They both gave their horses the rein, this time Jim did nothing to hold Caliente back, and with their powerful speed the two great horses tore forward, on even terms until in the last hundred yards Caliente forged ahead by half a length.[[1]]
"Hold on boys," yelled Jo in warning. There was Jo sitting quietly on his horse.
"That's how you beat us," exclaimed Jim, pointing to a cow trail running diagonally through the growth of mustard.
"Yes," laughed Jo, "I struck it further down after I jumped the gully. Otherwise you fellows would have lost me."
"Good work, Jo," said Jim. "Now we will have it easier going."
So in single file they galloped along the path, until they found themselves by noon, at the foot of a spur of mountains that extended from the main coast range to the ocean. Jim regarded this barrier in their way with a practised eye.
"This will slow us down, Senor," he said. "It looks like a pass below there, about two miles."
"Yes," said the Senor, "we can get through there all right, but it is pretty rough going."
They had to advance more slowly now, as the ground was broken into stony ravines, and there was a good deal of brush. In this kind of country Jo's horse more than held its own with the bigger animals, for he was as nimble as a goat.
"I hope we will find water, Senor," remarked Jim. "Our horses are pretty dry now."