The Valiant Runaways | Page 8

hind quarter of sheep. But it placated
him little. His anger was terrific. He roared until the echoes awoke, and
strained at the rope until it seemed as if his great muscles must conquer.
But he was powerless, and the procession started: first Roldan and
Benito with their torches; then two vaqueros dragging the sled, the third
holding the rope which encircled the bear's neck, ready to tighten it on
a second's notice. Following were Don Jorge and Don Emilio, then the
two other young torch bearers. Thus was poor Bruin carried
ignominiously out of the forest where he had been lord, to perform for
the benefit of the kind he despised. That night he rested alone in a high
walled corral, liberated by the quick knife of one of the vaqueros, who
sprang through the door just in time to save himself.
There was an angry guest on the ranch that night. The bear's lungs,
which were of the best, had little repose, and he flung himself against
the earth walls of the corral until they quivered with the impact. The
horses in the neighbouring corrals whinnied; the cows in the fields
bellowed. It was a vocal night, and few slept.
Nevertheless everybody was excited and good-natured next morning.
Immediately after breakfast they went out to the corral, and by means
of a ladder mounted the wall and stood on the broad summit. At a
signal from Don Emilio a vaquero opened the gate cautiously and
drove in a large bull, who had been carefully irritated since sunrise.

The two unamiable beasts, glad of an object to vent their spleen upon,
flew at each other. The bear, giant as he was, was ignominiously rolled
in the dust by the furious onslaught of bulk and horns. He recovered
himself with surprising alacrity, however, and rushed at the bull. The
latter, off guard for the moment, and struggling for his lost breath, was
hurled on his back. He rolled over quickly, but before he could gather
his legs under him, the bear sat himself squarely upon the heavy flanks.
The bull jerked up his head, his eyes injected, his tongue rolling out.
The bear raised one of his mighty paws and dealt him a box on the ear.
The head fell with an ugly thud on the hard floor of the corral. The bear
adjusted himself comfortably and licked his paws.
On the wall the onlookers were far more excited than the gladiators in
the arena. The Perezes sympathised with their personal property, but
Roldan and Adan felt that the bear was their menagerie, and that their
honour was at stake. Party feeling ran very high. Roldan and Benito
were twice separated by their anxious elders.
"Ay! yi!" cried Carlos. "The bull wakes."
The poor bull, in truth, despite the crushing weight on his vitals, raised
his head again, shook himself feebly, and was once more boxed into
unconsciousness. The side of his face was crushed; his body was
slowly flattening. The family encouraged him with tears and spirit.
"Ay, Ignacio, Ignacio, my poor one!" cried Don Jose. "Arouse thyself
and kill the brute. Ay! thou wert so beautiful, so elegant, thy sleek sides
like the satin of Dona Theresa--and he like a wild man that has never
washed. Where is thy pride, Ignacio? Arouse thyself!"
Thus encouraged, the bull raised his head once more. The bear gave
him a whack that snapped his spinal cord, then rose and swung himself
round the enclosure with the arrogant mien of a bloated sultan who has
swept off a troublesome head. This attitude aroused Benito to fury.
"Ay, the cheat! the assassin!" he cried. "It was not a fair fight. Our
Ignacio had no chance--"
"That is not true!" exclaimed Roldan. "He had the same chance at the
first. If you are not satisfied, Senorito Benito, then fight me."
No sooner said than done. The boys, who stood some distance from the
others, doubled their fists and rushed at each other like two fighting
cocks. They pommelled for several minutes, then locked their arms
about each other and went reeling about the wall, to the horror of the

others, who dared not approach lest they should inflame them further.
"Jump down! Jump down, you imbeciles!" cried Don Jose." Do you
wish to be food for the bear? A misstep--" The words ended in a hoarse
gurgle. Dona Theresa shrieked. Adan and Carlos sobbed. The young
men turned cold and weak. The two boys had fallen headlong into the
corral.
They were sobered and fraternal in a moment. The bear stood upon his
hind legs and opened his arms invitingly. He stood in front of the gate.
"Ay! ay!" gasped Benito. "He will eat us!"
"No; he will eat the bull first; but he will hug