m fast, he gave an agonizing cry.

Ted heard the cry, and understood its import.

While he disliked and despised the bullying officer, he had no desire to
see harm come to him.

The lieutenant's horse, while a good-enough cavalry animal in times of
peace, was not the match of the cow ponies, and was already badly
winded, as well as frightened, and was losing ground steadily.

"Bear off to the right!" shouted Ted repeatedly. But the officer was
evidently too frightened or rattled to understand, and kept blundering
along.

Ted saw that disaster was sure to follow in a short while if Barrows
didn't change his tactics.

The herd was going at regulation stampede speed now, but this did not
cause Ted to think of his own danger when he deliberately turned Sultan
and came galloping back upon the advancing sea of sharp horns.

In a moment he was beside Barrows, wheeled suddenly, and began to ride
against the cavalry horse, forcing it to one side, and urging it on with
lashes of his quirt.

At last he got the heavy brute going the way he wanted and soon it was
out of danger, as the frantic herd swept by with a roar like that of a
lightning express rushing over a culvert.

Barrows was sitting on his trembling horse, pale, and with beads of
perspiration standing out on his forehead.

"You did that on purpose, curse you," snarled the lieutenant. "You made
those cattle run."

Ted looked at him in astonishment. He thought at least that the soldier
would murmur some few words of gratitude for having been saved from a
horrible death.

"You're a grateful chap, I must say," said Ted. "You weren't far from
kingdom come then, I can tell you."

"I'll see that you are punished for this," said Barrows, wheeling his
horse and riding out of sight in the direction of the post.

It was two hours before the boys headed the cattle and got them to
milling, and then broke them up and succeeded in getting them bedded
down.

As they got a new camp fire made, and were lying around it, Bud said,
with a laugh:

"That was a mighty slick trick o' yours, Ted. It certainly took ther
herd off ther reservation in a hurry."

"I don't see yet why it was necessary to stampede them," said Ben, who
was sore at having had to do so much work getting the herd together
again.

"Can't, eh?" said Bud. "That's all er collidge eddication done fer yer?
Why, if we hadn't got them cattle off'n thar pretty pronto, thet thar
lootenant would hev bagged eve