“I will. I’ll take him back to the south pasture, where the fence is good and strong.”
As soon as the bull felt the tugging of the ring in its sensitive nose it ceased its attempt to get at Mr. Lee. The big creature calmed down and allowed Dan to lead it away, though it did not go very willingly. Dan kept a firm hold of the stick, and, as long as he did so the bull could not approach him.
“You can come down now, Mr. Lee,” said the boy as he started along the road with the animal.
“Do you think it would be safe?”
“Oh, yes, he can’t get away from me now.”
The storekeeper slid to the ground. He was a little stiff from his climbing, and running, and his clothes were rather out of place.
“I’d like to shoot you, you miserable creature!” he exclaimed, shaking his fist at the bull.
“It’s too valuable an animal to shoot,” said Dan.
“I don’t care whether it is or not, I’d like to shoot it. And you can tell Peter Savage that I’m going to sue him and you too for the trouble you caused me.”
“It was not my fault, Mr. Lee.”