t mad speed by the hunters, poising
their spears, and swinging their nooses round their heads, ready for a
cast. Henrich and Jyanough, and several others of the best mounted
Indians, had joined in the chase of the black leader, and dashed
furiously after him over the plain. The horse that the English boy rode
was strong and fleet, and the light weight of his rider enabled him to
keep with the foremost of the red hunters' steeds, and, at length, to
come almost alongside the noble courser. The spear was poised in
Henrich's hand, and was just about to fly, when suddenly his horse fell
to the ground, and rolled over on the turf, leaving his rider
prostrate, but uninjured, except being stunned for a moment by the
shock.

When he opened his eyes, and sprang to his feet, he saw the king of the
desert galloping up a rising ground, over which he quickly disappeared,
still hotly pursued by Coubitant and several of the hunters. Jyanough
and the rest of his companions, had dismounted to assist their fallen
friend, and to form conjectures as to the probable cause of the unlucky
accident. For some time none could be perceived; but on carefully
examining his horse, Henrich at length discovered a small wound in the
hind leg, and found that the creature was lame. How, or by whom, the
wound had been given, he could not even surmise; for in the eagerness
of the chase he had not observed that Coubitant rode close behind him:
and that he had passed him at full speed the moment his horse stumbled
and fell. But Jyanough had remarked it; and from what he had already
seen of the wily Indian, he felt convinced that, prompted by malicious
jealousy, he had thus sought to deprive his rival of his hoped-for
success, and, perhaps, even to inflict on him some grievous personal
injury.

The young Indian had, however, the good sense to conceal his suspicions
from Henrich at present, and to allow him to regard the whole affair as
accidental; but he determined to keep a strict watch over the conduct
of Coubitant for the future, and, if possible, to guard his friend from
all his evil machinations.

Soon the Nausett and the rest of the hunters returned from their
fruitless chase, and reported the escape of the noble wild coursers and
when Jyanough heard the regrets that Coubitant expressed for the
accident that had befallen Henrich, and the condolences he offered on
his having thus missed the object which otherwise his skill most surely
have attained,