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building a fire； heating his iron； and putting his own brand on them。
Then； at the next rodeo； they were simply turned over to him； for； as
I say； the brand was absolute ownership。'
'Whene'er I take my rides abroad；
How many calves I see；
And； as I brand them properly；
They all belong to me；'
said Bell。
'How I should like to see a rodeo！' sighed Elsie。 'I can't imagine
how the vaqueros can fling the reata while they are riding at full
speed。'
'It isn't so very wonderful；' said Polly； nonchalantly 'the most
ordinary people can learn it； why！ your brother Jack can lasso almost
as well as a Mexican。'
'And I can 〃lass〃 any stationary object myself；' cried Bell； 'a
hitching…post； or even a door…knob； I can do it two or three times
out of ten。'
'That shows immense skill；' answered Jack； 'but； as the thing you
want to 〃lass〃 never does stay still； and as it is absolutely
necessary to catch it more than three times out of ten； you probably
wouldn't make a name and fortune as a vaquero。 Juan Capistrano； by
the way； used to be famous with the lariat。 I had heard of his
adventure with a bull on the island of Santa Rosa； and I asked him
about it to…day； but he had so exhausted himself telling stories to
Bell that he had very few words for me。 You see there was a bull； on
Santa Rosa island； so wild that they wanted to kill him； but nobody
could do it； though he was a terror to any one who ventured on the
island。 They called him 〃Antiguelo；〃 because of his long horns and
long tail。 He was such a terrible fighter that all the vaqueros were
afraid to lass' him； for he always broke away with the lariat。 You
see a horse throws a bull by skill and not by strength； of course。
You can choke almost any bull； but this one was too smart！ he would
crouch on his haunches and pull back until the rope nearly choked him
and then suddenly 〃make〃 for the horse。 Juan Capistrano had a
splendid horseyou see as much depends on the horse as the man in
such a caseand he came upon Antiguelo on the Cerro Negro and lass'd
him。 Well； did he fight？ I asked。 〃Si； Senor。〃 Well； what
happened？ 〃Yo lo mate〃 （I killed him）； he said； with a shrug of his
shoulders； and that's all I could get out of Juan regarding his
adventure。'
'But you haven't done your share； you lazy boy；' objected Bell。 'You
must tell us more。'
'What do you want to hear？ I am up on all the animal and vegetable
life of Southern California； full of interesting information
concerning its old customs； can give you Spanish names for all the
things that come up in ordinary conversation； and am the only man
present who can make a raw…hide reata；' said Jack； modestly。
'Go on and tell us how； O great and wise reatero；' said Bell。
'I'll tell you that myself；' said Elsie； 'for I've seen him do it
dozens of times； when he should have been studying his little
lessons。 He takes a big piece of raw hide； cuts a circle right out
of the middle； and then cuts round and round this until he has one
long continuous string； half an inch wide。 He then stretches it and
scrapes the hair off with a knife or a piece of glass； gets it into
four strands； and braids it 〃round。〃'
'Perhaps you think braiding 〃round〃 is easy to do；' retorted Jack； in
an injured tone； 'but I know it took me six months to learn to do it
well。'
'I fail to see；' said his mother； 'how a knowledge of 〃braiding
round〃 and lassoing of wild cattle is going to serve you in your
university life and future career。'
'Oh yes； it will。 I shall be the Buffalo Bill of Harvard； and I
shall give charming little entertainments in my rooms； or in some
little garden…plot suitable to the purpose。'
'Shall you make a point of keeping up with your class？' asked Mrs。
Winship。
'Oh yes； unless they go too fast。 My sports won't take any more time
than rowing or baseball。 They'll be a little more expensive； because
I'll have to keep some wild cattle constantly on hand； and perhaps a
vaquero or two； but a vaquero won't cost any more than a valet。'
'I didn't intend furnishing you with a valet；' remarked his mother。
'But I shall be self…supporting； mother dear。 I shall give
exhibitions on the campus； and the gate…money will keep me in
luxury。'
'This is all very interesting；' said Polly； cuttingly； 'but what has
it to do with California； I'd like to know？'
'Poor dear！ Your brain is so weak。 Can't you see that when I am the
fashion in Cambridge； it will be noised about that I gained my
marvellous skill in California？ This will increase emigration。 I
don't pretend to say it will swell the population like the discovery
of gold in '48； but it will have a perceptible effect。'
'You are more modest than a whole mossy bank of violets；' laughed Dr。
Paul。 'Now； Margery； will you give us your legend？'
'Mine is the story of Juan de Dios （literally； Juan of God）； and I'm
sorry to say that it has a horse in it； like Polly's； only hers was a
snow…white mare； and mine is a coal…black charger。 But they wouldn't
tell us any romantic love…stories； they were all about horses。'
STORY OF JUAN DE DIOS。
'In early days； when Americans were coming in to Santa Barbara； there
were many cattle…buyers among them； and there were large bands of
robbers all over the country who were ready to pounce on these
travellers on their way to the great cattle ranchos； kill them； and
steal their money and clothes； as well as their horses and trappings。
No one could understand how the robbers got such accurate information
of the movements of the travellers； unless they had a spy somewhere
near the Mission； where they often stopped for rest and refreshment。
'Now； there was a certain young Indian vaquero in the employ of the
padres at La Mission de la Purisima。 He was a wonderful horseman；
and greatly looked up to by his brother vaqueros； because he was so
strong； alert； and handsome； and because he was always dressed
elegantly in rich old Spanish embroideries and velvets； given to him；
he said； by men for whom he had done great services。
'One day a certain traveller； a Spanish official of high degree； came
from Monterey to wed his sweetheart； the daughter of the richest
cattle…owner in all the country round。 His spurs and bit and bridle
were of solid silver； his jaquima （halter） was made of a hair rope
whose strands had been dyed in brilliant colours； his tapaderos
（front of the stirrups）； mochilas （large leather saddle flaps）； and
sudaderos （thin bits of leather to protect the legs from sweat）； were
all beautifully stamped in the fashion used by the Mexicans； his
saddle blankets and his housings were all superb； and he wore a broad
sombrero encircled with a silver snake and trimmed with silver lace。
'The traveller stayed at La Purisima all night； and set out early in
the morning to ride the last forty miles that separated him from his
bride。 But Juan and two other robbers were lying in wait for him
behind a great rock that stood at the entrance of a lonely canyon。
They appeared on horseback； one behind the unfortunate man and two in
front； so that he could escape neither way。 They finally succeeded
in lassoing the horse and th