Wildfire's trail led into the mouth
of a narrow canyon with very steep and high walls. Nagger snorted his
perception of water, and the mustang whistled. Wildfire's tracks led to a
point under the wall where a spring gushed forth. There were mountain-lion and
deer tracks also, as well as those of smaller game.
Slone made camp here. The mustang was tired. But Nagger, upon taking a long
drink, rolled in the grass as if he had just begun the trip. After eating,
Slone took his rifle and went out to look for deer. But there appeared to be
none at hand. He came across many lion tracks and saw, with apprehension,
where one had taken Wildfire's trail. Wildfire had grazed up the canyon,
keeping on and on, and he was likely to go miles in a night. Slone reflected
that as small as were his own chances of getting Wildfire, they were still
better than those of a mountain-lion. Wildfire was the most cunning of all
animals--a wild stallion; his speed and endurance were incomparable; his scent
as keen as those animals that relied wholly upon scent to warn them of danger,
and as for sight, it was Slone's belief that no hoofed creature, except the
mountain-sheep used to high altitudes, could see as far as a wild horse.
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