“We’ve got to get out of the way and be quick about it,” returned Andy, and struck his horse on the flank.
The steeds the boys were riding needed no urging, for the sudden rush of the cattle filled them with alarm. Away they bounded across the grassy plain with the maddened cattle thundering after them.
“Let’s ride to one side and let ’em pass!” gasped Fred, who was badly shaken by this sudden turn of affairs. He had not dreamed that the herd of cattle would head for them in this fashion.
But to get out of the way was not easy. To one side of the plains was a series of rough rocks, while to the other side there was a brook flowing into the river, and here the ground was soft and treacherous.
“Don’t go that way!” cried Andy, as he saw his cousin heading toward the brook. “You’ll get stuck and you’ll never get out.”
“I’d rather get stuck than be trampled under foot by those beasts,” panted Fred.
“No, no, Fred! Turn this way! I’m sure we can get up on the rocks somehow!” declared Andy.
The boys continued to advance with the thoroughly frightened cattle not far behind them. While being rounded up both cattle and cowboys had come upon a nest of small rattlesnakes. These had, of course, frightened the beasts, and they were still more frightened when the cowboys had begun to shoot at the reptiles. Then a few of the cattle had started the stampede, and the rest, terrorized by the pistol shots, had followed.
As the two lads galloped on, they looked anxiously to the side where the rocks were located. Most of the places they passed were too steep to ascend. But presently Andy caught sight of a point where there was something of a trail leading upward.
“Come on this way!” he yelled to his cousin. “I think we can get up on the rocks here!”