It was about the middle of the forenoon when the tracks of the stallion and lion left the trail to lead up a little draw where grass grew thick.

Slone followed, reading the signs of Wildfire's progress, and the action of his pursuer, as well as if he had seen them.

Here the stallion had plowed into a snow-bank, eating a hole two feet deep; then he had grazed around a little; then on and on; there his splendid tracks were deep in the soft earth.

Slone knew what to expect when the track of the lion veered from those of the horse, and he followed the lion tracks.

The ground was soft from the late melting of snow, and Nagger sunk deep.