way from here. First thing I know you will
be mixing it up with some of the rest of the bunch. I may not be around
to straighten things out then, and you'll get hurt."

"Thank you, sir. I think I have as much right here as anyone else. If
those are your men I should think you might be able to teach them to
respect other people's rights."

"What, teach a cowboy?" laughed the other. "You don't know the breed.
Take my advice and skip."

Tad's rescuer strode away.

The lad's introduction to cowboy life had not been of an encouraging
nature, though it was difficult for him to believe that all cowboys were
like the one he had just encountered.

"Well, you made a nice mess of it, didn't you?" chuckled Ned Rector,
riding up beside his companion a few minutes later. "I didn't see it,
but I heard all about it from Bob Stallings."

"Stallings? Who's he?"

"The foreman of the cowboys with whom we are going."

"And were those the fellows that tried to crowd me off the street?"

"I reckon those were the boys," said Ned Rector quietly.

"Then, I can see a nice time when we join them. They will have no love
for me after what has happened this morning. Where is the camp?"

"I don't know. Professor Zepplin says it's about four miles to the west
of here."

"When do we join them?"

"Some time to-night. The foreman says they are going to start at
daylight. He's over at the hotel talking with the Professor now. He was
telling the Professor about your mix-up with Lumpy Bates. That's the
name of the cowboy who ran into you. And how he did laugh when I told
him you belonged to our crowd," chuckled Ned.

"What did he say?"

"Said he thought you'd do. He says we can't use our ponies on the
drive."

"Why not?" asked Tad, looking up quickly.

"Because they are not trained on cattle work."

"Pshaw! I'm sorry. Have we got to leave them here?"

"No. He says we may turn them in with their herd, and use them for
anything we care to, except around the cattle. We shall have to ride
some of the bronchos when we are on duty."

"I think I see somebody falling off," laughed Tad. "Ever ride one of
them, Ned?"

"No."

"Well, you'll know more about them after you have."

"I think I should like to go over and see Mr. Stallings," declared Tad.

"All right, come along, then."

They found the foreman of the outfit discussing the plans for their
journey with Professor Zepplin, while Stacy Brown and Walter Perkins
were listening with