He looked around and saw the horses tethered among the bushes a hundred feet further on. If only he could gain the animals he felt that escape would be almost secured.
He crawled along the ground like a snake. Once he had to go around a big rock and actually tear his way among the thorns, which scratched him in a dozen places. But behind the rock the shelter was greater, and unable to stand the suspense any longer he set off on a run for his horse.
The animal saw him coming and set up a low whinny of recognition. Then all of the horses swayed around in a bunch, for they were tethered close together.
This gave Tom another idea, and he not only untied his own horse but likewise all of the others. He kept hold of the other lariats as he mounted his steed.
"Get up!" he said sharply but in a low tone, and touched on the flank the horse set off on a gallop, followed by the other animals.
"Hullo, something is wrong with the hosses!" he beard Bill Noxton cry. Then came a rush through the bushes. At the sound Tom bent as low in the saddle as possible and urged his horse to do his best.
"They are stampeding!" came from Arnold Baxter. "Whoa there! whoa!
How did they manage to get loose?"
"The prisoner!" shouted Roebuck. "He is on the leading horse! He has escaped us!"
"Impossible!" gasped the elder Baxter. "Why, I have been watching the house—"
"No matter, it's Tom Rover!" interrupt Dan Baxter. "See, there he goes—and he taking all of our horses with him!"