the
blue sky. He looked not back. Had he done so, he would have seen the
mustangs scattering in every direction over the plain. But he looked
not back. All that he now cared for was before him; and he plied the
spur freshly and galloped on.

He had no need to use the spur. Black Hawk seemed to think that his
credit rested upon the result, and the faithful brute was doing his
best. On the other hand, the wild horse felt that his life, or at least
his freedom, depended upon it, and this was enough to urge _him_ to his
utmost. Both flew like the wind--pursuer and pursued.

As they parted from the herd, there was not more than three hundred
yards between them; and they must have passed over some miles
afterwards, before this distance was greatly lessened. Their line of
flight was as straight as an arrow; and from this it was evident that
the mustang usually trusted to his hoofs to save him from his enemies.

In a race like this, however, the pursuer has the advantage of the
pursued. The latter, always anxious, is constrained to look back; and
is, therefore, less sure of the ground that lies before. He loses his
proper attitude for speed, and is besides in danger of stumbling. So it
was with the wild horse. He did not stumble--he was too sure of foot
for that--but his head was occasionally thrown to one side, until his
large dark eye commanded a view of his enemy behind him. This, of
course, to some extent, retarded him. It was only at these moments that
Basil could gain upon him; and the proofs he thus gave of his superior
powers, only rendered the latter the more eager to capture and possess
him.

After a long chase the distance between them was still two hundred paces
at the least. The young hunter, with a feeling of impatience, once more
plied the spur in a fresh effort to come up; while the other seemed to
spring forward as swiftly as ever.

All at once Basil observed that the white steed, instead of running
straight forward, appeared to go from side to side, moving in crooked
lines! Basil saw this with surprise. He looked to discover the cause.
As his eye glanced along the ground, he perceived that it was uneven--
covered, as far as he could see, with little hillocks. The mustang was
among them. It was this, then, that was causing him to run so
strangely. Basil had hardly made the observation, when he felt his
horse sink suddenly under him, and tumble headlong upon the prairie!

The rider wa