BOYS AND A BULL
"Wonder what Sam wants?" said Dave, as the shouting continued. "I guess I'll have to go and see."
He ran over the rocks in the direction of the cries, and soon came in sight of his chum.
"Hurry up!" cried Sam. "I want you!"
"What is it, Sam?" questioned Dave.
"We are going to have trouble."
"What, have Jasniff and those others come here?"
"No, but maybe it's just as bad, Dave. Just look toward the autos."
Dave did as requested, and his face became a study. He was half inclined to laugh, yet, having been brought up in the country, he well knew the seriousness of the situation.
The two automobiles stood side by side, about three yards apart. Between them was a big and angry-looking bull, tramping the ground and snorting viciously. The bull had a chain around his neck, and to the end of this was a small-sized tree stump, which the animal had evidently pulled from the ground in his endeavor to get away from his pasture. The tree stump had become entangled in the wheel of one of the automobiles, and the bull was giving vicious jerks, first one way and then another, causing the machine to "slew around" in an alarming fashion.
"Sam, we'll have to get him out of there!" cried Dave. "If we don't he may break that wheel--or do worse."
"I'm afraid he'll run off with the car!" gasped Sam. He was almost out of breath from running and calling.
By this time the others were coming up. At the sight of the savage bull several of the girls commenced to scream.
"Oh, we'll be killed!"
"Can't somebody drive him away!"
"Look! look! He is dragging one machine into the other!"
"You girls had better keep back," warned Dave. "If he breaks loose he may come for you."
"Oh, Dave, do be careful!" cried Jessie.
"Yes, yes, don't go too close," added his sister.
"What do you suppose we can do?" questioned the senator's son, as the boys gathered in a group at a little distance, and the girls got behind them.
"If I had a hooked pole I'd soon fix him," answered Dave.
"How?" asked Phil, who knew little or nothing about bulls.
"See that ring in his nose? I'd hook him in that and then keep him at the end of the pole. That always brings 'em to terms."
"But we haven't got any hook," said Ben. "We might make one, though," he added.
A small hatchet had been brought along--with which to chop firewood--and securing this the boys quickly cut two slender but strong saplings, and trimmed them of their branches.
"There is a hook in our car," said Jessie. "If you could only get that!"
"Don't you try it," said Ben. "I've known a bull to leap into a wagon, and this one might leap right into the auto and wreck everything--and hurt you in the bargain."
"I'll use a tree root for a hook," said Dave, and quickly found what he wanted, and bound it fast to one of the poles by means of a fishing line he happened to be carrying.
"Now, Ben, you stand by to prod him, if he gets too rambunctious," went on Dave, as he handed the second pole to his chum.
"All right," answered Ben. He, too, had been brought up on a farm, and knew a little about bulls.
The animal had quieted down for a moment, and was grazing on some grass between the automobiles. But, as the lads approached, he raised his head, pawed with his hoof, and gave a vicious snort.
"He means to fight, Dave!" cried Ben. "We've got to be on our guard."
"Oh, do be careful!" cried Belle. To her this beast of the farm looked more terrifying than those she had seen on the ranch.
With great caution Dave approached the bull from one side while Ben approached from the other. The animal snorted again, and lowered his horns. All the girls began to scream.
"Better be quiet," called out Dave. "You'll only excite him more."
"Oh, be careful!" answered Jessie, in a horrified whisper.
At that moment the bull backed up against one of the automobiles, and then moved forward again. This action released the tree stump, so that the beast was now free to go where he pleased. He started straight for Ben.
"Prod him!" yelled Dave, and Ben promptly did as requested, catching the bull in the mouth with his stick. Then, as the animal turned aside, Dave jumped closer, put out his stick, and caught the improvised hook in the nose ring.
"Good! you've got him!" shouted Phil. "Can we help you any?"
"I don't think so--keep quiet," was the reply.
The bull snorted wildly for a moment, and Dave had all he could do to keep the animal at the pole's length. But he knew how to twist the ring, and this speedily brought the beast to terms. The snorting ceased, and the bull stood still, glaring viciously at his captor, but not daring to attempt an attack.
"Come, gee haw!" cried Dave, presently; and with caution commenced to pull on the pole. Slowly the bull stepped after him, dragging the chain and stump behind him.
"What are you going to do with him?" called out Roger.
"Tangle him up in the bushes--if I can," was the answer, and Dave turned in the direction of the brushwood lining the watercourse.
At this point there were a good many sharp rocks and twisted roots of bushes and trees, and it was not long before the loose stump caught on them.
"Come on, we'll fasten him good and hard!" cried Phil, dashing up behind the bull, and as quickly as it could be done he and the others piled some loose rocks against the tree stump, so that it would be next to impossible for the bull to work it free.
"Now you can let him go, Dave," said Ben, who had stood guard with his pole. "We've got him as fast as he ever was." And then Dave let loose from the ring, much to the animal's relief, for he chanced to have a tender nose, and the twisting of the ring hurt him a good deal.
"Are you sure he won't get away and come for us?" questioned Laura, as all drew to a safe distance.
"He won't get away very soon," answered Ben. "But we ought to notify his owner of what we have done."
"Whose bull is it?" asked one of the girls.
"I give up--I never saw him before."
"I think the bull belongs to the Hook Stock Farm," said Dave, mentioning a farm located about a mile away. "I don't know of anybody else around here who would own a bull. When we go home we can stop at the farm and tell them of what has happened."
Leaving the animal quietly grazing among the bushes, the boys and girls walked over to the automobiles, to learn if any damage had been done. In his movements the bull had scratched some paint from the wheels and the mudguards, but that was all, for which they were thankful.
"Well, it's about time to start for home," said Dave, consulting his watch. "Remember, we are to go the long way around,--and stop at the Hook place in the bargain."
"I'm ready to go," answered Jessie. The presence of the bull still disturbed her.
Yet it was some little time before they started, for the things had to be packed, and several of the boys and girls wanted to get photographs of the picnic party. Then Dave cranked up, and Roger did the