“That’s so, b’gosh!” nodded Ephraim, “and ye can’t ’most alwus sometimes tell what they’ll do when they’re offended. They’re liable to cut up rusty.”
Next they visited the dark bull pens and peered through the gloom at the savage creatures with gleaming eyes and long white horns. The sight of those needle-pointed horns made Ephraim shiver.
“One uv them’d go through a feller mighty easy,” he observed.
Finally, they came to the principal entrance, where were displayed the banderillas which were to be stuck into the necks of the bulls to torture the animals and provoke them to the greatest fury.
Here they saw a number of men in very gay attire, some with one arm or one leg gone, some hobbling about with canes, and some using crutches.
“Old soldiers, by gum!” said Ephraim. “Reg’lar old Grand Army fellers.”
“Not much,” smiled Frank. “Those are old toreadors who have been maimed for life in bull fights.”
“Brutal! brutal!” gurgled the professor, growing black in the face. “It makes me ill to think of it.”
Frank next bought a paper called the Buletin de los Toros, which contained a programme of the day’s doings, and descriptions of the various persons who would take prominent parts in the fights. The description of Señorita Zuera, the wonderful female bull fighter, headed them all, and she was said to be very handsome.
Then they wandered through many corridors and up and down numerous stairways, surrounded all the while by a moving crowd, laughing, shouting and making a great noise.