192 CANADIAN NIGHTS 



searched for my luncheon bag, but could not find 

 that either. 



It was pitch dark by this time, so I gave up the 

 search for them, and began to look for my horse, 

 but could not find him. 



It sounds very easy to remember v^here you 

 left your horse, and to find him, but it is not such 

 a simple matter when it is pitch dark, when there is 

 nothing particular to mark the spot, and when you 

 have the whole of Colorado to look in. I did not 

 know what to do. I could have walked back in two 

 or three hours' time, and would have done so, but 

 I was afraid to leave my horse out all night, lest he 

 should freeze to death. He was not hitched up by 

 the bridle merely, but securely fastened with a 

 strong new lariat, which he could not possibly have 

 broken, so I kept hunting about until eventually I 

 found the poor beast. How glad he was to see 

 me ! No doubt he had made up his mind to be 

 deserted. 



It was a difficult job to get home, for I had to 

 lead the horse a long way down the hillside, over 

 ground thickly strewn with fallen trees, and the 

 night was pitch dark. I blundered and stumbled, 

 and I swore, and he swore, if a horse can swear, 

 and stumbled and blundered ; and we had a very 



