nce gone down.

"What's this? A holdup?" asked Bud.

"Can't tell yet. By Jove, I believe they are soldiers. I wonder if they
are going to try to stop us."

"S'posing they try it?"

"We'll have to ride it out. I wouldn't be held up on the reservation now
for anything. That would spoil it all. They would do anything they
wanted with us if we stood for that, and throw out a lot of legitimate
stock to get square with us."

"What do you mean?"

"If they're soldiers, and try to keep us in, you ride back and start the
herd to stampeding. Let the soldiers take care of themselves. If they're
regular cavalry, they will be able to ride well enough to get out of the
way."

"Bully idea. O' course, we can't help it if the cattle get scared at
them bright uniforms, an' git ter runnin'." Bud chuckled at the thought.

"Halt!"

The voice of Lieutenant Barrows rang out commandingly.

"Now's your chance, Bud," said Ted. "Mind you, get them started good and
plenty. I don't care if they run five miles."

Presently, from the rear of the herd came a shout of warning, and the
herd increased its speed from a lazy walk into a trot.

Back in the darkness the cowboys were riding through the herd hurrying
up the cattle with their quirts.

From a trot they broke into a gallop, and this soon grew into a perfect
rout, for cattle are easily frightened at night.

As soon as Ted saw that the cattle were going to run, sure enough, he
dashed across the intervening space to where the dark forms were
standing in the path of the oncoming cattle.

He saw at once that it was Lieutenant Barrows and a squad of cavalrymen,
and that they were armed with carbines. He resented this, as the
lieutenant had no business to arm his men in this way for such an
errand.

As Ted rode up, he shouted:

"Get out of the way, if you don't want to be trampled to death."

"What do you mean, you scoundrel?" shouted Barrows. "Halt, when I give
the command, or take the consequences."

"Out of the way, you fool!" shouted Ted, as he swept past. "Don't you
see that the cattle are stampeding?"

If the lieutenant did not know it, being so recently out of West Point,
the men did, for with a yell they turned and rode like mad for the side
lines.

Then, for the first time, the young officer, hearing the sullen bellow
of the cattle and the thunder of the hoofs, turned and followed Ted.

But the leaders were almost upon him, and, realizing that death was
following hi