n he would "release brakes," and allow the
bull to continue his career as suited himself.

But he was compelled to admit that the plan was not feasible. The bull
was going at such a pace that the rider would be sure to lose his
balance the moment he struck the ground, and, though he might still hold
fast to the tail and retard the progress of the beast, he was sure of
getting in the way of his heels.

"If his tail was a little longer," reflected Terry, "I would try the
same, but I'm afeard I would git mixed up with his hind hoofs and things
wouldn't be agraaable."

So that plan was abandoned.

"If he goes in among the trees, I'll lean forward on me face until he
knocks out his brains--that is, if he has any--whin I'll dismount."

That was all well enough if the bull should happen to follow the
programme, but the prospect of his doing so was too remote to afford
much comfort to the youth.

"I guess I'll kaap erict like a gintleman," he concluded, "and as soon
as a chance comes for me to jump off, I'll go."

Terry had no thought but that the buffaloes would dash among the trees
and continue their flight in the same headlong fashion, as long as they
could; but, to his amazement, the head of the drove suddenly swerved to
the left and the bull followed.

"Be the powers, but this will never do," was his conclusion; "this
perarie may raach all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, and the bull
doesn't act as if he meant to stop before he raaches there; I'm goin' to
make other arrangements."

He kept his seat until the drove had gone several hundred yards with
unabated speed. So far as he could judge, the bull was holding his own
with the rest: whatever wound he had received was of no account, so far
as its immediate effect was seen. The others continued crowding up as
before, but Terry did not mind them. He yelled and shook his head in the
hope of frightening them off so as to give him the room he wished in
order to make his venture, but they did not mind him. The odd crackling
of their hoofs, the rattling of their horns as they struck together, and
their occasional bellowing, made a din amid which no shout that he could
raise would gain any consideration whatever.

"There's one thing sartin," said Terry, compressing his lips and showing
by his action that he had made up his mind to end the business one way
or the other. "I'm tired of this crowd, and I ain't goin' to spind any
more time with it."

Between him and the wo