The lightkeeper believed him to be a wonder of strength and endurance, and never left the lights without cautioning his helper to keep an eye on Joshua, "'cause if anything happened to him I'd have to hunt a mighty long spell to find another that could tech him." Brown accepted this trust with composure, feeling morally certain that the only thing likely to happen to Joshua was death from overeating or old age.

And now something had happened--Joshua was running away.
There was but one course to take; Brown must leave the government's property in its own care and capture that horse.

He had laughed until running seemed an impossibility, but run he must, and did, after a fashion.

But Joshua was running, too, and he was frightened.

He galloped like a colt, and the assistant lightkeeper gained upon him very slowly.
The road was crooked and hilly, and the sand in its ruts was deep.