We immediately started towards the corral; but, before reaching it, I saw
the herd coming over the plain towards us, their heads high in air, as
though sniffing the morning breeze, their necks proudly arched, and long
manes and tails gracefully flowing to the wind, as they pranced and
gambolled along the high swell of land that marked the gentle descent to
the valley where we stood.
As soon as the boys discovered them, they went into raptures,
exclaiming,--
"Oh, what a big drove of horses! Whose are they? Are they all yours?
Can't I have one to ride? What are you going to do with them?" and a
hundred other questions, asked more rapidly than I could possibly find
opportunity to answer.
As the mustangs came nearer, and the boys began to distinguish more
clearly their elegant forms and beautiful color, they became greatly
excited, declaring loudly, that, if they could only have one of them to
ride, they should be perfectly happy.
I found great difficulty in so far repressing them, that they would not
frighten the herd which was now close to the enclosure; but finally
succeeded in keeping them quiet, by promising that each should have one
for his own.
When the last of the gang had passed into the corral and the gate was
shut, the boys mounted the wall, eager to select their ponies. This was
soon done: Hal choosing a beautiful black, and Ned deciding upon a
spirited blood-bay mare.