The three friends were at that moment approaching the summit of a high swell, and the noise which interrupted their song came from the other side. It was an indistinct, muffled sound, and so very much like that made by a heavily loaded wagon when rapidly driven, that they looked toward the top of the swell, more than half expecting to see a runaway team come quickly into view and dash down among them. But the noise grew fainter instead of increasing in volume, and after listening a moment the boys urged their horses forward and rode rapidly to the top of the swell. Then they found that the sound was occasioned by a drove of horses which had heard their voices, and were taking themselves off with all the speed of which they were capable. Featherweight uttered a cry of delight, but quickly followed it up with an ejaculation of disappointment.
“I was in hopes they were the wild horses,” said he.
“And so they are,” returned Archie.
“Why, they don’t act as if they were very wild,” said Eugene. “See how they shake their heads, and kick up their heels! Many a time have I seen our own horses playing that way in the pasture.”
“No matter; they are the ones we are looking for; and that leading horse belongs to the colonel. I’ve heard him described often enough to know him.”
At first Archie’s companions could hardly believe it. Although the horses ran rapidly they did not act as if they were frightened, but pranced and curveted as if they were moved by the same spirit of mischief that sometimes possesses a domestic horse, when he flourishes his heels and retreats to the farthest corner of the pasture, as he sees his owner coming to catch him. But there was the colonel’s horse! There was no denying his identity, for the boys all knew him as soon as they saw him. The wild steeds ran to the top of the nearest swell, faced about and looked at the horsemen, snorted once or twice, and then went to grazing as if nothing had happened.
“There they are,” said Archie, “and now what are we going to do—take a good look at them and go back to camp?”
“No,” replied Featherweight. “We’ll give them a race of a mile or two, just to be able to tell our friends that we have chased a drove of wild horses. What do you say, Eugene?”
“Why,” replied the latter, after a little hesitation, “I say that I have a plan in my head regarding those horses, if you will help me carry it out.”
“Of course we will,” said Archie. “Anything for fun. That’s what we came out here for.”