"You are not afraid, are you?"
"No."
"Well, I am not afraid, either," came quickly from Phil, and his face
grew red. "You needn't think----"
"Oh, don't get mad, Phil; I didn't mean anything," interposed Roger.
"If you don't care to try it, you don't have to."
"But you needn't insinuate that I----"
"I am not insinuating anything, Phil. I merely wanted to know if Dave
will try riding with me, that's all."
"Well, I--er--I know what you think. And if you try this bronco-busting
business, why--I'll try it too, so there!" answered Phil, defiantly.
At the house the talk was entirely of the things they had seen. Jessie
was rather glad it was over, for rough things made her somewhat afraid.
Belle was enthusiastic and said she had once tried "bronco-busting"
herself.
"But I didn't do much," she said. "The pony started to run and then
stopped suddenly, and I went over his head into a stack of hay. I was
glad the hay was there, otherwise I might have broken some of my bones."
"It is dangerous sport at the best," said Mrs. Endicott. "But the
cowboys feel that the ponies must be broken in, and there is no other
way to do it."
CHAPTER XXIII
DAVE ON A BRONCO
Dave had his doubts about doing any "bronco-busting" on his own account,
but he did not say anything to Roger and Phil about it.
Pages:
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204