Together the two horsemen rode swiftly forward, doing their utmost to gain a point nearer the valley than the one where the horses were first seen grazing. Apparently they had succeeded, when the startled leader lifted his head, neighed sharply, and instantly warned his family of the danger that was near.
“Come on, Reuben! Come on!” shouted Kit Carson, as putting his horse into its swiftest paces he advanced far into the entrance of the valley.
The efforts, however, of the trappers were doomed to failure. With a disregard of their attempt to head him off that was almost ludicrous, the swift horse led his followers almost directly into the entrance and in a brief time all, including the colts, had disappeared from sight among the boulders of the ravine.
“No use, Reuben. No use trying to do any more to-night. We have got to think up some other way of trapping that black rascal. Did you ever see such a handsome animal in your life?”
“I never did.”
“Nor I. And every time I see him I simply am more determined than ever to get him. I am going to catch him just as sure as the sun rises!”
Several days later it seemed as if the words of the scout were about to be fulfilled. Accompanied by Reuben and Jack and two others of the campers, Kit Carson succeeded in locating the drove and immediately attempted the plan which he had already formed for capturing the daring leader.
[CHAPTER XXIV—A FRESH ATTEMPT]
So eager was Kit Carson to secure the wonderful leader of the drove that he had spent much time in thinking out various plans by which the black pony might be captured. There had been times when he acknowledged that it seemed a pity to try to take such a noble-looking animal from its state of freedom and compel it to become a servant. And yet, although the trapper’s feelings were tender and he seldom permitted his men even to shoot game without some necessary purpose in view, nevertheless the eagerness of the leader to obtain possession of the beautiful animal increased with every passing day.
When at last he explained his plans to his friends he said: “I have discovered a pocket about ten miles below that gorge into which the black rascal led his followers. I think it will be possible for us to run him into that. There will be no use in trying it until we have tired him out, but I think we shall be able to do that.”