ady for the rescue!" he exclaimed.
"Then I will not grieve."

"We will begin now," Dick answered.

"You will be chief horse-breaker," Dan assured Raal. "In a week you'll
be a regular Arizona bronco-buster."

Kulki and his chosen three began preparations for the trail at once.
That same day they set out, mounted on Arab horses and carrying water
and food. Kulki refused a gun. The "stick that spoke like thunder"
was a magic he did not understand.

As for Raal and his Taharans, they wasted no time but set to work
rounding up all the small wild horses that they could find among the
hills, while Dan and Dick showed the others how to build a corral for
the animals.

CHAPTER VII

THE WAR TRAIL

"Throw your rope over that wicked little beast!" exclaimed Dick Oakwood.

"Okay, Dick," answered Dan. His quivering lariat sailed through the
air and the loop settled neatly about the neck of one of the small wild
horses in the enclosure, bringing it to the ground.

Quick as a flash, Dick was on its back, much to the delight of the
savage tribe who had never witnessed such feats of bravery.

"Tahara, hal!" they cried.

For days there had been great excitement in the land of the Taharans.
After the raid of the Arabs and the possibility that the tribe might
have to make a return attack to recover the princess, Veena, Dick and
his chum, Dan Carter, had been breaking the wild horses and teaching
the natives to handle them.

They were apt pupils and one after another were mastering the art of
horseback riding.

Now as Dick after a fierce struggle brought the horse down to a gentle
gallop, he dismounted and handed the reins to Raal. At that moment
Kurt interrupted with a cry. He ran to Dick with terror in his face.

"O Master, look through your magic glasses and see who is coming. Is
it a new danger that threatens us?" Then aside he murmured, "Tahara is
great. He will protect us!"

Dick beckoned to Kurul to whom he had trusted his binoculars, and the
warrior passed over the glasses as if he were glad to get rid of them.
The savages were still not certain that these strange eyes were
innocent of the spell of black magic.

Dick put them to his eyes and saw a strange figure approaching from the
desert. It staggered and fell to the ground, then rose wearily and
struggled on.

"It seems to be an old man, bent double with age," said Dick. "He is
very weary. Run Kurt, and help him! And you, Kurul, lend a han