they
had been driven yesterday. That this was irksome and even terrifying was
evident by their dilated nostrils, their wild expression, and the way
they pawed at the bars and at times measured the height of the fence, as
though contemplating a leap over it into the wide spaces beyond. But
their instinct told them that they could not make it, and they ran around
restlessly or pawed the ground uneasily, waiting their turn to be roped
and broken.

When the boys reached the outer fence, one of them had just been caught
by a whirling lariat and dragged, stubbornly protesting, into the
adjoining corral. Once there he made a wild dash to escape and lashed out
fiercely with his heels at the men who held him. But with a skill born of
long experience they eluded him, and one of them, watching his chance,
suddenly leaped on his back. The men, on either side, relinquished their
hold, and retreated to a safe position on the fence.

Then commenced the most exciting struggle for mastery between brute and
man that the boys had ever seen.

For a moment the broncho stood stock still, paralyzed with surprise and
fright. Then he gave a mighty leap into the air in a vain endeavor to
unseat the rider. This failing, he snapped viciously at the horseman's
leg, which was instantly thrown up out of reach. Then the maddened brute
rushed against the bars of the corral in an effort to crush the rider.
But again the uplifted leg foiled the maneuver, and the severe scraping
that the horse himself received took away from him all desire of
repeating that particular trick.

All this time the cowboy showed the most extreme nonchalance. If
anything, he seemed rather bored. And yet, despite his apparent
stolidity, the boys noticed that he watched his mount like a hawk and
always discounted each trick a second in advance. It was a fight between
brute strength and human intelligence and the struggle was unequal.
Barring accidents the latter was bound to win.

Like a flash the horse changed his tactics and went to the ground,
intending to roll over and crush his rider. The movement was almost too
quick to be followed by the eye. But the man was off at a bound and, when
the astonished broncho struggled to his feet, his tormentor had again
sprung on his back and was lashing him with the end of the rope that
served as a halter.

Then the pony tried his last resource. Springing into the air he came
down with all four feet held closely together. It would h