The consequence was that his steps carried him in between the two, and that the earl and Eames found themselves for a while behind his tail.
"Now for the gate," said the earl.
"Slowly does it; slowly does it; don't run!" said Johnny, assuming in the heat of the moment a tone of counsel which would have been very foreign to him under other circumstances.
The earl was not a whit offended.

"All right," said he, taking with a backward motion the direction of the gate.

Then as the bull again faced towards him, he jumped from the ground, labouring painfully with arms and legs, and ever keeping his spud well advanced against the foe.

Eames, holding his position a little apart from his friend, stooped low and beat the ground with his stick, and as though defying the creature.

The bull felt himself defied, stood still and roared, and then made another vacillating attack.
"Hold on till we reach the gate," said Eames.
"Ugh! ugh! Whoop! whoop!" shouted the earl.