Barney and Ephraim came forward to lift him. The Irish lad made a significant upward gesture behind Hans’ back, and Ephraim nodded and chuckled.
“Are yez riddy?” Barney asked once more.
“Yaw. Led her gone!”
Then, with all their strength, the mischievous assistants fairly flung the fat boy over the broncho’s back.
Hans came down on the other side, striking the ground with a dull thud, having fallen flat on his back. He lay there a moment, and then slowly reached out toward the sky with his hands, as if trying to catch something.
“Py shimminy!” he exclaimed; “I nefer seen such peautiful fireworks pefore!”
This seemed to amuse the gathering cowboys more than anything that had happened, and their shouts of laughter aroused the fallen lad, who sat up and looked around.
Frank and his friends were amused.
“Vill somepody peen kindt enough to exblain vot habbened,” urged Hans, in a bewildered way.
Barney and Ephraim rushed around and lifted him to his feet, although he regarded them with some suspicion.