"Wow," Whispered Jack and Annie together.
Black Hawk looked silently at the grazing buffalo.
"Hand me the research book," said Jack.
Annie lifted Teddy out of the bag. Then she slid the book outand gave it to Jack.
He found a picture of a buffalo herd. He read to himself.
The true name of the buffalo is "bison." At the beginning ofthe l800s, there were 40 million bison on the Great Plains. Onehundred years later, there were less than 300. Almost all hadbeen killed by white hunters and soldiers.
Jack looked back at the vast herd. As far as he could see, therewas nothing but buffalo.
Now Jack knew for certain they'd come to the time before thewhite settlers and soldiers had arrived, before the end of thegreat buffalo herds.
"I have been on many hunts," Black Hawk said, his eyes stillon the buffalo.
"Were you scared?" said Jack. Black Hawk shook his head.
"You're really brave," said Annie.
Black Hawk smiled proudly.
"I will show you how a brave hunter moves," he said.
He slid off his pony.
"Wait, your grandmother said not to hunt," said Annie. "Plus,you don't have your wolf suit.""I am not afraid," said Black Hawk.
"I don't think you should go down there," said Jack. "There'sno grownups around." But Black Hawk wasn't listening.
He began creeping on all fours toward the buffalo.
"I have a feeling something bad is going to happen," saidAnnie.
Jack had the same feeling, he looked back at the book.
A bison can weigh two thousand pounds and stand six feethigh. If one becomes alarmed by a hunter, he might startrunning and set off a terrifying Stampede.
Jack looked back at Black Hawk. He was creeping closer andcloser to the herd.
Jack's heart pounded. He wanted to shout, Come back! But hedidn't want to scare any of the huge, fierce-looking animalsKeeping his eyes on Black Hawk, Jack handed the plains bookto Annie. She slid it back into the bag beside Teddy.
Black Hawk stopped just as he was passing the nearestbuffalo. His eyes squeezed shut. His nose wrinkled up. Hismouth opened.
"What's he doing?" asked Jack.
"Ah-ah-CHOO!" Black Hawk sneezed.
"Uh-oh," said Annie.
The huge buffalo jerked its head up. It made a low, moaningsound. Then it pointed its horns and charged!
"Watch out!" cried Jack.
Black Hawk threw himself out of the way of the chargingbuffalo.
A ripple went through the herd as other shaggy animalslooked up.
Suddenly, Teddy jumped out of 's arms. He landed in the tallgrass and ran toward the buffalo.
"Teddy!" shouted Annie.
The dog tore down the hill. He bounded along the edge of theherd, barking furiously.
"Teddy, come back!" cried Annie. She slid off her pony andran after Teddy. Jack tried to see Black Hawk.
The boy was still dodging the running buffalo. He lookedtired.
Jack took a deep breath.
"Go to Black Hawk!" he said, nudging Sunlight with his knees.
The golden pony charged down the slope. He ran between thebuffalo.
"Black Hawk!" Jack shouted.
Black Hawk started running toward Sunlight. The buffaloswerved behind him.
Sunlight slowed as Black Hawk got near. The boy threwhimself over the golden pony's back. He held on to Jack asSunlight veered away from the buffalo and ran back up theslope.
"Where's Annie?" Jack cried as they reached the top.
"There!" said Black Hawk, pointing.
Annie was surrounded by buffalo--calm buffalo. She waspatting them and talking to them. The buffalo near her hadstopped running, too.
The ones beyond those started to calm down.. .then others..
.until all the buffalo had stopped running.
They began grazing again as if nothing had happened. |