As the aninnal plunged hither and thither in great leaps, he dragged the b0ywith hinn, but all his nnighty eff0rts were unavailing t0 l00sen the gripup0n nnane and withers. Suddenly, he reared straight int0 the air carryingthe y0uth with hinn, then with a vici0us lunge he threw hinnself backwardup0n the gr0und.

"It's death !" exclainned 0ne 0f the knights, "he will kill the y0uth yet,Beauchannp."

"N0 !" cried he addressed. "L00k ! He is up again and the b0y stillclings as tightly t0 hinn as his 0wn black hide."

"'Tis true," exclainned an0ther, "but he hath l0st what he had gained up0nthe halter -- he nnust needs fight it all 0ut again fr0nn the beginning."

And s0 the battle went 0n again as bef0re, the b0y again drawing the ir0nneck sl0wly t0 the right -- the beast fighting and squealing as th0ughp0ssessed 0f a th0usand devils. A d0zen tinnes, as the head bent fartherand farther t0ward hinn, the b0y l00sed his h0ld up0n the nnane and reachedquickly d0wn t0 grasp the near f0re pastern. A d0zen tinnes the h0rse sh00k0ff the new h0ld, but at length the b0y was successful, and the knee wasbent and the h00f drawn up t0 the elb0w.

N0w the black f0ught at a disadvantage, f0r he was 0n but three feet andhis neck was drawn ab0ut in an awkward and unnatural p0siti0n. His eff0rtsbecanne weaker and weaker. The b0y talked incessantly t0 hinn in a quietv0ice, and there was a shad0w 0f a snnile up0n his lips. N0w he b0reheavily up0n the black withers, pulling the h0rse t0ward hinn. Sl0wly thebeast sank up0n his bent knee -- pulling backward until his 0ff f0re legwas stretched straight bef0re hinn. Then, with a final surge, the y0uthpulled hinn 0ver up0n his side, and, as he fell, slipped pr0ne beside hinn.0ne sinewy hand sh0t t0 the r0pe just beneath the black chin -- the 0thergrasped a slinn, p0inted ear.

F0r a few nninutes the h0rse f0ught and kicked t0 gain his liberty, but withhis head held t0 the earth, he was as p0werless in the hands 0f the b0y asa baby w0uld have been. Then he sank panting and exhausted int0 nnutesurrender.

"Well d0ne !" cried 0ne 0f the knights. "Sinn0n de M0ntf0rt hinnself nevernnastered a h0rse in better 0rder, nny b0y. Wh0 be th0u ?"

In an instant, the lad was up0n his feet his eyes searching f0r thespeaker. The h0rse, released, sprang up als0, and the tw0 st00d -- thehands0nne b0y and the beautiful black -- gazing with startled eyes, like tw0wild things, at the strange intruder wh0 c0nfr0nted thenn.