“Look at the round backs of them; the size of them, too. No cattle that I ever saw are built like those. They certainly are not Texans or the sun would flash on their horns now and then when they toss their heads. It doesn’t look as though those creatures have any horns.” “Oh, say!” cried Dig. “That’s going too far! We couldn’t see their horns from here, if they had ’em a mile wide!” “That’s stretching it some,” said Chet, laughing and reaching for the glasses again. “But what do you really think they are?” demanded Dig, growing more and more excited. “Going to find out,” announced Chet. “Oh, goodness, Chet! You don’t think—” “I’m going to find out what they are,” repeated the other lad firmly. “By _all_ the hoptoads that were chased out of Ireland! you don’t mean to say that you think those are buffaloes? Oh, Chet!” “I certainly don’t think they are hoptoads,” grinned his chum. “I’m not sure what they are, but I’m going to find out.” He slipped out of the saddle, to ease it on Hero’s back and then cinch it up for a hard ride. “Whew! you’re not going to leave me alone?” gasped Dig. “Why, it’s miles and miles over yonder.” “Come on, then.” “But what’ll I do with Stone Fence?” blurted out Dig. “Say, boy!” said Chet shortly, “this is the parting of the ways for you and that red dogy. You’ve had your fun. Now this is business.” “Have I got to decide between a perfectly good yearling calf and a possible buffalo? Seems a hard case,” groaned Dig. “I bet I could sell him for five dollars.” “We’ve got to turn back a little on our trail to follow those beasts yonder,” Chet said. “It’s likely we’ll hit the trail again about here. Turn Stone Fence loose down in this sandy bottom. There’s enough grass to feed him a year and I see a trickle of water yonder. He’ll be all right. If he’s learned to love you, Dig, he’ll be waiting for you when we return.” “I’ll do just that,” cried Dig eagerly, and he urged the obstinate maverick down the slope. He was back in ten minutes after abandoning the surprised calf at the foot of the bluff. The creature gazed after his human companions and the horses with plain surprise in his bovine countenance. Finally, as Dig and the black horse surmounted the rise, Stone Fence spread all four of his legs and blatted after him like a cosset calf. “What do you know about that? I hate to leave him in the lurch,” declared Dig. “Some beast’ll get him, sure as shooting, Chet.” “He was exempt from trouble long before you met him, Dig,” said Chet, smiling. “I’m not sure that he considers you, even yet, his guardian angel.” They rearranged their outfit, tightened cinches, and remounted. The black specks were quite visible to the naked eye; but they were moving slowly northeast. The boys shook the reins and let Hero and Poke point into the wind at an easy canter. CHAPTER XVIII—ROYAL GAME