428 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



to pitch and plunge, and throw out her heels. This compelled 

 the escort, or rather guard, which rode on either side of the 

 prisoners, to open their line occasionally. Dan kept it up 

 for some minutes, so as to remove all suspicion, and watched 

 his chance, until he saw the guard were beginning to become 

 careless, and regard those unruly capers rather with amuse- 

 ment than otherwise. Then seeing his way open as they 

 moved slowly through the squadrons of green-coated cavalry, 

 le suddenly reined up the mare in the midst of her capri- 

 jolings, and plunging the spurs into her, she darted off like 

 an arrow loosened from the bow, while he stooped, laying 

 himself close along her side, after the manner of the 

 Comanche Indians. A shower of balls was fired hurriedly 

 after him, but without effect, as they all passed over him. 



The plain to the foot of the mountains was very narrow 

 just here ; and he had observed, before he made his break, 

 that they were opposite a road which came down a narrow 

 valley. He made for this gap, running the gauntlet between 

 several squadrons of cavalry, before he reached its shelter. 

 Just as he was diving into it, he wheeled in his saddle, and 

 amidst the whistling of balls, shook his clenched hand at 

 them, and shouted back his defiance. This sudden escape 

 caused great uproar and confusion among the Mexicans, and 

 several hundred men started at full speed in the pursuit ; 

 but the gallant mare soon left them all far enough behind, 

 as she clattered with sparkling hoofs along the deep ravine. 

 Before the first two miles had been passed, the pursuit was 

 out of sight in the rear. 



The valley road, which he had taken at hap-hazard, without 

 the slightest idea of where it led, now opened upon a small 

 plain of table-land, which was occupied by a hacienda of 

 considerable extent. As he swept l.-y in front of the buill- 

 ings, he saw a number of green-coats hastily mounting, and 

 in another moment heard the clatter of their pursuing horses 

 comiuir down the road, lie looked over his shoulder and 



