Dick's heart leaped up as his eyes suddenly fell on them, for he had almost discovered himself before he was aware of their presence.
"Down, pup!" he whispered, as he sank and disappeared among the grass, which was just long enough to cover him when lying quite flat.
Crusoe crouched immediately, and his master made his observations of the drove, and the dispositions of the ground that might favour his approach, for they were not within rifle range.

Having done so he crept slowly back until the undulation of the prairie hid him from view; then he sprang to his feet, and ran a considerable distance along the bottom until he gained the extreme end of a belt of low bushes, which would effectually conceal him while he approached to within a hundred yards or less of the troop.
Here he made his arrangements.

Throwing down his buffalo robe, he took the coil of line and cut off a piece of about three yards in length.
On this he made a running noose.

The longer line he also prepared with a running noose.

These he threw in a coil over his arm.
He also made a pair of hobbles, and placed them in the breast of his coat, and then, taking up his rifle, advanced cautiously through the bushes--Crusoe following close behind him.