“Dun’no’,” answered Joe shortly.
Most of the numerous fires of the camp had gone out, but the bright moon revealed thousands of Indians, whom the sound had startled, moving rapidly about.
The mystery was soon explained. The Indian camp was pitched on an open plain of several miles in extent, which took a sudden bend half a mile distant, where a spur of the mountains shut out the farther end of the valley from view. From beyond this point the dull rumbling sound proceeded. Suddenly there was a roar as if a mighty cataract had been let loose upon the scene. At the same moment a countless herd of wild horses came thundering round the base of the mountain and swept over the plain straight towards the Indian camp.
“A stampede!” cried Joe, springing to the assistance of Pee-eye-em, whose favourite horses were picketed near.
On they came like a living torrent, and the thunder of a thousand hoofs was soon mingled with the howling of hundreds of dogs in the camp, and the yelling of Indians, as they vainly endeavoured to restrain the rising excitement of their steeds. Henri and Dick stood rooted to the ground, gazing in silent wonder at the fierce and uncontrollable gallop of the thousands of panic-stricken horses that bore down on the camp with the violence of a cataract.
As the maddened troop drew nigh, the camp horses began to snort and tremble violently, and when the rush of the wild steeds was almost upon them they became ungovernable with terror, broke their halters and hobbles, and dashed wildly about. To add to the confusion at that moment, a cloud passed over the moon and threw the whole scene into deep obscurity. Blind with terror, which was probably increased by the din of their own mad flight, the galloping troop came on, and with a sound like the continuous roar of thunder that for an instant drowned the yell of dog and man, they burst upon the camp, trampling over packs, and skins, and dried meats, etc., in their headlong speed, and overturning several of the smaller tents. In another moment they swept out upon the plain beyond, and were soon lost in the darkness while the yelping of dogs, as they vainly pursued them, mingled and gradually died away with the thunder of their retreat.
This was a stampede—one of the most extraordinary scenes that can be witnessed in the western wilderness.
“Lend a hand, Henri,” shouted Joe, who was struggling
