As the pony regained its feet the Indian leaped upon its back, while the sturdy little animal gave itself a shake that seemed to be like one gigantic quiver, beginning at its broad inflated nostrils, and ending with the rugged strands of its great thick uncombed tail.
Just then the Beaver uttered a yell, and away the whole party swept again, the Indian who had fallen seeming in no wise the worse for his encounter with the sandy earth.
“That’s where the Indian gets the better of the white man, Master Bart. A fall like that would have about knocked all the life out of me. It’s my belief them Injuns likes it, and so you see they can bear so much that they grow hard to clear away; and in spite of our being so much more knowing, they’re often too much for us.”
“But had we not better pull up, Joses?” cried Bart, for they were tearing along over the plain once more at a tremendous gallop.
“It’s no use to try, my lad; the horses won’t stop and leave them others galloping on. You may train horses as much as you like, but there’s a lot of nature left in them, and that you can’t eddicate out.”
“What do you mean?” panted Bart, for it was hard work riding so fast.
“What do I mean, my boy? why, that horses is used to going in big droves together, and this puts ’em in mind of it, and they like it. You try and pull Black Boy in. There, I told you so. See how he gnaws at his bit and pulls. There’s no stopping him, my lad, no more than there is mine. Let ’em go, my lad. Perhaps we mayn’t meet any one we don’t want to meet after all.”
Hardly had he spoken before the Beaver raised his arm, and his followers pulled up as if by magic, forming in quite a small circle close to him, with their horses’ heads almost touching him.
The Beaver signed to Bart and Joses to approach, and room was made for them to join in the little council which was to be held, and the result was that being now well out in the plains far north of where they had originally travelled to reach the mountain, they now headed off to the west, the Indians separating, and opening out more and more so as to cover wider ground with their keen eyes, while every little eminence was climbed so that the horizon could be swept in search of bison.
“Do you think we shall meet with any, Joses?” asked Bart.