Professor Zepplin, becoming confused, missed his way and found himself
penned into one corner at the far side, almost the center of a circle
of kicking mustangs.

Tad saw the danger of their companion almost at once. The lad leaped
down, and darting among the kicking animals, made his way toward the
Professor just as Stacy's mustang leaped the bars. Stacy's toes
caught the top rail, retarding his progress for the briefest part
of a second, then he shot out into the air after the racing mustang.

"Leggo!" roared the boys.

"Let go!" shouted the guide. "The little fool! Doesn't he know enough
to come in out of the wet?"

"You'll find he doesn't, sir. Your troubles have only just begun.
You'll be demanding an increase of wages before you have followed
Stacy Brown for a full twenty-four hours," prophesied Ned.

In the meantime Tad had reached the Professor, regardless of the
flying hoofs about him. With his rope the boy drove the animals off
just in time. Somehow they seemed to have taken it into their heads
that the Professor was responsible for their having been disturbed
and they were opening their hoof batteries upon him. They gave way
before the resolute young Pony Rider almost at once. They recognized
that this slender young plainsman and mountaineer was unafraid.

The Professor was weak in the knees by the time he had been led out.

"I didn't know you were in there," apologized Nance.