Caught Stegosaurus

Just then, out from the trees came a sight Josh would never forget. There was Bob Lee Jackson, his light blue eyes fairly blazing, his cowboy hat pulled firmly over his head—riding a dinosaur!

"Reb!” Dave shouted. “What in the world—”

But Reb was yelling at the top of his lungs. It was, Josh knew, the old Rebel yell, keen and piercing. And suddenly Reb jerked off his hat and began beating the creature he was riding with it as if he were riding a bucking bronco!

Jake stared at the beast and said, “That’s a Stegosaurus. At least it’s a lot like one.”

The dinosaur was not full-grown. When it was, it would be twenty feet high at the shoulder. Now it ambled along on four legs, its long head moving from side to side. Reb had fashioned a bridle of braided vines and put it in its mouth so that he could turn the creature’s head one direction or another. The animal had a long tail with some wicked looking spikes on the end of it.

“Watch out for the tail,” Reb yelled. “That ain’t no fun to fool with.” He was straddling the upright plates that seemed to protect the creature and was obviously having the time of his life. He yanked back on the harness then, and the creature stopped.

Reb slipped off, moved quickly to the dinosaur’s head, and put his arm around the long neck. The reptile seemed docile enough, and Reb grinned at his friends, his face alive with excitement. “Ain’t he a caution now?”

“How’d you get him, Reb?” Dave demanded.

“Well, there was a whole herd of these things down the way. This little fellow wandered off. I had my rope with me, so I just dropped the noose over him. He didn’t fight at all. Matter of fact, I think he likes me.” He pulled down a tree branch and held out the tender leaves to the animal. “I call him ‘Pretty Boy’ He’s not a bronco, but he’s the closest thing to it.”