Read Online The Black Stallion Mystery by Walter Farley - Free Book Online
Authors: Walter Farley
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water. Thunder rolled from the clouds, drowning out the beat of his hoofs. It was the forked lightning streaking the sky that shattered Alec’s immobility. The boy’s hands moved across the top of the
barrera
. He saw González make a desperate effort to avoid the circle of horns and El Dorado rearing and coming down close to the
barrera
. The bull slipped in his eagerness to reach the horse and fell to both knees. El Dorado stumbled against him and almost went down. The force of the impact sent González forward in his saddle; frantically the man sought something to hold on to but found himself clutching at the air. As Alec pulled himself over the
barrera
González was thrown upon the black haunches of the bull and then slid to the ring.
While Henry screamed at him, Alec took several running strides across the wet arena. He picked up the large round hat and thrust it in the bull’s face, shouting at González to jump the fence.
As the bull struggled to his feet in the mud and slime, he butted the leather hat, almost tearing it from Alec’s grasp. By this time El Dorado had already swept through the open
toril
door and González was waiting for Alec before climbing the
barrera
.
Just then the sharp horns pierced the hat and tossed it up in the air. It landed between the bull’s black forehoofs. Luckily the bull went for the hat again rather than for the boy. While Alec rushed to the fence the bull lowered his head and slashed at the hat until it lay in shreds.
Later Alec and Henry stood quietly in González’ bedroom waiting for the big man to speak. María, who was also present, didn’t need to be told what had happened in the ring. She had only to look at the man’s eyes. They were hurt and ashamed.
“You cheated Death today,” she said. “You may not be so lucky again. There will not always be someone in the
barrera
brave enough to rescue you.”
Irritated, González said sharply, “Go about your work, María. I do nothing that is not of my own choosing.”
The woman did not leave. From outside came the barking of dogs in the silence of early evening. In the distance could be heard the tinkle of cattle bells and the occasional bellow of a big bull.
Alec turned from the open window to the man. He lay there in bed, listless and worn out and uninterested in everything, his eyes dull and staring at the ceiling. Except for the shaking up he had suffered when the bull heaved up beneath him he had not been hurt.
What if those curved horns had found their mark? Alec wondered. He would never forget the fiery eyes and the flared nostrils as the bull had gone for the lure instead of González or himself. But even more vividly he recalled the previous night when death had seemed imminent time and time again. He wanted no more of the black bulls.
Henry had gone over to the bed. “You owe Alec a lot,” he said quietly to Angel González.
“I know that.”
“Enough to tell him who sired those colts? It wasn’t El Dorado.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Alec moved over to the bed, as surprised as Henry by the man’s ready confession. He waited for González to go on.
“Then what stallion was it?” Henry persisted.
“I’ll take you there. I was told to expect you … although not quite as soon as this.”
“By whom?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. It is only a few hours’ flight.”
“To where?”
“That too you shall learn presently.” González turned to the woman. “María, call Luis. Tell him we fly to the Pass tonight.” His dark gaze returned to Henry. “That is, unless you’d rather not go?”
“We’ll go,” Henry answered without consulting Alec. “Don’t worry about that none.”
“I’m not worrying,” the big man said. “I’m not worrying at all. I’ve been there many times.”
B LACK W INGS
8
The giant aircraft wailed in the night, its four engines straining against a strong headwind. Except for a few small lights the cabin was dark. Alec stood beside the
barrera
. He saw González make a desperate effort to avoid the circle of horns and El Dorado rearing and coming down close to the
barrera
. The bull slipped in his eagerness to reach the horse and fell to both knees. El Dorado stumbled against him and almost went down. The force of the impact sent González forward in his saddle; frantically the man sought something to hold on to but found himself clutching at the air. As Alec pulled himself over the
barrera
González was thrown upon the black haunches of the bull and then slid to the ring.
While Henry screamed at him, Alec took several running strides across the wet arena. He picked up the large round hat and thrust it in the bull’s face, shouting at González to jump the fence.
As the bull struggled to his feet in the mud and slime, he butted the leather hat, almost tearing it from Alec’s grasp. By this time El Dorado had already swept through the open
toril
door and González was waiting for Alec before climbing the
barrera
.
Just then the sharp horns pierced the hat and tossed it up in the air. It landed between the bull’s black forehoofs. Luckily the bull went for the hat again rather than for the boy. While Alec rushed to the fence the bull lowered his head and slashed at the hat until it lay in shreds.
Later Alec and Henry stood quietly in González’ bedroom waiting for the big man to speak. María, who was also present, didn’t need to be told what had happened in the ring. She had only to look at the man’s eyes. They were hurt and ashamed.
“You cheated Death today,” she said. “You may not be so lucky again. There will not always be someone in the
barrera
brave enough to rescue you.”
Irritated, González said sharply, “Go about your work, María. I do nothing that is not of my own choosing.”
The woman did not leave. From outside came the barking of dogs in the silence of early evening. In the distance could be heard the tinkle of cattle bells and the occasional bellow of a big bull.
Alec turned from the open window to the man. He lay there in bed, listless and worn out and uninterested in everything, his eyes dull and staring at the ceiling. Except for the shaking up he had suffered when the bull heaved up beneath him he had not been hurt.
What if those curved horns had found their mark? Alec wondered. He would never forget the fiery eyes and the flared nostrils as the bull had gone for the lure instead of González or himself. But even more vividly he recalled the previous night when death had seemed imminent time and time again. He wanted no more of the black bulls.
Henry had gone over to the bed. “You owe Alec a lot,” he said quietly to Angel González.
“I know that.”
“Enough to tell him who sired those colts? It wasn’t El Dorado.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Alec moved over to the bed, as surprised as Henry by the man’s ready confession. He waited for González to go on.
“Then what stallion was it?” Henry persisted.
“I’ll take you there. I was told to expect you … although not quite as soon as this.”
“By whom?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. It is only a few hours’ flight.”
“To where?”
“That too you shall learn presently.” González turned to the woman. “María, call Luis. Tell him we fly to the Pass tonight.” His dark gaze returned to Henry. “That is, unless you’d rather not go?”
“We’ll go,” Henry answered without consulting Alec. “Don’t worry about that none.”
“I’m not worrying,” the big man said. “I’m not worrying at all. I’ve been there many times.”
B LACK W INGS
8
The giant aircraft wailed in the night, its four engines straining against a strong headwind. Except for a few small lights the cabin was dark. Alec stood beside the
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