the seventh heaven of delight; and if he met with disappointment, which
was seldom the case, his laments were dismal indeed.

Thus a week more passed, and the boys were beginning to think of turning
their faces toward the East again. They would leave the ranch with many
regrets, for Mr. Mabie had certainly quite won their youthful hearts by
his genial ways.

Frank was the last one to meet with an adventure on this occasion, which
was fated to be written down in his logbook as worthy of remembrance.

He had been out riding, and his horse, stepping into a gopher hole,
threw him. Frank was not seriously hurt, but the horse went lame, so
that he could not be ridden. As this happened miles away from the house,
and night was coming on, with a storm threatening, Frank knew he was in
for an experience; but even then he did not dream of all that was down
on the bills for that special occasion.

Through the darkness he went, leading his limping horse. Then the storm
broke, and the crash of thunder, as well as the vivid lightning, was
something such as he could not remember ever meeting before.

He was just thinking that the pony had recovered enough to enable him to
mount and make his way slowly along, as the ranch house was not more
than a mile off, when something came to his ears that arrested his
attention. For half a minute he wondered what it might be, sounding like
increasing thunder. Then the appalling truth flashed upon him. There was
a stampede of cattle, and he seemed to be directly in the way of the
madly galloping herd!