e was the lord of this splendid harem?--where the steed?

This was the thought that was uppermost in the mind of all--the question
upon every tongue.

Our eyes wandered over the herd, now here, now there. White horses
there were, numbers of them, but it needed but a glance to tell that the
"steed of the prairies" was not there.

We eyed each other with looks of disappointment. Even my companions
felt that; but a far more bitter feeling was growing upon me as I gazed
upon the leaderless troop. Could I have captured and carried back the
whole drove, the present would not have purchased one smile from
Isolina. The steed was not among them!

He might still be in the neighbourhood; or had he forsaken the manada
altogether, and gone far away over the wide prairie in search of new
conquests?

The vaquero believed he was not far off. I had faith in this man's
opinion, who, having passed his life in the observation of wild and
half-wild horses, had a perfect knowledge of their habits. There was
hope then. The steed might be near; perhaps lying down in the shade of
the thicket; perhaps with a portion of the manada or some favourite in
one of the adjacent glades. If so, our guide assured us we should soon
have him in view. He would soon bring the steed upon the ground.

How?

Simply by startling the mares, whose neigh of alarm would be heard from
afar.

The plan seemed feasible enough; but it was advisable that we should
surround the manada before attempting to disturb them, else they might
gallop off in the opposite direction, before any of us could get near.

Without delay, we proceeded to effect the "surround."

The chapparal aided us by concealing our movements; and in half-an-hour
we had deployed around the prairie.

The drove still browsed and played. They had no suspicion that a cordon
of hunters was being formed around them, else they would have long since
galloped away.

Of all wild creatures, the shyest is the wild-horse; the deer, the
antelope, and buffalo, are far less fearful of the approach of man. The
mustang seems to understand the doom that awaits him in captivity. One
could almost fancy that the runaways from the settlements--occasionally
seen amongst them--had poured into their ears the tale of their
hardships and long endurance.

I had myself ridden to the opposite side of the prairie, in order to be
certain when the circle was complete. I was now alone, having dropped
my companion