"Here! You quit that!" ordered Dave, riding up.

"What for?" sneered Len.

"Because I say so!"

"He isn't your horse."

"That may be, but I'm not going to see you abuse him that way. You quit,
or I'll give you the worst licking you ever had."

"You will; eh? Mr. Nobody!" sneered Len. "You will?"

"Yes, I will!" and Dave strode forward with such a fierce look on his face
that Len hastily left off beating his poor steed and fled.

"Oh5 I'll fix you yet!" Len cried, when, at a safe distance, he paused to
turn and shake his fist at Dave.

"The mean hound!" muttered Dave.

It was about a week after this that Dave rode over to a small corral where
some choice cattle were quartered. These had been cut out and herded by
themselves, to get ready for a special shipment. Dave wanted to see if the
fence and gate were sufficiently strong.

He rode around the corral, and was soon satisfied that all was right. He
was riding away over the plain, glad to be able to report to Mr. Carson
that the cattle were in fine shape for shipment, when a sudden noise
caused him to turn around.