It mattered not, for nothing could make the situation worse. The next instant Avon was among them, in imminent risk of being trampled to death. The beasts were terrified by the advent of the footman, and scattered in the wildest confusion. While he was in such deadly peril, the animals served as a shield against the assault of the Comanche close behind him. Anxious as he was to secure the fugitive, he was not prepared to "cut him out" from a drove of stampeded cattle. He turned to avoid the terrific rush, and catching fitful glimpses of the leaping form among the beasts, raised his gun and let fly. His shot struck, but, instead of bringing down the youth, it tumbled one of the bullocks headlong on the plain. Avon would have turned at once to give attention to his enemy, had he not been fully occupied in saving himself from the animals themselves. Fortunately he had not penetrated far among the drove, and, by a continuance of his inimitable dexterity, he dodged from among them, helped thereto by the efforts of the cattle themselves to flee from the terrifying object. It was at this juncture, when the youth was striving to get sight of his enemy, who, he believed, was trying equally hard to secure another shot at him, that he saw the very thing he had been dreading from the first. It was a single horseman, who almost rode him down ere he could check his steed. Avon was so flurried from his fierce exertions, that, before he could bring his rifle to his shoulder and discharge it, the other anticipated him. But the man did not fire at _him_. He aimed at the Comanche, not a dozen yards distant, and hit him fairly and squarely. "Helloa, Baby, what the mischief is up?" "Thank Heaven, Ballyhoo, it's you!" exclaimed the panting youth, ready to drop from exhaustion. "Ballyhoo," was the nickname of Oscar Gleeson, one of the cowboys in charge of the two thousand cattle that were to start northward on the morrow over the Great Cattle Trail. "Baby" was the name by which Avon Burnet was known among the rest, because of his youth. Leaning over his horse, the tall Texan reached down and grasped the hand of his young friend. "It sort of looks, Baby, as though I had arrived in time to do you a little turn." "There's no doubt of that, for I couldn't have run much further." "But why did you run at all? I observed but one Injin, and he's of no further account now." "When I started there were four after me, but I threw all out of sight except one. I was on the point of turning to fight him, when I heard the cattle, and thought they were other Comanches coming to the help of this fellow." "But things seem to be in a queer shape at the house; tell me the trouble." "Why, how did you know anything about it at all?" asked the surprised Avon. "I've been down there and seen things for myself." "Let me hear about that first, then I'll let you know what I have to tell, and it is important indeed."