“Somebody’s coming,” Skinny spoke as Pedro, riding rapidly toward them, rounded the point of a low hill a little distance ahead.

“What’s wrong?” Skinny questioned, when the three met and stopped their horses.

“The pasture fence is bu’sted,” Pedro answered; “at the northeast corner it is broke.  The cattle are out.  Ten—­fifteen maybe—­are dead—­the lightning strike them perhaps.  The others all of them are gone.  They go pronto, stampede I think, toward the Purgatory.  Chuck and me can not get them alone—­I go to tell Old Heck so the boys will come and help!”

It was plain to Skinny what had occurred.  The cattle had drifted before the storm until stopped by the wire.  While crowded against it a bolt of lightning had struck the fence, followed the metal strands, and killed the animals touching or nearest to it.  In the fright the others plunged madly forward and had broken their way to freedom.  Five hundred Diamond Bar steers, recently bought by Old Heck and brought from the Purgatory forty-five miles north of the Quarter Circle KT were out and rushing back to their former range.

“You go help Chuck,” Skinny said to Pedro.  “Carolyn June and me will turn around and take the news to Old Heck and send some of the boys to help you.  If them cattle ain’t bunched before they hit the Purgatory and get scattered over their old range it will take a month to gather them and get them back again!”

“Why don’t you yourself go with Pedro and Chuck?” Carolyn June asked Skinny.  “I can ride to the ranch alone and tell the others about it.”

“I’m supposed to stay with—­” he begun.

“With me, I presume,” she interrupted.  “Well, this is one time you don’t.  Go on with the boys.  You are needed after those steers a lot more than you are to ‘herd’ me back to the ranch!”

Without waiting to argue she wheeled Old Blue toward the Quarter Circle KT.  Skinny watched her a moment, then started with Pedro in the other direction.  Suddenly checking his horse he swung around in the saddle.

“Go back the way we came!” he called after the girl.  “Don’t try the upper ford!”

Carolyn June looked around and threw up her hand, motioning toward the north.  Thinking that she understood, Skinny touched Old Pie Face with the spurs and soon overtook the Mexican.

He was mistaken.  Carolyn June had not understood the warning.  The distance was too great for his words to reach her distinctly.  She thought he was merely protesting against her going alone.  At the fork of the road she saw that the trail that led to the upper ford was much the nearer way to the ranch.  Reining Old Blue into it she rode swiftly along the ridge and down the slope toward the dangerous crossing.

* * * * *