the gates between the corrals securely fastened, however, and there
seemed no possibility of the two rivals meeting.

"But if they ever should," one of the men had remarked, "there'd be some
scrap, take it from me. There's nothing in the world worse than a fight
between two stallions."

"Why, are they so vicious about it?" Bert, who was standing near, had
asked.

"Vicious!" exclaimed the cowboy, "why, vicious ain't no word for it,
nohow. They're just devils let loose, that's all."

It was only a few days after this that, as the boys were seated around
the table in the ranch house eating luncheon, in company with their host,
one of the cowboys dashed into the room, breathless and red of face.

"Satan an' the bay are fightin'," he cried; "somebody must 'a' left the
gates open an'----"

But Mr. Melton did not wait to hear any more. Leaping to his feet he
dashed through the door in the direction of the corrals. The three
comrades followed close on his heels. As they reached the open they could
hear shouts and cries and the thudding of hoofs. Mr. Melton increased his
pace, and in a few moments they had reached the scene of action.

And it was a fearsome sight that met their eyes. The two big stallions,
the black and the bay, were both in Satan's corral, fighting furiously,
with a rage and viciousness that words are inadequate to describe. They
circled rapidly about, biting at each other with their long yellow teeth,
and lashing out with their hoofs. Each was quick as a flash of light, but
every once in a while a sharp hoof would find its mark, or the deadly
teeth would rip into the other's skin. Blood flowed freely, but neither
seemed to notice the wounds that the other inflicted. They had longed to
decide the question of supremacy ever since the newcomer's arrival, and
now they were determined to settle the matter.

Satan was the stronger of the two, however, and probably in addition
possessed a more evil temper than his rival. Biting, screaming, kicking,
he circled about his enemy, his savage heart bent on the destruction of
the upstart who had dared to invade his domains. As Mr. Melton and the
boys dashed up, the black horse whirled like lightning and planted both
hind hoofs with deadly effect. The bay horse staggered, but his spirit
was still unconquered, and, recovering himself, he rushed for Satan with
a ferocity almost as great as his.

"Stop them! separate them!" shouted Mr. Melton; "what are you standing