Читать книгу Shaggo, the Mighty Buffalo: His Many Adventures онлайн

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Then, too, the building of the railroads out West had scattered the buffaloes, until it seemed they must all die or be driven away. Then the Government fenced in great parks, called preserves, where the big, shaggy animals, with heads and manes larger than any lion’s that ever lived, could be at peace.

It was on one of these preserves, or ranges, in a National Park, that Shaggo lived. Though he was not the oldest buffalo of the herd he was easily the largest and strongest. He seemed to grow faster than the others, and he could easily have been the leader of the herd if he had wished. But he let another, an older bull act as the leader. Shaggo was content to eat the sweet grass, drink the cool water, and wander around in the forest or over the prairies which formed part of the park.

“Are you coming with us, Shaggo?” asked one of the two buffalo calves, as they stopped near the mighty animal.

“Where are you going?” asked Shaggo.

“Over to the wallow,” was the answer. “It is hot, and the flies and bugs are so bothersome that we’re going to roll around in the wallow and get all muddy. Come along with us and we’ll have some fun.”