These heroes of the bull ring were covered with fringes, galloons, spangles and ornaments of gold and silver, while they wore red and yellow capes, white silk stockings, silk girdles and fur caps.
“Gol dern my eyesight!” gurgled Ephraim Gallup, catching his breath. “But they do look ’tarnal slick!”
“Folly! folly!” muttered the professor, in a dazed way.
Following the toreador came the banderilleros, whose duty it was to plant the torturing barbs in the necks of the bulls. They were dressed much like the toreadors, only not quite so gaudily.
Then came the picadores on horseback, armed with long lances, with which they were to hold the bulls at bay. They wore embroidered jackets and broad-brimmed, low-crowned gray hats.
A mighty roar went up from the throats of the spectators, for, riding at the head of the picadores, was Señorita Zuera, the Queen of the Bull Fighters.
She was more gaudily dressed than any of the others, and she rode a really mettlesome and fiery horse.
Frank had brought his field glasses, and he immediately trained them on this remarkable girl, for girl he saw she was.
“Is it possible!” he muttered. “I would not have believed it.”
“What is it?” fluttered the professor.