“But your feeling was entirely different from theirs. You felt that way because they were torturing the animal—because it seemed brutal to you, and it enraged you. The Spaniards felt that it would be a satisfaction to see some of the poor wretches killed because they had bungled in their acts. It was not from a feeling of sympathy for the bull or the poor horses.”
Ephraim knew this was true, and he felt a great contempt for the Spaniards because of it.
“At skewl,” he said, “it alwus turned aout that the biggest bully was the biggest coward. Jest as long as he felt sure he could lick everybody else he seemed gol dern brave, but when he found anybody else could lick him and dast stan’ up to him, he squelched right daown. The Spanish act to me like a nation uv bullies. They’ve got the swelled head, an’ they think they kin lick everybody else; but when they find aout diffrunt, they’ll squelch mighty sudden.”
The professor shook his head.
“I am not so sure of that. With all their bullying propensities, they are very proud, and I fancy they are a people who would rather die fighting than give up. They cannot be easily conquered.”
“Neither kin a bully; but once yeou git him daown, he’s daown for good.”
“Which is not at all true with the Spanish. Although they may play the bully, they do not like to stay down when they have been beaten.”
“Wal, I don’t keer a gol dern abaout that. All I want is for ’em to let up on Frank, and let up sudden.”
This discussion continued all the way back to the hotel. Ephraim urged the professor to do something at once, but Scotch declared that he must have time to think it over, and they went to their room.
When they arrived there, they met a great surprise.