Although he could leap higher in the air and further on the level than any lad of his age, he knew better than to try and vault such a fence. As he approached it, therefore, he slackened his gait slightly, and springing upward with one foot on the middle rail, he placed the other instantly after on the topmost one and went over like a greyhound, with scarcely any hesitation, continuing his flight, and once more swerving to the left toward the woods on which he now fixed his hopes.
Possibly Bud Heyland thought that the fact of his being attached to Colonel Bandman's great menagerie and circus called upon him to perform greater athletic feats; for instead of imitating the more prudent course of the fugitive, he made a tremendous effort to clear the fence with one bound.
He would have succeeded but for the top three rails. As it was his rather large feet struck them, and he went over with a crash, his hat flying off and his head ploughing quite a furrow in the ground.
Bud Heyland fell headlong over the fence in pursuit of Fred.—(See page [151].)
He rolled over several times, and as he picked himself up it seemed as if most of his bones were broken and he never had been so jarred in all his life.
"Did you fall?" asked Cyrus Sutton, unable to suppress his laughter, as he climbed hastily after him.
"I tripped a little," was the angry reply, "and I don't see anything to laugh at; come on! we'll have him yet!"
To the astonishment of the cattle dealer, Bud caught up his hat and resumed the pursuit with only a moment's delay, and limping only slightly from his severe shaking up.