Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/330

EASY WHEN YOU KNOW HOW. 313 tut, where the rjaowned Kahled covered himself with universal and everlasting glory. Of course, you un- derstand that all the spears were made harmless, as it was a friendly bout, and there was no desire to in- jure any; but whenever one was dehorsed. he was out of the game. The one important point which Alonso figured on was the fact that none of the horses had ever been trained to this line of riding; all they knew was to go straight ahead, not having been schooled to answer to the pressure of the thighs and peculiar swaying of the body, and more particularly Alonso had found out that not one of the party had acquired the knack of having his horse take the shock of pushing the an- tagonist from off his steed. This is what made it so easy for our young hero. ALt the appointed signal, the ten men rushed from their station for the purpose of surrounding him, but Alonso then made straight for the man who was com- ing toward him, he being the nearest the starting point, and when the first victim saw he was selected, and his blood not being very warm from excitement, as is necessary to perform heroic deeds, was so dazed that he was not himself, and was an easy mark; but there are stiU nine left, and our champion had re- solved to act with all the speed there was in Babieca, for the animal responded alacriously, like he did in Spain when he had the best of feed: so quicker than it takes to put the words on paper, the instant the first man was put out of business the horse's direc- tion was so quicMy changed that the next poor fellow was taken by surprise, and worse still, his horse