addle. The pony braced itself, ploughing up the ground
with its little hoofs as it did so.

A jolt followed that nearly threw Tad from his saddle. The muley steer's
head was suddenly jerked to one side and the next instant the animal lay
flat on its back, its heels wildly beating the air.

"Whoop!" shouted Tad in high glee, waving his hat triumphantly to the
watching cowpunchers.

The steer was up in a moment, with Tad Butler watching him narrowly.

"Cast your rope over his head, Chunky."

Chunky made a throw and missed.

The angry steer rose to its feet and charged him.

Stacy Brown held the muleys in wholesome awe, though, having no horns,
they were the least dangerous of the herd.

"Yeow!" shrieked Chunky, putting spurs to his pony and getting quickly
out of harm's way.

The steer was after him at a lively gallop, with Tad Butler and his pony
in tow. Tad had prudently shaken out the reins when he saw the animal
preparing to take up the chase again.

Waiting until the steer had gotten under full headway, the lad watched
his chance, then pulled his pony up sharply.

This time the muley's head was jerked down with such violence that it
turned a partial somersault, landing on its back with a force that must
have knocked the breath out of it.

Again and again did Tad repeat these tactics, the pony seemingly
enjoying the sport fully as much as did the boy himself. After a time he
succeeded in getting the unruly beast headed toward the herd.

Once he had done that he let the animal have its head and they sailed
back over the trail at a speed that made the cowboys laugh. Tad seemed
to be driving the steer, with Stacy Brown riding well up to the animal's
flanks, laying on his quirt to hasten its speed, every time he got a
chance.

As they neared the herd, Tad in attempting to release the rope from the
pommel let it slip through his hands.

The lad was chagrined beyond words.

"Rope him quick, Chunky!" he cried.

Lumpy Bates, observing the mishap, had spurred toward the running steer,
intending to cast a lariat over one of the animal's feet and throw it so
they could remove the lariat from its neck.

Just as the cowboy wheeled his mount in order to reach one of the
steer's hind feet, Chunky clumsily cast his own rope.

Instead of reaching the muley steer, the loop caught the left hind foot
of the cowpuncher's galloping pony.

"Cinch it!" called Tad as the loop followed an undulating course through
the