Then came what was probably the hardest part of it all. The horse gathered its four feet under it and rose straight up in the air, coming down with legs stiff as sticks. Jack was not prepared for this and the resulting jar nearly knocked the breath from him.
"He's a bucking bronco!" cried John. "Rise in your stirrups when he lands next time."
This Jack did, with the result that the jar came on his legs, and was not so bad.
Finding it could not thus rid itself of it's persistent rider, the horse began to run straight ahead again. It went so fast that the wind whistled in Jack's ears, and he was in fear lest he be thrown off at this terrific speed, and injured. He held on for dear life.
But the horse had still another trick. Stopping again with a suddenness that nearly unseated Jack, it dropped to the ground and started to roll over, hoping to crush the boy on its back.
"Get out of the way, quick!" called John, who was watching every move.
Jack did so, just in time to escape having his leg broken.
"The horse must be crazy," said Nat, who had never seen such antics in a steed before.
"There's some reason for it," commented John. "There he goes!"
The horse was up an instant later, and dashed off, but had not gone a hundred yards before the saddle fell to the ground, the holding straps having broken. At this the animal stopped, and seemed all over its excitement.