“Yaw. Led her went!”
Barney and Ephraim gave a whoop and lifted Hans off his feet. Then, as the broncho shied sideways, they dropped him with a dull thud to the ground, where he struck in a sitting posture, the breath going out of his body with a grunted puff.
The cowboys laughed heartily, and the girls, who were watching from a distance, were much amused, Miss Gale alone looking severe and unruffled.
“Shimminy Gristmas!” gasped the Dutch boy, as soon as he could catch his breath. “Why you done dot, ain’d id? Why you scared der proncho your holler mit? Don’d you know somedings?”
“Haw! haw! haw!” laughed Ephraim, slapping his thigh. “Darn my pertaturs! but that’s ther funniest thing I ever saw!”
“Hey?” squawked Hans, shaking his fist at the Vermonter. “Vot you don’d peen laughin’ at? I don’d seen nottings funny apoud id!”
He got up slowly and advanced toward the broncho, which was standing quiet enough.
“Begorra! it wur a mistake, me b’y,” declared Barney. “It wur simply an exidint.”
“Oh, id vos an oxident?” said Hans, his suspicions allayed by Barney’s honest manner. “Vale, don’d you led id fail to happen again. Und if dot Yankee poy from Fermonts done dot any more I peen goin’ ter kick uf him der stuffin’s oudt!”
With this threat he prepared to attempt to mount once more.