At this point the saddle-horses of the trappers had been pressed into service to carry the treasure of furs. So fortunate had the trappers been that with hundreds of miles of stream before them they had already reached their transporting capacity. “It is a hardship for us to have to let this great chance slip,” said Young one night at the camp-fire. “Beaver has never been so plentiful, and I feel sure that it will continue so all the way up the river. But there is no sense in our going on taking furs if we have no way of carrying them; so the only thing I can see to do is to take the trail for New Mexico and sell what we’ve got.” Old Zeke Matthews sat listening to the head trapper, honing the edge of his great hunting knife and nodding his head in agreement with him. But at the proposition that they leave the remainder of the stream untouched, and make for their market, he protested. “It’s just flying in the face of Nature, that’s what it is,” said he, earnestly. “Here we have luck raining down on us; and we’re going to turn our backs on it.” Kit Carson smiled at the old man’s indignation. “Well, Zeke,” said he, “what else is there to do? If we have no horses to carry the pelts, what’s the use of taking them?” “Get horses,” returned the old fellow, laconically. There was a general laugh from the men lounging about the fire. “Where can we get them?” asked Young, good-naturedly. “The Injuns have ’em,” declared Zeke. “There’s a village less than two hours’ ride from this camp where there’s a whole drove of horses and mules that the reds have stolen from the Greasers.” There was a silence; Zeke rubbed away at his knife and went on: “They’re a thieving lot, and it’d be a just punishment on ’em to lose the nags. And that ain’t all! When we set out on this trip who went for us tooth and nail but this same gang of varmints? We punished ’em for it, but we didn’t punish ’em enough. If white men are to come into this country the redskins must be taught to go easy on the bow and arrow, and the hatchet and knife. So I’m for giving ’em a lesson before we strike this camp.” A murmur went up from the men. The idea pleased them. They had not forgotten the attack of the Indians upon their venturing into the wilderness; and to strike a blow in retaliation, more especially such a businesslike blow as that suggested by Zeke, appealed to them. Long and earnestly the matter was discussed; and finally it was agreed upon. It was a savage country and a rough time; and the thoughts and opinions of men are always moulded by their surroundings and their needs. However it may look to us to-day, to impress the herd of mules was not from the trappers’ point of view at all contrary to the laws of justice. They regarded it in the same light as the commander of an army did the requisitioning of supplies in the country of the enemy.