e in the modern cow business. They can get through
wire without being seen. But they can't get by a cowpuncher without his
seeing them."

"How many cattle do you think have got mixed with ours?"

"I should imagine there were all of five hundred of them," answered the
foreman.

Tad uttered a long-drawn whistle of astonishment.

"Will--will you ever be able to separate them?" asked Ned.

"We sure will. But it means a hot afternoon's work."

"May we help you, Mr. Stallings?" spoke up Walter.

"Yes; I shall be able to use you boys, some, I guess. It's a wonder to
me that those cows didn't stampede our whole herd. Had it been night,
our stock would have been spread over a dozen miles of territory by this
time. Being day, however, our herd preferred to stay and fight the
newcomers. I hope they clean up the bunch for keeps."

Pleased that they had been given a task to perform, the boys rode away,
Tad and Walter going in one direction, while Ned Rector galloped off in
another, that they might reach the cowmen in the shortest possible time.

The men they found sitting on their horses awaiting orders, though they
understood what was in the mind of the foreman almost as well as if he
had told them by word of mouth.

They found Big-foot and Lumpy Bates expressing their opinion of the
mix-up in voices loud with anger. But, upon discovering the boys, the
cowmen quickly checked their flow of language.

"Did you see what that--that----" bellowed Lumpy as Tad rode up to him.

"Yes; I saw it," laughed Tad.

"You think this is some kind of a joke, eh?" roared Lumpy, starting his
pony toward Tad.

The boy's smile left his face and clucking to his pony he rode slowly
forward toward the angry cowpuncher, meeting the fellow's menacing eyes
unflinchingly.

"Is there anything you wish to say to me, Mr. Bates?" asked the lad
calmly.

Lumpy's emotions were almost too great for speech. He controlled himself
with an effort.

"No--only this. I--I'll forget myself some day, and clean up one of you
idiotic tenderfeet."

"Perhaps you would like to begin on me, sir," said Tad steadily. "If you
feel that way I should prefer to have you do that rather than to try it
on any of my companions. Stacy Brown may be indiscreet, but I'd have you
understand he is no idiot."

"What--what----"

"You have determined to get square with us ever since we joined out with
you last night, and I knew that you and I would have to have an
understand