THE ROUND-UP 



It is the slack now that bothers. He realizes after 

 the horse was freed and after the first buck, that if he 

 took it up with the other hand he would be disquali- 

 fied. But he is a heady rider. 



Quick as thought on the uprise of a buck, he takes 

 the "fuzz" of rope (the frayed end) in his teeth — 

 which many have seen him do in exhibition rides when 

 he held both hands up to make a hit. There is no rule 

 against this. He now slides his hand down and is set 

 for a new fight as he approaches the fence. He knows 

 by the animal's actions whether he will go over it or 

 crash through. 



"Wow! Wow! Wow! Stay a long time, cowboy!" 

 yells the mounted contingent, lined behind the outer 

 fencing in the gap between the bleachers. Springing 

 skyward, Long Tom clears the fence with a pretty 

 jump. Caldwell is sitting "straight up" in a way no 

 man has ever sat Long Tom before. He knows he has 

 him now. It gives him a chance for a flowery show, 

 see he's throwing a lot of bouquets. 



"Scratch 'im, Pete," yells a mounted buckaroo with 

 a grin, as the big sorrel weaves and bounds his rocky 

 way by the horsemen. 



Caldwell now makes the fur fly in a way that is un- 

 believable. Every previous rider has stopped at raking 

 the famous outlaw with spurs. It has been generally 

 admitted that the man did not live who could do that 

 and still sit on his back. 



Caldwell now confines his rowels to the great hump- 

 ing shoulders to make him flinch — circle — before the 

 ki-hooting hellian, who now seems to have gone plumb 

 cultus, smashes and tears him to pieces against the 

 posts and wire of the high outer fence of the track. 



He does it barely in time; down the track by the 



217 



