en the rope catching in a bush
slipped off over his head as he struggled again. Then the stallion, by
chance, or because his horse's mind inclined him to it, uttered a long,
shrill neigh of triumph, kicked his heels high in the air, and galloped
away, his flowing tail streaming out behind him, a banner of triumph.

"He's won again," said Henry in a tone of gladness. "I told you that horse
wasn't made ever to be ridden."

"But he has to struggle continually for life and freedom," said Paul.

"Just the same as we do," rejoined Henry. "See those fellows are picking
themselves up; but they've been slow about it."

"I don't blame them. I fancy they suffered some pretty severe bruises when
the horse jerked them down. Paul, I think I can make out two white faces
in that party, which almost certainly means that they are the men of
Alvarez. And it says to us that we ought to hurry."

"But not without our deer, I hope," said Paul. They gave one last look at
the far edge of the prairie, where they could still dimly see the white
stallion, now keeping well away from the woods.

"I don't think anything will get him," said Henry, "and I hope not. Just
as we do, he loves to be free."

They, too, re-entered the woods and were fortunate enough to find a deer
quickly. Henry was willing to risk the chance of the shot being heard by
their enemies and his bullet brought it down. Then they cut up the body
and took it back to the boat, where they told all that had occurred. The
others agreed that if Alvarez and his men were in the vicinity they ought
to leave at once, and, transferring the drying clothes from the bank to
the boat, they entered the Mississippi once more and set sail down its
stream.

CHAPTER XIV

NEW ORLEANS

They sailed and rowed steadily on for several days. Once or twice they saw
canoes or boats containing white men, who regarded them curiously, but
none approached. They inferred that they were now very near New Orleans,
and all the five were alert with anticipation. Besides the accomplishment
of their great task, they were about to visit a metropolis, a seat of
government, a city of eight or ten thousand people, commanding the road to
the heart of the North American continent, swarming with many races, and
destined, as all the world then believed, to be the largest place in
either America. It is no wonder that the bosoms of the five throbbed with
curiosity, and that they looked forward to strange and var