The New King 185 



Finally after the bull who had returned 

 in such hot haste had gone, he crowded to 

 the front and began slowly to ascend the 

 hill, keeping his eyes fixed upon the King 

 all the time, and occasionally pausing to 

 paw and bellow, by which means he prob- 

 ably was getting up his courage for the 

 combat. 



The King eyed him belligerently through 

 his cloud of dust but gave no sign that he 

 saw him or considered him as a possible 

 rival. 



He let Buck come to the very top of the 

 butte and advance partly across the top 

 and then he charged like the mighty moun- 

 tain of fighting muscle and sinew that he 

 was. 



Buck braced himself and met the King 

 squarely and the shock of their great heads 

 was terrible, but Buck did not give way. 

 Instead he sank his hoofs deep in the soil 

 and pushed, hooking this way and that, 



