74 RARE POLTTfiNESS. 



had challenged the whole party, and there wse no one stout-hearted enoagb 

 to accept it. 



Here was a chance for a full display of his bravery and skill. Ever 

 Bince we had reached the buffalo range, his p*oud spirit had yearned to be- 

 come the death of some one of these terrible r.ionsters, that he might relate 

 the deed of perilous exploit to wondering posterity, and incite the rising 

 generation to emulate his noble achievement. 



But, alas, for the fadeless laurels he might otherwise imve won, in an 

 evil hour bis rifle had been sacrificed for- the extermination of a huge, 

 venomous serpent. He did the deed at one fell blow ; — brave, but unfortu 

 ,nate ! Yet he had one consolation amid his troubles, — no victory is ever 

 gained witiiout some loss to the conquerors. 



Still, he needed his gun, for without it how was he to avenge the foul 'u- 

 sult the tav'ge beast of the prairie was even now hurling in the very face of 

 the shriniving- cowd ? Something must be done. 



With ti>8:-.e cogitations, an idea struck him, — he could borrow a rifle ; 

 80, advancing to a comrade, he exclaimed : 



"Do lend me your rifle one minute !" 



" Yes, Jim," was the ready reply. " But see you don't break it over the 

 first paltry little snake you come across !" 



" That's a lie. 'Twas a big rattle-snake I broke mine over. 'Twasn't 

 a l^iiry little snake !" 



Thus, vindicating his assaulted reputation, he took the gun and hastened 

 to prostrate the impudent barbarian inviting attack. 



Jim looked at the bull, and the bull looked at Jim, — shaking his head, and 

 throwing the loose sand from beneath him high' into the air with his feet, 

 and goring the ground vv^ith his horns of burnished ebony. If the creature 

 had looked terrible before, he now looked fourfold more so, in Jim's estima^* 

 tion. 



Thinkini: caution the parent of safety, our hero was unwilling to venture 

 further, and so, prostrating himsell' at iuU length behind a clustre of 

 abainthe, (page,) he planted his battery, ha\ing his high-crowned hat for a 

 rest, and blazed away at the bull's head. 



The hardened wretch stood the shot without flinching. Looking for a 

 moment at the spot from whence the strange salute had proceeded, and 

 again sliakino- iiis head and snorting with scorn, he wheeled and slowly 

 trotted Dfl^. 



Eager to get a secona trial to finish the work so nobly begun, our hero 

 commenced puj-suit. Seeing him advancing, the bull thought it time to 

 show his heels, and in a few minutes was lost in the distance. 



The courageous Nimrod now, for the first time, bethought him of hia 

 hat, which, in the ardo:- of his bold charge, he had left at tiie spot chosen 

 as his stand to hurj death and destruction to the naughty bull. He 

 hastened to regain it— but no hat could be found ; — the winds had borne it 

 far away over the prairie, to be worne out in search of a wearer, and the 

 unlucky bravo, hatiess, rejoined the caravan. 



Here the truth at once flashed upon the minds of the waggish dique, 

 that had hitherto proved his sore annoyance, and they began anew : 



" Now that beats me, clear out I How came you to give the bull yew 

 hat and leave yourself bare-headed ? That's another wrinkle V' 



