efore the
cattleman had taken more than a round dozen of winks the black had
tested his tether to the limit of his strength. The tether stood the
test. A cow pony might have done this much. There he would have stopped.
But the black was a Kentucky thoroughbred, blessed with the inherited
intelligence of noble sires, some of whom had been household pets. So he
investigated the tether at close range.

Feeling the stake with his sensitive upper lip he discovered it to be
firm as a rock. Next he backed away and wrenched tentatively at the
halter until convinced that the throat strap was thoroughly sound. His
last effort must have been an inspiration. Attacking the taut buckskin
rope with his teeth he worked diligently until he had severed three of
the four strands. Then he gathered himself for another lunge. With a
snap the rope parted and the black dashed away into the night, leaving
the cowboy snoring confidently by the camp-fire.

All night he ran, on and on in the darkness, stopping only to listen
tremblingly to the echo of his own hoofs and to sniff suspiciously at
the crouching shadows of innocent bushes. By morning he had left the Bar
L outfit many miles behind, and when the red sun rolled up over the edge
of the prairie he saw that he was alone in a field that stretched
unbroken to the circling sky-line.

Not until noon did the runaway black scent water. Half mad with thirst
he dashed to the edge of a muddy little stream and sucked down a great
draught. As he raised his head he saw standing poised above him on the
opposite bank, with ears laid menacingly flat and nostrils aquiver in
nervous palpitation, a buckskin-colored stallion.

Snorting from fright the black wheeled and ran. He heard behind him a
shrill neigh of challenge and in a moment the thunder of many hoofs.
Looking back he saw fully a score of horses, the buckskin stallion in
the van, charging after him. That was enough. Filling his great lungs
with air he leaped into such a burst of speed that his pursuers soon
tired of the hopeless chase. Finding that he was no longer followed the
black grew curious. Galloping in a circle he gradually approached the
band. The horses had settled down to the cropping of buffalo grass, only
the buckskin stallion, who had taken a position on a little knoll,
remaining on guard.

The surprising thing about this band was that each and every member
seemed riderless. Not until he had taken long up-wind sniffs was the
thor