through the
delicate fabric, Jimsy hurled his loop. It settled round the animal's
horns. Planting his heels in the ground Jimsy held tight to the rope.
The next minute he "snubbed" it tight and the ram lost its feet and
rolled over and over in the dust.

Jake and Roy rushed in and completed the job of tying the creature.

"Goodness, Jimsy, you're a regular broncho buster!" cried Peggy
admiringly.

"Oh, I learned to do some tricks with a rope with the horse hunters out
in Nevada," was the response.

But careless as his manner was, Jimsy's eyes glowed with triumph. It was
plainly to be seen that he was delighted with his success. Just then the
two sheep drivers came running up.

The girls looked rather alarmed. Suppose they should blame them for
trying to kidnap the ram.

"I'll do the talking," declared Roy; "if you said anything, Jimsy, there
might be a row."

"All right," laughed Jimsy, regarding his "roped and tied captive."
"I suppose you are an expert on dealing with ram owners."

"Well, I'm on to their mental ramifications," laughed Roy.

The sheep driver, an elderly man, accompanied by a youth, came up to
them now. He touched his hat civilly as he approached.

"Good afternoon. No one hurt, I hope," he said.

The girls looked greatly relieved. After all, the man was not rude or
angry as they had feared.

"Oh, no, thank you," cried Jess, before Roy or Jimsy could open their
mouths. "I hope he isn't though."

"Hurt!" exclaimed the ram's owner, "why you couldn't hurt him with a
steam hammer. Why, day 'afore yesterday the blame thing went for my
wife. Hoofs and horns--yes, sir! Most knocked her down, he did. I'll
fix him."

"What's his name?" asked Bess.

"Hannibal," said the man, without the flicker of a facial muscle.

"I should think Cannonball would be a better name for him," struck in
Jimsy, with that funny, serious face he always assumed when 'joshing'.

"Yes, sir, I guess it _would_ be more appropriate at that," assented
the man.

He looked at the disabled machine.

"Busted?" he asked with apparent concern.

"To some extent," rejoined Roy, "only, except for that engine hood being
dented there doesn't appear to be much the matter with it."

"Glad to pay if there be," said the sheep driver. "I'm going ter git rid
of ther pesky critter. He's cost me a lot in damage suits already."

"Why don't you put him on the stage as the boxing ram, or something like
that?" inquired Jimsy.

"Might