Part 35 (1/2)

”Here, Barker,” he cried, discovering that he was not alone in his efforts. One of the sheep dogs was trotting along by his side, uttering little encouraging yelps to a.s.sist in keeping the lines well formed. ”That's a good dog. I guess you and I can handle this outfit, can't we, Barker?”

Barker barked as if in approval of the sentiment.

Tad called the animal to him and sent him back the other way, while he pressed on. The noise of the conflict seemed to be up that way and it was at that end that there would be more likelihood of disturbance to the sheep, he thought, urging his pony along a little faster.

All at once guns began to flash ahead of him.

”I believe they are in the flock already,” he cried, putting spurs to Pink-eye and das.h.i.+ng on at top speed. ”Yes, they are shooting into the flock. I can tell by the flashes of their guns. Oh, if I had a gun!”

The thought that they were slaughtering the innocent animals roused all the fighting blood in Tad Butler's nature.

But what could he, single-handed and unarmed, expect to do to stop the ruthless slaughter?

From the opposite direction, he heard a body of hors.e.m.e.n bearing down on the sheep killers.

In a moment more they too began to shoot. He noted quickly, however, that this latter body of men were not shooting down. They were shooting over the heads of the herd at the men who were killing the stock.

”Good! Good! Give it to them!” fairly screamed the lad, rising in his stirrups, waving his hat and continuing his words of encouragement to the men of Mr. Simms's outfit. What mattered it whether they could hear him or not? A rattling fire was running along both lines of men. But the sheep killers, now content to ride down the sheep, were shooting back at their a.s.sailants.

”Somebody will be killed, I know,” cried Tad. ”Who's there?” he roared, as he heard the hoof beats of a running pony behind him.

”It's me, Chunky,” came the answer.

”Get out of here, boy. You will be killed.”

”I can't. I'm afraid to stay back there in the camp all alone.

Hicks has gone too and----”

”Then get back down the line and help me to hold these sheep. Don't give anyone a chance to say a Pony Rider Boy is afraid of anything.

How'd you like to be over there where those guns are going off?

Now, brace up. Look cheerful and tend to those sheep the same as Barker is doing.”

Thus admonished, Stacy did brace up.

”All right,” he said, pulling himself together and turning his pony about.

In the meantime the shouting had increased in volume and the shooting was more rapid. Tad had all he could do to hold the sheep in place. He knew that up above him they were rus.h.i.+ng wildly here and there, and the wave of terror rolled over those in his immediate vicinity.

”They're beating them back!” cried the boy. ”The cowboys are giving way. Hooray!”

This proved to be the case. The defense of the sheepmen was a surprise to the cowboys, where they had thought to surprise the sheep herders and stampede the herd before any opposition was offered.

With a yell of triumph the forces under Mr. Simms rode right over the scurrying sheep in their effort to drive the cowmen off.

At that moment the clouds parted and the full moon shone out, lighting up the scene brightly. Tad gazed in awe on the rus.h.i.+ng ponies as he pulled his own to a stop. The cowmen, too, seemed to take courage from the moonlight. Some had started to retreat. These whirled about and returned to the charge.

”Oh, there goes Mr. Simms!” cried the boy.

He saw the rancher waver in the saddle, throw up his hands and slip sideways with head and arms hanging down.