Pedro then tried to seize the head, but he, too, missed.
“You boys cannot ride so well as your fathers yet,” said Señor Sanchez. “Many a time have I seen Don Secundini ride for the rooster, and never yet have I seen him fail.” At this he seized Pedro playfully by the leg and pulled him down out of the saddle. Then he added, “Show the boys how it should be done, Señor Robles.”
So Don Secundini rode away a little distance, and then came galloping back. Suddenly he bent down, and in a moment more was holding the kicking, flopping rooster up in the air.
“Bueno, bueno!” they all cried.
“Let’s have the game of rods,” said the Señor Martinez. All the men and boys were on horseback, so they made a ring with the horses facing inward. Señor Soto rode around the outside of the ring with a thick stick in his hand. Soon he passed the stick to Pedro and then rode quickly away. Pedro chased him as fast as his horse could go, for if he caught up it was fair for him to whip the Señor Soto over the back with the stick.
Several times Pedro came very close to Señor Soto, but the Señor would give his horse a sudden pull and turn quickly to one side, so that Pedro could not hit him. Once, however, the Señor, instead of dodging, turned around to see how far away Pedro was. In a moment more Pedro was close beside him whipping him as fast as he could.
One of the blows happened to hit the Señor’s horse by mistake, and the horse gave such a jump that Señor Soto was able to get in Pedro’s old place in the ring before he could catch up again. Then the Señor was safe, and Pedro had to give the stick to some one else and be chased in turn.
By and by it was home time. Shecol was playing near and Pedro noticed him look wistfully at them as they turned to ride away.
“Would you like to go with us?” Pedro asked.
“Yes, I would,” was Shecol’s answer.