I want to be in at the finish, too, for I’m going to lasso the rascal. And this time we’re going to succeed.”In spite of the failures of the preceding attempts somehow Reuben was convinced that a greater measure of success was likely to crown their efforts in the present chase. Obedient to the word of their leader the lad and his companion rode in the direction indicated and in a brief time had arrived at the position they desired.Upon their arrival they were speedily convinced that the description which Kit Carson had given of the spot was more than fulfilled. A narrow space not more than forty feet wide seemed almost to provide an end for the long valley. Beyond it was another valley, the passage between being like an isthmus joining two larger spaces.Every rider carried his gun, and in addition to these weapons Reuben and Jack had tied to the pommels of their saddles some large pieces of tin which had served as the bottoms of certain pans that had been used in the camp.As soon as they had taken their positions, they threw their bridles over the heads of their horses and climbing to the shelter of the overhanging rocks seated themselves to await the signal that might be given for the approach of the horse they were so eager to capture. Between the places occupied by Reuben and his friend two other men were stationed, but they were hidden from the sight of their companions.Slowly the afternoon waned, but patience was a lesson which Reuben had learned from the scout. Never yet had he heard an impatient word or a word of complaint escape the lips of Kit Carson. For one whose natural temperament was so fiery, who was so quick in his movements, and so thoroughly alive to every form of physical activity, his powers of repression and self-control were marvellous. In part it was due to his natural disposition, but still more it was the result of his training. The school in which he had studied was hard and the lessons were not taught by a schoolmaster. In order to succeed as a hunter or trapper infinite patience was required. The very success which had attended the efforts of the young scout had been a part of his duties, and Kit Carson had been a diligent pupil. In all his experiences with him the only time Reuben had ever seen him respond to the words of his comrades, which easily aroused the anger of one another, had been the time when Rat had declared that he would thrash any man in the camp who declared himself to be an American.Even now the recollection of the boaster caused Reuben to smile, and turning to his friend he said: “Do you know what has become of Rat?”Jack laughed as he said: “I reckon he evaporated. He hasn’t been seen near here nor in these parts for a long time.”“Do you suppose he will ever try to get even with Kit Carson?”“I don’t think he will even try any such thing. What he will try hardest to do will be to put all the space he can between him and the scout.”Reuben laughed as he said: “I wouldn’t have believed that a little fellow like Kit Carson would have dared to fight such a great hulk as Rat.”“You don’t know him. He’s afraid of nothing on earth, and yet, like other men who are good fighters, he doesn’t fight often. There is a big difference between a man who is always picking a quarrel and one who can put up a good fight.”“I reckon Rat knows that now.”“He surely does, and I don’t think he will want to take the lesson over again either. He won’t have to stay after school to learn the rules of that game.”“The only thing I have heard Kit Carson talk much about of all the things he has done was what he did in his fight with the two grizzlies.”“That’s right,” replied Jack, laughing loudly as he spoke. “I have heard him tell that story a good many times. He almost makes me see that big grizzly swinging and snorting and swaying his head when Kit struck him on the nose with his club. The nose is about as tender a spot for a grizzly as his shins are for a darky.”“It was mighty funny,” laughed Reuben. “I saw both of them. When the first one came down the tree the other one acted just as if he was giving his opinion of a fellow who would back out like that. He would show him how to do it; so up he goes, and Kit Carson gets a good swing on his club and lands it right plumb on the snout of that grizzly. The way that bear snorted and shook his head almost made me laugh.”“I should think it would have made you laugh.”“The only reason I didn’t was because I was afraid the bear would see me, and turn around and come for the tree where I was. I hadn’t any desire to have him know any more about me than he did right then.”“‘Ignorance is bliss,’ they say.”“It was with me when I thought of that bear. Can you see anything of Kit Carson and the horses?” Reuben added as he peered intently in the direction from which the expected approach of the black leader was to be seen.Jack was silent a moment before he said: “I see something moving up yonder.”Instantly Reuben leaped to his feet and gazed long and earnestly in the direction indicated by his companion. Not many minutes had elapsed before both men were convinced that some large animals were approaching. Both were hopeful that the cloud of dust which was now steadily increasing as it drew nearer concealed the black horse and his pursuers. The cloud approached rapidly, but it was long before Reuben was able to discover the outlines of a horse running swiftly and pursued by two riders.