The girl did not seem to hear, or else she did not dare move. Tommy raced on, scarcely knowing what he was going to do.
A moment later he was in front of the girl, and was bravely facing the bull that, with a snort of rage, had stood still, to eye the new foe that had so suddenly appeared before him.
“Run and get under the fence!” cried Tommy again. “I’ll stop him from hurting you.”
He held the fence rail in readiness.
“Oh! oh!” gasped the girl. “I’m—I’m so afraid. You—you——”
“Never mind me!” interrupted Tommy. “Run, I tell you! Run! Crawl under the fence!”
The girl turned and raced for safety. In a moment she was in the other field. Then, as though angered at losing a chance to toss the creature who wore the red dress, the animal came on for Tommy. The lad hardly knew what to do, for he realized that, even with the stick, he could not hope to stop the rush of the brute.
Then, from somewhere behind him, Tommy heard a man’s hoarse voice crying:
“Look out, youngster! That’s a mad bull! Run for your life! Throw that stick at him and run! You can get to the fence first. Run!”
Tommy did not turn to see who was speaking to him. The bull was now very close, and, taking the advice of the man, Tommy threw the stick with all his force.