They begin to practice as children, and they are taught to stop at no obstacle and not to vary their speed, whether facing or descending a hill.
They keep the lips firmly closed, breathing altogether through the nostrils, and the arms, or at least the elbows, are kept firmly pressed to the sides, the hands being advanced at right angles to the body and the fingers shut, like a boxer's fist.
An observer, seeing Ulna's light, springy bound and the absence of all effort, would have been charmed with the grace of the youth's movements, but would have felt that he was not getting over the ground very fast, while his pursuers appeared to be flying; and they were certainly straining every nerve.
But Ulna's feet were on his native heath, and he knew that his safety depended on reserving his strength, rather than exhausting himself by a mighty effort at the start.
The four runners behind him discharged their rifles, but the bullets whistled harmlessly by his ears.
They yelled, and he heard them with a feeling of delight, for he well knew that men cannot run fast and yell very loud at the same time.
Still the Apaches seemed to gain on him, till his lead was reduced to not more than fifty yards, and he could hear their loud explosive breathings behind him.
Gradually three of the young braves began to lessen their speed and drop to the rear, while one appeared to gain at every bound on the fugitive.
After running for more than hour, Ulna threw a quick glance over his shoulder and took in this state of affairs.
His heart bounded with delight at the prospect, but he neither increased nor lessened his speed. His movements seemed to be as even and tireless as the flight of the mountain eagles circling above his head.