For the next hour they rode along without anything of incident occurring, Tad constantly adding to his store of knowledge regarding mountain and plain. The lad was himself a natural plainsman and proved himself an apt pupil.
All at once Bud pulled up his pony sharply and studied the ground.
"What is it?" questioned Tad.
"We've struck luck for sure. Boy, I'll show you something that'll make your eyes stick out so you can hang your hat on them," cried the cowboy exultingly.
"You—you mean we have come upon the wild horses?" asked the lad.
"Yes, and more. Come this way and I'll show you. See this trail?"
Tad nodded.
"Well, it was made by another band of horses."
The announcement did not strike Tad as especially significant.
"They headed for the mesas, too?"