having overheard their plans he would be sure to suffer were he to
fall into their hands.

"It's not stealing. It's just fighting them on their own ground,"
gasped the boy, tugging desperately at the stake rope in an effort
to free the first pony he came to.

The leash resisted all his efforts.

Out came the lad's jack knife. One sweep and the rope fell
apart. They had discovered him. Every second was precious now. He
was thankful that the men had removed neither bridles nor saddles,
though he knew the bit was hanging from the animal's mouth.

But Tad cared little for this. He could manage the pony, he felt
sure. With a yell of defiance he leaped into the saddle and dug his
fist into the animal's side, uttering a shrill, "yip-yip!"

The pony, responding to the demands of its rider, sprang away
through the forest, putting the lad in imminent peril of being swept
off by low hanging limbs.

"He's getting away. He's got one of the ponies. Give it to him now,
but don't hit the rest of the cayuses!" yelled the leader in high
excitement.

Tad had it in mind to liberate the other animals and start them off
on a stampede. It was the fault of the outlaw cowboys that he did
not. They discovered his whereabouts sooner than he had hoped they
might. It was all he could do to get one pony free and mount in