ing before long. We might as well have it now, though there's
nothing of enough consequence to have a quarrel about----"

"You threaten me?"

"Nothing of the kind, Mr. Bates. I only wish to tell you that my
companions are the guests of this outfit, and we propose to act like
gentlemen. Every other member of the outfit, not excepting the Chinaman,
has given us fine treatment. You have hung back, hoping you would have a
chance to get us run off the trail."

The cowpuncher's fingers were opening and closing convulsively.

"You--you run into me. The whole bunch had the laugh on me and----"

"If I remember correctly, it was you who ran me down. But we'll drop
that. Will you shake hands and forget your bad temper?" asked the lad,
reaching over and offering a hand to the cowboy.

For an instant the fellow glared at him, then with a snarl he jerked his
pony about and drove in the rowels of the spurs.

"Lumpy's got on the grouch that won't come off," grinned Big-foot.
"Better keep a weather eye on the cayuse. If he gets obstreperous, just
you let me know."

"Thank you," smiled Tad. "I thought I had better say something to him
before it went too far. I knew he meant mischief to us ever since he ran
into me yesterday at San Diego."

Tad then delivered his message and rode on to the next cowpuncher.

For fully an hour the cattle surged and fought, some being killed and
trampled under foot, while others were so seriously wounded that they
had to be shot later in the day.

After a time the battle dwindled down to individual skirmishes, with two
or three animals engaged at a time, until finally the entire herd moved
off to the fresher ground that had not been trodden upon, and began
grazing together as contentedly as if nothing had occurred to disturb
them.

All immediate danger of a stampede having passed, Stallings fired a shot
as a signal for the cowmen to join him. This they did on the gallop.

After a conference, during which each man gave his opinion as to whom
the stray herd belonged to, none recognizing the brand, Stallings made
up his mind what to do.

"You will begin at the lower end and cut out as you go through the herd.
Cut the newcomers to the west, which will be starting them back toward
where they came from, wherever that may be. At the same time while we
cut, we will be moving our cows north, which is the direction in which
we want them to go."

In the meantime Stacy Brown had ridden up. He was sitti