V. ON THE TRAIL

Shefford was awakened next morning by a sound he had never heard before —­the plunging of hobbled horses on soft turf.  It was clear daylight, with a ruddy color in the sky and a tinge of red along the canyon rim.  He saw Withers, Lake, and the Indian driving the mustangs toward camp.

The burros appeared lazy, yet willing.  But the mustangs and the mule Withers called Red and the gray mare Dynamite were determined not to be driven into camp.  It was astonishing how much action they had, how much ground they could cover with their forefeet hobbled together.  They were exceedingly skilful; they lifted both forefeet at once, and then plunged.  And they all went in different directions.  Nas Ta Bega darted in here and there to head off escape.

Shefford pulled on his boots and went out to help.  He got too close to the gray mare and, warned by a yell from Withers, he jumped back just in time to avoid her vicious heels.  Then Shefford turned his attention to Nack-yal and chased him all over the flat in a futile effort to catch him.  Nas Ta Bega came to Shefford’s assistance and put a rope over Nack-yal’s head.

“Don’t ever get behind one of these mustangs,” said Withers, warningly, as Shefford came up.  “You might be killed. . . .  Eat your bite now.  We’ll soon be out of here.”

Shefford had been late in awakening.  The others had breakfasted.  He found eating somewhat difficult in the excitement that ensued.  Nas Ta Bega held ropes which were round the necks of Red and Dynamite.  The mule showed his cunning and always appeared to present his heels to Withers, who tried to approach him with a pack-saddle.  The patience of the trader was a revelation to Shefford.  And at length Red was cornered by the three men, the pack-saddle was strapped on, and then the packs.  Red promptly bucked the packs off, and the work had to be done over again.  Then Red dropped his long ears and seemed ready to be tractable.

When Shefford turned his attention to Dynamite he decided that this was his first sight of a wild horse.  The gray mare had fiery eyes that rolled and showed the white.  She jumped straight up, screamed, pawed, bit, and then plunged down to shoot her hind hoofs into the air as high as her head had been.  She was amazingly agile and she seemed mad to kill something.  She dragged the Indian about, and when Joe Lake got a rope on her hind foot she dragged them both.  They lashed her with the ends of the lassoes, which action only made her kick harder.  She plunged into camp, drove Shefford flying for his life, knocked down two of the burros, and played havoc with the unstrapped packs.  Withers ran to the assistance of Lake, and the two of them hauled back with all their strength and weight.  They were both powerful and heavy men.  Dynamite circled round and finally, after kicking the camp-fire to bits, fell down on her haunches in the hot embers.  “Let—­her—­set—­ there!” panted Withers.  And Joe Lake shouted, “Burn up, you durn coyote!” Both men appeared delighted that she had brought upon herself just punishment.  Dynamite sat in the remains of the fire long enough to get burnt, and then she got up and meekly allowed Withers to throw a tarpaulin and a roll of blankets over her and tie them fast.