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Stratemeyer, Edward, 1862-1930

"Dave Porter at Star Ranch Or, The Cowboy's Secret"

"Get around
there!" he called sharply to the pony, and then, with a quick leap, he
gained the saddle and dug his knees into the pony's sides. "Let him go!"
Yates released his hold and everybody in the crowd backed away. For a
moment the bronco stood stock-still, his eyes gazing straight ahead.
Then he gave a vigorous shake and took a few steps forward.
"Hurrah! see him ride!" shouted Yates, and winked again at the other
cowboys, who grinned more than ever.
Five steps forward and the bronco halted. Then up in the air he went, a
distance of six or eight feet. He came down "on all fours," good and
hard, and had Dave been resting in the saddle he would have had the wind
knocked out of him completely. But the youth was standing in the
stirrups, and he allowed his body to spring with that of the animal he
hoped to conquer.
[Illustration: Then up in the air he went.--Page 224.]
Three times the bronco tried this trick, and the third time Dave came
close to falling off. Then the bronco gave a dart forward, like an arrow
from a bow.
"There he goes!" yelled the senator's son, but the words were not yet
out of his mouth when the bronco stopped short. Dave slid to the
animal's neck, but there he clung, his face pale and determined, and his
teeth set.


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