In thinking over the particulars of that rather curious buffalo1 hunt, he could not believe it possible that he was more than two miles from where he had made his start after the creature, and where he separated from them. All three were upon the easterly side of the herd2, so that the trail made by his own animal could not have been obliterated3 by the hoofs4 of the buffaloes5, and nothing could be easier than to follow it. Where, then, were they? What was the cause of their absence? These were questions which he asked himself again and again, and which he was unable to answer in any manner satisfactory to himself.
Suddenly it occurred to him that by climbing one of the trees near at hand, he might extend his view, and perhaps gain a portion of the knowledge he was so desirous of obtaining. He acted upon the thought at once, and, selecting the tallest, first concealed6 his rifle, and then climbed to the very topmost branches. There he was rewarded by a magnificent view, and one which promised him some of the results he was seeking. With this extension of his field of vision he discovered more than one evidence that he was not in a solitude7. In the first place, by looking to the southward, a mass of dust and vapor8 was visible, indicating the presence and progress of some sort of herd, perhaps a drove of sheep from New Mexico, under the convoy9 of Indians who had shot the rightful owners and stampeded their property. Looking westward10, another clump11 of trees was discerned, from the center of which came just enough smoke to show that there must be a camp fire beneath.
"I'll bet they are there!" exclaimed Ned, to himself, "and it may be they have started the fire on purpose to guide me to them."
The point to which his attention was thus directed was no more than a mile distant, and he wondered that he had not noted12 it before. It resembled in many respects the one in which he passed the night, and he saw from the course of the stream which ran through the latter, that it most probably watered the former where he believed the hunters were in camp.
Turning his eyes in another direction, the young wanderer was greeted by a sight which agitated13 him scarcely less. There, no more than a quarter of a mile distant, quietly grazing beside the winding14 stream which flowed at the base of the tree, was the very mustang which had been captured by the hunters and from whose back he had been thrown when in pursuit of the buffalo. He instantly lost all interest in the smoke of the camp fire in the greater interest he felt in the question of securing possession of the steed. Could he but remount him he would not care particularly whether he met the hunters or not, for, once upon the back of such a steed, he would consider himself competent to make the rest of the journey alone.
"What's to hinder?" he asked himself, as he fixed15 his eyes longingly16 upon the steed. "Dick says none of the Apaches have any animal that can overtake him, and all I have to do is to keep his head turned toward the southwest. There is a trail through the mountains yonder, and Corporal Hugg told me that there is a trail all the way. But can I catch him?"
He enjoyed in anticipation17 the pleasure he would feel when, possessing rifle, ammunition18 and horse he should resume his journey westward and the delight and joy of his father when he should clasp him in his arms again. He could have spent several hours building his air-castles in this manner, had he not checked himself and resolutely19 faced the difficulty before him. Looking again at the mustang, he was to be seen with his beautiful Indian blanket somewhat soiled from contact with the dirt, but cropping the grass with the air of an equine which expected to spend the day at it.
Ned decided20 to try and steal upon him from the rear, thinking, possibly, that he might get so close that when the frightened animal discovered him, he could step forward and grasp the bridle21 before the mustang could gallop22 away. Accordingly, he circled out upon the prairie until he got directly behind the animal, when he began his approach. The horse continued quietly eating until he was within a hundred feet, when he shifted his position so that his side was exposed. Startled lest he should be seen, Ned dropped down upon the grass and waited for him to resume his first attitude. After crouching23 in this manner for something like ten minutes, without any change taking place, he decided that as "the mountain would not come to Mohammed then Mohammed should go to the mountain," and he began crawling through the grass, with his eye upon his prize. To accomplish this without attracting notice was a delicate task, but he succeeded perfectly24. Getting the mustang in exact range, he resumed his advance upon him, advancing until he was within twenty feet.
This was more favorable than he dared hope, and his heart beat high with expectation. He almost felt the warm body of the noble steed beneath him. And now, inch by inch, he stole forward, like an Indian scout25 moving upon a sleeping enemy until he could reach a point where he could bury his tomahawk in his skull26.
"I wonder whether he will use those heels upon me?" reflected the lad, when he had reduced the intervening distance to a dozen feet. "If he were only blind in one eye, and I could get upon that side; but then he isn't."
It seemed to him that the greatest danger was the mustang hearing the throbbing27 of his heart, which was now beating like a trip-hammer; but the horse was as unconscious as if he were made of stone. Still nearer, until it appeared as if he had to make but a single leap forward, and he could grasp the long, flowing tail, and he felt that the moment had come when he must make the attempt. Crouching with one hand thrust out, he lifted one foot and advanced a few inches. Another step, and he could lay his hand upon him. At this exciting juncture28, the horse abruptly29 ceased eating and raised his head. Ned saw it, and paused in an agony of suspense30.
Looking straight off upon the prairie, the mustang gave a faint whinney, as if he scented31 danger from a point directly opposite to where the figure of the boy was stealing upon him. For a minute the two held these stationary32 positions; and then, as the lad moved a few inches again, the keen ears of the mustang told him the truth.
Pricking33 his ears forward, he turned his head half way round, so that he saw the crouching figure directly at his heels. Then he turned his head still further, and gathered himself for a leap. But Ned was expecting this; and, as quick as a flash, he leaped forward and caught the tuft of hair hanging over his forehead, dropping his gun and seizing at the same moment, with the other hand, the bridle-rein34. The mustang made his leap, but the lad held on, and, by a quick, powerful effort threw one leg over his shoulders and slid upon his back in a twinkling. The horse was outwitted, defeated, and the boy was his conqueror35.
"Hurrah36!" shouted the latter, overflowing37 with exultation38. "Thank the Lord! I've had better fortune than I expected."
The mustang was not an ugly-tempered creature, but would have given the lad the slip, could he have done so. It may have been that because he was nothing but a boy, he underestimated his capacity too much; but he had been fairly outgeneraled, and he submitted with a grace which cannot be too highly commended. He instantly became docile39, and turned in ready obedience40 to the rein, and trotted41 back to where the gun lay upon the ground. Here Ned was obliged to descend42 again, but he kept a tight grasp upon the strap43, and scrambled44 back again as soon as he had recovered it. It seemed to him, as he did so, that there was something like a mischievous45 twinkle in the eye of the pony46. He appeared to say:
"It don't do to trust my species too far, my lad; for we prefer to be free rather than slave. However, you are a brave little fellow, and have done so well that I think I must stand by you hereafter."
Now that Ned was himself again, he turned the head of his animal toward the grove47, where the thin smoke could still be seen creeping up through the tree tops.
"I will have quite a story to tell Dick and Tom," he reflected, as he rode along at an easy gallop. "I killed my buffalo, lost my horse, and caught him again. I don't believe that they themselves could have done much better."
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1
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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3
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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4
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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buffaloes
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| n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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9
convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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11
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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12
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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14
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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15
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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18
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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19
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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25
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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27
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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31
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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32
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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33
pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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34
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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36
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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37
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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38
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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39
docile
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| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
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40
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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41
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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42
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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43
strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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44
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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45
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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46
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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47
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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