The cowboy yell broke from the throats of Walt and Ralph. It was the only sound but the clattering of Firewater’s hoofs as he rocketed down the course. But the next instant Bedlam broke loose as Jack’s lance entered the ring cleanly and removed it from its snap without a hitch. Howls and a few cheers filled the air, but the former by far predominated. But amid the confusion there came a sudden sound that abruptly halted the babel.
Three shots sounded out sharp and clear. At the same instant Jack, who had just reined in Firewater, was seen to reel from his saddle and fall apparently helpless to one side of it.
But the bullets which had been meant to terminate Jack’s career had not found their “billet.” Instead, his sudden fall to one side of the saddle was a quick acting out of an old cowboy trick. The instant that the first bullet had whistled by his ear Jack had flung himself down thus, and as a consequence, the shots had missed their mark. The relief of Walt and Ralph, as they came elbowing through the crowd to find that their chum was unhurt, may be imagined.
The incident, too, had quite changed the temper of the crowd, as such things often will. An unpopular monarch has often been turned into his people’s idol by an attempted assassination, and something of the same thing occurred now. Cheers for the American boy rang through the air. In the midst of the excitement Don Alverado came riding up, pressing his big chestnut horse through the throng.
“Thank the saints you are not injured, my gallant boy,” he cried in his impulsive way. “Not for my entire estates would I have had you even scratched. But what is this?”
The Don broke off in his congratulations abruptly, as a sudden commotion occurred on the outskirts of the crowd. Rising in his stirrups Jack could see that the center of the turmoil was Coyote Pete, and that he was dragging something at the end of his lariat, one end of which was wound around his saddle horn.
Suddenly the crowd rushed in on this object, whatever it was, but the next instant the wave of humanity surged back again, as Coyote drew two pistols and aimed them right and left into the throng.
“The first one that touches the varmint gits a taste of these!” he was shouting, and although few in the crowd could understand the words, they all caught the significance of his tones and fell back. Thus, left with a free path, Coyote spurred his horse on and rode up to where the Don and the Border Boys were assembled. The professor had, by this time, joined the group and brought word that Senorita Alverado wished to be informed at once of Jack’s condition, and if he had been seriously injured. Word was at once despatched to her that he was unharmed.