The Saddle Boys of the Rockies | Page 8

the truth. He began to
investigate as well as he was able during the rushing of the runaway
horse. When, in pursuing his investigations, he ran his hand under the
flap of the saddle, he could feel the horse start afresh, and his queer
actions seemed worse than ever.
"That's just what it is, as sure as anything!" Bob declared, his whole
frame quivering with indignation at the thought of anyone being so
cruel and treacherous; "but how in the wide world am I going to get at
the thing?"
His first impulse was to ease the strain all he could by removing his
weight from the point where he believed the thorn to have been hidden.
This he did by leaning forward after the manner of a clever jockey in a
race, throwing pretty much all his body upon the shoulders and neck of
the horse.
Then he again began to speak soothingly in the ear of Domino. By
degrees the horse seemed to slacken his wild pace.
Encouraged by this fact, Bob continued the treatment. It appeared as
though the intelligent animal must comprehend what was wanted, for,

although evidently still in more or less pain, he gradually ceased his
runaway gait, until, finally, at the command of "whoa!" Domino came
to a complete stop.
Bob was on the ground immediately. His horse was trembling with
excitement and other causes. Bob continued to pat him gently, and
speak soothing words. All the time he was working toward the buckle
of the band by means of which the saddle was held firmly on the beast's
back.
Once he had a grip on this he made a sudden pull. Domino squirmed,
and for the moment Bob feared the animal would break away.
"Easy now, old fellow; take it quiet! I'll have that saddle off in a jiffy;
and see what is wrong. Softly, Domino! Good old Domino!"
While he was talking in this manner Bob was releasing the band; and,
with a sudden jerk, he threw the saddle to the ground.
His quick eye detected signs of blood on the glossy back of the
Kentucky horse.
"That's what it was!" he exclaimed, angrily. "A thorn of some kind, put
there so that when I jumped into my seat my weight would drive it in.
And I reckon, too, it would be just like the cowardly sneak to pick out
one that had a poison tip! Oh! what a skunk! and how I'd like to see
some of the boys at the ranch round him up! But I wonder, now could I
find it? I'd like to get Frank's opinion on it."
The horse had by now ceased his mad prancing. This proved that the
cause for his strange actions had been removed when Bob cast the
saddle off. And it did not require a hunt of more than two minutes to
discover some little object clinging to the cloth under the saddle. It was,
just as Bob had suspected, a thorn with several points that were as
sharp as needles, and very tough.
Bob put it away in one of his pockets. Then he once more replaced the
saddle, carefully adjusting the girth so as to avoid any more pressure on

the painful back of Domino than was absolutely necessary.
The horse seemed to understand his master's actions, and, although still
restive, allowed Bob to mount.
Cantering along over the back trail, in half an hour Bob came in sight
of his chum heading toward him.
"Well," said Frank, as they finally met, "I was beginning to get worried
about you, even though I knew you could manage a horse all right. It
was a lively run, I should say," as he glanced at the foam-streaked
flanks of the gloss black.
"As fierce a dash as I ever want to take," answered Bob, patting his
horse gently.
"Did you find out what ailed him?" asked the other.
"After I'd spent some time trying to keep from being thrown, I did."
As he said this Bob drew the thorn from his pocket, and held it before
Frank, who took the vicious little thing in his hand.
"I thought so," he muttered. "That's Peg's idea of getting even with us;
the coward!"
"But you don't mean to say Peg did that?" exclaimed Bob, astonished.
"Well, not with his own hand. He wouldn't know how, you see; but he
had a Mexican cowboy along with him who is up to all these
tricks--Spanish Joe. When we were busy in that store, he crept up and
fixed this thorn under your saddle. Of course, as soon as you sprang
into your seat, your weight just drove one of these tough little points in
deeper. And, as the horse jumped, every movement was so much more
torture.