But it was evident that whatever were the faults of the sheep herders they did not number among them too much cruelty to a horse. For when it was evident that the animal could not free himself, a number of the Greasers rode as close as was safe, and tossed their lariats about the animal's neck. Then they began pulling. But the quicksands had too firm a grip on the animal's legs. He had sunk lower in the stream, and his struggles were less, simply because he was now so nearly engulfed in the powerful suction of the water-soaked and ever-shifting sands. "They'll never get him out,' said Dick. "Have to pull his poor head off if they do," agreed Bud. And this was so evident that the Mexican sheep herders soon gave up the attempt. They dared not even go close enough to the horse to release their ropes, but, casting them off from their saddle horns, had to see them sink down in the quicksands with the poor beast. For this is what happened. The unfortunate animal, unable to extricate himself from the terrible grip of the sands, being too firmly held to permit of being dragged out, sank lower and lower. The water came half way up his sides. It closed over his back, but still his head was free. With all his power the brute struggled, but with four legs gripped he could do little more than shudder convulsively. Then as the waters came closer and closer to his head, caused by the fact that the horse was sinking lower and lower in the soft sand, the beast gave a terrible cry--terrible in its agony. A moment later it was gone from sight forever. A hush fell upon the assemblage of cowboys in front of the Spur Creek fort of Diamond X ranch. And a hush, no less, came over the bunch of Mexican sheep herders on the far side of the stream. But that the man could leap off and swim to shore, aided by his companion's lariat, the fate of the horse in the quicksands might have been his fate. "What's going on?" asked a voice behind Bud and Dick. They turned quickly to behold Nort, who had ridden back from the ranch headquarters. "What you all looking at?" he asked, for the cowboys were gazing silently at the spot in the stream where the tragedy had just taken place. They informed Nort in a few words. "Well," he remarked, "that's the best protection we could have against the sheep coming over--quicksands in the creek." "The only trouble is," said Dick slowly, "that the quicksands are only in certain places. They can cross safely elsewhere." "The point is, though," observed Bud, "that they can only guess at those places. And, not knowing where they are, may make them stay away altogether." "I hope so, but I don't believe it," remarked Snake. "You'll see they won't give up so easily."