ppy--and he's almost as big a bluff, Fred, as you are! He looks
savage enough to eat you up, and is really as tame as tame can be."

"Hi, Teddie! she's got yuh throwed, tied, an' branded, all right!"
shouted one of the other punchers.

The girls on the fence welcomed each feat of horsemanship with great
applause. Some of the ponies "acted up," as Tom Gallup called it, "to
the queen's taste."

"Whatever that may mean, Tom," Mrs. Edwards said, dryly. "Why don't you
try your 'prentice hand on that buckskin? He's dodged the lariat a dozen
times."

"Why, that Bucky is a regular rocking-horse, I bet," declared Tom, who,
for a city boy, was a pretty good rider.

"Get down and ride him, Tommy," urged Sue. "Can't you ride as well as
these country boys?"

"I never said I could," retorted Tom, doubtfully. "You girls are guying
the punchers, too. Why don't one o' you get down and show 'em what you
can do?"

"Frances can beat all you boys riding, Tommy," Mrs. Edwards cried.

"Bet she couldn't even get aboard of that Bucky," young Gallup instantly
responded.

"You're not going to take a dare like that, are you, Frances?" demanded
Mrs. Edwards.

Sue became disdainful the moment Frances came into the argument. She had
nothing further to say.

"I believe the boys are all holding back on that little buckskin," said
Frances, laughing.

"Step right this way, Ma'am, step right this way," urged Fred Purchase,
bowing low and offering his lariat. "Here's my rope and I'll lend ye
anything else ye may need if ye wanter try that Bucky. He's some bronco,
believe me!"

Frances got down off the fence.

"Oh! don't you try it, Frances!" cried one nervous girl. "That pony
looks wicked!"

"Let her break her neck, if she wants to make a fool of herself!"
snapped Sue, _sotto voce_.

Nobody heard her. All were watching too closely the range girl approach
the buckskin pony. She had accepted Fred's lariat and the coil of it
began to whirl about her head.

"There it goes!" cried Tom Gallup.

The buckskin started on a long, swinging lope; but it could not get out
from under the coil of the lariat. The noose fell and the plunging pony
went head and forefeet into it. Frances leaped with both feet upon the
rope, just as it snapped taut. Bucky went on his head, kicking all four
feet in the air.

"Got him! got him!" shrieked the excited Tom, and the girls cheered
likewise.

And then the lariat snapped in two!

Muddied and scratched, t