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the six… shooter； taking the hatchet in exchangea transfer that at first
delighted Clarence； until； seeing the warlike and picturesque effect of the
hatchet in Jim's belt； he regretted the transfer。 The gun； Jim meantime
explained 〃extry charged；〃 〃chuck up〃 to the middle with slugs and
revolver bullets； could only be fired by himself； and even then he darkly
added； not without danger。 This poverty of equipment was； however；
compensated by opposite statements from Jim of the extraordinary results
obtained by these simple weapons from 〃fellers I knew：〃 how HE himself
had once brought down a 〃bull〃 by a bold shot with a revolver through its
open bellowing mouth that pierced his 〃innards；〃 how a friend of hisan
intimate in factnow in jail at Louisville for killing a sheriff's deputy； had
once found himself alone and dismounted with a simple clasp…knife and a
lariat among a herd of buffaloes； how； leaping calmly upon the shaggy
shoulders of the biggest bull； he lashed himself with the lariat firmly to its
horns； goading it onward with his clasp…knife； and subsisting for days
upon the flesh cut from its living body； until； abandoned by its fellows and
exhausted by the loss of blood； it finally succumbed to its victor at the
very outskirts of the camp to which he had artfully driven it！ It must be
confessed that this recital somewhat took away Clarence's breath； and he
would have liked to ask a few questions。 But they were alone on the
prairie； and linked by a common transgression； the glorious sun was
coming up victoriously； the pure； crisp air was intoxicating their nerves； in
the bright forecast of youth everything WAS possible！
The surface of the bottom land that they were crossing was here and
there broken up by fissures and 〃potholes；〃 and some circumspection in
their progress became necessary。 In one of these halts； Clarence was
struck by a dull； monotonous jarring that sounded like the heavy regular
fall of water over a dam。 Each time that they slackened their pace the
sound would become more audible； and was at last accompanied by that
slight but unmistakable tremor of the earth that betrayed the vicinity of a
waterfall。 Hesitating over the phenomenon； which seemed to imply that
their topography was wrong and that they had blundered from the track；
they were presently startled by the fact that the sound was actually
APPROACHING them！ With a sudden instinct they both galloped
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towards the lagoon。 As the timber opened before them Jim uttered a long
ecstatic shout。 〃Why； it's THEM！〃
At a first glance it seemed to Clarence as if the whole plain beyond
was broken up and rolling in tumbling waves or furrows towards them。
A second glance showed the tossing fronts of a vast herd of buffaloes； and
here and there； darting in and out and among them； or emerging from the
cloud of dust behind； wild figures and flashes of fire。 With the idea of
water still in his mind； it seemed as if some tumultuous tidal wave were
sweeping unseen towards the lagoon； carrying everything before it。 He
turned with eager eyes； in speechless expectancy； to his companion。
Alack！ that redoubtable hero and mighty hunter was； to all
appearances； equally speechless and astonished。 It was true that he
remained rooted to the saddle； a lank； still heroic figure； alternately
grasping his hatchet and gun with a kind of spasmodic regularity。 How
long he would have continued this would never be known； for the next
moment； with a deafening crash； the herd broke through the brush； and；
swerving at the right of the lagoon； bore down directly upon them。 All
further doubt or hesitation on their part was stopped。 The farseeing；
sagacious Mexican plug with a terrific snort wheeled and fled furiously
with his rider。 Moved； no doubt； by touching fidelity； Clarence's humbler
team…horse instantly followed。 In a few moments those devoted animals
struggled neck to neck in noble emulation。
〃What are we goin' off this way for？〃 gasped the simple Clarence。
〃Peyton and Gildersleeve are back thereand they'll see us；〃 gasped
Jim in reply。 It struck Clarence that the buffaloes were much nearer them
than the hunting party； and that the trampling hoofs of a dozen bulls were
close behind them； but with another gasp he shouted；
〃When are we going to hunt 'em？〃
〃Hunt THEM！〃 screamed Jim； with a hysterical outburst of truth； 〃why；
they're huntin' USdash it！〃
Indeed； there was no doubt that their frenzied horses were flying
before the equally frenzied herd behind them。 They gained a momentary
advantage by riding into one of the fissures； and out again on the other
side； while their pursuers were obliged to make a detour。 But in a few
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minutes they were overtaken by that part of the herd who had taken the
other and nearer side of the lagoon； and were now fairly in the midst of
them。 The ground shook with their trampling hoofs； their steaming
breath； mingling with the stinging dust that filled the air； half choked and
blinded Clarence。 He was dimly conscious that Jim had wildly thrown
his hatchet at a cow buffalo pressing close upon his flanks。 As they
swept down into another gully he saw him raise his fateful gun with utter
desperation。 Clarence crouched low on his horse's outstretched neck。
There was a blinding flash； a single stunning report of both barrels； Jim
reeled in one way half out of the saddle； while the smoking gun seemed to
leap in another over his head； and then rider and horse vanished in a
choking cloud of dust and gunpowder。 A moment after Clarence's horse
stopped with a sudden check； and the boy felt himself hurled over its head
into the gully； alighting on something that seemed to be a bounding
cushion of curled and twisted hair。 It was the shaggy shoulder of an
enormous buffalo！ For Jim's desperate random shot and double charge had
taken effect on the near hind leg of a preceding bull； tearing away the flesh
and ham…stringing the animal； who had dropped in the gully just in front of
Clarence's horse。
Dazed but unhurt； the boy rolled from the lifted fore quarters of the
struggling brute to the ground。 When he staggered to his feet again； not
only his horse was gone but the whole herd of buffaloes seemed to have
passed too； and he could hear the shouts of unseen hunters now ahead of
him。 They had evidently overlooked his fall； and the gully had concealed
him。 The sides before him were too steep for his aching limbs to climb；
the slope by which he and the bull had descended when the collision
occurred was behind the wounded animal。 Clarence was staggering
towards it when the bull； by a supreme effort； lifted itself on three legs；
half turned； and faced him。
These events had passed too quickly for the inexperienced boy to have
felt any active fear； or indeed anything but wild excitement and confusion。
But the spectacle of that shaggy and enormous front； that seemed to fill the
whole gully； rising with awful deliberation between him and escape； sent a
thrill of terror through his frame。 The great； dull； bloodshot eyes glared
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at him with a dumb； wondering fury； the large wet nostrils were so near
that their first snort of inarticulate rage made him reel backwards as from a
blow。 The gully was only a narrow and short fissure or subsidence of the
plain； a few paces mor