“There they come! There they come!” exclaimed the boy excitedly. “The old fellow is making straight for this place where we are.”“We had better hide so that he won’t turn off,” suggested Jack. “Then when he comes a little nearer we’ll take the tin pans and sticks and serenade him.”“We’ll have to be quick about it,” suggested Reuben as he saw the black leader now swiftly approaching. Apparently he had been chased far and long, for his body was flecked with foam and his breathing was laboured. In spite of his appearance of distress, however, the steed was such a noble-looking animal that Reuben’s admiration was keener than when he first had seen him. There was a wildness in his manner now, however, that had not been seen on the former occasions. The poor beast, fighting for his liberty, and perhaps believing that he was struggling for his life, was now thoroughly alarmed. His speed had diminished, and, pursued by fresh horses, he was no longer able to outdistance them easily.The horse now was within fifty feet of the place where Reuben was standing. Quickly he and his companion began to pound upon their tins and at the same time they shouted in their loudest tones.The startled horse swerved in his course, and, snorting with anger or fear, started for the familiar entrance. Evidently he was fearful that a trap of some kind had been laid, for, turning sharply about within the narrow valley, he started swiftly back over the way by which he had come.“Chase him! Chase him!” called one of the pursuers. “You and Jack take your ponies now and give him a good run. We’ll go into the other end of the pocket so that he won’t go through there, and when he runs in the next time, why, we’ll let Kit Carson take him.”In response to the suggestion Reuben and Jack speedily were mounted and in swift pursuit of the running horse. Their own mounts were somewhat fresh now, and as neither was slow, the speed at which they advanced was marked. It was plain, too, that the leader was distressed. Occasionally when he glanced backward his nostrils seemed like coals of fire and an expression of fear as well as of anger flashed from his eyes.“Keep it up! Keep it up!” called Jack. “Spread out a little! Drive him back so that Kit Carson can start after him! This time I think he will get him for sure.”It was fortunate for Reuben and his companion that their own horses were not compelled to cover all the distance between the pocket and the valley. Both ponies were soon labouring hard and with difficulty maintaining the pace into which their riders had urged them. Hard, however, as they soon were working, their distress was markedly less than that of the animal they were following.Spreading out when they came nearer the place where they expected to find some of their comrades, the boys were not surprised when suddenly Kit Carson and four of his companions, yelling in their loudest tones and brandishing rifles, several of which were discharged, dashed after the startled wild horse. Again he retraced his way, but his distress was increasing so rapidly that it was a question whether or not he would be able to gain the pocket before he would be taken.Kit Carson was carrying his lasso, and it was plain to Reuben that at almost any moment now he was prepared to dash ahead and try to cast the rope over the neck of the suffering steed. For some reason, which Reuben did not understand, the action was delayed. Kit Carson, however, was riding in advance of his followers, and, his pony being comparatively fresh, he was able to make swifter time than the horse he was following. All now were near the entrance to the pocket, and a shout arose when the black horse dashed through the narrow opening.
So eager was Kit Carson to secure the wonderful leader of the drove that he had spent much time in thinking out various plans by which the black pony might be captured. There had been times when he acknowledged that it seemed a pity to try to take such a noble-looking animal from its state of freedom and compel it to become a servant. And yet, although the trapper’s feelings were tender and he seldom permitted his men even to shoot game without some necessary purpose in view, nevertheless the eagerness of the leader to obtain possession of the beautiful animal increased with every passing day.
When at last he explained his plans to his friends he said: “I have discovered a pocket about ten miles below that gorge into which the black rascal led his followers. I think it will be possible for us to run him into that. There will be no use in trying it until we have tired him out, but I think we shall be able to do that.”
“How?” inquired Reuben.
“I have found that the wild horses come about two nights a week into that valley where we drove them. They seem to have regular rounds. The old fellow that leads them is smart, and if any bears or wolves have thought they could lie in wait for him they have been mistaken, for he never is two successive nights in the same place.”
“But how do you think you are going to drive him into that pocket?”
