CHAPTER XVII
ON A WILD-HORSE HUNT
A corral, constructed partially of brush on its wing ends, and of canvas for the corral proper, had been erected in one of the wide sage-covered draws of the San Antonio range. Across the opening of the corral, which resembled a pair of great tongs, the distance was fully half a mile.
Bud Stevens had decided to place the trap for the wild horses here in this open s.p.a.ce in preference to laying it in the mountains. There was more room for operations in the open, he said.
Then again, the wild horses, as he knew from personal observation, were strong and full of fight.
"I guess we"ll have to tire them all out before we can hope to get them in the corral," he told his men after they had finished their work of preparation.
The wagon with the horse-hunters" outfit had driven in late on the night following the battle of the stallions, and early next morning the horse-hunters, accompanied by the Pony Rider Boys and their own party, started out to make camp in the mountains, where they were to remain while the hunt lasted.
The battle which Tad and Bud had seen furnished a fruitful topic for discussion, and the two were kept busy relating the story of the fight until long after midnight.
But, while watching the battle, Bud Stevens had not lost sight of the object, of his trip into the mountains. He had calculated exactly where the stock had found a mountain spring, and it was from that point that the hunters were to start the animals on their trip to the corral.
The plan of operation was laid out with as much care and attention to details as a general would employ in planning a battle. The Pony Rider Boys were to partic.i.p.ate in the chase. They could scarcely wait for the moment to arrive when they would be given an opportunity to show their horsemanship.
In the camp in the mountains they were told with great detail just what they were expected to do.
"I think you had better leave Chunky at home," warned Ned. "He"ll stampede the whole bunch just as you are ready to drive them into the corral."
Chunky protested loudly.
"Guess I can stick on a pony as well as you can," he retorted.
"I"ll vouch for that," smiled Tom Parry.
"He"ll do," decided Bud. "Now, you fellows are all to string out in single file, following me until we have circled the herd. We should have them pretty well surrounded by noon. At that time they"ll be at the spring filling up. When I"m ready to close in, I"ll fire a shot.
Each of you will fire in turn so that every one in line may be notified. If the critters refuse to drive, then we"ll have to whip them into a circle and tire them out. But first, we must get them out on the open, no matter which way they go, then work them into the draw as fast as we can."
The horse-hunters nodded. They understood perfectly what they were expected to do. And the boys were to be scattered among the men at intervals instead of traveling together. It seemed very simple to them, but they were to learn that wild-horse hunting was a man"s task.
"Are we allowed to rope if we get the chance?" questioned Tad.
"Not during the run. Of course, if you see an animal escaping after we have rounded them up, and you can do so without losing any of the others, rope if you want to. I reckon you"ll have your hands full if you try it," concluded the horse-hunter.
"Are you going out, Professor?" smiled the guide.
"No, thank you. I think I shall remain close to camp and collect geological specimens. The boys will get into just as much trouble if I go with them as they would were I to remain at home. I suppose there is more or less peril in these wild hunts?"
"Yes, it"s going some," laughed Bud. "But I guess none of them will get very badly knocked out if they obey orders and don"t get in the way of a stampede. Those wild critters won"t stop for nothing."
A scout came in late with the news that the herd was less than five miles from where the hunters" camp was located.
"That makes it all the easier. We"ll start at daylight," said Stevens.
"The plans will work out just right. Now you"d better all turn in and be ready for the hurry call in the morning."
Next morning all ate breakfast before the first hot wave trembled over the crest of the mountains across the broad desert. There was bustle and excitement in the camp.
When ponies had been saddled, ropes coiled and final preparations made, Bud Stevens looked his outfit over carefully, nodded his head and mounted.
"You boys don"t want to do any shouting after we get out on the trail, you understand," he said. "We have to work quietly until we get them surrounded; then you may make all the racket you want. The more the better."
The Pony Riders nodded their understanding of the orders, and the company of hors.e.m.e.n set out across the mountains.
They made a wide detour so as not to alarm any of the stragglers who might not have followed the main body of horses to the watering place for their noon drink. A careful examination of the trail showed that the Angel and his band, as well as Satan and his few faithful followers, were well within the circle.
"We"ve got the whole bunch inside," exulted Bud, turning to Tad. "Now, boy, do your prettiest. We want to bag "em all. If we do, I"ll make you a present of any horse in the outfit."
"How about the Angel?" questioned Tad, with a twinkle in his eyes.
Bud hesitated.
"What Bud Stevens says goes," replied the cowboy. "The one who catches the stallion on these hunts, however, usually has the right to keep him if he wants to. If you want the Angel you"ve got to rope and take him after we get them rounded up."
"No, I wouldn"t do anything like that," laughed Tad. "If I catch the Angel I"ll make you a present of him."
At twelve o"clock, by the watch, they had completed the circle, or rather three-quarters of a circle, about the band of wild horses, leaving an opening toward the broad draw where the hidden corral had been located to trap the unsuspecting wild animals.
Stevens drew his gun, and, holding it above his head, fired two shots.
The signal was answered, almost instantly, by two shots some distance to their rear. Like the rattle of a skirmish line, guns popped in quick succession, the sounds growing further and further away as they ran down the long, slender line of hors.e.m.e.n to the eastward.
"Close in!" commanded the leader quietly. "Ride straight ahead; never mind me. I shall move further on before I turn. Good luck. Don"t try to get in the way of a stampede. You can"t stop them if they try it altogether."
"I"ll look out," smiled Tad. Then they separated.
Tad could not hear a sound, save the light footfalls of his own pony.
The mountain ranges might have been deserted for all the disturbance there was about him.
He had ridden on some distance when a loud snort suddenly called his attention to the right and ahead of him. There stood the Angel, facing him angrily.
Tad was so surprised at the suddenness of the meeting that he pulled his pony up shortly. For a moment they stood facing each other, then the wild animal with a loud scream of alarm, turned and went crashing through the brush. From the sound, a few seconds later, the lad knew that the stallion had gathered his band and that they were sweeping away from him at a lively pace.
"Here"s where I must get busy," laughed the lad, the spirit of the chase suddenly taking strong hold upon him.
He touched his pony lightly with the spurs, drawing in on the reins.
The little animal leaped away, Tad uttering a shrill yell, to warn any of the other hunters who might be within reach of his voice, that he had started on the trail of the wild band.
He heard a similar cry far off to his right and knew that Bud Stevens had heard and understood.
"I believe they"re coming back," said the lad, realizing that the sound of galloping was plainer than it had been a few moments before. "I wonder what I ought to do. I"m going to try to head them off if they come this way," he decided.
All at once he saw the wild horses first from behind a huge rocky pile.
Uttering a series of wild yells and whoops, swinging his quirt and sombrero above his head, the lad rode straight at the herd, his pony seeming to enter into the full spirit of the fun.
To Tad"s surprise the leader of the herd deflected to the northward, running along a line almost parallel to that which the boy was following. Tad pressed in the rowels of his spurs a little harder, uttering a chorus of shrill yells.