During the two days that followed, while the young cattle-herder was trudging painfully over the lonely prairie, he had ample leisure to turn this question over in his mind. He travelled early and late, but his progress was necessarily slow, for one who spends the most of his time in the saddle, finds it hard work to go on foot, and soon grows weary. He kept a bright lookout for Zeke, and stopped on the top of every swell to scan the prairie before and on both sides of him, in the hope of discovering his horse or pack-mule; but Zeke was miles ahead of him, hastening toward the settlement, intent on alarming the ranchemen in time to cut the raiders off from the river, while Bony and Ranger were making the best of their way toward home. “They are all safe, I know, for they are able to take care of themselves. So am I; but there’s no fun in looking forward to three days more of such walking as I have had. I shouldn’t mind it so much if I hadn’t lost my cattle,” said George, with a long-drawn sigh. “Those lazy Greasers have robbed me of years of hard work, and now I must begin all over again, or else go to herding cattle for Uncle John. Of course I can’t loaf about the house all the time and do nothing, as Ned does. Hallo!” While George was talking to himself in this way he came to the top of a ridge, and found before him a long line of willows which fringed the banks of a water-course. A solitary horse was feeding near the willows, and this it was that attracted the boy’s attention and called forth the exclamation with which he finished his soliloquy. The sight of the animal alarmed him, for it was not at all likely that a horse, wearing a saddle and bridle, would be feeding contentedly in that wilderness, so far from all signs of civilization, unless there was some one with him. George dropped to the ground, and ran his eyes along the willows in search of a camp. If there was one in the neighborhood he could not find it. There was no smoke to be seen, nor were there any other indications of the presence of human beings. “But there’s somebody here all the same,” thought the boy, shifting his position a little, so that he could obtain a better view of the willows, “for that horse never came here without a rider. Somebody has stopped in the willows to rest, and he’s a Mexican, too. I know it by the silver ornaments on the saddle. I wish I could think up some way to capture that horse. Shall I try it?”