The Story of Freginald (10 page)

“Why, good gracious, yes,” said Mr. Boomschmidt. “Didn't you know that? Why, my goodness, Hannibal, what does he think we came here for?”

“Yes, yes,” said the bull impatiently. “Of course I know what you're here for. My question didn't require an answer.”

“Then why did you ask it?” said Mr. Boomschmidt. “Dear me, haven't we enough to do without asking each other foolish questions?”

The bull snorted angrily and Hannibal said: “I'll fight him, sir.”

But Mr. Boomschmidt didn't like that idea. “No, Hannibal,” he said, “it wouldn't be fair. You're so much bigger than he is.”

“Well, it wasn't fair of him to lock up Leo and Freginald, either.”

“That's true,” said Mr. Boomschmidt. “My word, how true that isl Still—Now, Hannibal, what would you think if we had Jerry fight him? That is, of course, if Jerry is willing.”

“Fine,” said Hannibal. “If Jerry gets a direct hit on the old robber he'll knock him into the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.”

“I don't know just where that is,” said Mr. Boomschmidt, “and I bet you don't either, Hannibal. I think we ought to find out. Louise, you're good at geography. Can you tell us where the Gulf of Mexico is?”

But before Louise could answer, Hannibal said: “I think it's more important to find out where Jerry is. And you'll let me aim him, won't you, sir?”

At that moment there was a
crash
—crash, crash—CRASH! And Jerry came chugging through the house in a cloud of plaster dust. On the sagging roof the east chimney wobbled a moment then collapsed in a rumble of cascading bricks.

“Do you want to fight the bull, Jerry?” Mr. Boomschmidt asked.

“Sure,” said Jerry, dropping his nose and shutting his eyes, which he had only just again opened. “Where is he? Am I headed right?”

“Wait a minute,” yelled the animals, and Mr. Boomschmidt said: “We have to arrange the terms. There's just one other thing, bull. If you are beaten you'll have to give up this nonsense about being Confederates. You're just a lot of gangsters, using the Confederacy as an excuse to steal from your neighbors. Besides, the North and South are now one country, and you are defying the law of the United States. And as a law-abiding and patriotic citizen—”

“All right, all right,” interrupted the bull with a harsh laugh. “Don't make a speech about it. We'll agree to give up the Confederacy—
if
you win. Now let's stop talking and get to fighting.”

“He seems awfully sure of winning,” said Freginald to Leo, as they leaned out of the window and anxiously watched the preparations for the duel.

“Not a chance,” said the lion. “Boy, Jerry'll knock that bull so flat he'll look as if he was painted on the ground.”

CHAPTER 9

The bull went to the far end of the barnyard. Hannibal got behind Jerry and, shutting one eye, aimed him carefully. Then Mr. Boomschmidt shouted: “Go!” and both animals lowered their heads and charged.

The watchers held their breath, waiting for the smack when the two met head on. But just a fraction of a second before they collided, the bull leaped sideways, then checked his speed and trotted slowly to the near end of the barnyard, while Jerry tore on and disappeared into the woods.

“Coward!” yelled the circus animals. “Stand up and fight!”

But the bull merely shrugged his heavy shoulders and sat down to wait for his antagonist to return. After three or four minutes, when Jerry reappeared at the edge of the woods, he got up and walked forward, and as soon as Jerry saw him, he charged. But this time, without anyone to aim him, he came nowhere near the bull, who indeed didn't even bother to gallop toward him, but merely stood and watched him thunder by.

The fight went on like this for some time. The rhinoceros charged back and forth and the bull avoided him easily. At the end of Jerry's charges at the near end of the field the circus animals had several times to do some quick dodging to avoid being hit. They shouted and stormed at the bull, who wasn't even out of breath, but he only grunted at them, and the robbers began to laugh.

After the eighth charge Mr. Boomschmidt began to be worried. Jerry was getting tired. His panting could be heard for half a mile. Evidently the bull meant to wear him down until he could no longer run, and then he would step in and worry him with his long horns.

“Good gracious,” said Mr. Boomschmidt, “this is terrible! Can't you suggest anything, Hannibal? Can't any of you suggest anything?”

They all looked at one another hopelessly for a minute. Then Oscar, who had been fidgeting uneasily for some time, suddenly shouted: “Oh, you all stand around and talk! You make me tired. I'm going to
do
something. You watch.” And limping slightly because of his sprained toe, he ran out toward the bull.

“Come back. Come back, Oscar,” they called. But he paid no attention. He circled about the bull, who kept pivoting to face him with his horns.

“Get back on the side lines,” said the bull. “You're breaking the rules.”

“Indeed!” said Oscar. “And pray what are you going to do about it?” He danced on his long legs—left, right, then darted in and kicked the bull under the chin.

Now, an ostrich has a kick that is as strong as a mule's. The bull shook his head, bellowed, and rushed. But Oscar wasn't there.

