1 84 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



finally got a good throw and caught it by the neck. Taking 

 a few turns of the rude lariat around the horn of the saddle, I 

 dismounted to secure my quarry, hy tying its legs ; but I had 

 scarcely touched the ground before my steed, finding himself 

 relieved of his load, broke away abruptly, dragging the calf 

 alter him for a few feet, but he soon released himself from that 

 encumbrance and left the half-choked creature, the rope, and 

 myself, on the open and, to me, unknown prairie, while he 

 galloped away, swinging his tail, and turning round every now 

 and then as if to see how I liked the predicament in which he 

 had placed me. I did not like it by any means, and if 

 he had been my property, and within close range, I fear he 

 would not have lived for more than a second or two. I 

 seized the rope before the calf could run away with it, 

 and then commenced a tug of war between us, but as I had 

 the advantage I was the victor in less than five minutes, 

 for my antagonist was so choked that it had to cease its 

 struggles. When I approached to upset it, by entang- 

 ling its legs in the rope and then securing them, the vicious 

 little creature charged me suddenly, and striking me full in 

 the stomach with its head, it both doubled me up and tumbled 

 me over, and when I was down attempted to gore me with its 

 tiny horns. I was soon on my feet, however, and had my 

 courageous little foe down by the rope trick, and after tying 

 its feet with a piece of string I took off the lasso, intending to 

 follow my horse and try its power on him. As he was some 

 distance away, and the probability was that T would have to 

 meet some of the party before I could catch him, I concluded 

 to let the calf go free, for if left tied it would undoubtedly 

 have fallen a prey to the wolves, as I could not, in all pro- 

 bability, have found it again if I went any distance away 

 on a prairie where no mark existed by which I could identify 

 the spot. I therefore released the creature, and was rewarded 

 for my kindness by another charge; but I escaped that readily 

 by volting to one side and allowing the assailant to rush 

 past me and get away. 



Starting out in pursuit of the runaway steed, a short tramp 

 brought me to win-re he was grazing, but on seeing me 



