Thet's Pan's hoss. Kill him! I guess mebbe Pan cain't
pick out the runners."

When the wild horses got out of the narrow gateway between bluff and
slope they tried to scatter. The riders had their hands full. Riding,
shooting, yelling, swinging their ropes, they moved the horses forward
and kept them together. They were learning to run on three feet and
tried hard to escape. Just when the melee grew worst they reached the
cedar fence, only half of which had been burned by the resentful
Hardman outfit, and this obstruction was of signal help to the riders.
Once more in a compact bunch, the wild horses grew less difficult to
handle.

As Pan rode up the ridge leading out of the valley he turned to have a
last look at this memorable place. To his amaze and delight he saw
almost as many wild horses as before the drive.

"Gee, I'm greedy," he muttered. "Lucky as I've been, I want to stay
and make another drive."

"Wal, pard, I'm readin' your mind," drawled Blinky. "But don't feel
bad. If we tried thet drive again we might ketch a few. But you
cain't fool them broomies twice the same way."

Another difficulty soon presented itself. Several of the wild horses
could not learn to travel well on three feet.

"Reckon they've had long enough trial. We gotta cut them loose," said
Blinky.

"We'll lose them sure," complained Pan.

"Mebbe so. But we cain't do nothin' else. It's mighty strange, the
difference in hosses. Same as people, come to think aboot it. Some
hosses learn quick, an' now an' then there's one like thet stallion.
He can run like hell. Most wild hosses fight an' worry themselves, an'
quick as they learn to get along on three feet they make the best of
it. Some have to be cut loose. Fact is, pard, we've got a mighty fine
bunch, an' we're comin' along better'n I expected.... Loose your lasso
now, cowboy, for you'll shore need it."

The need of that scarcely had to be dwelt on, for the instant Gus and
Blinky cut loose a poor traveler, he made a wild dash for liberty. But
he ran right into a hateful lasso. This one let out a piercing whistle.

All the time the riders were moving the bunch forward down into flat
country between gray brushy hills. Evidently this wide pass opened
into a larger valley. The travel was mostly over level ground, which
facilitated the progress.

It took two men to lasso a horse, hold his ears, cut the rope round his
legs, release the noose on his neck and let