“I’m telling you, lad, to-night the wild ponies will be in the place where we drove them the last day we chased them. We mustn’t let them get inside. Probably the leader will do just what he did before—send his family and his friends off in one direction and he will start for another. Then the thing for us to do is to chase him back and forth over the ten miles.”
“But you’ll need an army of men to do it,” suggested Reuben.
“I have already sent ahead four men. They are as full of the game as we are. They haven’t seen that black horse, but what I have told them about him makes them all hungry to join in the chase. I’m going to put you and Jack down below that pocket. You two must turn back the fellow if he tries to get past you. I don’t think he will, for he won’t want to leave his charges quite so far away. I have got some pieces of tin and I want you both to pound on them and yell like good fellows. Turn him back anyway. Chase him. Make him go as far as the place where I am going to have two other men waiting. Then I’ll have two more up near the valley.”
“Where will you be?” inquired Reuben, who was becoming deeply interested in the project.
“I’m going to be where I’m needed most, for my horse is the swiftest in the camp. I want to be in at the finish, too, for I’m going to lasso the rascal. And this time we’re going to succeed.”
In spite of the failures of the preceding attempts somehow Reuben was convinced that a greater measure of success was likely to crown their efforts in the present chase. Obedient to the word of their leader the lad and his companion rode in the direction indicated and in a brief time had arrived at the position they desired.
Upon their arrival they were speedily convinced that the description which Kit Carson had given of the spot was more than fulfilled. A narrow space not more than forty feet wide seemed almost to provide an end for the long valley. Beyond it was another valley, the passage between being like an isthmus joining two larger spaces.
Every rider carried his gun, and in addition to these weapons Reuben and Jack had tied to the pommels of their saddles some large pieces of tin which had served as the bottoms of certain pans that had been used in the camp.
As soon as they had taken their positions, they threw their bridles over the heads of their horses and climbing to the shelter of the overhanging rocks seated themselves to await the signal that might be given for the approach of the horse they were so eager to capture. Between the places occupied by Reuben and his friend two other men were stationed, but they were hidden from the sight of their companions.
Slowly the afternoon waned, but patience was a lesson which Reuben had learned from the scout. Never yet had he heard an impatient word or a word of complaint escape the lips of Kit Carson. For one whose natural temperament was so fiery, who was so quick in his movements, and so thoroughly alive to every form of physical activity, his powers of repression and self-control were marvellous. In part it was due to his natural disposition, but still more it was the result of his training. The school in which he had studied was hard and the lessons were not taught by a schoolmaster. In order to succeed as a hunter or trapper infinite patience was required. The very success which had attended the efforts of the young scout had been a part of his duties, and Kit Carson had been a diligent pupil. In all his experiences with him the only time Reuben had ever seen him respond to the words of his comrades, which easily aroused the anger of one another, had been the time when Rat had declared that he would thrash any man in the camp who declared himself to be an American.
Even now the recollection of the boaster caused Reuben to smile, and turning to his friend he said: “Do you know what has become of Rat?”
Jack laughed as he said: “I reckon he evaporated. He hasn’t been seen near here nor in these parts for a long time.”
“Do you suppose he will ever try to get even with Kit Carson?”
“I don’t think he will even try any such thing. What he will try hardest to do will be to put all the space he can between him and the scout.”
Reuben laughed as he said: “I wouldn’t have believed that a little fellow like Kit Carson would have dared to fight such a great hulk as Rat.”
“You don’t know him. He’s afraid of nothing on earth, and yet, like other men who are good fighters, he doesn’t fight often. There is a big difference between a man who is always picking a quarrel and one who can put up a good fight.”
“I reckon Rat knows that now.”
“He surely does, and I don’t think he will want to take the lesson over again either. He won’t have to stay after school to learn the rules of that game.”
“The only thing I have heard Kit Carson talk much about of all the things he has done was what he did in his fight with the two grizzlies.”
“That’s right,” replied Jack, laughing loudly as he spoke. “I have heard him tell that story a good many times. He almost makes me see that big grizzly swinging and snorting and swaying his head when Kit struck him on the nose with his club. The nose is about as tender a spot for a grizzly as his shins are for a darky.”
