wouldn't be surprised if he raised a row."

Silver Face did object most emphatically. The instant the pony came
in sight of the dead lion he sat down on his haunches. Tad urged and
threatened, but not another inch would the pinto budge.

"I guess I know how to fix you," gritted the boy.

He was on the back of the sitting mustang, his feet in the stirrups,
before the pony realized what had happened. A reasonably sharp rowel,
pressed into the pinto's side, brought him a good two feet clear of
the ground.

Then began a lively battle between the boy and the horse.

"Don't let him tread on the beast," shouted Walter.

"N-n-no danger of that," stammered Tad. It was a lively battle while
it lasted, but Silver Face realized, as he had never done before, that
he had met his master. After some twenty minutes of fight, in which
the pinto made numerous futile attempts to climb the sheer side of
the canyon at the imminent danger of toppling over backwards and
crushing his master, the brute gave up.

"Now you hold him while I load on the beast," directed Tad, riding up.

This called for more disturbance. Silver Face fought against taking
a lion on his back. He drew the line at that. Just the same, after
another lively scrimmage, Mr. Lion was loaded on, but no sooner had
Tad swung into the saddle than he swung out again. He hadn't even
time to get his toes in the stirrups before he was flying through the
air, head first. Walter had difficulty in determining which was boy
and which was lion. The lion struck the ground first, Tad landing on
top of him.

With rare presence of mind, Walter had seized the pinto and was having
a lively set-to with the beast, with the odds in favor of Silver Face,
when Tad sprang up and ran to his companion's assistance.

Tad's temper was up. The way he grilled Silver Face that animal
perhaps never forgot. Not that Tad abused his mount. He never would
be guilty of abusing a horse. He was too fond of horseflesh to do
such a thing, but he knew how to punish an animal in other and more
effective ways. Silver Face was punished.

"Now, my fine fellow, let's see who's boss here!" laughed Tad. "Hold
him while I put aboard the baggage, Walt."

The pony submitted to the ordeal a second time. This time there was
no bucking, and shortly afterwards the lads started for their
companions bearing the trophy of their hunt with them.

CHAPTER XVI

A NEW WAY TO HUNT LIONS

Long bef