One day, just for a "joke," the bucking bronco was brought out for Mr. Bunn to ride, when a certain film was to be made. He did not notice that it was not his regular mount. The bronco was quiet and tractable enough until Mr. Bunn settled himself in the saddle, and then, just as Russ was about to make the film, the pony set off at a fast pace. "Whoa, there! Whoa!" cried Mr. Bunn, trying to halt the beast, and not understanding what could have gotten into his usually quiet mount. "Whoa, there!" "Give him a touch of the spur," called the mischievous cowboy. Mr. Pertell did not know what to make of the actions of his actor, for the play called for nothing like that. "Shall I get that?" asked Russ, and before the manager could answer the bronco began running around in a circle. "Yes! Get it!" ordered Mr. Pertell. "We can change the play to work it in. It's too funny to lose." "Whoa! Stop it! Somebody stop him! I'm getting dizzy!" cried Mr. Bunn, leaning forward and clasping his arms about the neck of the pony. By accident he dug the spurs lightly into the side of the beast, and as this always made the animal buck, or leap up into the air, it now changed its tactics. With legs held stiff it rose several feet, and came down hard. Mr. Bunn was bounced up, and would have been bounced off had he not had that neck grip. Again the bronco bucked. "Oh stop him! Stop him!" cried the actor. "Get every move of that, Russ!" called Mr. Pertell. But there was not much more to get, for with the next buck Mr. Bunn's hold was loosened and away he shot, out of the saddle. Fortunately he landed on a pile of hay and was not hurt beyond a shaking up. But Russ got a good picture of the whole scene. The actor picked himself up, and without a word started for the ranch house. Probably he suspected the trick that had been played on him, and for some days after that he refused to mount a horse, so Mr. Pertell had to make some changes in his plans, as he did not care to antagonize Mr. Bunn by insisting on his taking part. And when the actor did again get into the saddle, he had his horse branded on one hoof, as army horses are marked, so he could not again be deceived. Life at Rocky Ranch was a delight to all the moving picture players, though there was plenty of hard work, too. Of course it was impossible to keep from Mr. Pertell the story of the Indians and their rites on the _mesa_, and he determined, before he left the West, to get a film of them. "But you'll have to be careful, Russ, how you go about it," he said. "That's what I will," agreed the operator. It was about a week after this that Russ, Paul, Alice, Ruth and Mr. DeVere were riding out toward the _mesa_ to get some scenes in the foothills, the two girls, their father and Paul being scheduled to go through a little act by themselves. As they passed under the shadow of the eminence Russ looked up and saw a thin wisp of smoke curling around the top.