“It was mighty funny,” laughed Reuben. “I saw both of them. When the first one came down the tree the other one acted just as if he was giving his opinion of a fellow who would back out like that. He would show him how to do it; so up he goes, and Kit Carson gets a good swing on his club and lands it right plumb on the snout of that grizzly. The way that bear snorted and shook his head almost made me laugh.”
“I should think it would have made you laugh.”
“The only reason I didn’t was because I was afraid the bear would see me, and turn around and come for the tree where I was. I hadn’t any desire to have him know any more about me than he did right then.”
“‘Ignorance is bliss,’ they say.”
“It was with me when I thought of that bear. Can you see anything of Kit Carson and the horses?” Reuben added as he peered intently in the direction from which the expected approach of the black leader was to be seen.
Jack was silent a moment before he said: “I see something moving up yonder.”
Instantly Reuben leaped to his feet and gazed long and earnestly in the direction indicated by his companion. Not many minutes had elapsed before both men were convinced that some large animals were approaching. Both were hopeful that the cloud of dust which was now steadily increasing as it drew nearer concealed the black horse and his pursuers. The cloud approached rapidly, but it was long before Reuben was able to discover the outlines of a horse running swiftly and pursued by two riders.
“There they come! There they come!” exclaimed the boy excitedly. “The old fellow is making straight for this place where we are.”
“We had better hide so that he won’t turn off,” suggested Jack. “Then when he comes a little nearer we’ll take the tin pans and sticks and serenade him.”
“We’ll have to be quick about it,” suggested Reuben as he saw the black leader now swiftly approaching. Apparently he had been chased far and long, for his body was flecked with foam and his breathing was laboured. In spite of his appearance of distress, however, the steed was such a noble-looking animal that Reuben’s admiration was keener than when he first had seen him. There was a wildness in his manner now, however, that had not been seen on the former occasions. The poor beast, fighting for his liberty, and perhaps believing that he was struggling for his life, was now thoroughly alarmed. His speed had diminished, and, pursued by fresh horses, he was no longer able to outdistance them easily.
The horse now was within fifty feet of the place where Reuben was standing. Quickly he and his companion began to pound upon their tins and at the same time they shouted in their loudest tones.
The startled horse swerved in his course, and, snorting with anger or fear, started for the familiar entrance. Evidently he was fearful that a trap of some kind had been laid, for, turning sharply about within the narrow valley, he started swiftly back over the way by which he had come.
“Chase him! Chase him!” called one of the pursuers. “You and Jack take your ponies now and give him a good run. We’ll go into the other end of the pocket so that he won’t go through there, and when he runs in the next time, why, we’ll let Kit Carson take him.”
In response to the suggestion Reuben and Jack speedily were mounted and in swift pursuit of the running horse. Their own mounts were somewhat fresh now, and as neither was slow, the speed at which they advanced was marked. It was plain, too, that the leader was distressed. Occasionally when he glanced backward his nostrils seemed like coals of fire and an expression of fear as well as of anger flashed from his eyes.
“Keep it up! Keep it up!” called Jack. “Spread out a little! Drive him back so that Kit Carson can start after him! This time I think he will get him for sure.”
It was fortunate for Reuben and his companion that their own horses were not compelled to cover all the distance between the pocket and the valley. Both ponies were soon labouring hard and with difficulty maintaining the pace into which their riders had urged them. Hard, however, as they soon were working, their distress was markedly less than that of the animal they were following.
Spreading out when they came nearer the place where they expected to find some of their comrades, the boys were not surprised when suddenly Kit Carson and four of his companions, yelling in their loudest tones and brandishing rifles, several of which were discharged, dashed after the startled wild horse. Again he retraced his way, but his distress was increasing so rapidly that it was a question whether or not he would be able to gain the pocket before he would be taken.
Kit Carson was carrying his lasso, and it was plain to Reuben that at almost any moment now he was prepared to dash ahead and try to cast the rope over the neck of the suffering steed. For some reason, which Reuben did not understand, the action was delayed. Kit Carson, however, was riding in advance of his followers, and, his pony being comparatively fresh, he was able to make swifter time than the horse he was following. All now were near the entrance to the pocket, and a shout arose when the black horse dashed through the narrow opening.