"Boys," said the big cowman, "the Pinto has come back with the crazy steers. He's rounded up the whole bunch and never lost a critter. Look at him, if you don't believe me. Ain't he a sight?" Tad smiled proudly as he sipped the water which one of the boys had brought to him. "Any man as says he ain't a sight has got a fight on with Big-foot Sanders. And that goes, too!" announced the cowman, glaring about him. "Three cheers for Tad Butler, champion cowpuncher!" cried Ned Rector. "Hooray!" bellowed Big-foot. "Y-e-e-e-o-w!" "Hip-hip, hooray!" chorused the boys, hurling their sombreros into the air. Their wild yells and cat calls made the cattle off on the grazing grounds raise their heads in wonder. "Allee same likee this," chuckled the grinning Chinaman from the front end of the chuck wagon, at the same time making motions as if he, too, were cheering. The boys roared with laughter. Big-foot Sanders grunted and turned his back on the grinning face of Pong. "One of these days I sure will forget that heathen's the cook," he growled. CHAPTER XII UNDER A STRANGE INFLUENCE "We will move to-morrow shortly after daybreak," announced the foreman at supper that night. "Will you put me on the fourth guard this evening, Mr. Stallings?" asked Tad Butler. "You take the fourth guard? A cowpuncher who hasn't had a wink in more than two days? Why, I wouldn't ask a steer to do that! No kid, you roll up in your blankets and sleep until the cook routs you out for breakfast." "I'll take my trick just the same. I can sleep at home when I get back. I don't want to miss a minute of this fun," returned Tad. "Fun--he calls it fun!" grunted Lumpy. "It's just the beginning of the fun," answered Big-foot. "I knew things would begin to happen when we got near the Nueces." "Why?" asked Ned Rector. "I don't know. There seems to be some queer influence at work round these parts. Last time I was over this part of the trail we had a stampede almost every night for a week. Two months ago I heard of an outfit that lost more'n half its stock." "How about it, Mr. Stallings?" laughed Tad. "Are you superstitious, too?" The boys noted that the foreman frowned and would not answer at once. "Not exactly. Big-foot means the adobe church of San Miguel." "What's that?" interrupted Chunky. "An old Mexican church on the plains. Probably hasn't been used for a hundred years or more. You boys will have a chance to explore the place. It's not far from the Ox Bow ranch, where we take in another herd. We shall be there a couple of days or so until the cattle get acquainted. Besides, we shall have to buy some fresh ponies. Four of ours broke their legs in the stampede and had to be shot." "Oh, that's too bad," answered Tad. "I'm sorry. I don't like to see a horse get hurt."