The scene was inspiriting. The cowboys gathered around the wagon2 for breakfast, the cook having been thoughtful enough to protect the wood against the rain. The animals were busy cropping the grass, which was rich and succulent on all sides of the Trail, the hands for the time being bestowing3 only general attention on them, but everyone was ready to leap into the saddle and dash off at a instant’s call.
Captain Shirril discovered that a bunch of thirty cattle were missing, and believed they had joined his friend’s herd4 a mile to the southward, from which it would be necessary to separate or cut them out.
Antonio Nunez, the Mexican, and Shackaye, the Comanche (the latter of whom showed no evidence of having been engaged in questionable5 business during the preceding night), were similarly attired6, though it would be supposed that the full-blooded Indian would have dressed in accordance with the fashion of his people. He claimed, however, to have been engaged in the cattle business before, and, when he first presented himself in camp on his wiry pony7, he wore the broad-brimmed sombrero, baggy8 leather breeches, and red sash around his waist, which were the most noticeable features of the Mexican’s make-up.
The Comanche, however, used no spurs, his feet being shod with moccasins, and, instead of the revolver worn by the Mexicans, he carried a knife thrust in at his girdle and a breech-loading rifle, which was not repeating.
The cowboys sported the same broad-brimmed hats, which in some instances cost more than all the rest of their suits, the leggings, flannel10 overshirts, and gaudy11 handkerchiefs tied loosely around their necks.
All, as a matter of course, were expert horsemen, and were furnished with two or three excellent animals apiece, for their business is as trying upon them as upon the men.
The meal was quickly finished, and Captain Shirril, with two of his hands, set out for the camp to the rear, where he hoped to find the missing cattle. Since there was a possibility that they had strayed in other directions, three more men were despatched to make search.
It was rather curious that the captain selected as his assistants his nephew Avon and the young Comanche Shackaye. When they were riding off, Gleeson, the Texan, looked at the youth and winked12, but said nothing.
Half-way to the camp, the three galloped13 over a ridge14 or swell15 in the prairie, when to their surprise they came upon the missing animals browsing16 just beyond.
“That’s lucky!” said the captain; “the job is going to be easier than I supposed. Avon, you and Shackaye ride to the left, while I will turn to the right. Look out for that ugly steer17; we have had trouble with him before, and I believe he is in a bad mood now.”
The Indian grinned on hearing these words and said:
“Me no ’fraid; me rope him if he fight.”
And to show his contempt for the huge brute18, he drove his mustang straight for him as he was grazing on the further side of the group. The steer raised his head, with the grass hanging from his jaws19, and looked quietly at the approaching Indian. He seemed to be in doubt as to his purpose, until Shackaye, when almost upon him, swung his arm above his head and uttered a tantalizing20 shout, as if he wished to enrage21 the beast.
If such was his purpose he succeeded, for with a muttered bellow22, the steer dropped his head and charged fiercely at the pony, which, to save himself, was obliged to wheel with such suddenness that the young Comanche, despite his superb horsemanship, was thrown violently to the ground directly in front of the animal.
Occasionally a cowboy is caught in the perilous24 situation of the young Comanche. His horse may stumble, his lasso (always called a “rope” except in California) become entangled25, or he may be thrown to the ground in the path of the charging steer or bull, which is sure to be upon him before he can regain26 his feet and steed.
In such emergencies there is but the single thing to do: that is, to shoot the animal, and to hesitate to do so means certain death to the endangered cattleman.
Two causes prevented Shackaye from appealing to this last and only recourse. His fall was so violent that he was slightly dazed, though he did not lose sight of his peril23, but he made the mistake of attempting to climb to his feet and darting27 aside, when the time at command was insufficient28 to take him beyond reach of the savage29 steer.
His rifle remained in place on the front of his saddle, so that it was beyond his reach, while, as I have stated elsewhere, he carried no pistol. He was, therefore, without firearms.
Captain Shirril was fully30 two hundred yards away, but he saw the imminence31 of the danger, and, bringing his gun to a level, fired at the steer, calling at the same moment to his nephew to shoot it. The captain’s bullet struck the beast, but without producing any effect, unless to add to his rage.
It took Avon but a second or two to raise his Winchester to his shoulder and aim at the animal, which was near at hand.
“If I was sure that was you last night,” he thought, “I would let the steer do his duty, but maybe you are innocent, so here goes!”
It was no special feat9 of marksmanship to send a rifle-ball through the heart of the charging brute, but he was so close to the Comanche when he received the shot that he would have tumbled over him, had not Shackaye managed to roll aside in time to avoid the huge mass, which ploughed along the ground, as if fired from an enormous gun.
The occurrence alarmed the other cattle, and they started off at such a pace that the instant attention of the captain and his nephew was required. Paying no further heed32 to the unhorsed Shackaye, Avon sent his mustang after the flying animals, the captain doing the same from his direction.
