Saying this he leaped upon the animal’s back and gave him free rein.  The animal was going it on his own hook and he plunged and labored along for some minutes longer, over the rockiest sort of surface, until he halted of his own accord.  The instant he did so Fred leaped to the ground, paused and listened for his pursuers.  Nothing but the hurried breathing of the mustang could be heard.  The latter held his head well up, with ears thrown forward, in the attitude of attention.  But minute after minute passed and the stillness remained unbroken.  It looked indeed as if the fugitive horse and boy had found rest for the time, and, so long as the darkness continued, there was no necessity for further flight.

CHAPTER XXV.

HUNTING A STEED.

Leaving Fred Munson to watch for the approach of the Indians, it becomes necessary to follow Mickey O’Rooney and Sut Simpson on their hunt for a horse with which to continue their flight from the mountains and across the prairies.  It cannot be said that the scout, in starting upon this expedition, had any particular plan in view.  As he remarked, Indians were around them, and, wherever Indians were found, it was safe to look for the best kind of horses.  Wherever the best opportunity offered, there he intended to strike.  With this view, the first position of their expedition was in the nature of a survey, by which they intended to locate the field in which to operate.

The Irishman could not fail to see the necessity of caution and silence, and, leaving his more experienced companion to take the lead, he followed him closely, without speaking or halting.  The way continued rough and broken, being very difficult to travel at times; but after they had tramped a considerable distance, Mickey noticed that they were going down hill at quite a rapid rate, and finally they reached the lowermost level, where the scout faced him.

“Do yer know whar yer be?” he asked, in a significant tone.

“Know whar I be?” repeated the Irishman, in amazement.  “How should I know, as the spalpeens always said arter I knocked them down at the fair?  What means of information have I?”

“You’ve been over this spot afore,” continued the scout, enjoying the perplexity of his friend.

The latter scratched his head and looked about him with a more puzzled expression than ever.

“The only place that it risimbles in my mind, is a hilly portion in the north of Ireland.  Do you maan to say we’ve arrived thar?”

“This is the pass which you tramped up and down, and whar you got into trouble.”

“It don’t look like any part that I ever obsarved; but why do you have such a hankering for this ravine, in which we haven’t been used very well?”

“Yer’s whar the Injuns be, and yer’s whar we must look for hosses—­sh!”