flap at the old thing. I’ll help you to stir her up,” and over the wall
went Dan, full of the new game, and the rest followed like a flock
of sheep; even Demi, who sat upon the bars, and watched the fun
with interest.
Poor Buttercup was not in a very good mood, for she had been
lately bereft of her calf, and mourned for the little thing most
dismally. Just now she regarded all mankind as her enemies (and I
do not blame her), so when the matadore came prancing towards
her with the red handkerchief flying at the end of his long lance,
she threw up her head, and gave a most appropriate “Moo!”
Tommy rode gallantly at her, and Toby recognizing an old friend,
was quite willing to approach; but when the lance came down on
her back with a loud whack, both cow and donkey were surprised
and disgusted. Toby back with a bray of remonstrance, and
Buttercup lowered her horns angrily.
“At her again, Tom; she’s jolly cross, and will do it capitally!”
called Dan, coming up behind with another rod, while Jack and
Ned followed his example.
Seeing herself thus beset, and treated with such disrespect,
Buttercup trotted round the field, getting more and more
bewildered and excited every moment, for whichever way she
turned, there was a dreadful boy, yelling and brandishing a new
and very disagreeable sort of whip. It was great fun for them, but
real misery for her, till she lost patience and turned the tables in
the most unexpected manner. All at once she wheeled short round,
and charged full at her old friend Toby, whose conduct cut her to
the heart. Poor slow Toby backed so precipitately that he tripped
over a stone, and down went horse, matadore, and all, in one
ignominious heap, while distracted Buttercup took a surprising
leap over the wall, and galloped wildly out of sight down the road.
“Catch her, stop her, head her off! run, boys, run!” shouted Dan,
tearing after her at his best pace, for she was Mr. Bhaer’s pet
Alderney, and if anything happened to her, Dan feared it would be
all over with him. Such a running and racing and bawling and
puffing as there was before she was caught! The fish-poles were
left behind; Toby was trotted nearly off his legs in the chase; and
every boy was red, breathless, and scared. They found poor
Buttercup at last in a flower garden, where she had taken refuge,
worn out with the long run. Borrowing a rope for a halter, Dan led
her home, followed by a party of very sober young gentlemen, for
the cow was in a sad state, having strained her shoulder jumping,
so that she limped, her eyes looked wild, and her glossy coat was
wet and muddy.
“You’ll catch it this time, Dan,” said Tommy, as he led the
wheezing donkey beside the maltreated cow.
“So will you, for you helped.”
“We all did, but Demi,” added Jack.
“He put it into our heads,” said Ned.
“I told you not to do it,” cried Demi, who was most broken-hearted
at poor Buttercup’s state.
“Old Bhaer will send me off, I guess. Don’t care if he does,”
muttered Dan, looking worried in spite of his words.
“We’ll ask him not to, all of us,” said Demi, and the others assented
with the exception of Stuffy, who cherished the hope that all the
punishment might fall on one guilty head. Dan only said, “Don’t
bother about me;” but he never forgot it, even though he led the
lads astray again, as soon as the temptation came.
When Mr. Bhaer saw the animal, and heard the story, he said very
little, evidently fearing that he should say too much in the first
moments of impatience. Buttercup was made comfortable in her
stall, and the boys sent to their rooms till supper-time. This brief
respite gave them time to think the matter over, to wonder what
the penalty would be, and to try to imagine where Dan would be
sent. He whistled briskly in his room, so that no one should think
he cared a bit; but while he waited to know his fate, the longing to