Racing onward, smarting with each swing of the
lash, he found himself somehow interested solely
in holding his own with the other horses. Suddenly,
alert to their movements, he saw a cleft
open in their surging ranks, made by the fall of
an exhausted horse. Yet the others did not stop.
They galloped on, unheeding, though he himself
was jerked up. Then followed a swift exchange
of words, and then the unhorsed man mounted
behind Pat's new master. Carrying a double
load now, Pat nevertheless dashed ahead at his
former speed, stumbling with his first steps, but
soon regaining his stride and overtaking the others.
And though it cost him straining effort, he felt
rewarded for his pains when one of the men uttered
a grunt which he interpreted as approval.
But it was all very strange.

A canyon loomed up on his left. He had hardly
seen the black opening when he was swung toward
it. He plunged forward with the other horses,
and was the first to enter the canyon's yawning
mouth. Between its high walls, however, he found
himself troubled by black shadows. Many of
them reached across his path like projections of
rock, and more than once he faltered in his stride.
But after passing through two or three in safety
he came at length to understand them and so returned
to his wonted self-possession.

But he was laboring heavily now. His heart
was jumping and pounding, his breath coming in
gasps, but he held to the trail, moving ever deeper
into the hills, until he burst into a basin out of

[[241]]

p240 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p241w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p242

v?