"Let's eat now," suggested Horace. "That will give Whitefoot more
rest, and by the time we have finished he'll be as good as new.
He's a tough one and can stand sixty miles, day in and day out."

"Which is about half as much as he'll get this time," added Bill.
"Still I think Whitefoot's good for it, especially as he hadn't
been ridden for a week till Nails took him last night."

The halt was made and the boys ate as heartily as though they had
not breakfasted only three hours before.

When they were ready to start again Larry said:

"So long as Whitefoot is tired and Horace is the lightest, don't
you think he'd better ride him instead of Tom?"

"Good idea," acquiesced Bill, and the shift in mounts was made,
after which the boys headed for the ranch house.

As they were starting on the long forty-mile ride, Mr. Wilder and
Nails were ending it. Though forced to ride carefully so long as
they were on the mountain trail, when the latter reached the plains
they had "cut loose." Both were expert horsemen and the ponies
under them were mettlesome. Indeed, Blackhawk had not entirely
recovered his temper since his roping and it was he that set the
pace. Yet the riders did not allow the ponies to run themselves
out in the first few miles, holding them down to a long, steady
lope that covered the ground rapidly.