succession, and as the sound died away, the voice of Juan Leal rang
out distinctly: "Cuidado por el toro!" and the next moment there was a
cracking of brush and a pale dun bull broke cover.

For a moment he halted on the border of the thicket: then, as the din of
the beaters increased, struck boldly across the prairie for the river.
Enrique and I were after him without loss of time. Enrique made a
successful cast for his horns, and reined in his horse; but when the
slack of the rope was taken up the rear cinch broke, the saddle was
jerked forward on the horse's withers, and Enrique was compelled to free
the rope or have his horse dragged down. I saw the mishap, and, giving
my horse the rowel, rode at the bull and threw my rope. The loop neatly
encircled his front feet, and when the shock came between horse and
bull, it fetched the toro a somersault in the air, but unhappily took
off the pommel of my saddle. The bull was on his feet in a jiffy, and
before I could recover my rope, Enrique, who had reset his saddle,
passed me, followed by the entire squad. Uncle Lance had been a witness
to both mishaps, and on overtaking us urged me to tie on to the bull
again. For answer I could only point to my missing pommel; but every man
in the squad had loosened his rope, and it looked as if they would all
fasten on to the _ladino_, for they were all good ropers. Man after man
threw his loop on him; but the dun outlaw snapped the ropes as if they
had been cotton strings, dragging down two horses with their riders and
leaving them in the rear. I rode up alongside Enrique and offered him my
rope, but he refused it, knowing it would be useless to try again with
only a single cinch on his saddle. The young rascal had a daring idea
in mind. We were within a quarter mile of the river, and escape of the
outlaw seemed probable, when Enrique rode down on the bull, took up his
tail, and, wrapping the brush on the pommel of his saddle, turned his
horse abruptly to the left, rolling the bull over like a hoop, and of
course dismounting himself in the act. Then before the dazed animal
could rise, with the agility of a panther the vaquero sprang astride his
loins, and as he floundered, others leaped from their horses. Toro was
pinioned, and dispatched with a shot.

Then we loosened cinches to allow our heaving horses to breathe, and
threw ourselves on the ground for a moment's rest. "That's the best kill
we'll make on this trip," said Uncle Lance