"Ease up a hurdle from the back of the pen, and stand by to open it as I ride through."
The plan was a bold one, and Branson saw through it at once.
Down he ran with his men, and a back hurdle was loosened.
"All right!" he shouted.
And now down thundered Scallowa and Archie, the bull making a beautiful second.
In a minute or less he had entered the pen, but this very moment the style of the fight changed somewhat; for had not the attention of everyone been riveted on the race, they might have seen the great Newfoundland dashing over the field, and just as Lord Glendale was entering the pen, Bounder pinned him short by the tail.
The brute roared with pain and wheeled round. Meanwhile Archie had escaped on the pony, and the back hurdle was put up again. But how about the new phase the fight had taken?
Once more the boy's quick-wittedness came to the front. He leapt off the pony and back into the pen, calling aloud, "Bounder! Bounder! Bounder!"
In rushed the obedient dog, and after him came the bull; up went the hurdle, and off went Archie! But, alas! for the unlucky Bounder. He was tossed right over into the field a moment afterwards, bleeding frightfully from a wound in his side.
To all appearance Bounder was dead. In an agony of mind the boy tried to staunch the blood with his handkerchief; and when at last the poor dog lifted his head, and licked his young master's face, the relief to his feelings was so great that he burst into tears. Archie was only a boy after all, though a bold and somewhat mischievous one.