CHAPTER XXV--THE CAPTIVE LEADER
Instantly Kit Carson and Reuben, together with the men who were stillon the open plain, dashed toward the entrance. Reuben was able to seethe tired horse when he dashed through the little valley and fled tothe exit on the opposite side.
In a moment, however, the two men who were waiting there, shouting intheir loudest tones and vigorously beating upon their tins, advancedupon the startled animal, which immediately turned back in his tracksand again started toward the opening by which he had entered. Again theterrified beast turned back when he found the passageway blocked byseveral of his pursuers.
The noble animal stopped and gazed partly in fear and partly in angerat the men, and then with repeated snorts of defiance began to circlethe little enclosure. Several times he stopped, and to Reuben it seemedas if he had decided to turn and attempt to fight his way through.
Kit Carson and his friends, however, gave the pony no rest. Whenever hestopped some of the men bore down upon him with shouts mingled with anoccasional discharge of a gun and loud beatings upon the tins. In thismanner they compelled the horse to keep running and prevented him fromobtaining any rest.
Around and around the enclosure the poor beast ran until it seemed toReuben as if the weary animal must drop from sheer exhaustion. Not oncewas he permitted to stop for rest. The men were shouting, dischargingtheir rifles, beating upon their tins, and continually doing theirutmost to prevent the leader of the drove from passing them or pausingin his flight.
To Reuben the pitiful aspect of the noble animal soon became doublystrong. The expression in his eyes as well as his manner showed that hewas nearly exhausted. His breathing was very laboured and his heavingflanks showed how difficult his flight had become.
For an hour the maddening chase continued. By that time the black horsehad stumbled and almost fallen several times. Indeed, it seemed toReuben as if the poor beast each time would be unable to regain hisfooting and continue his mad flight. Once more there welled up inReuben's heart a feeling of pity for the animal which had made such adesperate struggle for freedom.
In the midst of all these things, however, Kit Carson was unmoved. Theexpression on his face did not change. He simply was determined tocarry through to its completion the plan which he had formed for thecapture of the leader of the ponies that had so strongly appealed tohis admiration.
Suddenly the scout wheeled and shouted: "Now is the time! Look out forthe openings! All I want is for you to keep him from breaking through."
At that moment Carson started swiftly forward on the animal he wasriding. Trembling, weak, and streaked with froth and sweat, the blackhorse stared at the unexpected advance for a moment, and then with adesperate effort tried to renew his flight.
There was no display of anger now. The fierceness of the black beastwas gone. His head was drooping and his weakness was apparent in everyforward step that he took. No longer was there the flash of fire to beseen in his eyes. There was in them now an expression of agony mingledwith fear.
Kit Carson, however, advancing slowly until he was within ten yards ofthe animal he was determined to secure, swung his lasso several timesabove his head and then cast it toward the black horse.
Silence had followed the action of the scout, and almost breathless intheir excitement every one watched the curling, twisting leather stripas it slowly made its way toward its mark. A sigh of relief escapedReuben's lips when the noose, almost as if it were conscious of what itwas doing, dropped over the head of the black horse and settled abouthis neck.
The pony which Kit Carson was riding was familiar with his task. It wasnot the first time the scout had captured wild horses, although neverbefore had he attempted to take one so beautiful and fleet and strong.The pony braced its feet and stood back in its tracks to throw itsstrength against the pull that would be made upon it.
The black horse, now conscious of the tightening noose, leaped forwardin one final despairing effort to escape from his pursuers. How vain itall was. As the powerful animal dashed ahead, the noose tightened, theline became taut, and he was thrown, almost turning a somersault as hecame to the ground.
Quickly the scout rushed forward, and a moment later, before thecaptive was able to rise, his forefeet were hobbled, and the beautifulwild pony, which only recently had been the proud leader of a drove,was helpless in the hands of his captors.
For a moment sounds of mingled rage and terror were emitted by thetrembling animal as he lay helpless upon the ground. His eyes, however,had now taken on an expression of intense hatred, and suddenly by asupreme effort he arose to his feet and remained standing. His earswere flattened against his head, and for a moment even Kit Carsonhesitated before he approached the angry and trembling beast.
