"Then, if he bolts, it will be for the prairie," said Dan. "That will give me a chance to lasso him."
The timber was soon gained, and they skirted this with the silence of Indians until within a hundred yards of the white mustang. Then the older brother called another halt.
"Now you take the north side, and I'll keep to the south," said Dan. "Have you got your lasso ready?"
Ralph had, and it was decided that he should make the first throw, but not until Dan was prepared to make the second.
With great caution the two boys advanced to the point agreed upon. Then they rode out to where the lassoes could be used freely.
In the meantime the mustang was grazing peacefully, utterly unconscious of their presence in the vicinity. But now, as they drew still closer, he stopped cropping the grass and raised his head as if to listen.
"Throw!" cried Dan, and the lasso left Ralph's hand with a whizzing sound. A few seconds later Dan made his own cast.
As luck would have it, both landed over the mustang's head, but while Dan's was drawn tight with great quickness, Ralph's remained loose, so that in a twinkle the mustang shook it off, and then of course the line tightened around Dan's lariat instead.
