tfully. "Yes; go on."

"We were sitting by the camp fire, and Curley Adams was telling about
the time he was mixed up with the rustlers on the Colorado."

"Yes."

"Well, them ponies came down on us a-whooping."

"The ponies? Did they get away, too?" asked the lad in surprise.

"Did they? You ought to have seen the varmints. Nearly run over us when
they smashed through the camp. One jumped clean over the fire."

"Yes, I understand; but did you have any idea why the cattle stampeded?"

"Sure. The ponies put them on the run."

"The ponies started it?"

"Yes. No telling how it happened. The cows come a-running after the
ponies had broke through them, and the whole outfit piled over the
camp."

"Do any damage?"

"I reckon. Knocked over the chuck wagon, and near killed the heathen
Chinee. The men on guard roped the runaway ponies, and, by the time you
got on the job, we had just about got straightened around ready to go
after the cows."

"I suppose you lay it to----"

"Adobe church," answered the cowman conclusively.

"I am going over there to-day, Big-foot. I am going to try to find out
if there is anything in all this. Candidly, I don't believe it. Even
Colonel McClure says it's all foolishness. That is, I do not believe it
is anything that cannot be explained."

The foreman was looking worried that morning. It had been a succession
of disasters ever since they had neared the locality. This time it had
been the ponies which were hobbled some little distance from the herd,
but which had become so frightened at what they saw that they bolted,
hobbles and all.

"I want those cows from the McClure ranch brought over to-day,"
Stallings directed. "At least, bring over half of them. Get them over
right after breakfast. If we are going to have any more disturbances
let's try to have them in the daytime."

"Do you need us?" asked Tad.

"No. Go on and enjoy yourselves. You all have earned a holiday."

The lads were in their saddles early. Professor Zepplin went with them,
intending to spend the day at the ranch as arranged on the previous
evening.

The young ladies of the household were waiting, dressed in short skirts
and wearing broad-brimmed straw hats. To the boys they were most
attractive. Their fresh young faces lighted with anticipation of the
day's pleasure as, assisted by the Pony Riders, they swung into their
saddles. It fell to Tad Butler to ride beside Miss Brayton.

"We had a stampede at the c