Steve was getting very close to the red stallion, whose teeth were still bared and who was still snorting with rage and pain. For only a second did the boy stop talking, but there was no hesitancy in his slow-moving footsteps. He knew he couldn’t come to a halt now because if he did the red stallion would know of his fear and it would be the end. He must continue walking forward, as though he belonged with the stallion. It was that or forever lose his horse.

“Keep walking. Keep talking,” he told himself aloud. “It doesn’t matter what I say, it’s only the sound of my voice that matters to him. But don’t stop. Keep talking and keep going toward him. Isn’t that right, Flame? You know me. You know my voice. You’ve heard it before. I’ve heard yours before too. Your scream rises to such a high pitch that it sounds like a whistle that no other whistle can match. But you’re in a mess now. That’s what I meant when I said I wanted to help you. You’re in a spot where you can’t get out by yourself. You need help, Flame. You need me. Just …”

Steve was close enough now to the stallion to have the white foam splatter upon him. Close enough to begin feeling the stallion’s hot breath upon his outstretched hands as they held the rope.

The red stallion flung his hoofs at Steve but stopped when he found himself slipping farther back toward the pit. His forelegs became still and rigid again, but his glaring eyes never left the boy.

Steve went on talking, but now he shifted his gaze to the lower part of the noose that hung to one side of Flame. Raising his left hand, he held the upper part of the noose above the stallion’s head. It was time to pass in front of the horse now. The stretch of rope gave him less than a foot of leeway. His body and raised hand would be clear of the raking teeth, but his other hand, carrying the lower part of the noose would be within striking range of the stallion’s hoofs.

There was a wavering to Steve’s low voice as he moved in front of the stallion, but recognizing it as fear, he drove it from him and his voice became steady again. “You’ve got to help me now, Flame. The rope’s got to go under your forelegs. It means you’ll have to raise them again. Just once more, then you can keep them still again.”