examination during the
previous night, their feet were found to be webbed with this burr.
Now, on climbing this second mountain, they began to show the lameness
which their master so much feared, until it was almost impossible to
make them take any interest in the trail. The old dog, however, seemed
nothing the worse for his work.

On reaching the first small park near the summit of this range, the
pursuers were so exhausted that they lay down and took their first
sleep, having been over three days and a half on the trail. The
marshal himself slept several hours, but he was the last to go to
sleep and the first to awake. Before going to sleep, and on arising,
he was particular to bathe the dogs' feet. The nearest approach to a
liniment that he possessed was a lubricating tube for guns, which he
fortunately had with him. This afforded relief.

It was daybreak when the pursuers took up the trail. The plateau on
the crest of this range was in places several miles wide, having a
luxuriant growth of grass upon it. The course of the robbers continued
to the southwest. The pursuers kept this plateau for several miles,
and before descending the western slope of the range an abandoned camp
was found, where the pursued had evidently made their first bunks.
Indications of where horses had been picketed for hours, and where
both men and horses had slept were evident. The trail where it left
this deserted camp was in no wise encouraging to the marshal, as
it looked at least thirty-six hours old. As the pursuers began the
descent, they could see below them where the San Juan River meanders
to the west until her waters, mingling with others, find their outlet
into the Pacific. It was a trial of incessant toil down the mountain
slope, wearisome alike to man and beast. Near the foot-hill of this
mountain they were rewarded by finding a horse which the robbers had
abandoned on account of an accident. He was an extremely fine horse,
but so lame in the shoulders, apparently owing to a fall, that it
was impossible to move him. The trail of the robbers kept in the
foot-hills, finally doubling back an almost due east course. Now and
then ranches were visible out on the mesa, but in all instances they
were carefully avoided by the pursued.

Spending a night in these hills, the posse prepared to make an early
start. Here, however, they met their first serious trouble. Both of
the younger dogs had feet so badly swollen that it was impossible