ce.

Had he been alone, I might have acted with more caution, and perhaps
have thought of some stratagem to capture him. As it was, stratagem was
out of the question; the circumstances required speed.

Both trappers and rangers--acting under like impulse with myself--had
spurred their horses into a gallop, and followed close at my heels.

The drove was yet distant. The wind blew from them--a brisk breeze. We
were half-way down the hill, and still the wild horses neither heard,
saw, nor scented us.

I shouted at the top of my voice: I wished to startle and put them to
flight. My followers shouted in chorus; but our voices reached not the
quarrelling caballada.

A better expedient suggested itself: I drew my pistol from its holster,
and fired several shots in the air.

The first would have been sufficient. Its report was heard, despite the
opposing wind; and the mustangs, affrighted by the sound, suddenly
forsook the encounter. Some bounded away at once; others came wheeling
around us, snorting fiercely, and tossing their heads in the air, a few
galloped almost within range of our rifles; and then, uttering their
shrill neighing, turned and broke off in rapid flight. The steed and
his rider alone remained, where we had first observed them!

For some moments he kept the ground, as if bewildered by the sudden
scattering of his assailants; but he too must have heard the shots, and
perhaps alone divined something of what had caused those singular
noises. In the loud concussion, he recognised the voice of his greatest
enemy; and yet he stirred not from the spot!

Was he going to await our approach? Had he become tamed?--reconciled to
captivity? or was it that we had rescued him from his angry rivals--that
he was grateful, and no longer feared us?

Such odd ideas rushed rapidly through my mind as I hurried forward!

I had begun to deem it probable that he would stay our approach, and
suffer us quietly to recapture him. Alas! I was soon undeceived. I
was still a long way off--many hundred yards--when I saw him rear
upward, wheel round upon his hind-feet as on a pivot, and then bound off
in determined flight. His shrill scream pealing back upon the breeze,
fell upon my ears like the taunt of some deadly foe. It seemed the
utterance of mockery and revenge: mockery at the impotence of my
pursuit; revenge that I had once made him my captive.

I obeyed the only impulse I could have at such a moment, and gall