The Valiant Runaways [4]
with curiosity. There were no
girls to criticise the dilapidated garments--which the kind hostess had
mended while the boys slept; but there were two youths of fourteen and
fifteen and two young men who were lying in hammocks and smoking
cigarritos.
Roldan and Adan were made welcome at once.
"My name is Jose Maria Perez," said the host, coming forward. "This is
my wife, Dona Theresa, and these are my sons, Emilio, Jorge, Benito, and
Carlos. What shall we call you, my sons?"
"My name is Roldan Castanada of the Rancho Los Palos Verdes, and this is
my friend Adan Pardo of the Rancho Buena Vista."
"Ay! we have distinguished visitors. But you were just as welcome
before. Sit down while I go and see if the big stew I ordered is done.
Caramba! but you must be hungry."
The four lads quickly fraternised, and Roldan began at once to relate
their adventures, continuing them over the steaming dish of stew. When
he reached the point which dealt with the outwitting of the bear, Don
Emilio sprang from his hammock.
"A bear trapped?" he cried. "A grizzly? We will have a fight with a
bull. You are rested, no? As soon as you have eaten, come and show us
the way."
The boys, always ready for sport, and believing that they were beyond
the grasp of the law for the present, eagerly consented. An hour later
Don Emilio, Don Jorge, the four lads, and three vaqueros all sallied
forth to capture one poor bear. The vaqueros dragged a sled, and much
stout rope.
When they reached the trap darkness had come, but the four boys held
lighted torches over the hole--this was their part. The bear,
disheartened with his long and futile effort to escape, lay on the
uneven surface below, alternately growling and roaring. As the torches
flared above him he sprang to his feet with a vast roar, his eyes as
green and glittering as marsh lights. In a moment a lasso had flown over
his head and he was on his back. But his formidable legs were not to be
encountered rashly. Each was lassoed in turn, also his back; then his
huge lunging body was dragged up the side of the excavation and onto the
sled. There he was bound securely; then the rope about his neck was
loosened and he was fed on a 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
girls to criticise the dilapidated garments--which the kind hostess had
mended while the boys slept; but there were two youths of fourteen and
fifteen and two young men who were lying in hammocks and smoking
cigarritos.
Roldan and Adan were made welcome at once.
"My name is Jose Maria Perez," said the host, coming forward. "This is
my wife, Dona Theresa, and these are my sons, Emilio, Jorge, Benito, and
Carlos. What shall we call you, my sons?"
"My name is Roldan Castanada of the Rancho Los Palos Verdes, and this is
my friend Adan Pardo of the Rancho Buena Vista."
"Ay! we have distinguished visitors. But you were just as welcome
before. Sit down while I go and see if the big stew I ordered is done.
Caramba! but you must be hungry."
The four lads quickly fraternised, and Roldan began at once to relate
their adventures, continuing them over the steaming dish of stew. When
he reached the point which dealt with the outwitting of the bear, Don
Emilio sprang from his hammock.
"A bear trapped?" he cried. "A grizzly? We will have a fight with a
bull. You are rested, no? As soon as you have eaten, come and show us
the way."
The boys, always ready for sport, and believing that they were beyond
the grasp of the law for the present, eagerly consented. An hour later
Don Emilio, Don Jorge, the four lads, and three vaqueros all sallied
forth to capture one poor bear. The vaqueros dragged a sled, and much
stout rope.
When they reached the trap darkness had come, but the four boys held
lighted torches over the hole--this was their part. The bear,
disheartened with his long and futile effort to escape, lay on the
uneven surface below, alternately growling and roaring. As the torches
flared above him he sprang to his feet with a vast roar, his eyes as
green and glittering as marsh lights. In a moment a lasso had flown over
his head and he was on his back. But his formidable legs were not to be
encountered rashly. Each was lassoed in turn, also his back; then his
huge lunging body was dragged up the side of the excavation and onto the
sled. There he was bound securely; then the rope about his neck was
loosened and he was fed on a 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