Trouble had lassoed the big rooster!




CHAPTER XII

THE BUCKING BRONCO


With a small rope around the neck of the crowing rooster--which
could not crow as loudly as it had before, because it was nearly
choked--Trouble was dragging the fowl along after him as he ran
across the yard.

"Trouble! Trouble!" cried Aunt Millie. "What are you doing?"

"Playin' cowboy!" was his answer. "I lasso rooster wif my rope, like
Teddy catches post."

"Oh, you mustn't do that!" cried Aunt Millie, as she ran after the
small boy and the dragging rooster.

"Cock-a doodle-do!" crowed the rooster, or, rather, it tried to crow
that way, but it would get only about half of it out and then Trouble
would pull the rope tight about the fowl's neck and the crow would be
shut off suddenly.

"Gid-dap, pony!" cried Baby William, trotting along on his short,
fat legs, making-believe, as he often did, that he was riding