I had a carbine, and had been stationed about midway of the
leeward half-circle. At the first sign of dawn, the signal agreed upon,
a turkey call, sounded back down the line, and we advanced. The circle
was fully two miles in diameter, and on receiving the signal I rode
slowly forward, halting at every sound. It was a cloudy morning and
dawn came late for clear vision. Several times I dismounted and in
approaching objects at a distance drove my horse before me, only to find
that, as light increased, I was mistaken.
[Illustration: UTTERING A SINGLE PIERCING SNORT]
When both the flat and the dagger crowned hill came into view, not a
living object was in sight. I had made the calculation that, had the
_manada_ grazed during the night, we should be far to the leeward of the
band, for it was reasonable to expect that they would feed against the
wind. But there was also the possibility that the outlaw might have
herded the band several miles distant during the night, and while I was
meditating on this theory, a shot rang out about a mile distant and
behind the hill. Giving my horse the rowel, I rode in the direction of
the report; but before I reached the hill the _manada_ tore around it,
almost running into me.
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