A Voyage round the World: A book for boysKingston, William Henry Giles
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A Voyage round the World: A book for boys
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Voyages around the world -- Juvenile fiction
"No, no," he answered, with a knowledge of generalship for which I had
not given him credit; "do you load the gun, and stand by to cover me if
I am pursued; you will be ready also to help me up the rock as before.
If I were to take your place with the gun up there, the chances are that
I should shoot you instead of the bull, and that would not do. I'll go,
never fear." Jerry, as will be seen, was a creature of impulse. He was
as brave as any one when he had time for reflection, and saw the
necessity for coolness. As soon as I had loaded the gun and got ready,
keeping his eyes on the bulls, he cautiously advanced towards our
satchels. If a bull lifted his head, he stopped, and crouched down to
the ground. Then he advanced again on all-fours; and so by slow degrees
he worked himself up to the spot at which he aimed. He seized the
things, and began to return as slowly as before. It would have been
well if he had continued his caution, but when he had got about half way
on his return, he took it into his head to run, laughing loudly at the
success of his exploit. His figure moving alone, and his voice, roused
the bulls. Up went their tails, and a terrific bellow made his laughter
cease in a moment. I shouted to him to run faster. On he scampered,
shouting loudly, "Fire, Harry, if you see one of them going to butt!" I
was all ready, and he bravely held fast our property. The bull nearest
to him, wildly whisking his tail and bellowing louder than ever, was
close to him. I was in doubt whether or not to fire, lest I should
still more infuriate the animal should I wound without killing him. In
another moment I saw that there was no alternative. His horns were
close to Jerry's back, and in an instant he would have had him high up
in the air. I shouted to Jerry to jump on one side. He followed my
advice with wonderful coolness. I fired. My bullet hit the bull in the
right eye. Down went his head, tearing into the ground. He rushed on
almost close up to the rock, bellowing furiously, ploughing up the earth
with his horns; and then, as if he had been making a voluntary
summerset, he rolled right over, and was dead. It was indeed a triumph.
I had no time to think about it then. On rushed Jerry, for the other
bulls were coming up fast. Throwing aside my gun, I helped Jerry up the
rock with the things he had so courageously recovered at the moment the
other beasts were up to him.
"Bravo, Harry!" he sung out; "you've saved my life and shot the bull;
you are a capital fellow!"
I proposed that we would not compliment each other till we had lighted
our fire and cooked our steaks. As we had now some teal, we added a
couple to our repast. We had some lucifers, so we soon made a glorious
fire. Having plucked our teal, we poked them under the ashes, while, in
true sportsman fashion, we toasted the steaks at the end of our ramrod.
Having also pepper and salt, we had every reason to be satisfied with
our repast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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