As Frank spoke he leveled his rifle in the direction indicated. A shrill yelp of alarm must have told the four runners what was threatening, for instantly they threw themselves upon the ground, and commenced rolling over and over, as if in the hope of distracting the aim of the boy who sat astride his buckskin horse, and kept his weapon directed toward them.
Even Bob, who was engaged in rubbing his lame knees and elbows, could not refrain from indulging in a loud laugh, which must have reached the ears of the panic-stricken quartette. One succeeded in gaining the shelter of an outlying rock; but the others rolled, and turned head over heels in their desperate break for cover.
“All down in that alley!” sang out Bob, who was rapidly recovering his customary genial disposition, that had been sadly disturbed by the abruptness of his tumble, and the ridiculous nature of his adventure.
“And they bit off more than they could chew,” remarked Frank, as he once more slung his rifle over his shoulder. “They expected to have a heap of fun dragging you around; but I reckon Peg got cold feet just as soon as he made the cast, and saw me grabbing for my gun. When he lit out, the rest trailed behind. Oh! they’re a sweet bunch, all right.”
“Say, do you really think it was Peg who threw that rope?” asked Bob, as he picked up the article in question, and examined it.
“I sure do,” replied his chum. “It was as easy a throw as anybody could try for a starter. I heard how Peg was practicing early and late to use a rope. He had that Nick Jennings coaching him, too. Chances are they saw us coming, and Peg, he ups and declares that he could yank one of us off our saddles while we passed. So they hid right here, and made the try.”
“Well, it might have been worse,” grunted Bob, as he coiled the rope up again. “What if my foot had got caught in the stirrup, and Domino had bolted? Whew! that’s my first experience at being roped. I don’t like it even a little bit. There they go on their horses, Frank; and see how they act! That’s a fine way to slope like mad, isn’t it, and then pretend to be so bold? Bah!”
“We’re in a good rope, if you care to look at it that way; also some experience,” Frank remarked, with a suggestive smile at his chum.
“Likewise a few bruises, that will feel sore the whole week,” added Bob, ruefully.
By this time Domino had stopped prancing around, and allowed his master to once more secure hold of the bridle. They were soon riding along the trail again, just as though nothing out of the way had happened.