Turning to his companions the scout said quietly: "I want every one ofyou now to go back to camp."
"But we don't want to leave you here with that black demon," suggestedJack.
"I'm going to stay here alone," said Kit Carson quietly. "You need nothave any fears that I shall be hurt, and it will not be long before Ishall come to the camp myself."
Reuben glanced appealingly at the scout, seeking permission to remainwithout voicing his wish. Kit Carson, however, smiled and shook hishead. Reuben was to go back with the other trappers. Reluctantly thehalf-dozen men rode slowly out of the opening in the enclosure andstarted toward the camp.
"I don't like to leave him there," said Jack, slowly shaking his headas he spoke. "That horse is as dangerous as a grizzly and twice aspowerful."
"That may be so," admitted one of the men, "but I don't care how strongit is Kit Carson has a way of taking all that out of it."
"I knew a man once who had his head bitten off by a horse," suggestedone of the trappers.
"I reckon his head must have been about the size of a walnut," laughedthe trapper.
"Never you mind," said the first speaker; "a horse has a powerful bigmouth and its teeth are strong. Did you ever see two horses fight?"
"Yes."
"Well, there's no sight like it in the world. They make you think oftwo demons. A good many times they'll fight until one or the other iskilled, and sometimes neither one comes out of the fight alive."
"Well, I would rather have them fight one another than to fight me,"said the first trapper. "I don't envy Kit his job back yonder."
Reuben had been silent throughout the conversation, and his fears forhis friend were greatly increased in consequence of it. He was becomingalarmed for the safety of the lithe little scout, but there was nothingto be done except to carry out his desires, and in silence he proceededon his way to the camp.
When the men arrived they found their companions eager listeners to thestory they had to tell of the capture of the black horse. Others of themen also were concerned now for the safety of the scout, but againstthe suggestion that they should go to his relief the strong protestsmade by the men who had accompanied Carson in the chase at lastprevailed, and no one departed from the camp.
Meanwhile, although it was seldom that reference was made to the fearin the heart of every one, the anxiety among the trappers increased asthe slow moments passed. When an hour had elapsed the suggestion wasrenewed by Reuben that the men should go to the aid of their leader.But the suggestion was again refused. Another hour passed, and stillthere were no signs of the coming of the missing trapper.
A half-hour later, however, Kit Carson was seen approaching the camp,riding his own pony and leading his captive. The black horse wasfollowing meekly, his dejected bearing clearly showing the sufferingshe had undergone. The scout made no comment when he rode into the camp.He at once quietly dismounted and threw the bridle rein over the headof the pony he had been riding and then turned to his captive.
At first it seemed as if the spirit of the black horse was broken. In amoment, however, when Kit Carson tried to lead forward the nearlyexhausted animal, the wild pony reared and with a scream of angerattempted to strike the scout with his forefeet. Carson, however, wastoo
quick, and the attempt of his prisoner to injure him proved futile.
Again the scout pulled upon the halter, although as Reuben watched himhe was puzzled to understand how the daring man had succeeded inplacing a halter on the head of the powerful animal. The pony this timeresponded, and although he was apparently unaware of what he was doing,he followed his captor as he led him to a stake which had been securelydriven into the ground on the border of the camp. There the capturedhorse was tied. Once more, however, Kit Carson barely escaped theonrush of the beast as he dashed upon him with wide-open jaws. It wasimpossible for any one in the camp now to hobble the animal, and for atime he was left to his vain efforts to escape. Desperately the poorbeast pulled upon the thongs that held him, but without avail. After astruggle of a few minutes the attempt was abandoned, and for a time itseemed as if the black horse, his spirits drooping and his wholebearing dejected, had at last decided to yield to his fate.
Kit Carson declared that the horse should not be fed or wateredthroughout the night. When morning came, with some oats in his hatwhich he was holding in his outstretched hand, the scout againapproached the captive. Hunger and thirst by this time had deprived thebeast of still more of his fiery energy. He was weak now as well assuffering. Stretching forth his head, he ate a few oats, and then,apparently overcome by his recollection of his humiliation, with ascream of anger he arose upon his hind feet and again endeavoured tocrush the scout.
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