tle boys held tightly to the horn, which is that part of
the saddle which was directly in front of them. This horn is what the
cowboys fasten their lassos around when they catch a wild steer or a
pony.

Behind the boys could be heard the thunder of the hoofs of the
stampeding steers. They were running close together, and, even in the
half-darkness of the evening, a big cloud of dust raised by the many
feet could be seen.

"What's the matter?" cried Uncle Fred, as the two cowboys rode up to the
ranch with Laddie and Russ.

"Stampede!" was the answer. "Big bunch of cattle running away."

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Uncle Fred. "Well, get right after 'em! Stop 'em!"

And this is what the cowboys did. The two who had seen the stampede
first, and ridden in to tell the news, bringing Laddie and Russ on the
way, were joined by other cowboys. They then rode toward the rushing
cattle, to head them off, or turn them back.

A stampede on a ranch means that a lot of steers or horses become so
frightened over something that they all run together, and don't pay any
attention to where they are going. If one of their number falls, the
others trample right over it. So, too, if a cowboy on his horse got too
close to the stampeding cattle, he would be trampled on.

To stop a stampede the cowboys try to turn the cattle around. This they
do by riding along in front of them, as close as they dare, firing their
big revolvers. They try to scare the steers from keeping on. Then if
they can turn the front ones back, and get them to run in a
circle--"milling," it is called--the others will do the same thing. The
cattle stop running, quiet down and can be driven back where they came
from.

It is hard work. Still it has to be done.

It soon grew so dark that the children and grown folk, watching from the
house, could see nothing. Mrs. Bunker wanted the six little Bunkers to
go to bed, but the four older children wanted to stay up and hear what
the cowboys had to say when they came back.

"Well, you may stay half an hour," their father told them. "If they
aren't back then off to bed you go!"

However, the cowboys came back about fifteen minutes later, saying they
had stopped the stampede and turned the cattle back where they belonged.

"That's good," said Uncle Fred. "What with the fire and a stampede these
are busy times at Three Star Ranch."

"And the spring is dried up again!" said Russ. "We forgot to tell you,
Uncle Fred."

"The spring