“Who is jollying now, Mister Ted?” cried Stella, with a laugh, but she was blushing with pleasure at the compliment.

That is the difference between a boy and a girl.  A healthy, well-conditioned boy becomes embarrassed and cross at a well-meant compliment spoken in the presence of another, believing that the person who is complimenting him is making fun of him in some unknown and covert way.  But to a girl a compliment that is sincere is as grateful as dew to a rose, and Stella always felt much elated when Ted complimented her on her prowess in any of the arts of the range.

They rode away with Lilian, who was learning to ride well for her age and experience under the best of riding teachers, Ted Strong.

As they were nearing the lower pasture they observed a great commotion among the horses that were huddled in a fence corner.

“Hello, what’s going on there?” exclaimed Ted.

“Looks like the worst sort of a riot,” said Stella.  “I believe those boys need help.”

They could see Bud and Ben and several cowboys circling around the bunch of ponies, evidently trying to get into it, and break it up and scatter it.

“What’s the row?” asked Ted, galloping up.

“Thar’s a cayuse in thar thet I’d plumb like ter electrocute,” said Bud, who was mad clear through.  “My, but he’s got er bad dispersition.”

“Which one?” asked Ted, laughing.  “From what I can see there isn’t one of them you could call angelic.”

“Thar’s ther meanest bunch o’ horse meat thet ever come ter this man’s ranch, bar none, an’ ther prize devil o’ ther lot is thet black demon in thar.  He near broke my pony’s leg a minute ago with a stem-windin’ kick sech ez I never see before.  Thet hoss is shore double-j’inted.”

The horses were bunched, heads in, heels out, around a splendid-looking black stallion, which was biting and kicking at everything that came near him.

“Let him kick his foolish head off,” said Ted, viewing the squealing, struggling throng.

“I reckon they’re just showin’ off because Stella got here this mornin’,” said Bud disgustedly.  “They’re tryin’ ter knock us, Stella, by showin’ yer thet we aire a bum lot o’ horsemen fer not makin’ them behave first off.”

Stella laughed and nodded.  She understood.

“Where did you pick up such a mean bunch of horses?” she asked.

“Them hosses is intended fer ther tourneymint what takes place after ther round-up.  We’re goin’ ter hev some roughridin’ fer fair here, an’ if we all git out with whole bones we shore kin send up a balloon in celebraytion.”

“But where did you get them?  Were they bred mean on purpose?”

“I reckon not.  I bought ’em from ther wild range in Montana.  They ain’t seen men closer than a mile, except’n’ it wuz Injuns, an’ they don’t count, until we butted in on ’em.  They belonged ter ole man Stallings.  I reckon you remember him, what we met on our way ter Fort Grant, when yer run erway an’ got lost on Red Mesa.”