The hardest of riding was required to round them up and turn their faces toward the main herd, and it was not long before Avon found himself pitted against a steer fully as ugly as that which he had been obliged to shoot a few minutes before. All the others were finally forced into the right course, and this obstinate33 animal was disposed to join them, but after trotting34 for a short distance, he seemed to tire of being good, and, wheeling about, charged like a runaway35 engine at the youthful horseman who was harrying36 him so hard.
In such crises a great deal depends on the intelligence of the horse. Thunderbolt sprang aside with the nimbleness of a monkey, and Avon received just enough warning to hold his place in the saddle. The steer attempted to keep up his pursuit, turning with remarkable37 quickness for such a large animal, but the dexterity38 of Thunderbolt was still greater, and he easily evaded39 the sharp horns which came near him more than once. Finally, as if he saw the uselessness of his pursuit, the steer headed in the opposite direction from that which he ought to have taken, and sped away with all the fleetness he possessed40.
“Leave him to me!” called the nephew; “I’ll conquer him.”
Captain Shirril drew up, and, from his perch42 in the saddle, watched the result of the curious contest.
Avon had his rope ready to fling over the horns of the fugitive43, but before doing so, he resorted to another artifice44, which few persons of his years can carry out successfully. It is not only difficult, but it is vastly more dangerous, in the event of the animal showing fight, as the steer had already done.
It was necessary to force Thunderbolt close beside the fugitive, and, despite the courage of the mustang, it was only natural that he should feel some reluctance45 against doing 255this. Those horns possessed prodigious46 length and sharpness, and had already been turned upon him; but he was obedient, and urged by the pricking47 of the spur and the words of his master, he edged still nearer, though it need not be said that he kept an eye to windward. It was well he did so.
Young Burnet was in the act of leaning forward to attempt the dangerous and difficult feat, when the steer again dropped his head, with one side lower than the other, as such animals do when assailing48 a foe49 sideways, and charged upon the mustang.
Nine horses out of ten would have been fatally impaled50 by the suddenness of the assault, for there was no time for him to wheel; but with a dexterity that seemed incredible, he instantly rose on his hind51 feet and bounded clean over the steer. The wonder of the exploit was how the horse gathered himself and applied52 his strength with such astonishing quickness, but he did it like a trained gymnast, his rider maintaining his seat without difficulty and feeling a thrill of admiration53 at the amazing skill of his steed.
If a dumb animal can ever show surprise, the steer displayed it at the action of the mustang. Having made his lunge with his horns, he must have become aware that, instead of piercing flesh and blood, they clove54 vacancy55 only. With his head aloft, and snorting with anger, he stared where the horse and rider were a moment before, but where now they were not.
He looked to the right and left, as if unable to comprehend what had become of them. Captain Shirril was seated motionless on his steed, several hundred yards distant, and, if the steer decided56 for a moment in his own mind that he was the individual he was looking for, he must have been puzzled to know how it was his horse traveled so far in such an amazingly brief space of time.
The sound of hoofs57 caused the animal to look on the other side of him, where, sure enough, only a short distance off was the identical offender58, calmly surveying him as if plotting further mischief59.
Instantly the head of the steer dropped 257again, and he was in the act of charging with the same impetuosity as before, when he changed his mind, and, instead of becoming a pursuer, resumed the character of a fugitive.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
tributary
|
|
| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
wagon
|
|
| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
bestowing
|
|
| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
herd
|
|
| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
questionable
|
|
| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
attired
|
|
| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
pony
|
|
| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
baggy
|
|
| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
feat
|
|
| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
flannel
|
|
| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
gaudy
|
|
| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
winked
|
|
| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
galloped
|
|
| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
ridge
|
|
| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
browsing
|
|
| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
jaws
|
|
| n.口部；嘴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
tantalizing
|
|
| adj.逗人的；惹弄人的；撩人的；煽情的v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
enrage
|
|
| v.触怒，激怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
bellow
|
|
| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
peril
|
|
| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
perilous
|
|
| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
entangled
|
|
| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
regain
|
|
| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
darting
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
insufficient
|
|
| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
imminence
|
|
| n.急迫，危急 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
heed
|
|
| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
obstinate
|
|
| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
trotting
|
|
| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
runaway
|
|
| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
harrying
|
|
| v.使苦恼( harry的现在分词 )；不断烦扰；一再袭击；侵扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
dexterity
|
|
| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
evaded
|
|
| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
galloping
|
|
| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
perch
|
|
| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
fugitive
|
|
| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
artifice
|
|
| n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
reluctance
|
|
| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
prodigious
|
|
| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
pricking
|
|
| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
assailing
|
|
| v.攻击( assail的现在分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
foe
|
|
| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
impaled
|
|
| 钉在尖桩上( impale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
hind
|
|
| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
clove
|
|
| n.丁香味 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
vacancy
|
|
| n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
hoofs
|
|
| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
offender
|
|
| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
mischief
|
|
| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |