Part 22 (1/2)

”Why, what's up?” he cried, in dismay, as he turned, to behold Roger in the hole and Dave beside him.

”Roger's foot is fast!” answered Dave. ”Oh, Phil, see if you can't scare the steer off!”

”I'll do what I can,” came from the s.h.i.+powner's son, and rather timidly, it must be confessed, he advanced on the animal in question. He gave a loud shout and swung his arm, and the steer looked toward him and came to a halt.

”You've got your gun--if he tries to horn Roger, shoot him,” went on Dave.

”I will,” answered Phil, and riding still closer he swung his firearm around for action.

Dave made a hasty examination and saw that Roger's foot was caught by the toe and the heel, and would have to be turned in a side-way fas.h.i.+on to be loosened. He caught his chum under the arms and turned him partly over.

”Now try it,” he said quickly, at the same time turning once more to look at the steer. The beast had finished his inspection of Phil and was coming forward as before, with head and horns almost sweeping the ground. Behind him trailed the long la.s.so, which was still fast to one of his forelegs.

”Phil! Phil!” cried Dave, suddenly. ”I have it! Catch the la.s.so if you can and hold him back!”

”I will--if I can,” was the ready response. And making a semicircle the s.h.i.+powner's son came up behind the steer, leaped to the ground, caught hold of the la.s.so, and sprang back into the saddle, almost as quick as it takes to tell it. Then he made the rope fast to his pommel and turned his horse back.

The steer was but two yards away from Roger and Dave when the rope on his foreleg suddenly tightened, and he found himself brought to a halt.

He gave a wild snort, and, just as Roger found himself at liberty, he turned and gazed angrily at Phil and his steed. Then he charged in that direction.

”Ride for it, Phil!” called Dave, but this warning was unnecessary, for the s.h.i.+powner's son was already galloping across the field as rapidly as the nature of the ground permitted. The horse easily kept the la.s.so taut, thus worrying the steer not a little.

By Dave's aid Roger managed to hobble to where the other horses were tethered, and soon both boys were in the saddle and riding after Phil and the steer.

”I guess the steer is getting winded,” said Dave, coming closer. ”He doesn't seem to have as much fight in him as he did.”

Around and around, in a broad circle, went Phil and his horse and the steer. But the steps of the latter were slower and slower, and presently the beast dropped into a walk and then refused to take another step.

Phil came to a halt also, but kept the la.s.so tight. Then the steer lay down on his side.

”I guess he is conquered,” was Roger's comment.

The three boys kept at a safe distance and waited for the appearance of Sid Todd and the other cowboys. Presently Todd came over the rim of the ravine and looked around anxiously.

”Anybody hurt?” he questioned, as he ran forward.

”Roger got his ankle twisted, running away from the steer,” answered Dave.

”What did the critter do?” went on the cowboy, and Phil and the others told their story, to which Sid Todd listened with interest. The other cowboys also came up, to look the fallen steer over.

”He sure is a crazy one,” said Yates. ”If I was the boss, I'd shoot him.”

”I'll report about him as soon as I get back,” answered Todd. ”Say, you had a nerve to take hold of this la.s.so,” he went on to Phil.

”Dave told me to do it,” was the answer of the s.h.i.+powner's son. ”It was easy enough--when I was on horseback. I shouldn't have done it if I had been on foot.”

”Not much--unless you're a staving good runner,” said Yates, with a grin.

The steer was too exhausted to make further resistance just then, and the cowboys had but little trouble in taking the la.s.so from his foreleg.

”He'll be all right after a bit,” said Todd, in answer to a question from Dave. ”But I think myself he isn't just O. K. in his head, and the next time we want some fresh meat we might as well kill him off and be done with it.”