oves somewhere else."

"So do I," echoed Dave, heartily. "Some place where none of us will ever
hear of him or his son again."

Two days after the shooting of the wildcat, Sid Todd announced that the
cowboys of Star Ranch and Hooper Ranch, up the river, were going to hold
a contest in "bronco-busting" and in fancy riding. All the young folks
were invited to be present and a little stand was to be erected, from
which they might view what was going on in comfort.

"Hurrah! that suits me!" cried Dave. "I've been wanting to see them
break in a real bronco."

"And I want to see some of their fancy riding," added the senator's son.
"It will be a real Wild West show."

"And no fifty cents admission, either," said Phil, with a grin.

"I hope nobody gets hurt," said Jessie, timidly.

"Oh, they are generally more careful than you think," answered Mr.
Endicott.

"But bronco-busting is dangerous, isn't it?" questioned Laura.

"Yes,--for anybody who has had no experience. But Todd and some of the
others can saddle and ride any pony in these parts."

All went out to the stretch of plain where the contest was to take
place. The little stand was there, true enough, and to the four corners
were nailed four flags--two of the Stars and Stripes, and one each of
the two ranches, that of the Endicotts having a blue field with the
words, Star Ranch, in white.

The word had been passed around for a good many miles, and consequently
a crowd numbering over a hundred had assembled on the field, including
half a dozen ladies and several children. The cowboys were out "on
parade," as Mr. Endicott expressed it, and each wore his best riding
outfit, and had his horse and trappings "slicked up" to the last degree.
All wore their largest Mexican sombreros, and, taken together, they
formed a truly picturesque assemblage.

"Puts me in mind of gypsies," said Laura. "Only they haven't their wives
and children with them."

"And they aren't telling fortunes," added Jessie.

The sport began with some fancy riding in which eight of the cowboys,
four from each ranch, participated. The cowboys would ride like the wind
and leap off and on their steeds, turn from frontwards to backwards,
slide from the saddle under their horses' necks and up into the saddle
again, and lean low to catch up handkerchiefs and hats left on the grass
for that purpose. Then they did some fancy vaulting, over bars and
brushwood, and while riding two and even four horses.