“Uh-huh. Before they get to the dance. But I’d like to know just what kind of a dance they’re best at, and where it’ll be staged. It’ll be our job to find out.” “Right! We’ll keep our eyes peeled, lest we get our knuckles skinned. Now let’s try this pony express stuff.” They had come to the corral, wherein were Star and Flash, and they soon had the horses saddled. “Pony express” is the art of quick dismounting and mounting, as practiced by the mail riders in the days of Wild Bill Hickock. A man dashes up, throws himself from his bronco, transfers his mailbag to another and fresher mount, and dashes away again with the loss of as few seconds as possible. It calls into action all the expertness a rider possesses. A single slip means ill-afforded delay. Nick Looker was called upon to help, since he was idle at the moment, and he saddled the bronco that Teddy had lately broken. The start was at the extreme end of the yard, the first change half way across, and another change at the end, when the rider would swing back over his route. “You go first, Teddy,” said Roy. “All right; it’s all one, I suppose,” was Teddy’s reply. He mounted Flash, and was in readiness for the signal. At some distance Roy waited with Star, and farther on still was Nick with the other bronco, which they decided to call, sarcastically, Angelica. “All set?” Teddy called. “O.K. here!” was Roy’s answer. “How about you, Nick?” “Ri-i-i-ight!” Roy looked at his wrist watch. When the minute hand pointed to zero he yelled: “Go!” Teddy bent low, and Flash leaped forward. Across the yard the pony tore, his feet lost in the haze of dust. Ears laid back, fine head thrust forward, he made a wonderfully pretty sight. Teddy sat on him as though he were a part of the horse, riding beautifully. Straight for Roy and the waiting Star he dashed. Reaching him, the boy fairly flew from the saddle before Flash had fully halted. Springing the short distance separating him from Roy, he bounded into the saddle again, and in a second had Star racing toward Nick at full speed. The change had been made with scarcely a moment’s delay. But as Star hurtled for Angelica, the new pony shied and pulled away from Nick, who had relaxed his hand in his excitement at Teddy’s riding ability. Thus, when the boy jumped off, there was no horse there to receive him. It took precious seconds to catch the pony, and when Teddy pulled up, panting, at the end of the run, Roy looked up from gazing at his watch. “Two-fifty-six. Not so bad. Would have been much better if Nick hadn’t let go Angelica. But you have to expect those accidents. We’ll try again later. Say, here comes Gus, and he’s got a grin on him a mile wide. Wonder what’s up?” CHAPTER XIV THE CRYSTAL GAZER