Part 46 (2/2)

The sun grew higher and hotter, and Black Boy, who did not seerass till he had finished all that was good within his reach, after which heeaten as much as he possibly could, he stood at the end of his tether, with his head hanging down as if thinking about the past night's stors out a little farther, and, i off fast asleep

Then the sun grew higher still, and reached the highest point before beginning to descend, and then down, down, down, all through the hot afternoon, till its light began to grow softer and more mellow, and the shadows cast by the tree-trunks went out in a different direction to that which they had taken when Bart dropped asleep

All at once he awoke in a fright, for so at his chest, and on looking up, there was Black Boy right over hio on

”Why, Iat the horse's head-stall and thrusting him away ”Gently, old boy; your hoofs are not very soft You hurt”

He raised hi the while

”How tiresome to sleep like that!” he muttered ”Why, I had not finished my breakfast, and--”

Bart said no ht before hi with the rays of the evening sun

For there, about a mile away, he could see a body of so over the plain at an easy rate, guided evidently by one on foot who ran before them with bended head, and Bart kneell as if he had heard the words shouted in his ear that they were following him by his trail

There was not ahands he secured the buckles of his saddle-girths, and strapped on the various little articles that for the cob to the other side of the patch of woodland, where he would be out of sight of the Indians, he mounted, marked a spot on the horizon which would keep hi as possible between him and his enemies, and rode swiftly off

The inclination was upon hiht swerve from the bee-line he hadon as swiftly as his cob could go, and wondering all the while why it was that he had not been seen

If he had been with the Apaches he would have ceased to wonder, for while Bart was galloping off on the other side, his well-rested and refreshed horse going faster and faster each an to slacken their pace There was no doubt about the trail, they knew: it led straight into the patch of woodland; and as this afforded aht at any ; and as they had suffered a good deal lately in their ranks, they were extra cautious

The trail showed that only one fugitive was on the way, hiitive had ht for this clump of trees, and hoere they to know but that he expected to meet friends there, whose first volley would empty half the saddles of the little troop?

Indians can be brave at times, but for the most part they are cowardly and extreh an Indian, no reat objection to being shot at, and a greater objection to being hit So instead of riding boldly up, and finding out that Bart had just galloped away, the Apaches approached by means of three or four dismounted rass, and so on and on, till first one and then another reached the edge of the woody place, where they rested for a ti each leaf and tree-trunk for an enemy at whom to fire, or ould fire at them

Then they crept on a little farther, and found Bart's halting-place and the feeding-ground of the horse Then they cah the wood, all very fresh, and still they went on cautiously, and like men to whom a false step meant a fatal bullet-wound, while all the time their companions sat there upon the plain, keen and watchful, ready for action at a nal to come on

At last this came, for the advanced dise of the wood, and seen even the deep i upon his steed

Then the h the wood and caing trail, and on they all went oncedismounted to lead the party, while the rest followed close behind

This little piece of caution had given poor Bart two hours' start, and when the Indians caht; but there was his plainly marked trail, and that they could follow, and meant to follow to the end

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

THE END OF THE RACE

Bart had the advantage of his eneht across the plains, he could go on as fast as his horse could gallop, while they had to cautiously track his every step

Then, too, when he cae thereof, for he knew that his horse's hoof-prints would be indistinct, and soave the Apaches endless difficulty, but they kept on tracking him step by step, and one slip on the lad's part would have been fatal

Fortune favoured hi the backward route pretty accurately, and recognising the various uidance; and every stride taken by the untiring little horse had its effect upon the lad, for it was one nearer to safety

Still it was a terrible ride, for it was only after traversing some stony plain or patch of rock that he dared draw rein and take a few hours' rest, while his steed fed and recruited its energies as well