cowboy ponies are taught to do this trick by their masters, and it is in common use; so that the

olutely certain that no unwise flounder on the part of Domino might betray the

ng," announced F

now be very close. There was a confused pounding that could only spring from a large body of animals. The traine

m from his chum; "and two thirds of 'em running free, without saddles o

run over us?" asked

avoid. They'll brush past a little further to the sou

eved he was now able to make out a confused moving mass at some littl

here and there a figure was mounted on a galloping horse, with seve

nishing in the deeper shadows lying closer to the base

e, guarding their horses; although all d

sound of retreating hoofs began to die aw

ied the Kentuck

on their heads, did you? And I sure heard the fellow nearest us say something that only a wh

aps rustlers?" continu

nts, too, in the bargain? No, I rather think, Bob, that those fellows must have some of Mendoza's ca

utfit had gotten care

t such a raid. I'd rather believe it was the X-bar-X outfit that has gone and got nipped this time. But stop and think Bob;

place of Mendoza and his crowd of cattle thieves may be somewhere around this same old rock

f that before?" ejaculated Frank, in a

ut discovering America, after Columbus did it. But supposing this thing does turn out to be true; how's it going to affe

heartily at

enough hot air together to make a mountain shake and groan like that. Besides, don't you see, Bob, the

at notion about a volcano, because, as we saw, they headed straight for Thunder Mountain. That

Frank, as though h

" asked Bob, who could feel that Domino was bec

lanket from Buckskin's head; whereupon the animal, recognizing t

ght position. "Wonder what's next on the programme for us. Twice, now, we've been waked up; and I don't know whet

sign posts of the night, he was able, from their positions, to give a pretty fair

of day; because, after what's happened, it'll be wise for us to get off the level here before broad daylight comes along. Ther

hickening, for a fa

za and his rustlers were hiding somewhere about this place they'd comb the whole mountain range so they could run him to earth. He's be

back just yet, do you, F

say, though I'd like to st

e alarm, after all; and we'd feel pretty cheap to bring all the boys along, and then not be abl

le laugh, as though pleased to learn that his saddle

r alarm. Frank, from long habits of early rising on the range, awakened ju

place, the boys soon left the scene of their night bivouac, heading

g the timber; when they left they were safe from any suspicious eye, should t

h they proceeded to cook their breakfast; while the horses croppe

y," remarked Bob, later on, pointing as h

ar canyon, where the water rushes down whenever they have one of those gushers, or cloud bursts,

ck and forth, Frank seemed to be examining the gr

Wish old Hank was along to read 'em. I reck

up that canyon, you

y. P'raps it may be a short-cut across the big range here, leading to the prairie on the other side. P'raps it doesn't go

get any riders going up there in the dark, unless they were mig

ed the other. "They know this place as w

erhaps we'd better be getting a m

ai

le chum used caused Bob to turn his

ng a burro loaded with supplies. Must be a bold prospector, bound to look into the secrets of Thunder

nly a little Mexican boy on that bag of bones of a horse? Tell you what, Bob, he must have been

m off for grub, and such things as they happen to need. And he pays for it with money they get from selling stolen cattle and horses! Nob

oser, leading his tired burro, upon which

ding out of sight just now. Doesn't he look sleepy and tuckered out though? See him nodding

the rustlers coming down t

his chum's ear as he craned his

n steadily advancing, apparently allowing his animal to follow its nose,

sniffing the air as if he smelled grub! There, the horse has scented him. See him rear up, will you? Oh! he's gone and done it, as sure as you live-thrown the boy over his head! And the poor burro is caught fast, w