CHAPTER VII.

A Narrow Escape.

IT was Mr. Charlton's intention to act as peacemaker between Dick and the Bannister children, but, after all, his services were not required.

"Teddy," said Eileen one morning, about two or three days after the boy's unpleasant experience of being taken in charge, "I think it was rather mean of us to cut Dick as we did; he owned up, and he couldn't do more than that."

"So he ought to own up," replied Teddy grumpily. He was still feeling sore. "He had no right to run off in that way, leaving the blame to fall on me."

"But he didn't know you were going to be blamed for it," said Eileen, "or perhaps he wouldn't have done it."

"H'm," muttered Teddy; "it's all very well for you to talk; you didn't have to face old Grimwood as I did."

"Well, it's all over now," put in Frank; "I think Eileen is right."

"I don't," said Nora; "I think Teddy is right. I vote we don't have anything more to do with him."

But Eileen held her ground.

"I don't believe mother would have liked us to be disagreeable to him," she said in a soft little voice; "she was so gentle and kind to everybody."

A subdued look came into Nora's pretty little face, and the crossness died out of Teddy's eyes as by magic.

"Perhaps you are right," he said after a short pause; "it 'was' rather nasty of us to cut him dead as we did."

"Yes," said Nora thoughtfully; "I fancy you 'are' right after all, Eileen."

"I'm sure she is," decided Frank; "now the next thing we've got to do is to make it up with him."

To this they presently all agreed. The golden thread of influence was shining brighter than they knew.

Little did the four children think under what circumstances they were next to meet Dick Woodbridge.

Their conversation, which was taking place in the hall shortly after breakfast, was here interrupted by Mrs. Weston.

"Boys," said she, "Mike Dennis is at the side door, and he wants to know whether you would like a ride on his pony."

"Rather!" said Teddy. "What say you, Frank?"

"Rather!" echoed Frank delightedly.

Mike Dennis was the son of a farmer who lived near by, and he and the Bannister boys and girls were capital friends. He had several times before lent them his pony. In a few seconds, the four children were interviewing Mike at the side door.

"Joey's a bit fresh this morning, Teddy, old chap," said Mike after a little chat; "so don't touch him with a whip."

Teddy promised both for himself and Frank.

And presently Mike, after a few further instructions, went into the village.

In half an hour's time Joey the pony was brought round to the front door by one of the farm lads. By nature he was gentle as a lamb, and Mrs. Weston watched her four young charges depart without a single qualm as to any harm coming to them.

Teddy was the first to mount when they reached the meadow close by. "As he's a bit fresh," he said, "perhaps it is as well that I should work off some of his friskiness." Which he did, to his great enjoyment.

Afterwards came Frank's turn, and Joey proved as good as gold, trotting or cantering round the field at his rider's will.

Then Nora declared that she meant to have a ride. And as she was fairly at home in Joey's saddle, having ridden him several times, the boys agreed to let her have her way. And Eileen, bidding her be very careful, helped her to mount.

[Illustration: THE PONY WAS MAKING STRAIGHT FOR THE LEVEL CROSSING.]

All went well until the little girl drew near the gate which opened on to the road. Here two young urchins were watching her with interest. As she passed, one of the boys gave a loud shout.

"Hip, hip, hooray!" he yelled. "There's a fine circus-rider for you!"

"Hip, hip, hooray!" cried the other.

The sudden noise startled Joey so much, that he perked up his ears and took a rush forward. Had not Nora been sitting pretty firmly, she must have been thrown.

"Stop, Joey, stop!" she panted. But her words were spoken in vain.

Joey galloped on and on, to the dismay of all the onlookers, the culprits included. Nora herself was thoroughly frightened.

"Sit tight!" shouted Teddy. "He'll quiet down presently."

But Joey did not soon quiet down. Galloping through one meadow, he made his way into the next, the gate of which stood wide open.

Well indeed might Nora now be afraid, for the pony was making straight for the level crossing of the railway. By this time he was beginning to slacken speed as though the race was tiring him out. Nevertheless on and on he went, until he had planted his feet right in the middle of the railway track. Here he stopped trembling as with fear—on the summer air there had fallen the shrill whistle of an oncoming train! Nora sat as one paralysed with fright, powerless to move.

A loud cry rang out from close by.

"Jump off! Can't you hear the train coming!"

It was Dick Woodbridge who shouted the words. He had been rambling aimlessly along by the railway, when he suddenly caught sight of Nora's peril.

He did not wait to see the effect of his words. With rapid strides he dashed on to the metals, and, seizing Joey's bridle, he dragged both pony and rider into safety. A moment or two later the train thundered by.

Nora by this time had dismounted, and was in a flood of hysterical tears.

"Oh, Dick—Dick," she sobbed out the words, "whatever 'should' I have done but for you?"

"That's all right," said Dick awkwardly; "you've nothing to cry about now."

But, all the same, Nora went on crying helplessly. And Dick was thoroughly glad and relieved when presently they were joined by Eileen, Teddy, and Frank.

A few broken sentences from Nora explained what had happened, and Dick was quite abashed at the praise which he received.

Eileen, looking very white at the thought of her sister's narrow escape, could scarcely speak at first for tears.

"Dick, you are simply splendid," she faltered out; "we—we can never thank you enough for what you have done."

"I jolly well wish we could do something for you in return, old chap," here put in Teddy; and the friendliness of his tone went straight to Dick's heart.

It was Frank, however, who hit upon exactly the right words to say.

"We'll be chums after this, won't we?" he said, looking first at Dick and then at Teddy and his sisters, and his words met with general approval.

Thus came about a friendship between Dick and the Bannister family, a friendship which grew by leaps and bounds.