Then it turned on him with a roar of rage, butted him violently, rolled him over and over in the dirt, knelt on him, bellowed in his ear, and slobbered on him.

It looked as if the boy must be killed.

His mate dashed in with a bamboo, and welted and whacked away without making any impression, till the animal of its own accord withdrew gloomily to a corner of the yard, dragging the rope after it.

Carew watched the prostrate boy in agonised suspense, hardly daring to hope that he was alive.

With a gasp of satisfaction he saw him rise to his feet, rub some of the dirt off his face, and look round at the steer.