s for the hindmost.

About noon Ted and the boys from the sign camps rode up to the ranch
house, driving before them a band of about twenty ponies which they had
found grazing on the prairie or seeking the shelter of the coulees.

Not a sign of the marauding Indians had they seen.

"Boys, as soon as we can get something to eat we're going after those
Indians," said Ted, dismounting and going into the house. "We've got
mounts for nearly all of us, now. A guard will be left at the house,
then we'll get on their trail. We can't afford to let this thing go.
Those Indians must be taught a lesson, so that they will get over the
idea that they can run in on us and take what they want just because we
are boys."

"That's ther way ter talk," exclaimed Bud Morgan heartily. "Give 'em
what's comin' to 'em, an' give it to 'em good an' plenty."

"I guess it won't be any snap to find them now," said Ben.

"They've scattered. But we can trail them. They'll leave a track like
that of a moose, it will be so wide. They're in the hills somewhere,
laying for another opportunity to raid the corral. They need ponies to
ride, and beef to eat, and they have got the idea into their heads that
we were sent out here to cater to their wants. It's our business to fool
them."

"Oh, hurry up," cried Stella. "I'm so anxious to get started I'm all in
a flutter."

"Who said you were going?" asked Ted, with a smile. "This is no pleasure
trip. Trailing and fighting Indian outlaws is no matinee."

"I should say not," said Stella coolly. "But it's work for the broncho
boys, and I'm one of them. Bud has promised to teach me the art of
following an Indian trail, and there never will be a better time than
this."

Ted could only shrug his shoulders, as he turned away to see if McCall
was hurrying dinner. He knew that he would waste time arguing with the
spirited young woman, who was as good a cowgirl as he was a cowboy, and
for one of her sex quite as courageous.

So eager were the boys to be off that they fairly bolted their food, and
rushed to the corral to saddle their cayuses.

Then they saw to their arms, and each took his rifle in the boot of his
saddle.

Sultan had had such a hard day's work since daylight, rounding up the
scattered ponies, that Ted left him in the corral, and decided to ride a
fresh horse. The only serviceable animal he could find was the worst
riding beast on the place, a vicious, half-broken Texas pony, which had
to be