Excerpt: ...you may have it!' exclaimed the boy as he headed toward them. CHAPTER XI. THE STEAM MAN ON A BUFFALO HUNT. WITH A WILD snort of alarm, the three buffaloes turned tail and dashed over the prairie, with the shrieking steam man in pursuit. The boy had taken the precaution to bring a rifle with him. When he saw them flee in this terrified manner, the thought came to him at once that he would shoot one of them, and take a portion back to his friends for their supper. It would to a grand exploit for him, and he would ...
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Excerpt: ...you may have it!' exclaimed the boy as he headed toward them. CHAPTER XI. THE STEAM MAN ON A BUFFALO HUNT. WITH A WILD snort of alarm, the three buffaloes turned tail and dashed over the prairie, with the shrieking steam man in pursuit. The boy had taken the precaution to bring a rifle with him. When he saw them flee in this terrified manner, the thought came to him at once that he would shoot one of them, and take a portion back to his friends for their supper. It would to a grand exploit for him, and he would be prouder of its performance than he was of the construction of the wonderful steam man. The lumbering, rolling gait of the buffaloes was not a very rapid one, and the boy found himself speedily overhauling them without difficulty. They did not know enough to separate, but kept close together, sometimes crowding and striking against each other in their furious efforts to escape. But, after the chase had continued some time, one of the animals began to fall in the rear, and Johnny directed his attention toward him, as he would be the most easy to secure. This fellow was a huge bull that was slightly lame, which accounted for his tardiness of gait. Frightened as he was, it was not that blind terror which had seized the Indians when they discovered the steam man so close at their heels. The bull was one of those creatures that if closely pressed would turn and charge the monster. He was not one to continue a fruitless flight, no matter who or what was his pursuer. The boy was not aware of this sturdy trait in the animal, nor did he dream of anything like resistance. So he steadily drew toward him, until within twenty yards, when he let go of his controlling rod, and picked up the rifle beside him. A bullet from this, he supposed, would kill any animal, however large, no matter at what portion of his body he aimed. So raising partly to his feet, and steadying himself as well as he could, he aimed for the lumping haunch of the animal. The ball...
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