Humphrey crawled along for some time in the fern, but at last he came
to a bare spot of about ten yards wide, which they were not aware of,
and where he could not be concealed. Humphrey hesitated, and at last
decided upon attempting to cross it. Edward, who was one moment
watching the motions of Humphrey, and at another that of the two
animals nearest to them, perceived that the white bull farthest from
him, but nearest to Humphrey, threw its head in the air, pawed with
his foot, and then advanced with a roar to where Humphrey was on the
ground, still crawling toward the tree, having passed the open spot,
and being now not many yards from the tree. Perceiving the danger that
his brother was in, and that, moreover, Humphrey himself was not aware
of it, he hardly knew how to act. The bull was too far from him to
fire at it with any chance of success; and how to let Humphrey know
that the animal had discovered him and was making toward him, without
calling out, he did not know. All this was the thought of a moment,
and then Edward determined to fire at the bull nearest to him, which
he had promised not to do till Humphrey was also ready to fire, and
after firing to call to Humphrey. He therefore, for one moment, turned
away from his brother, and, taking aim at the bull, fired his gun; but
probably from his nerves being a little shaken at the idea of Humphrey
being in danger, the wound was not mortal, and the bull galloped back
to the herd, which formed a closed phalanx about a quarter of a mile
distant.
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