artin, in a subdued, husky voice, which
quivered with rage. "We want to prove which of us two is the better man.
I confess that on level ground you go quicker than I. You have the
better horse, and a fool may win if his horse be quick enough. But, come
now, show us whether you are a man where standing one's ground, not
running away, is the great point. There's a nice lot of people here, you
see, and for all these folks they have only brought hither two
bullocks--and little enough too. If you're a man, come with me and fetch
a third. We shall not have to go far. Among the reeds yonder is a stray
bull, which has been prowling in these parts for the last fortnight,
killing people, scattering flocks and herds, destroying the crops,
overturning the carts on the high-road, and chasing the labourers out of
the fields into the town. Not one of the drovers, or _gulyas_, in the
place can cope with him single-handed. Let us go after him together, and
the one that drags him hither shall be the Whitsun King."

"There's my hand upon it," said the strange youth, clapping the palm of
his rival without even taking time for reflection.

Those who happened to hear this proposal showed signs of retiring
precipitately. "They must be fools to bring a mad bull among the people
on a holiday like this," murmured these waverers.

"You need have no fear," said Martin. "By the time we bring him here he
will be as gentle as a lamb, or else we shall be lying where he is now."

Quick as wildfire spread the rumour of this mad idea. The more timorous
part of the crowd tried to get behind the nearest fenced and ditched
places; the bolder spirits took horse and rushed to follow and see the
hazardous enterprise. All the gentlemen present began betting on the
issue forthwith, and Master Jock himself hastened after the youths in
his rustic cart. Possibly he thought that even the wild animal would
know how to treat a Karpathy with due respect.

Scarce half an hour's journey from the town began the enormous morass
which extends as far as Puespoek-Ladany and Tisza-Fuered, in which not
merely a wild bull but a hippopotamus could make his home comfortably.
On one side of it extended rich wheat-fields, on the other side the
rich, dark green reeds marked the water-line, only a narrow dyke
separating the meadow from the swamp.

It was easy to learn at the first of the shepherd huts scattered along
the border of the morass where the errant bull happened to be a