"How do you know?" Miss Pennington wanted to know.
"You'll see. They'll stop the stampede," was the confident answer.
And this was done. With the piling up of some of the steers into an almost inextricable mass, and the dividing of the other bunch just as they reached the foot of the mound, the danger to the girls was over.
In two streams of living animals the steers passed on either side of the little hill, and after running a short distance farther they came to a halt, being taken in charge by other cowboys who rode up from the rear on fresh horses.
Other horses were brought up for the girls to ride, as they were too weak and "trembly" to walk. Besides, it is always safer to be in the saddle among the lot of Western steers.
"Oh, what a narrow escape!" panted Miss Dixon.
"It was," agreed Alice. "But it shows you what cowboys can do! It was just splendid!" she cried to Baldy Johnson, who was riding beside her.
"Glad you liked it, Miss," he responded, breathing hard, "but it was rather hot work all around."
"You're not hurt; are you, girls?" cried Mr. DeVere as he came up to them, having had no part in the drama, but having heard in the ranch house of the real stampede.
"Not a bit, Daddy!" answered Alice. "I don't believe the steers would have trampled us anyhow."