The horses were still alarmed, and continued to snort and stamp their feet, and the two lads for a few seconds had their hands full quieting the animals. They looked below them and saw the cattle coming on in a great mass. Some had already passed, but others were huddled close to the rocks as if on the point of making an ascent.
"I really think they'll try to come up," said Fred.
"Come ahead! We'll see if we can't get a little higher up," answered Andy. "I don't think the steers will follow us very far, even if they do come. We can shoot at them if we have to," he added, for each of them carried a pistol.
Beyond the ledge were more rough rocks, and here the two lads had to proceed with caution for fear one of their horses might slip and perhaps break a leg. As they advanced they looked back and saw that the cowboys were coming closer and were beginning to drive a part of the cattle to the rear.
"Oh, if only they can drive them back!" sighed Fred. "Just look at 'em, Andy! There must be a hundred of the steers directly below us! And see how angry that big black fellow looks! He acts just as if he'd like to come up here and gore us!"
"Listen!" ejaculated Andy, pulling back on the rein. "What's that funny noise?"
Both listened, and, mingled with the murmurs of the cattle at the foot of the rocks, came to their ears a peculiar whine or growl that was entirely new to the lads.
"It's a wild animal of some kind!" cried Fred, as the growl was repeated.
"I don't know. But it was close at hand."
Thoroughly scared, both boys looked on all sides. Then, of a sudden, Fred let out another exclamation.
"There it is! Right on the shelf of rocks yonder! Oh, Andy, it's a mountain lion!"
It was a time of extreme peril, and both of the Rover boys realized it. The shelf of rock was not over twenty feet ahead of them, and on this rested the mountain lion, crouched as if for a spring.
Fred had scarcely spoken when both horses began to snort and stamp their feet as if wanting to turn and run away.
"Look out!" screamed Andy, "or the horses will take us right back among those mad cattle."
With the discovery of the mountain lion, that lay close to the rocky shelf with glaring eyes and tail that swept nervously from side to side, the boys had noted that the animal was as much penned in as they were themselves. Beyond the shelf was an overhanging cliff, so that further progress in that direction was cut off completely. Had this not been so, it is more than likely that the mountain lion would have turned and slunk away, for like all wild beasts they do not fight unless they think it is necessary to do so.