holding Rupert down by main force now, for those tossing
horns were such a frightful menace, and the mob of cattle pressed close
on either side as they poured past the overturned wagon in their mad
flight towards the hills.

"Oh, Rumple, what has happened? Is it an earthquake?" cried Nealie, who
was somewhat reassured by hearing Rumple shout to Rupert. At least the
boys were all alive, though, judging by the noise Don and Billykins were
making, some of them might be rather badly damaged.

"I don't think that it is anything except the cattle on the move, only
they are going as if they have been pretty badly scared," replied
Rumple, trying to stand up by hanging on to the wagon wheel. Then he
cried out sharply: "Look out, Nealie! Get in under the tilt quick, for
here come a fresh lot! Oh, I say, we shall all be smashed flat!"

It really looked as if they would be flattened out, for the next lot of
cattle, charging down the steep hillside, came straight for the camp,
and but for a lucky accident would most likely have gone straight over
the wagon, which lay on its side. But one big bullock caught its long
horns in the spokes of the wheel, the next blundered on to it and forced
it to its knees, another blundered on to that, until in about a minute
and a half there was piled up a most effectual rampart of struggling
beasts, which effectually checked the onrush from behind, diverting it
to either side.

It was to this accident that some, at least, of the seven owed their
lives, for Don and Billykins lay right in the path of the stampeding
herd, while Rupert, scrambling painfully to his feet, would most
certainly have been knocked down and trampled underfoot.

But the noise and the confusion, the snorting, bellowing, and blowing of
all those hundreds of terrified beasts, were quite beyond description.
After the first frightened outcry Ducky lay still and shivering in the
arms of Sylvia, who was sitting on the side of the wagon tilt, amid the
ruins of crockery and the contents of the grocery box, which had been
spilled all over her. Nealie had crawled to the front opening of the
tilt, and, regardless of her possible danger, had succeeded in fishing
Don and Billykins from the debris of canvas and torn mattress under
which they were being slowly smothered, and had dragged them into the
comparative safety of the overturned wagon. Then Rupert and Rumple
struggled into the same refuge, and the seven sat close together,
wonderin