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Show V£ 362-THE BULL there and stick his head in it again. Then, by god, yesl Then I'll give him something diat'll boost him right on up!" And so once again they drove die old bull up to the chute. He stuck his head in, looked up it, and for a moment seemed as if he would go on of his own accord. He took another step forward, head and shoulders into the chute, and stopped. Then die man jabbed him widi die electric goad. The bull jumped forward, stopped, started to back out. All four men yelled, howling, and the man jabbed again with the goad, and jabbed and jabbed. The bull exploded, rearing, turning the great mass of himself in that narrow space, turning, horns crashing against the board sides, hooves thudding and scraping, the boards groaning and cracking and starting to give way as the huge body tried to turn and back out at the same time. The boy and the hired man screeched in a wild dance, and just behind him the man stung him with the goad, jabbing like a savage with a spear, madly, out of control. But still die bull backed and turned and just before he came free the hired man climbed the fence. As the bull turned more into the corral the boy climbed the fence. The truck driver was over the top by then, climbing down the other side and looking as if he didn't feel safe even there. But the man stayed with the bull, jabbing, jabbing, and as the bull turned, he turned with him, staying back out of reach of a kick and away from the horns. But under the electric shocks the bull turned with a speed and a determination greater than the man expected and he barely made it up the fence in time. Still the bull came after him, head up eagerly, and the man, perched up there, touched the goad to the bull's nose. The bull lunged, almost jolting the goad from the man's hand. The man got a new grip and goaded him again, again, until the bull was insane with rage. His rage was voiceless, muffled, seen but unheard, but it was so there, so ready, so unrestrained and concentrated and murderous that even the man seemed intimidated by it. He stopped goading him and the mad look drained from his face. The bull watched him, sides heaving, nostrils blowing, waiting for a shot at him. The driver stood back from the fence, the other diree men straddled the top rail. "Well," said the hired man, "what now? Ain't nobody can get down in that corral with him now." The boss was determined. "But if you was to get up diere, he'd come up after you all right." |