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, 
1e suddenly reined up the mare in the midst of her capri- 
solings, 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 by in front of the build- 
ings, he saw a number of green-coats hastily mounting, and 
in another moment heard the clatter of their pursuing horses 
coming down the road. He looked over his shoulder and 
