y the rope, he lay there.

Ted rode rapidly up to him, and, detaching a rope which had been knotted
around his waist, tied the bull's legs fore and aft, and the exhausted
brute did not make an objection.

For several minutes the bull lay panting, then it recovered.

When it came to its normal condition at last, it struggled furiously to
get to its feet, but each time it got up Ted jerked it to its side,
standing close to it so that it could see him.

Time and again it thus fruitlessly struggled.

It seemed to realize suddenly that it had been a very foolish bull, and
that it had met its master, who now stood over him ready to tumble him
over at any moment.

So he lay quite still, following Ted's movements with its great, dark
eyes, out of which all the ferocity had vanished.

Ted stepped up to it and patted its head, and it made no objection to
these attentions. Then he began to untie the bonds that held its legs
together.

"Look out fer him, he's treacherous," called Bud.

"He's all right," answered Ted. "I'll bet he'll eat out of my hand."

When it felt that it was free again, the bull got slowly to his feet and
walked sedately in the direction of the herd.

"You've broken the spirit of that bull," said Stella.

"You bet I have," said Ted. "That's just what he needed. He'll be a good
bull now. If he isn't, I'll give him some more."

Ted now rode to the head of the herd with Stella, and the other boys
took their places.

"All right, Billy. Send them forward," shouted Ted to the rear of the
herd.

Skillfully Ted set the herd to moving toward the south, where the other
herds were gathering under the management of the boys.

At first Gladiator threw up his head arrogantly, and did not stir.

Ted again rode toward him, swinging his lariat. The bull saw him as well
as the rope, and, recognizing the agents of his defeat, moved off
briskly at the head of the herd.

"Say," said Bud, across the head of the herd, "yer could slap that old
duffer across the face with your hat, and he'd apologize."

They were almost at the rendezvous, where thousands of cattle had been
gathered into a huge herd, and in every direction could be seen dust
clouds announcing that others were on the way.

"Here comes Carl hotfoot," said Stella. "He looks as if something had
happened, and he was an extra edition with 'a full account of the
terrible disaster.'"

"Hello, Carl! What is it?" asked Ted.

"Der United States marshal