Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/224

 washes of the Llano River. Clicker had shown signs of uneasiness and occasionally gave an ominous snort.

"What can be the matter with this horse?" said Jack. "He seems determined to make for that streak of woods yonder."

"Matter enough! He knows a heap more than we do! To the bushes!" Watson shouted, whirling his horse about.

Clicker needed no urging. Jack felt those powerful muscles quiver under him and with one bound the animal cleared the ground ten feet. Like an arrow he flew and, bending low in the saddle, horse and rider appeared like a cloud of dust.

In an incredibly short space of time, the haze in the north had wholly obscured the heavens and a biting north wind accompanied by sleet pitilessly drove them back; but twenty minutes brought them to a position of comparative shelter. The horses discovered a rude shed into which they dashed and, jumping to the ground, Watson and Jack endeavored to make their shelter more com