So eager was Kit Carson to secure the wonderful leader of the drove that he had spent much time in thinking out various plans by which the black pony might be captured. There had been times when he acknowledged that it seemed a pity to try to take such a noble-looking animal from its state of freedom and compel it to become a servant. And yet, although the trapper’s feelings were tender and he seldom permitted his men even to shoot game without some necessary purpose in view, nevertheless the eagerness of the leader to obtain possession of the beautiful animal increased with every passing day. When at last he explained his plans to his friends he said: “I have discovered a pocket about ten miles below that gorge into which the black rascal led his followers. I think it will be possible for us to run him into that. There will be no use in trying it until we have tired him out, but I think we shall be able to do that.” “How?” inquired Reuben. “I have found that the wild horses come about two nights a week into that valley where we drove them. They seem to have regular rounds. The old fellow that leads them is smart, and if any bears or wolves have thought they could lie in wait for him they have been mistaken, for he never is two successive nights in the same place.” “But how do you think you are going to drive him into that pocket?” “I’m telling you, lad, to-night the wild ponies will be in the place where we drove them the last day we chased them. We mustn’t let them get inside. Probably the leader will do just what he did before—send his family and his friends off in one direction and he will start for another. Then the thing for us to do is to chase him back and forth over the ten miles.” “But you’ll need an army of men to do it,” suggested Reuben. “I have already sent ahead four men. They are as full of the game as we are. They haven’t seen that black horse, but what I have told them about him makes them all hungry to join in the chase. I’m going to put you and Jack down below that pocket. You two must turn back the fellow if he tries to get past you. I don’t think he will, for he won’t want to leave his charges quite so far away. I have got some pieces of tin and I want you both to pound on them and yell like good fellows. Turn him back anyway. Chase him. Make him go as far as the place where I am going to have two other men waiting. Then I’ll have two more up near the valley.” “Where will you be?” inquired Reuben, who was becoming deeply interested in the project. “I’m going to be where I’m needed most, for my horse is the swiftest in the camp. I want to be in at the finish, too, for I’m going to lasso the rascal. And this time we’re going to succeed.”