At the word of command they rushed through the door, and raced for the corral, turning loose the long yell. They heard guttural shouts in the distance, and a band of ponies came through the gateway of the corral, scattering over the prairie. Behind them rushed a band of Indians, who, seeing that there was no further occasion for silence, gave forth whoops of defiance. Then Ted saw Sultan gallop out, and on his back was an Indian. This was more than Ted could stand, and his rifle flew to his shoulder. There was a flash and a crash, and the Indian fell to the ground, over which he writhed in agony. Ted whistled, and Sultan trotted to his side. The ponies had scattered, and the corral was empty. CHAPTER VIII. THE WAR PARTY. The Indians had fled in every direction. They had been foiled in their purpose of running the ponies off in a band, as they had intended, by Ted's fortunate discovery of the raid. How to gather the ponies together again was the question that puzzled Ted, for the broncho boys had no mounts with which to pursue the would-be thieves. It was not long before the light appeared in the east, and by that time Ted had ridden to Bud's sign camp, and thence to camp No. 2, and had four more horsemen to assist him in the pony round-up. These worked unceasingly, riding the snowy prairie, picking up the ponies which the Indians had not been able to round into a bunch to drive to their rendezvous in the mountains. The attack upon them had been so sudden that they had taken no heed of where they were going. It was every man for himself, with the broncho boys' bullets for the hindmost. About noon Ted and the boys from the sign camps rode up to the ranch house, driving before them a band of about twenty ponies which they had found grazing on the prairie or seeking the shelter of the coulees. Not a sign of the marauding Indians had they seen. "Boys, as soon as we can get something to eat we're going after those Indians," said Ted, dismounting and going into the house. "We've got mounts for nearly all of us, now. A guard will be left at the house, then we'll get on their trail. We can't afford to let this thing go. Those Indians must be taught a lesson, so that they will get over the idea that they can run in on us and take what they want just because we are boys." "That's ther way ter talk," exclaimed Bud Morgan heartily. "Give 'em what's comin' to 'em, an' give it to 'em good an' plenty." "I guess it won't be any snap to find them now," said Ben. "They've scattered. But we can trail them. They'll leave a track like that of a moose, it will be so wide. They're in the hills somewhere, laying for another opportunity to raid the corral. They need ponies to ride, and beef to eat, and they have got the idea into their heads that we were sent out here to cater to their wants. It's our business to fool them." "Oh, hurry up," cried Stella. "I'm so anxious to get started I'm all in a flutter."