United States or Kenya ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Rumors of mines and torpedoes had no terrors for Dewey, and, steaming slowly into Manila Bay, his squadron passed between Corregidor and Caballos about midnight. They arrived opposite Cavite about five o'clock, and, as daylight increased, the Spanish fleet could be seen in the harbor.
This matter having been settled, we heard some talk about ``caballos'' and ``carrera, and seeing the people streaming off in one direction, we followed, and came upon a level piece of ground, just out of the town, which was used as a race-course. Here the crowd soon became thick again, the ground was marked off, the judges stationed, and the horses led up to one end.
They were leaning elbows on the fence below the grand stand, watching desultorily the endless preparatory manoeuvres of three men astride the hind legs of three pacers in sulkies. "This side-wheeling business gives me a pain," Billy remarked, as the pacers ambled by for the fourth or fifth time. "I like caballos that don't take all day to wind 'em up before they go. I been looking over our bunch.
It really ain't safe for such pilgrims t' be cavortin' over the prairies with all that boodle in their jeans. I reckon we'll just naturally have t' pike along after 'em an' take care of it ourselves. They ain't got such a rip-roarin' start of us an' I'm the boy can foller that track from hell t' breakfast an' back again. So let's eat a bite, an' then straddle our caballos for some tall ridin'."
"I haf say," repeated the other, with lingering emphasis upon each word "I haf say I bet you everyt'ing wagon, harness, caballos everyt'ing! against thot wagon, harness, caballos yours everyt'ing thee whole shutting-match thot I haf win thee bet!" Again Felipe lowered his eyes. But now to consider suspicions. He had heard rightly; Franke really wanted to bet all he had.
"Amen!" said Bill, when he had emptied the rack for the last time, and the hay rose in a neat stack. "That's another load off my mind. I can build a cabin and a stable in six feet of snow if I have to, but there would have been a slim chance of haying once a storm hit us. And the caballos need a grubstake for the winter worse than we do, because they can't eat meat.
For the third time in ten hours, though puzzled and groping, trembling between gain and loss, he plunged on the gambler's chance. "All right!" he agreed, tensely. "I take thot bet! I bet you thees wagon, thees caballos, thees harness everyt'ing against everyt'ing yours wagon, horses, harness everyt'ing! Wait!" he thundered, for the other now was striding toward the mare. "Wait!
This matter having been settled, we heard some talk about "caballos" and "carrera" and seeing the people all streaming off in one direction, we followed, and came upon a level piece of ground, just out of the town, which was used as a race-course. Here the crowd soon became thick again; the ground was marked off; the judges stationed; and the horses led up to one end.
My readers maybe will grumble that it omits to tell what they would first choose to learn: the reason why he had exchanged fame and the world for a Cornish exile. But as yet he only and perhaps my uncle Gervase, who kept the accounts held the key to that secret. "Heus Rogere! fer caballos; Eja, nunc eamus!" Domum. Another fable improved on this by chaining him to a tree.
Eight horses had now been rendered useless, the arena was black and red with blood, in spite of the assiduous sprinkling of fresh sand, and there was a pause in the entertainment. The picadors had had their turn, the banderilleros were ready to appear, but the people were thoroughly enjoying themselves now and they stamped and roared "Caballos" till they were hoarse.
Word Of The Day