excited.

"Russ made--made a lasso," panted Laddie, for he had been running, and
was out of breath.

"Yes, I know he said he was going to," said Uncle Fred. "That's all
right. Have a good time with it."

"Russ made--made a lasso, and he--he lassoed one of the little cows with
it!" went on Laddie.

"Oh, did he!" exclaimed Mr. Bell with a laugh. "Well, I guess what
little lassoing Russ can do won't hurt the calf. They are all pretty
well grown."

"But Russ can't--can't get loose!" went on Laddie. "He's yelling like
anything and he says I'd better come and tell you! He lassoed the calf
but he can't get loose--I mean Russ can't get loose!"

"Oh, my goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Bunker. "I might have known something
would happen!"

CHAPTER IX

THE QUEER SPRING

"What's all this? What's the matter?" asked Daddy Bunker, who had been
looking at the mysterious spring and had not heard all the talk that
went on. "What happened?"

"Russ made a lasso," stated Laddie, while Mrs. Bunker and Uncle Fred
started for the corral where the little calves were kept until they were
strong enough to run with the other cattle.

"Oh, Russ made a lasso, did he?" asked his father. "Well, that boy is
always making something. He'll be an inventor yet, I'm sure."

"Russ lassoed a calf," explained Mrs. Bunker, for Mr. Bunker had caught
up Laddie, and they had now overtaken the others, who had started on
ahead.

"Well, he had to lasso something," said Mr. Bunker with a laugh. "Any
boy wants to lasso something when he makes a lariat. I did when I was a
boy. I lassoed our old rooster."

"But the trouble seems to be," said Uncle Fred, "that Russ lassoed a
calf, and now the calf is running away with Russ."

"Oh, that's different!" said Mr. Bunker. "We'll have to see about this!"

Then he hurried along with his wife and Uncle Fred toward the calf
corral. The five little Bunkers stayed behind at the spring for Mrs.
Bunker called back to them to do this, sending Laddie back, too.

"We don't want any of them to get into trouble," she said to her
brother.

"Yes, I think, too, that one at a time is enough," replied Mr. Bell.

Even before they reached the corral they heard the voice of Russ
yelling. They heard him calling:

"Whoa now! Stop! Stop, bossy cow! Let me get up! Stop!"

"Maybe the calf will hook him!" cried Mrs. Bunker.

"Oh, no!" answered Uncle Fred. "The calves don't have horns. Russ will
be all right, though he may b