rdly resist the temptation to take a shot at the animal
where it stood facing them far up the side of the canyon wall.

"Now!" Tad's tone was calm, steady and low.

Walter's rifle barked.

"You've hit him!" yelled Tad. "Look out! He's up again!" warned the
boy.

The beast had not been killed by the shot. He had been bowled over,
dropping down to a lower crag, where he sprang to his feet and with a
roar of rage bounded up the mountainside.

"Shoot! Shoot!" cried Butler.

But Walter did not even raise his rifle. A sudden fit of trembling had
taken possession of him. His was the "buck fever" in another form.

Bang!

Butler had let go a quick shot.

A roar followed the shot.

"Bang!"

"There, I guess that settled him," decided Tad Butler, lowering his
rifle.

"I---I should say it did," gasped Walter.

The tawny beast was throwing himself this way and that, the boys
meanwhile watching him anxiously.

"I'm afraid he's going to stick up there," cried Walter, dancing about
shouting excitedly.

"No, he isn't. There he comes."

"Hurray!"

"Duck!"

Tad grabbed his companion, jerking the latter back and running with him.
They were just at the spot where the ponies had been tethered, when a
heavy body struck the ground not far from where they had been standing.
Silver Face leaped right up into the air, then settled back on his
haunches in an attempt to break the hitching rope.

Tad struck the animal against the flank with the flat of his hand,
whereat the mustang bounded to his feet.

"Whoa, you silly old animal!" cried Tad. "Look out, Walt, don't get
too near that lion. You may lose some of your clothes if he shouldn't
happen to be dead. I'll be there in a moment, as soon as I can get
these horses quieted down."

In a moment Tad was running toward his companion.

"Is he settled?"

"I don't know. His---his eyes are open," stammered Walter, standing off
a safe distance from the prostrate beast.

Tad poked the animal with the muzzle of his rifle.

"Yes, he's a dead one. One less brute to make war on the deer. Won't
old Dad be surprised when we trail into camp with this big game?"
exulted the Pony Rider boy.

"Yes, but---but how are we going to get the fellow there?" wondered
Walter.

"Get him there? Well, I guess we'll do it somehow. I'll tell you
what, I'll take him over the saddle in front of me. That's the idea.
You bring out Silver Face and we'll see how he feels about it. I