“Now, first of all we’ve got to muffle our ponies’ heads so they can’t betray us by neighing,” announced Donald.
“A good idea, I say,” Adrian went on to remark, approvingly. “I’ve known the best trained cayuse going to let out a neigh when it scented some of its own kind near by. That’s a thing they just can’t help, seems like. So, the sooner we get their muzzles tied up the better.”
“You’ll have to show me how,” said Billie; “because that’s where my education’s been sorter neglected, so to speak. But I want to know, just stick a pin in that, please.”
He soon learned just how this could be accomplished by the aid of their blankets. The horses objected to such treatment, but had to submit in the end. And when the job had been completed they were so muzzled that they could not have whinnied, no matter how hard they tried.
Mounting them again the three boys moved cautiously ahead. It was their purpose to cover a certain distance,
and then again dismount, after which they would arrange to leave their steeds while they crept up toward the mouth of the coulie.
“That’s fine!” Donald suddenly said in a low tone.
“They’ve started a fire, seems like,” whispered Billie; “and I reckon now that’s what you meant, Donald?”
“Yes, because it shows that they’ve got to the end of their run, and mean to take things easy for a spell. Couldn’t suit us better, fellows, could it?”
“I only hope they feel like making merry over the grand success of their little raid, and take so many nips from their old bottles that they’ll be dropping over in a sound sleep before long,” Billie suggested.