Jack the Young Cowboy: An Eastern Boy's Experiance on a Western Round-upGrinnell, George Bird
General
Jack the Young Cowboy: An Eastern Boy's Experiance on a Western Round-up
Grinnell, George Bird
Cowboys -- Juvenile fiction; Western stories
"I don't know," said Jack. "It looks to me as if he were going to push
the red bull all over the prairie; but, on the other hand, the little
one is twice as quick and twice as active. What's more, I'll bet the
red fellow has twice the wind of the other, and if he can tire out that
big fat bull he'll make him run."
"Yes," agreed Joe, "there's no doubt that if he's got the wit to work
the fight right, he'll be able to drive the big bull; but if the big
bull is smart, he won't let himself be tired out."
"Well, let's see. Look at the way the big fellow is pushing back the
little fellow now!"
And certainly it seemed as if weight were beginning to tell, for,
little by little, the red bull moved backward, and appeared to be quite
unable to hold his opponent. In the meantime, the horns of both bulls
began to show red as if smeared with blood.
Farther and farther the red bull was pushed back. Presently he stopped
resisting; by a nimble bound he sprang off to one side and, quickly
circling, returned to the attack, as if trying to gore the big bull in
the neck or shoulders. The big one had turned, however, and received
the shock on his horns; and this time without much delay he pushed his
enemy back. The red bull again jumped and again made a circle, and the
big bull, seeing what was intended, faced to receive the charge on
his horns. The two came together hard, and the sound of the shock was
plainly heard. By this time both were weary and winded, and their long
tongues hung out of their mouths and almost reached to the ground.
It seemed now as if the red bull were trying to do precisely what
Jack had spoken of a little while before--to tire out his stronger
opponent--and it soon began to look as if he were succeeding. The big
bull turned more slowly to receive the charge; and, while he had not
as yet received any noticeable wound, he looked as if he would like to
stop fighting, and to call the battle a draw. He began to look from one
side to the other, and at last it was evident that he was trying to get
away.
"By gosh! the little fellow has got him whipped!" Joe cried.
A moment or two later the big bull, when he had the opportunity, turned
tail and trotted heavily off over the prairie away from the herd. The
little one followed him, of course, and butted him in the hips with
great force but his wide-spread horns did not cut the flesh. Each time
the red bull hit his opponent, the big bull roared with fear, and the
sight greatly amused the cowboys.
"Come on," Joe said at last; "we mustn't let those fellows go too far.
They've got to be brought back to the bunch."
Jumping on their horses they followed the two, first turning the red
bull, which was loath to leave the pursuit. Joe hurried him back to the
herd, while Jack rode on a little way, turned the big bull, and slowly
drove him to the bunch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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