FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88  
89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   >>   >|  
inch the rope over his saddle pommel. He held it firmly in his hand, with a view to letting go after it had served its purpose, having no desire to injure his victim. Lumpy Bates went over as if he had been bowled over with a club, and before he had realized the meaning of it he had been dragged several feet. Tad jerked his pony up sharply and slowly rode back to where his victim was desperately struggling to free himself. "Y-e-e-e-o-ow!" screamed the cowboys, circling about the scene, their ponies on a dead run, discharging their six-shooters into the air, giving cat calls and wild war-whoops in the excess of their joy. Big-foot Sanders, however, had not joined in their merriment. Instead, he had ridden up within a couple of rods of where Lumpy Bates was lying. Big-foot sat quietly on his pony, awaiting the outcome. At last Lumpy tore off the lariat's grip and scrambled to his feet. He glared about him to see whence had come this last indignity. "I did it, Lumpy," announced Tad Butler quietly. "You----" "Wait a minute before you tell me what you are going to do," commanded Tad. "Chunky did not mean to throw you. He was trying to rope the steer. He'll tell you he is sorry. But you were going to hit him because you were mad. If you'd struck him with the butt of that quirt you might have killed him. I had to rope you to prevent that. Is there anything you want to say to me now?" "I'll show you what I've got to say," snarled the cowboy, starting for Tad. "Stop! Lumpy Bates, if you come another foot nearer to me I'll ride you down!" warned Tad, directing a level gaze at the eyes of his adversary. The cowboy gazed defiantly at the slender lad for a full moment. "I'll fix you for that!" he growled, turning away. At that moment Big-foot Sanders rode in front of him and pulled up his pony. "What's that ye say?" "Nothing--I said I'd be even with that cub." "I reckon ye'd better not try it, Lumpy. The kid's all right. Big-foot Sanders is his friend. And that's the truth. Don't let it get away from you!" CHAPTER XIV ON A WILD NIGHT RIDE "Your fat friend, over there, is making queer noises, Master Tad. Must be having a bad dream." Big-foot had reached a ponderous hand from his blankets and shaken Tad roughly. "Mebby the gopher's having a fit. Better find out what ails him." The rain was falling in torrents. The men were soaked to the skin, but it did not seem to disturb t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88  
89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Sanders
 

cowboy

 

victim

 
quietly
 
friend
 
moment
 

defiantly

 

slender

 

growled

 

killed


prevent
 
turning
 

starting

 

snarled

 

nearer

 

directing

 

warned

 

adversary

 

shaken

 

blankets


roughly
 

gopher

 

ponderous

 
reached
 

Master

 
noises
 
Better
 

soaked

 

disturb

 

torrents


falling

 

making

 
reckon
 
pulled
 

Nothing

 
CHAPTER
 

minute

 

screamed

 

cowboys

 

slowly


desperately

 

struggling

 
circling
 

giving

 
shooters
 
ponies
 

discharging

 

sharply

 
jerked
 

letting