left in the guns, and still the fear-blinded animals
battered at the growing wall of dead and dying that divided them. But at
last they began to push to each side, and gradually the idea of splitting
took full hold.

Then the prisoners behind the dead horses sank down in almost hysterical
relief, for there was no danger that any more would attempt to mount the
barricade. In fact, had the obstacle to their progress been suddenly
removed, the stampeded herds would have continued to split for an
indefinite period.

Now, listening, Larkin could hear the crash of the animals through the
underbrush and the horrid, sickening sounds of the writhing, half-dead
mass in the river-bed as more and more, following their predecessors
blindly, took the leap.

At last the stream on each side thinned, the rumbling thunder of pounding
feet grew less, and the tail of the flock passed, leaving behind it a
sudden, deathly silence. In the distance a faint murmur was heard, and
Larkin found later that this was made by the two or three hundred which
escaped death in the river.

As a matter of fact, the great number of the animals had filled the narrow
gully, and the last few charged across the bodies of their fallen
comrades to solid ground and safety beyond.

Now that the danger had passed, Larkin felt a certain miserable nausea in
the pit of his stomach, and fought it down with all his might. Caldwell
was not so successful, however, and stumbled from the shelter and his
companions, furiously sick. Juliet began to weep softly, the tears of
nervous reaction coming freely when neither pain nor fear could have
brought them.

Bud passed his arm gently about her shoulders, and patted her with soft
encouragement and praise for her bravery. Nor did the girl resent his
action. Rather it seemed to steady her, and after a few minutes she looked
up with an unsteady laugh.

"Isn't it funny for that other man to get seasick out here where we can't
get enough water to drink?" she asked, with a sudden tangent of humor that
made Bud laugh uproariously, and seemed to relieve the strain that
oppressed them.

"Brave little girl!" he said, getting up. "That reminds me. I wonder where
our friend is?"

He walked out in the direction Caldwell had taken and expected to find the
other recovering from his attack. But he could see or hear nothing to
indicate that the man was within a dozen miles. He called, and his voice
sounded puny and hollow against the v