“The cinch is off,” she called to him.  “I’ll help you up, then kick the saddle loose.”

Slowly but surely Ted worked himself up until he could release his foot from the stirrup.  Then, with a sudden wrench that almost pulled Stella to the ground, he was again on top.  With a kick he sent the saddle to the ground, and was riding bareback, while the brute stumbled and almost went to his knees as the saddle fell between his legs.

But now Ted took charge of the situation.  With quirt and spur he drove the beast here and there, punishing it, giving it no rest, allowing it to do nothing in its own way until it staggered and heaved and swayed with fatigue and lack of breath, and yet he urged it.

“He’ll kill that horse yet,” said Billy Sudden.

“No, he knows what that horse will stand, and he’s going to make him stand it,” said Bud.

The people had never seen such riding as this, and when they realized that Ted had conquered the stallion and was now rubbing it in, they shouted until their throats cracked.

At last the horse could go no farther, and Ted let it stop, as he slipped to the ground and gave the brute a slap with his hand.

“I reckon you’ll know better next time, old fellow,” was all he said, and walked to where his saddle was lying.

As he picked it up, he was seen to stop and look at the cinch carefully, then hurry to where the boys were awaiting him.

“Fellows,” he said solemnly, throwing the saddle on the ground, “that cinch did not break, it was cut.”

A dozen of the boys leaped to the ground and examined the cinch.

It was true.  The cinch had been cut almost through with a sharp knife, and the strain upon it had parted it.  There could be no doubt as to what had been intended.

As Stella came riding up, she shouted: 

“The cinch was cut.  I saw it.  Wiley Creviss did it.  I didn’t realize at the time what he was doing or know that it was Ted’s saddle, and when I did find out, he was mounted and away.”

A howl of indignation went up at this.

“Scatter out, boys, and round up Creviss,” shouted Billy Sudden.  “We know what to do with him when he’s caught.”

Ted’s adventure with Lucifer ended the performances in the arena, and, as the balloon was inflated and ready to ascend, the people flocked to where it was straining at the ropes.

Ted had mounted Sultan again, and left the arena surrounded by Stella and the boys.

“Who’s going up in her?” asked Ted.

“Ben Robinson, the boss,” answered Ben.

“Do you know who he is?” asked Ted.

Ben stared at him without replying.

“I’ll tell you,” said Ted.  “He’s Skip Riley, thief and ex-convict, the leader of the Flying Demons.  He is the man who caused us to lose our money last night, and who engineered all the mysterious robberies hereabouts.  Do you reckon he intends to come back?”