The robbers were yelling angrily and some of them were beginning to form up for a charge. “We'll have to get him out of there, Hannibal,” said Mr. Boomschmidt. Hannibal stepped forward, and as the ostrich came past he slung his long trunk about his neck and pulled him back.

“Come along, stupid,” he said good-naturedly. “This is Jerry's fight.”

Oscar complained in his snippy voice. “Really, Hannibal! You're exceeding your authority. Kindly release me at once.”

It is no use trying to explain to an ostrich, though few people realize it. It isn't because they are really stupid, but they are so vain they won't listen. It didn't occur to Oscar that he was breaking the rules of the fight. He was too busy being mad at Hannibal for trying—as he supposed—to deprive him of the glory of defeating the bull. Hannibal knew this, however, so he didn't say anything, but just kept a firm hold of Oscar's neck.

In the meantime Jerry was preparing slowly to make another charge. “He's weakening,” said Mr. Boomschmidt sadly. “Oh, I
wish
somebody could think of something!”

And just then a little head popped out of the breast pocket where he carried his red checkered handkerchief and said: “May I suggest something?”

“Eustace!” exclaimed Mr. Boomschmidt. “My goodness, I told you not to come. You're too small. You might get hurt. I thought you were at home in your house.”

“Oh, I had to come, chief,” said Eustace. “I wouldn't have missed it for anything. I sneaked in here early this morning. But listen. I've got an idea.”

“An idea! “ Mr. Boomschmidt cried. “My word, we need one. Listen to that, Hannibal. Eustace has an idea. Well, Eustace, it's no good where it is. Suppose you give it to me.”

So Eustace climbed up on Mr. Boomschmidt's shoulder and whispered in his ear. And as Mr. Boomschmidt listened, the frown and the worried lines all disappeared from his face, which became as round and shining and delighted as it usually was, and he slapped his knee and said: “I do believe you've got it!” He shouted to Jerry to wait a minute, and he climbed down from Hannibal's back and went over and tied his red checkered handkerchief on the long horn on the rhinoceros's nose. And then he slapped Jerry on the shoulder and said: “Good boy! I guess this will be the last time, so make it a good one.” And he aimed him and said: “Go!”

When the bull saw the rhinoceros start he shook his head and trotted slowly toward him as he had each time before. But when he got closer he saw the red handkerchief. Now, bulls get mad pretty easily anyway, but when they see anything red it makes them simply furious. They just put their heads down and go for, it. And so when this bull caught sight of the flutter of red he forgot all about his plan to tire Jerry out, and he gave a dreadful deep bellow and dropped his head almost to the ground and dug in his hoofs and went thundering down the field like a runaway truck. But Jerry knew that Mr. Boomschmidt wanted him to make this a good one, so he gave it everything he had got. And that was a good deal, for rhinoceroses are among our oldest families and have lots of stamina. He looked pretty invincible as he drove snorting like a steam engine up the field.

It was over in a second. There was a terrible smack as the two animals met forehead to forehead. They went right up in the air for a second. And then the bull was lying on his back with his hoofs in the air and the red handkerchief around one horn, and Jerry was trotting around in a circle, shaking his head.

The circus animals gave a loud cheer and rushed out into the field. Jerry came up to Mr. Boomschmidt. “What's the matter with the bull?” he asked.

“You hit him,” said Mr. Boomschmidt. “My goodness, that was grand, Jerry. You hit him right between the horns.”

“Thought I hit one of those porch pillars,” said Jerry. “Felt like it.” He shook his head again. “Oh, dear, I'm afraid I've got a headache coming on.”

The circus animals crowded around him with shouts and congratulations. The robbers came slowly forward. There was no fight left in them. The def eat of their captain had broken their courage.

Jerry went over to the bull and nudged him. “Hey, bull,” he said. “You O.K.?”

The bull opened one eye. “Where am I?” he said weakly.

“You're among friends,” said Mr. Boomschmidt. “Friends and fellow citizens, by cracky, now that there isn't any more Confederacy.”

The bull groaned. “I—I struck something,” he said feebly.

“It was me,” said Jerry. “Where were you at all the time, anyway? I couldn't find you.”

“Go away,” said the bull, and closed his eye again.

Out of the house came Leo and Freginald. Their coats were white with plaster dust, and Mr. Boomschmidt threw up his hands when he saw them. “My, my!” he said. “What a terrible experience you have had! Why, it has turned your hair quite white.”

“It's just plaster, chief,” said Leo. “Too bad; a white lion and a white bear—that would be something to show people, eh? Well, Fredg, let's get it off.” And he began whacking at his coat so vigorously that the dust got into Mr. Boomschmidt's nose and made him sneeze so hard that his hat fell off.

Whatever Mr. Boomschmidt did he did thoroughly and he continued to sneeze for some time. But at last he got the better of it, and then he had the circus all line up and marched the robbers out of the house with all the honors of war. As a special courtesy the band played
Dixie
, and this pleased them very much. Even the bull roused up and took his place at their head as they marched around the field, although he still seemed a little dazed.