hen hang on for dear
life!"

Instantly Tom obeyed.

As the big black felt the blow he uttered a snort of rage, jerked
forward his head and seemed to fly over the ground.

Like a flash he caught Bill and Larry. Frantically they strove to
keep up with him, but in a few bounds he had passed them.

"Tom wins!" yelled Horace with glee.

But his delight at the success of his ruse was shortlived.

Blackhawk was not accustomed to being beaten and, though ordinarily
he had a good temper, when he was angry he could be very mean.
Accordingly, as though reasoning to himself that he had done his
share in carrying his rider so many miles, when he felt the sharp
cut of the lariat he resented it. And his resentment took the form
of a vicious lunge forward of his head, which enabled him to get
the bits in his teeth, with which advantage no one could control
him.

Despite his greater weight, the ranchman had been close up with the
boys and had noted Blackhawk's action.

Realizing that it would be hopeless to try to overtake the runaway,
and fearing that some injury might befall Tom, Mr. Wilder shouted:

"Rope the black, Bill! He's got the bit!"

Loosening his lariat as quickly as possible, the elder of the
Wilder boys began to whirl it round his head.

"Throw it! throw it!" roared the ranchman, "Can't you see you're
losing ground every second?"

Never before had Bill been called on for so important a cast of his
lasso, and for a moment his hand trembled.

"Steady! Let her go now!" counseled his father.

At the word Bill put forth all his strength and the rope shot from
his hand, the noose opening perfectly as it sped through the air.

Fascinated, the others watched as it hung a moment in the air and
dropped directly over Blackhawk's head.

"Pretty cast!" praised the ranchman. "Now ride along. Don't pull
up too soon."

But his words were too late.

The pony which his elder son rode was perfectly trained to rope
steers. As it caught the sharp hiss of the lariat the animal had
slackened its stride, and the instant it felt the rope tighten had
stiffened its legs and braced, almost squatting back on its
haunches.

And the next moment Blackhawk was jerked from his feet, measuring
his length on the ground, while Tom went sailing through the air,
alighting about twenty feet away.

"Hold as you are!" ordered Mr. Wilder of Bill and then dashed for
the kicking black, with Larry and Horace at his heels.

"Tom! Tom!