would start off like that?" went on Randy.

"It was firing at those rattlesnakes did it," declared Jack. "Of course,
I can't blame the cowboys for doing that."

Andy and Fred found the rocks anything but easy to ascend. They went up a
few feet, and then the horses began to slip and were in danger of rolling
over, carrying their young riders with them.

"Look out!" screamed Fred. He had to catch his horse around the neck to
keep from being flung headlong.

But the horses were as anxious to escape the maddened cattle as were the
lads, and the steeds continued to scramble upward until they reached a
ledge of rock where the footing was comparatively level.

"Do you think we'll be all right here?" panted Fred, when he could catch
his breath sufficiently to speak.

"We shall be unless some of those steers take it into their heads to
climb the rocks the same way we did," answered Andy. He was suffering
from a slight bruise on his left leg where he had brushed some of the
roughest of the rocks.

The horses were still alarmed, and continued to snort and stamp their
feet, and the two lads for a few seconds had their hands full quieting
the animals. They looked below them and saw the cattle coming on in a
great mass. Some had already passed, but others were huddled close to the
rocks as if on the point of making an ascent.

"I really think they'll try to come up," said Fred.

"Come ahead! We'll see if we can't get a little higher up," answered
Andy. "I don't think the steers will follow us very far, even if they do
come. We can shoot at them if we have to," he added, for each of them
carried a pistol.

Beyond the ledge were more rough rocks, and here the two lads had to
proceed with caution for fear one of their horses might slip and perhaps
break a leg. As they advanced they looked back and saw that the cowboys
were coming closer and were beginning to drive a part of the cattle to
the rear.

"Oh, if only they can drive them back!" sighed Fred. "Just look at 'em,
Andy! There must be a hundred of the steers directly below us! And see
how angry that big black fellow looks! He acts just as if he'd like to
come up here and gore us!"

"Listen!" ejaculated Andy, pulling back on the rein. "What's that funny
noise?"

Both listened, and, mingled with the murmurs of the cattle at the foot of
the rocks, came to their ears a peculiar whine or growl that was entirely
new to the lads.

"It's a wild animal of some kind!" cried