Part 9 (1/2)

CAUGHT IN A GIANT SLIDE

Tad knew thesound now A few particles chipped from the rocks far above them had struck hi down

His first ie his coht he realized that thisthey could do His quick ears had told him that the center of the slide was ahead of thement, but he kne easily it was to beup the boy could see nothing but a great cloud of dust that filled the air His companions seemed powerless to stir, and it was fortunate for theht have done that which would have sent the his rope with the intention of casting it over a sharp rock that extended some six feet up above the level of the trail and on the ency it would serve to anchor him He motioned to the others to do the sahtened to act

A sudden dust cloud obliterated the trail for fully five rods ahead of Professor Zepplin, then went shooting out into the chasreat mass of earth seemed to leap froht over the center of the line of ponies for an agonizing second, then swept down on them

The secondary slide, which this was, had but little width, perhaps a few feet Furthermore, it had fallen only a short distance, so that it had not had tireat velocity The mass smote the pack mule just ahead of Tad Butler Tad saw the pack o out from under him For the s, then his hind hoofs slipped over the edge of the trail

The little ani to the trail with its fore feet, at the saround That effort was fatal Little by little the frightened beast slipped toward the great gulf Evidently realizing the fate that was in store for it, theon the scene with fascinated eyes Even Professor Zepplin was at a loss for words, and at a greater loss for a remedy for the disaster that was upon the, however

Suddenly Tad raised his rope above his head and gave it three sharp twirls Then he let go The big loop dropped over the head of the unfortunate pack mule

”Jump on him and hold hio over”

The boys hesitated slightly Perhaps they could not have acco, but Butler did not wait to see He had slipped fro ”Whoa” to the little animal, which served in ato the upright rock carrying the end of his rope with hi the end fast to his own body as he ht have done in some circu one quick turn about it He had no more than taken that turn when the slack on the rope was suddenly taken up and the rope was drawn taut

There was no need to look around to see what had happened Butler kneell enough without looking The packthere with the boy's lasso about its neck The rope was tough rawhide, and Tad felt sure it would hold Still, that would not save theto the other side of the trail Thea terrible death

The freckle-faced Tad colance He kne that it would not be possible to save the pack ani his revolver he placed the muzzle close to the head of the unfortunate beast and pulled the trigger

The report, in the walled-in pass, sounded like the discharge of a cannon

”N-n-n-now you've done it,” chattered Stacy Brown

”Tad, Tad! What have you done?” cried the Professor

”I have put the poor thing out of its agony, that's all,” answered Butler His face was pale and his eyes troubled

”But you've killed him,” protested Professor Zepplin

”Didn't you see that he was choking to death, Professor? Don't you think it was better to end his sufferings with a bullet rather than let hile?”

The Professor took off his sombrero, and, with an unsteady hand, wiped the perspiration from his forehead

”Too bad, too bad!” he ht You thought more quickly and more clearly than I did We had better cut the rope and let hi else to be done, I suppose”