Thus it was that those of the crowd who had witnessed this feat sometimes in a fight, and more often in friendly contest, looked to see Ted sailing through the air, and then the finish, for Shan Rhue was a merciless enemy.

Ted was now straddling the prostrate bully, who was breathing heavily, his body heaving as his lungs tried to get back into commission.

Presently he was all right again, and, feeling a weight upon him, shook himself.  This not having the effect of relieving him of his burden, he twisted his head around and saw Ted sitting on him.

With a growl like a wounded bear he slowly lifted himself to the height of his arms, then slowly rose to his knees.

“By golly, he’s goin’ ter buck him off,” shouted one in the crowd.

“Look out fer some fun, lads,” cried another.

“He’ll kill ther kid sure,” said a third.

In a moment Ted realized what was coming off.  The hold he had on the back of Shan Rhue was none of the most secure at best, but he got a clutch on the fellow’s shirt under the arm, just back of the armpits, and he felt that he had in his fingers great bunches of the bully’s muscles.

By the merest chance he had secured the only hold by which he could hope to stick to the giant’s back.  Then the fun began.  Shan Rhue plunged back and forth, sideways and up and down.

The movement was incessant.  He reared and pitched, and, having cunning and intelligence, he was able to distinguish when Ted’s seat was least secure and take advantage of it.

Ted had ridden many bucking bronchos, but Shan Rhue beat any of them in the surprises which he furnished.  But Ted stuck grimly to him.

He knew that if the bully succeeded in throwing him off his life would not be worth a rushlight, for Shan was a rough fighter and would not hesitate to kick him brutally, if he did not shoot him to death before the boys could come to his assistance.

Thus the struggle went on for several minutes, Shan doing his utmost and Ted hanging on.  But the big fellow was getting winded by his exertions.

He was not in the best condition, for all his tremendous power.  He was going fast, and Ted was badly shaken up and out of breath, also.  If Shan held out a few minutes longer Ted must be thrown, for his hold on the muscles under his antagonist’s arms had begun to loosen, and he dared not let go for an instant to get a fresh grip.

It was close to the finish, and the crowd knew it.

“He’s goin’, Shan.  A few more will finish him,” shouted the gamblers.

“Stick to him, Ted.  He’s almost in,” cried the boys.

Ted took heart at this, although his body was racked with pains, caused by the innumerable wrenchings to which it had been subjected.

Suddenly Shan Rhue was all in.  His body flattened out upon the ground, and he lay there panting laboriously.  Ted sprang to his feet gasping.  Thus for a few minutes both remained, amid intense silence from the crowd.