"I roped the kid," announced the cowboy, as if it were all finally settled.
"You roped me by the foot," retorted Tad.
"Yes, that was a foul," said the foreman. "I saw it myself. How'd you come to do that, Bob?"
"Mistake," answered the cowboy, thus admitting that they were right.
Tad turned on him sharply.
"Did you say it was a mistake?" he asked with a world of meaning in his tone.
"We will award the prize to you, Butler," announced the owner of the ranch. "That's the usual way when a foul has been committed."
The cowboy glowered angrily.
"I couldn't think of accepting it, Mr. Jessup," answered Tad, straightening to his full height. "I'll go on with the contest, but he mustn't do that to me again or there will be trouble."
Some of them laughed at the boy's veiled threat.