He pulled the handkerchief off with a snap. The bronco was free. “Stand clear!” CHAPTER X ROY’S ROPE Like a carved statue the bronco stood, silent, immobile. As an arrow pauses for a moment at its zenith before descending. As a gunner, intent on destruction, takes deadly aim before he pulls the trigger. Thus the bronco stood. Suddenly his back arched. His feet bunched together. Seemingly without effort he arose straight into the air. “Stick to him! Stick--” He came down stiff-legged. The shock jerked Teddy’s head forward. The boy grunted, and those watching saw his hand come down on the horse’s flank in a tremendous slap. “On your way, baby! Take me off!” The bronco leaped to one side and turned like a reed in a whirlwind. Then he sprang upward again. “Don’t let him roll, Teddy!” Nick, prancing about on his own horse, was yelling with excitement. “Hang on, boy!” Teddy hung on. Not with his hands, but with his knees alone did he remain upright. He had not “gone to leather.” The horse, frustrated for the moment, remained quiet. But he had only begun to open his bag of tricks. Of a sudden he reared high, came down, and rolled sideways. He hit the ground with a thud. But Teddy was ready for this--was waiting for it. As the horse neared the ground he slipped from the saddle and stood straddling the pony as he lay on the earth, and when the bronco leaped up again Teddy was in the saddle. Pop shouted his approval. “That’s the stuff, Teddy! Fooled him then! Yea, bo! Look at him ride!” Maddened to find that weight still on his back, when he had expected to dislodge it easily, the pony began a series of bucks that caused the watchers to gasp with fear for Teddy’s safety. The boy pulled his hat from his head and slapped the pony with it. “He’s fannin’ him! Go to it, puncher! Make him hang out the white flag! Snakes, did you see--” Discarding for a moment his frantic jumping, the bronco headed for the bars of the corral. Reaching them, he swerved, and sought to scrape Teddy off. The boy’s leathern chaps prevented real injury, but Roy saw his brother’s face go white with the pain of the shock. “Nick!” he called. “Get between him! Want me to take him, Teddy?” He stood upon the second rail from the top, bracing himself, and loosened his lariat. “No! No! Don’t throw! I’m all right! This bronc is mine!” “Full of nerve, that kid,” Pop said in a low voice. “Get close to him, Nick.” The cowboy had already started. As the wild horse skirted the bars, Nick put himself between the rails and Teddy. Every time the bronco made for the corral fence he found Nick’s horse blocking his way. He gave this up with a suddenness that was characteristic. He pranced like a dancer toward the center of the enclosure. “You’ve got him, Teddy!” Roy shouted gleefully. “He’s shown about all his stuff!”