Smoke of the H-F Bar 



traveling abreast. The trails they 

 know best do not admit of that sort of 

 progress even if they knew how, which 

 they do not, and the lead pony is the 

 scout that scents all danger for the 

 party. Those that follow at his heels 

 have little concern as to what lies on 

 ahead or 'round about. They know 

 that if a lion, or a twig bent the wrong 

 way, looms up to devour them, the 

 head of the line will be the victim, so 

 the rest may go to sleep in safety. It 

 is when your trail leads you into thick 

 high grass or any close-set brushy 

 growth that a wise cow pony becomes 

 most alert. His ears and eyes are all 

 attention now, and he takes no pains 

 to conceal the fact that he is not 

 enjoying it a little bit. In fact, he 

 would rather scale a perpendicular 

 granite wall, and at great expenditure 

 of effort go well around this hated 

 cover with its unknown risks, than 

 dare the dangers which he consistently 

 insists are lying in wait within. 



[83] 



