"I think this evening will end it," declared Hank. "We might push on a
little faster, as the going is good right here."

The horses were urged to greater speed, and they responded gamely. They
seemed to realize the necessity for haste, and took advantage of the
momentary betterment in the surface over which they were traveling.

The sun was sinking lower and lower in the west and the shadows were
lengthening. Eagerly the boys and the cowboy scout peered ahead,
straining their eyes for a glimpse of those whom they were pursuing.
Then there came a bit of rough ground, and the pace was slower. Next
followed a little rise, and, as this was topped, Blake, who had taken
the lead for a short distance, uttered a cry and pointed forward with
eager hand.

"What is it?" cried Joe and Hank together.

"There they are!" yelled Blake. "The Indians! Right below us! Come on!"

Riding to his side, the others saw a sharp descent, then a level plain
stretching away for many miles. And moving slowly over this plain was a
band of about twenty-five Indians, mounted on ponies that seemed
scarcely able to move.

"That's them!" cried Hank, as he dug his heels into the sides of his
horse. "At 'em, boys! A short, swift gallop will bring us up to 'em now,
and then--well, we'll see what will happen!"

"Come on!" yelled Blake, and side by side the trio rode down into the
valley, their animals seeming to take on new strength as they saw their
quarry before them.

"They've noticed us!" exclaimed Blake.

"That's right!" agreed Hank. "Well, now to see if we can catch 'em!"

A movement amid the stragglers of the band told that they had glimpsed
the approach of the whites. There was a distant shout, and at once the
whole party was galloping off.

"They'll distance us!" cried Blake. "They're going to get away!"

"Not very far," was Hank's opinion. "Their horses are about done up.
This is a last spurt."

His trained eye had shown him that the Indians were using quirts and
their heels to spur the tired animals to a last burst of speed. True,
the ponies did leap ahead for a few minutes; but not even the wild
shouting of the redmen, the frantic beating of their steeds, and the
firing of their guns could make the wearied muscles of the ponies
respond for long.

The spurt lasted only a few seconds, and then came a noticeable slowing
down. On the contrary, the horses of our friends, though they had
traveled far and hard, were in better condition