e saw Withers, Lake, and the Indian driving the mustangs
toward camp.

The burros appeared lazy, yet willing. But the mustangs and the mule
Withers called Red and the gray mare Dynamite were determined not to be
driven into camp. It was astonishing how much action they had, how much
ground they could cover with their forefeet hobbled together. They
were exceedingly skilful; they lifted both forefeet at once, and then
plunged. And they all went in different directions. Nas Ta Bega darted
in here and there to head off escape.

Shefford pulled on his boots and went out to help. He got too close to
the gray mare and, warned by a yell from Withers, he jumped back just in
time to avoid her vicious heels. Then Shefford turned his attention to
Nack-yal and chased him all over the flat in a futile effort to catch
him. Nas Ta Bega came to Shefford's assistance and put a rope over
Nack-yal's head.

"Don't ever get behind one of these mustangs," said Withers, warningly,
as Shefford came up. "You might be killed.... Eat your bite now. We'll
soon be out of here."

Shefford had been late in awakening. The others had breakfasted. He
found eating somewhat difficult in the excitement that ensued. Nas Ta
Bega held ropes which were round the necks of Red and Dynamite. The mule
showed his cunning and always appeared to present his heels to Withers,
who tried to approach him with a pack-saddle. The patience of the trader
was a revelation to Shefford. And at length Red was cornered by the
three men, the pack-saddle was strapped on, and then the packs. Red
promptly bucked the packs off, and the work had to be done over again.
Then Red dropped his long ears and seemed ready to be tractable.

When Shefford turned his attention to Dynamite he decided that this
was his first sight of a wild horse. The gray mare had fiery eyes that
rolled and showed the white. She jumped straight up, screamed, pawed,
bit, and then plunged down to shoot her hind hoofs into the air as high
as her head had been. She was amazingly agile and she seemed mad to kill
something. She dragged the Indian about, and when Joe Lake got a rope
on her hind foot she dragged them both. They lashed her with the ends
of the lassoes, which action only made her kick harder. She plunged
into camp, drove Shefford flying for his life, knocked down two of the
burros, and played havoc with the unstrapped packs. Withers ran to
the assistance of Lake, and the two of them hauled back with a