a waif of the plains-第12章
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presently startled by the fact that the sound was actually
APPROACHING them！ With a sudden instinct they both galloped
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 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 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 more of retreat and he would
be at its end； against an almost perpendicular bank fifteen feet
high。 If he attempted to climb its crumbling sides and fell； there
would be those short but terrible horns waiting to impale him！ It
seemed too terrible； too cruel！ He was so small beside this
overgrown monster。 It wasn't fair！ The tears started to his eyes；
and then； in a rage at the injustice of Fate； he stood doggedly
still with clenched fists。 He fixed his gaze with half…hysterical；
childish fury on those lurid eyes； he did not know that； owing to
the strange magnifying power of the bull's convex pupils； he；
Clarence； appeared much bigger than he really was to the brute's
heavy consciousness； the distance from him most deceptive； and that
it was to this fact that hunters so often owed their escape。 He
only thought of some desperate means of attack。 Ah！ the six…
shooter。 It was still in his pocket。 He drew it nervously；
hopelesslyit looked so small compared with his large enemy！
He presented it with flashing eyes； and pulled the trigger。 A
feeble click followed； another； and again！ Even THIS had mocked
him。 He pulled the trigger once more； wildly； there was a sudden
explosion； and another。 He stepped back； the balls had apparently
flattened themselves harmlessly on the bull's forehead。 He pulled
again； hopelessly； there was another report； a sudden furious
bellow； and the enormous brute threw his head savagely to one side；
burying his left horn deep in the crumbling bank beside him。 Again
and again he charged the bank； driving his left horn home； and
bringing down the stones and earth in showers。 It was some seconds
before Clarence saw in a single glimpse of that wildly tossing
crest the reason of this fury。 The blood was pouring from his left
eye； penetrated by the last bullet； the bull was blinded！ A
terrible revulsion of feeling； a sudden sense of remorse that was
for the moment more awful than even his previous fear； overcame
him。 HE had done THAT THING！ As much to fly from the dreadful
spectacle as any instinct of self…preservation； he took advantage
of the next mad paroxysms of pain and blindness； that always
impelled the suffering beast towards the left； to slip past him on
the right； reach the incline； and scramble wildly up to the plain
again。 Here he ran confusedly forward； not knowing whitheronly
caring to escape that agonized bellowing； to shut out forever the
accusing look of that huge blood…weltering eye。
Suddenly he heard a distant angry shout。 To his first hurried
glance the plain had seemed empty； but； looking up； he saw two
horsemen rapidly advancing with a led horse behind themhis own。
With the blessed sense of relief that overtook him now came the
fevered desire for sympathy and to tell them all。 But as they came
nearer he saw that they were Gildersleeve； the scout； and Henry
Benham； and that； far from sharing any delight in his deliverance；
their faces only exhibited irascible impatience。 Overcome by this
new defeat； the boy stopped； again dumb and dogged。
〃Now； then； blank it all； WILL you get up and come along； or do you
reckon to keep the train waiting another hour ove
