ahead. Now Sid Todd, Yates, and two cowboys from the Hooper ranch were neck-and-neck.
"It will be a tie," murmured Laura.
"No, Todd is gaining!" cried Mr. Endicott, who was as much excited as anybody. "See, he and Hooper's man are now ahead!"
"Here they come, on the homestretch!" was the general cry.
On and on thundered the horses, nearer and nearer to the finishing line. When the leaders were less than fifty yards off Sid Todd made a spurt.
"Here comes Todd!"
"Todd wins! Todd wins!"
"Galpey is second!"
"Yes, and Yates is third!"
"Say, that's riding for you!" And so the cries rang out. Sid Todd had indeed won, and all of his friends from Star Ranch congratulated him. The second prize went to the cowboy from the Hooper ranch. Yates got nothing, but was content to know that he had come in third and only five yards behind the leader.
"Well, that certainly was an entertainment worth looking at," said Dave, when it was over, and they were returning to the ranch house.
"I've never been so stirred up," answered Roger. "But, say, I am going to try one of those broncos to-morrow," he added.
"Not for me!" said Phil. "I value my neck too much."
"What about you, Dave?" And the senator's son looked anxiously at the Crumville lad.
"Well, I'll see," answered Dave. He was not afraid to try riding a bronco, but he did not wish to worry Jessie and his sister.
"You are not afraid, are you?"
"No."
"Well, I am not afraid, either," came quickly from Phil, and his face grew red. "You needn't think----"
"Oh, don't get mad, Phil; I didn't mean anything," interposed Roger. "If you don't care to try it, you don't have to."
"But you needn't insinuate that I----"
"I am not insinuating anything, Phil. I merely wanted to know if Dave will try riding with me, that's all."
"Well, I--er--I know what you think. And if you try this bronco-busting business, why--I'll try it too, so there!" answered Phil, defiantly.
At the house the talk was entirely of the things they had seen. Jessie was rather glad it was over, for rough things made her somewhat afraid. Belle was enthusiastic and said she had once tried "bronco-busting" herself.
"But I didn't do much," she said. "The pony started to run and then stopped suddenly, and I went over his head into a stack of hay. I was glad the hay was there, otherwise I might have broken some of my bones."
"It is dangerous sport at the best," said Mrs. Endicott. "But the cowboys feel that the ponies must be broken in, and there is no other way to do it."
CHAPTER XXIII
DAVE ON A BRONCO
Dave had his doubts about doing any "bronco-busting" on his own account, but he did not say anything to Roger and Phil about it. He was not afraid, but he knew Jessie would be greatly worried if he attempted anything dangerous.
However, his chums got him up early the following morning, and, directly after breakfast, Roger led the way down to the corral.
"I am going to try it, even if you are not," said the senator's son, and insisted upon it that one of the unbroken ponies be brought forward. The saddle was adjusted by Sid Todd, who held the animal while Roger leaped into the saddle.
The experience was not as exciting as had been anticipated, for the reason that the animal chosen by Todd was somewhat tame. The cowboy was attached to the boys, and did not wish to see any of them run the risk of breaking his neck.
After Roger came Phil, and he was timid enough to ask for a horse "that didn't look as if he wanted to eat somebody up." Phil had more of a time of it than Roger, but managed to keep in the saddle and ride around the corral several times.
"It's not so hard as I supposed," said the shipowner's son, as he leaped to the ground, and the pony, freed of the saddle, galloped off. "I thought I'd be half-killed."
"Those ponies were not so wild as those used yesterday," answered Dave. "Not but that they were bad enough," he continued, with a smile.
Sid Todd had remained to hold the pony ridden by Phil and had then been called away to attend to some business at another part of the ranch. He had told Yates to help the boys.
Now, as it happened, Yates was full of fun and always up to practical jokes. It had disgusted him to see Todd bring out such comparatively safe ponies as those ridden by Roger and Phil. He had been told to bring out a certain animal for Dave, but instead led forth a bronco that was as wild and fiery as any used the day previous.
"If he rides that beast, he's a good one," Yates murmured to himself, and then he beckoned to some other cowboys to watch the fun. Half a dozen quit work to draw closer, each with a broad grin on his sunburnt face. They expected to see Dave get the shaking-up of his life and felt positive he would not be able to stay on the bronco's back two minutes.
"He certainly is a wild one," said Dave, as he advanced and eyed the pony.
"Oh, he's no worse than the others," answered Yates, smoothly, and then he rolled his eyes and winked at the other cowboys.
Dave looked critically at the saddle and saw to it that it was properly buckled. Then he flung his cap to Roger.
"Say, Dave, that pony looks half-crazy," said Phil. "You be careful."
"He certainly does look wild," added Roger.
"Well, I'm going to ride him anyway--or know the reason why!" cried Dave, and a look of strong determination came into his face. "Get around there!" he called sharply to the pony, and then, with a quick leap, he gained the saddle and dug his knees into the pony's sides. "Let him go!"
Yates released his hold and everybody in the crowd backed away. For a moment the bronco stood stock-still, his eyes gazing straight ahead. Then he gave a vigorous shake and took a few steps forward.
"Hurrah! see him ride!" shouted Yates, and winked again at the other cowboys, who grinned more than ever.
Five steps forward and the bronco halted. Then up in the air he went, a distance of six or eight feet. He came down "on all fours," good and hard, and had Dave been resting in the saddle he would have had the wind knocked out of him completely. But the youth was standing in the stirrups, and he allowed his body to spring with that of the animal he hoped to conquer.
Three times the bronco tried this trick, and the third time Dave came close to falling off. Then the bronco gave a dart forward, like an arrow from a bow.
"There he goes!" yelled the senator's son, but the words were not yet out of his mouth when the bronco stopped short. Dave slid to the animal's neck, but there he clung, his face pale and determined, and his teeth set.
"Hi! hi! what's this!" shouted a voice, and, turning, the crowd saw Sid Todd approaching on the run. "Yates, what do you mean by letting him git up on that critter?" he demanded, indignantly.
"Ain't that the bronco you wanted him to try?" asked the other cowboy, innocently.
"No--an' you know it!" stormed Todd. "Do you want him to break his neck? Hi, Dave, jump down! You can't tame that beast, nohow!"
"I--I'm all--ri--right!" jerked out Dave, between his teeth. "Ke--keep away," he added, as Todd came closer, to lend his assistance.
"He's a bad one, boy--one o' the