did he outwit the red men and white criminals, not by galloping
along with his eye upon their footprints, but by reasoning out with
unerring skill, the destination or refuge which the criminals had
in mind. Having settled that all important question, he aimed at
the same point and frequently reached it first. Thus it came about
that often the fugitive, while hurrying along and glancing furtively
behind him, suddenly found himself face to face with his pursuer,
whose acquaintance with the country enabled him to find the shorter
route.

It took Carson only a few minutes to satisfy himself that the
criminals were heading for the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but, inasmuch
as they were following a direct course, he could only take their
trail. Where there were so many animals in flight, it was impossible
to hide their tracks and the thieves made no attempt to do so.
They struck the horses into a sweeping gallop, which with a few
interruptions they maintained until they were a hundred miles from
the camp of the white men and among the fastnesses of the Sierras.

Then it was the red men made a careful survey of the trail behind
them. The black penetrating eyes scanned the country with a
piercing keenness which it would seem shut out all possibility of
concealment. Nowhere could they detect the faint smoke climbing
toward the sky from among the trees nor could they gain sight
of the line of horsemen winding around the rocks in the distance.
Nothing resembling a human being was visible. Surely they were
warranted in believing themselves perfectly secure.

Such being their conclusion, they prepared for a great feast. Six
of the stolen horses were killed and the red men became as ardent