“Mark that spot!� Teddy panted. “We turn there!�
Roy sought to fasten his gaze on the place at the side of the path. That bush,—that brown bush—he must keep his eyes on it! If they lost it, Star would be lost too!
It is not easy to rivet one’s attention on a spot on the road while guiding one’s pony up a tortuous mountain trail. Roy’s mount, free of the hand which seemed to lift him over those leg-wrenching holes, faltered, stumbled, and, like a deer stricken with a hunter’s bullet, crashed headlong to the ground.
Automatically, Roy’s whole body relaxed as he flew through the air, so that the shock would be distributed equally throughout his frame. When he hit, his breath was jarred from him, but no bones were broken.
Teddy almost pulled his pony over backward in his effort to stop. He leaped swiftly from his horse and ran to his brother’s side.
“Roy! Roy!� he cried. “Are you hurt? Are you all right? Roy!�
“All right, Teddy,â€� Roy gasped weakly, struggling to his feet. “Just a—a—fall. Wind’s gone.â€� He bent over for a moment, gasping for breath. When he straightened up, the lines of pain had disappeared from his face.
“Pretty lucky! Where’s that bronc? If his leg’s broken—â€� Then he saw his pony standing in the underbrush, unhurt, but trembling violently. Quickly he ran toward the steed and patted him gently.
“Snap into it, Teddy! We won’t give up yet! There’s still a chance! We’ve got to find Star and Flash! And if we can bring back General for dad—â€�
Without finishing his sentence, Roy vaulted into the saddle, and once more the boys galloped up the mountain trail. Roy’s fall was but an incident in the chase.