o-hap. ut A BRIGHT THOUGHT. 4^ 



bull again advanced a couple of paces towards me. He 

 seemed aware of my helplessness, and he was the 

 picture of rage and fury, pawing the water and stamp- 

 ing violently with his fore-feet. 



This was very pleasant ! I gave myself up for lost, 

 but putting as fierce an expression into my features 

 as I could possibly assume, I stared hopelessly at my 

 maddened antagonist. 



Suddenly a bright thought flashed through my 

 mind. Without taking my eyes off the animal before 

 me, I put a double charge of powder down the right- 

 hand barrel, and tearing off a piece of my shirt, I 

 took all the money from my pouch, three shillings in 

 sixpenny pieces, and two anna pieces, which I luckily 

 had with me in this small coin for paying coolies. 

 Quickly making them into a rouleau with the piece of 

 rag, I rammed them down the barrel, and they were 

 hardly well home before the bull again sprang for- 

 ward. So quick was it that I had no time to replace 

 the ramrod, and I threw it in the water, bringing my 

 gun on full cock in the same instant However, he 

 again halted, being now within about seven paces 

 from me, and we again gazed fixedly at each other, 

 but with altered feelings on my part. I had faced 

 him hopelessly with an empty gun for more than a 

 quarter of an hour, which seemed a century. I now 

 had a charge in my gun, which I knew if reserved 

 till he was within a foot of the muzzle would certainly 



