But, when they did get him in, they lost no time commencing to
quieten him. They cursed eloquently, and threw the bridle at him, and
used up all the missiles and bits of hard mud and sticks about the yard,
pelting him because he would n't stand.
Dave essayed to rope him "the first shot," and nearly poked his eye out
with the pole; and Paddy Maloney, in attempting to persuade the affrighted
beast to come out of the cow-bail, knocked the cap of its hip down with
the milking-block. They caught him then and put the saddle on. Callaghan
trembled. When the girths were tightened they put the reins under the
leathers, and threw their hats at him, and shouted, and "hooshed" him
round the yard, expecting he would buck with the saddle. But Callaghan
only trotted into a corner and snorted. Usually, a horse that won't buck
with a saddle is a "snag." Dave knew it. The chestnut he tackled for
Brown did nothing with the saddle. HE was a snag. Dave remembered him
and reflected. Callaghan walked boldly up to Dave, with his head high in
the air, and snorted at him. He was a sorry-looking animal--cuts and
scars all over him; hip down; patches and streaks of skin and hair missing
from his head.
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