The Pacing Mustang: 



Nearer still he pranced, till he touched Solly's 

 nose with his own, and finding her as responsive 

 as he well could wish, thrust aside all thoughts 

 of danger, and abandoned himself to the de- 

 light of conquest, until, as he pranced around, ^U 

 his hind legs for a moment stood within the evil ^gjj 

 circle of the rope. One deft sharp twitch, the 

 noose flew tight, and he was caught. 



A snort of terror and a bound in the air gave 

 Tom the chance to add the double hitch. The 

 loop flashed up the line, and snake-like bound 

 those mighty hoofs. 



Terror lent speed and double strength for a 

 moment, but the end of the rope was reached, 

 and down he went a captive, a hopeless prisoner 

 at last. Old Tom's ugly, little crooked form 

 sprang from the pit to complete the mastering 

 of the great glorious creature whose mighty 

 strength had proved as nothing when matched 

 with the wits of a little old man. With snorts 

 and desperate bounds of awful force the great 

 beast dashed and struggled to be free; but all in 

 vain. The rope was strong. 



The second lasso was deftly swung, and the 

 forefeet caught, and then with a skilful move 



266 



