Midnight
At times he was compelled to slow down to a walk where the rocks were thick , or the trail steep and dangerous . But whenever possible , such as on the wild meadows , he laid back his ears and sped like the wind . This always aroused Glen and brought her back to earth . She enjoyed such races , and when they were over , she would pat Midnight on the neck and utter affectionate words of praise . Horse and rider understood each other , which feeling had been developed through years of companionship on many a hard trail . For over an hour they thus moved steadily onward , and at length there loomed before them the high frowning ridge of the Golden Crest . At first it seemed to form an impassable barrier to their advance .