own to the rescue
of his favourite; but an unexpected obstacle came in the way. His fiery
little steed, excited by the headlong race and the howls of the Indians,
had taken the bit in his teeth and was now unmanageable. He tore at the
reins like a maniac, and in the height of his frenzy even raised the
butt of his rifle with the intent to strike the poor horse to the earth,
but his better nature prevailed. He checked the uplifted hand, and with
a groan dropped the reins, and sank almost helplessly forward on the
saddle, for several of the Indians had left the main body and were
pursuing him alone, so that there would have been now no chance of his
reaching the place where Crusoe fell, even if he could have turned his
horse.

Spiritless, and utterly indifferent to what his fate might be, Dick
Varley rode along with his head drooping, and keeping his seat almost
mechanically, while the mettlesome little steed flew on over wave and
hollow. Gradually he awakened from this state of despair to a sense of
danger. Glancing round he observed that the Indians were now far behind
him, though still pursuing. He also observed that his companions were
galloping miles away on the horizon to the left, and that he had
foolishly allowed the savages to get between him and them. The only
chance that remained for him was to outride his pursuers, and circle
round towards his comrades, and this he hoped to accomplish, for his
little horse had now proved itself to be superior to those of the
Indians, and there was good running in him still.

Urging him forward, therefore, he soon left the savages still further
behind, and feeling confident that they could not now overtake him, he
reined up and dismounted. The pursuers quickly drew near, but short
though it was, the rest did his horse good. Vaulting into the saddle,
he again stretched out, and now skirted along the margin of a wood which
seemed to mark the position of a river of considerable size.

At this moment his horse put his foot into a badger hole, and both of
them came heavily to the ground. In an instant Dick rose, picked up his
gun, and leaped unhurt into the saddle. But on urging his poor horse
forward, he found that its shoulder was badly sprained. There was no
room for mercy, however,--life and death were in the balance,--so he
plied the lash vigorously, and the noble steed warmed into something
like a run, when again it stumbled, and fell with a crash on the ground,