We'll breathe the horses a bit."
The beasts were panting a little, but chafed at the bits as we walked
them, and tossed their heads uneasily to the pelting of the storm.
"Hark!" I cried. "Did you hear that?" I was almost certain that the
sound of a faint halloo came from behind us. I was not alone in the
thought.
"The dern fools!" said Fitzhugh. "They want a long chase, I guess, to
go through the country yelling like a pack of wild Injuns."
"I reckon 'twas an owl," said Thatcher; "but we might as well be
moving. We needn't take no chances while we've got a good set of heels
under us. Get up, boys."
The willing brutes shot forward into the darkness at the word, and
tossed the rain-drops from their ears with many an angry nod.
Of the latter part of the journey I have but a confused remembrance. I
had counted myself a good rider in former days, but I had not mounted a
horse for years. I had slept but little in forty-eight hours, and,
worst of all, my arm pained me more and more. With the fatigue and the
jar of the steady gallop, it seemed to swell until it was the body and
I the poor appendage to it. My head ached from the blow it had got, and
in a stupor of dull pain I covered the weary miles. But for the
comfortable Mexican saddle I fear I should have sunk under the fatigue
and distress of the journey and left friends and enemies to find their
way out of the maze as best they might.
I have a dim recollection of splashing over miles of level road,
drenched with water and buffeted by gusts of wind that faced us more
and more, with the monotonous beat of hoofs ever in my ears, and the
monotonous stride of the horse beneath me ever racking my tired
muscles.
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