The Pacing Mustang 



« I seen that bunch o' mustangs that waters 

 at Antelope Springs; couple o' colts along; 

 one little dark one, a fair dandy ; a born pacer. 

 I run them a mile or two, and he led the bunch, 

 an' never broke his pace. Cut loose, an' 

 pushed them jest for fun, an' darned if I could 

 make him break." f 



" You didn't have no reefreshments along? 

 ^ said Scarth, incredulously. 



« That's all right, Scarth. You had to crawl 

 on our last bet, an' you'll get another chance 

 soon as you're man enough." 



« Chuck," shouted the cook, and the subject 

 was dropped. Next day the scene of the round- 

 up was changed, and the mustangs were forgot- 

 ten. 



A year later the same corner of New Mexico 

 was worked over by the roundup, and again 

 the mustang bunch was seen. The dark colt 

 was now a black yearling, with thin, clean legs 

 and glossy flanks ; and more than one of the 

 boys saw with his own eyes this oddity— the 

 mustang was a born pacer. 



Jo was along, and the idea now struck him 

 that that colt was worth having. To .an East- 



230 



