DANGEROUS FORD. 12/ 
than lose a chance of getting among those 
beasts !” 
So the team was unharnessed ; all the horses 
saddled ; those before unmounted soon had riders 
on their backs, and the party plunged into the 
stream. 
“ I must say, I think this a foolhardy adven- 
ture / 5 protested the General, as his horse splashed 
and floundered after the rest It did look a little 
like it. They couldn’t keep their feet out of the 
water, except by holding them on a line with 
their animals’ necks, and those beasts were in 
constant danger of sinking in the quicksands 
where it was shallow, or of being obliged to 
swim where it was deep. However, they all hap- 
pened to land, with at least a semblance of being 
dry, except the General. Whether it was be- 
cause he was so sure that was a proper place to 
be drowned, or for some other reason, it is cer- 
tain he reached the land only by clinging to his 
horse’s neck, and came out dripping and shaking 
himself like a huge Newfoundland, to the no small 
amusement of the others. 
“ I told you that was a dangerous venture!” 
he began, as soon as he could speak. “ Zounds ! 
I’d like to know what a fellow’s to do here ! ” 
“ Never mind your clothes, General ! Colo- 
rado has a dry climate ! Bridget takes her wash- 
ing out in the yard, and by the time the last of 
