ers.

"I'm going to do something, if there's any way to do it," Dick
answered. "How is Clara?"

"Safe," pronounced Tom.

"Hysterical?"

"No; only trembling."

Dick had hauled up the rope. Now, with a speculative air, he
was making a slip noose at one end. He still hadn't a very definite
idea of what he was going to do to the bull. Prescott was making
a lariat, though he had no skill in the use of such a thing.

Presently, however, the mad animal came closer, stamping, head
lowered.

"Nice fellow! Nice fellow!" Dick called mockingly. "Wouldn't
you like to have me come down to talk with you?"

Attracted by the voice, the bull raised its head, showing its
flaming eyes.

"I wonder!" mused Dick, half aloud, as he leaned out cautiously
over a limb. "I wonder."

Then, by way of finding out, he dropped the noose suddenly. It
fell over the animal's head and around its neck.

Warned by the touch of the rope, the bull backed hastily off,
nearly hauling the high school boy out of the tree.

"There's just one chance to get you, and that's happening now,"
mused Dick Prescott, as, still holding to the rope, he fairly
shot down the tree trunk.

For an instant the bull watched as though incredulous. It gave
Dick time to touch his feet to the ground, passing the rope loosely
once around the tree trunk.

As the bull lumbered forward Prescott pulled on his rope, while
retreating in the opposite direction.

All in a twinkling the bull's head was close to the tree, and
Dick with the end of the rope in his hands, and aided by the twist
around the tree, had a leverage that enable him to hold the bull
there.

For a few moments the dirt fairly flew before the maddened animal's
efforts to free itself. Then, finding itself a prisoner, with
its head fastened close to the tree, the bull again stopped to
consider.

"You fellows can come over here now," Dick called. "The bull
is safely caught---provided neither the rope nor the tree break."

With a yell of delight Dick's chums ran to the spot. Dr. Bentley
came, too, though he walked.

Dick's success did not seem destined, how ever to last. A halt
and a rest seemed to give the bull strength far greater than it
had used in pulling against the rope before. With an angry snort
the animal dug its hind hoofs into the soil and began to back
away.

"Help!" called Prescott, suddenly, for he found the rope slipping
through his fingers, the friction burning his flesh.