We set to work to
train our young elk. No man knew better than Cudjo how to break a pair
of oxen to either plough or cart; and when the elk had grown big, Cudjo
yoked them to the plough, and turned up several acres of ground with
them. During the winter, too, many a good load of dead-wood did Cudjo
make them `haul' up to the wood-pile that supplied our fire. In short,
they worked, both in the plough and cart, as gentle as oxen."

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.

CATCHING THE WILD HORSES.

"We had accomplished a great object. Nothing remained but to train a
sufficient number of elk for our purpose. We trapped several fawns; and
Cudjo proceeded in breaking them as he had done the others.

"At this time, however, an event occurred which verified my wife's
prediction still more clearly, and proved that the hand of God was over
and around us.

"One morning, a little after daybreak, and just before we had risen, we
were all thrown into a state of consternation by a noise that came from
without. It was the trampling of hoofs--of many hoofs; and there was no
difficulty in perceiving that horses were about the house. Their
neighing proved this--for Pompo had neighed in his stable, and we could
hear a dozen of them uttering their loud responses.

"`Indians!' thought we: and we gave ourselves up for lost.

"We all ran to our arms. Harry, Frank, and I, seized hold of our
rifles, while Cudjo betook himself to his great spear. I opened one of
the windows, and looked cautiously out. Horses they were, sure enough,
but no horsemen! There they were--in all nearly a dozen of them--white,
black, red, speckled and spotted like hounds! They were dashing about
through the open ground, neighing, snorting, rearing at each other, and
tossing back their long flowing manes, while their tails swept away
behind them in beautiful luxuriance. There were they, without bridle or
saddle, or any other sign that the hand of man had ever touched them.
And never had it. I saw at a glance what they were. They were
_mustangs_--the wild horses of the Desert.

"We were not long in resolving how to act. It was evident they had come
up the stream from the eastern plains; and, seeing the valley, had been
tempted by its greenness, and had strayed into it. Our design, then,
was at once formed, and that was to prevent them from getting out again.

"This could be accomplished very easily, by closing up the road which
led down to the valley; but, the