Off to the rear they could hear the sharp reports of the cowboys' revolvers as they sought to stay the mad rush. Big-foot, however, had thought it best not to resort to shooting tactics. They were making altogether too good headway. If only they were able to keep the cattle headed the way they were going the herd would be none the worse off for the rush and the outfit would be that much further along on the journey. The thundering hoof-beats behind them as the living tide swept down upon them, was not a pleasant sound to hear. Yet Big-foot and Tad were altogether too busy to be greatly disturbed by it. They had gone on for fully half an hour, after that, with no apparent decrease in the speed of the stampede. The ponies were beginning to show their fatigue. Tad slowed down a little, patting his faithful little animal to encourage it and quiet its nerves. As he did so, the boy's attention was again called to the fact that a solid wall of cattle had apparently closed in behind him. "Big-foot!" he shouted. "Yes?" answered the cowboy, in a far away voice, for some distance now separated the two. "It looks to me as if they were closing in on us. What do you think?" "Wait! I'll see." The cowboy pulled up a little and listened. "Right you are. They have spread out in a solid wall." "What shall we do?" "Ride! Ride for your life!" came the excited reply. "Where?" "To your right. Don't let them catch you or you'll be trampled under their feet. They'll never stop, now, till they get to the river." "Is it near here?" "Only a few miles ahead. I can hear it roar now. A flood is coming down it. Hurry!" Tad had barely heard the last word. Already he had swung his pony about and was galloping with all speed to the right in an effort to get free of the herd before they crowded him and his pony into the turbulent, swollen river. CHAPTER XV FORDING A SWOLLEN RIVER The first light of the morning revealed to Tad Butler the narrow escape he had had. He had barely passed the outer point of the stampeding herd when the cattle rushed by him. On beyond, less than half a mile away, he made out the river in the faint light. His companion was nowhere to be seen. However, that was not surprising, as the cattle now covered a large area; so large that Tad was unable to see to the other side of the herd. As the day dawned the cattle began to slacken their speed, and, by the time the leaders reached the river bank, the rush was at an end. Some of the stock plunged into the edge of the stream where they began drinking, while others set to grazing contentedly. As the light became stronger, the lad made out the figure of Big-foot Sanders approaching him at an easy gallop. "We did it, didn't we, Big-foot?" exulted Tad Butler. "That we did, Pinto. And there comes the rest of the bunch now," Big-foot added, pointing to the rear, where others of the cowboys were to be seen riding up. Stallings was the first to reach them.