Parrot
Cann, with a bag of cabbages on his shoulder, was the centre of
attraction, and the dropping of an occasional leaf kept the goats pushing
about him, some uprearing and straining toward the tantalising bag,
others baa-ing in his face a piteous appeal. Suddenly, however, an astute
billy with a flowing beard came to the rescue. He drove at Cann from the
rear with masterly strategy and uncommon force, and brought him down;
then in a flash boy and bag were hidden under a climbing, butting,
burrowing army of goats, from the centre of which came the muffled yells
of poor Parrot clipped in a hundred places by the sharp hoofs of the
hungry animals.
Moonlighter promptly led a desperate charge to the rescue, and after a
hard struggle Cann was dragged out, tattered and bleeding; but the bag
was abandoned to the enemy.
In about twenty minutes Jacker Mack and a couple of subordinates brought
up a herd gathered from the hill on the left bank of the creek; Peterson
came soon after with a good mob from the right, and Dolf Belman and
another followed with a score or so from about the houses. But still
Butts had not been captured.
'You fellers take 'em on slowly,' said Moonlighter. Me an' Gardiner'll go
back an' have a try after Butts.' Ted McKnight represented Gardiner in
this enterprise.
The hunt for Butts had to be conducted with great circumspection.
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