n rage.

"It's all off," said Ted to himself, with a sigh.

The cattle came to a stop.

"Keep them going!" shouted Ted, riding back frantically along the line.

The cow-punchers dashed among the animals, shouting and beating them
with their quirts, and managed to get them started again, but it was
only for a short time, for again they stopped, bellowing, the leaders
milling and throwing everything into confusion.

"That settles it," shouted Ted to Bud. "They're going to drift all night
if we don't stop them."

"Dern ther luck, I says," growled Bud. "How fur aire we from ther
ranch?"

"The worst of it is we're right on it. The ranch house isn't more than
three miles from here, and if we could have got there we would have been
all right. By morning we may be ten miles away, if we let the herd
drift, and we'll have a dickens of a time getting the brutes back
through the snow."

"What aire we goin' ter do with the wimminfolks?"

"I'm going to try to get them to the ranch house. You boys will have to
make a snow camp, and hold the herd from drifting at all odds. Don't let
them sneak on you. Keep pushing them from the south. You see, they're
all turned that way now with their tails to the wind. As soon as they
get cold they will begin to move. Don't let 'em do it."

"All right, Ted. We'll do the best we can. You take care o' ther
wimminfolks. So long, an' good luck."

Ted rode back to where Mrs. Graham was shivering in the closed wagon the
boys had provided for her, and Stella was sitting her pony by her side,
trying to encourage her.

Carl Schwartz was the jehu of the outfit, and sat on the driver's seat,
a fair imitation of a snow man.

"Carl, get a move on you. We're going to try to make the Long Tom ranch
house," said Ted. "I'll lead, and you follow. If you lose sight of me,
yell to me and I'll come back. I've got my pocket searchlight, and will
send you back a flash now and then."

Carl was half frozen and would have been pleased to get down and walk
the rest of the distance, but he knew the danger that surrounded them,
and simply yelled back "Yah!" and gathered up the reins for a start.

"Come on, Stella," said Ted. "We're going to try to make the ranch
house."

Without a word Stella followed him, and the little caravan struck into
the teeth of the snow-laden wind, which was now blowing half a gale.

The wagon moved slowly through the snow, which was getting deeper every
minute, and was like heavy