lashed Swift vigorously over the flanks with the knotted reins and when
Buster slid on his haunches to the very doorstep, Swift brought her
gnarled fore legs down on his sweeping tail and slid with him. She
brought up when he did with her nose under his saddle blanket. The boy
and girl avoided a mix-up by leaping from their saddles and jerking their
mounts apart.

"Now look at here, Jude!" shouted Douglas, "you keep that ornery cow-pony
of yours off of me or I'll make you sorry for it!"

Judith put her thumb to her small red nose, and without touching the
stirrups leaped back into the saddle. Then she looked calmly about her.

"First ones here!" she said complacently. "Even the preacher hasn't
come."

"I suppose,"--Doug's voice was bitter--"that if I rode over toward Day's
to meet Jimmy you'd have to tag!"

"I sure-gawd would. Swift would like the extra exercise."

Douglas swept Judith's thin bay mare with a withering glance. "That
thing! Looks like the coyotes had been at it!"

Judith wore but one spur and this had a broken rowell, but she kicked
Swift with it and Swift whirled against the nervous Buster and bit him on
the cheek. Buster reared. "Take that back, you dogy cowboy you!" shrieked
Judith.

Douglas brought Buster round and raised his hand to strike the girl. She