't fearing. I was hoping," retorted Tilly in a voice that brought
a chuckle to the man's lips.

A moment later Mr. Tim stopped his horse and pointed to the right.

"Do you see that black shadow over there?" he asked Bertha Brown, who
was nearest him.

"Yes. From a cloud, isn't it?" Bertha, too, stopped to look.

"I think not. It's a bunch of cattle, I reckon. I think I make out the
guards riding round them."

"What is it, Mr. Tim?" Genevieve and the other girls had caught up with
them now.

"Cattle--over there. See?" explained Mr. Tim, briefly.

At that moment the moon came out unusually clear.

"I can see two men on horseback, passing each other," cried Bertha.

Mr. Tim nodded.

"Yes--the guard. They ride around the bunch in opposite ways, you know."

"Let's go nearer! I want to see," proposed Tilly, trying to quiet the
restless movements of her pony.

[Illustration: "'FOLLOW ME--QUICK!' HE ORDERED"]

The man shook his head.

"I reckon not, Miss Tilly. A stampede ain't what I'm looking for to
amuse you all to-night."

"What's a stampede?" asked Tilly.

"Mr. Tim, look--quick!" Genevieve's voice was urgent, a little
frightened. But the man had not needed that. With a sharp word behind
his teeth, he spurred his horse.

"Follow me--quick!" he ordered. And with a frightened cry they obeyed.

Genevieve obeyed, too--but she looked back over her shoulder.

The moon was very bright now. The black shadow to the right had become a
wedge-shaped, compact, seething mass, sweeping rapidly toward them.
There was a rushing swish in the air, and the sound of hoarse shouts. A
few moments later the maddened beasts swept across their path, well to
the rear.

"I'll answer your question, now, Miss Tilly," said Mr. Tim, as they
reined in their horses and looked backward at the shadowy mass. "That
was a stampede."

"But what will they do with them?" chattered Cordelia, with white lips.
"How can they ever stop them?"

"Oh, they'll head them off--get them to running in a circle, probably,
till they can quiet them and make them lie down again."

"And will they be all right--then?" shivered Elsie.

"Hm-m; yes," nodded Mr. Tim, "--till the next thing sets them going.
Then they'll be again on their feet, every last one of them--heads and
tails erect. Oh, they're a pretty sight then--they are!"

"They must be," remarked Tilly. "Still--well, I sha'n't ask you again
what a stampede is--not to-night."

Mr. Tim laughed.