CHAPTER XI

A TIME FOR QUICK THINKING

“What is that, Frank?” cried Ralph, in excitement.

“Sounds like a horse running away!” replied the other.

Ralph saw his comrade’s face turn ashy white. Then he remembered something Frank had said only a short time before.

“Oh! what if it is Lef’s horse!”

Frank only groaned, and shut his teeth hard together. But at the same time he started to run forward. He had only taken half a dozen paces, when something shot around the bend.

“There it is, Frank!” shouted Ralph, ready to do anything in his power to assist his friend, yet hardly knowing just what to attempt first.

He thought of swinging his arms above his head wildly, of waving his hat, as he had read of cowboys doing when they wished to turn runaway steers; but then the river road at this point was narrow, and if the frightened animal ever swerved, it was almost certain to topple over into the water, which was both deep and swift.

“It’s them--Lef and Minnie!”

The white lips of Frank formed these words as he still staggered onward, though there was little need of this. Surely the plunging horse, mad with terror, would reach him before he could take half a dozen breaths.

What could he do to bring the beast to a halt? He saw Lef half standing up and sawing wildly at the lines, dragging the horse’s head from side to side with the energy of his action. But what almost froze the blood in Frank’s veins was the sight of that pitiable, shrinking figure cowering down in the seat just behind.

How well he remembered that bright red dress. He had thought the girl never looked so pretty as the day she first wore that; and he mustered up courage enough to tell her so, too. And now--Frank gulped something down that threatened to choke him, and tried to set his muscles for a mad spring when the runaway horse came up with him.

“Get out of the way! You’ll scare him into the river!” howled the badly-rattled Lef, as he continued to saw away at the lines as if for dear life.

That was just what Frank thought would be the best thing that could happen. As it was, an upset might cost one or both lives, if the occupants of the swaying vehicle were hurled upon the rocks at the side of the road.

Instead of getting out of the way, as Lef seemed to want, he stood as if rooted there. He even did more, for he snatched off his hat and waved it in order to make the horse sheer.

“Stop that, you fool!”

Lef fairly shrieked these words. He evidently thought Frank had taken leave of his senses, and would bring about a disaster. On the contrary, the boy in the road had calculated wisely, and saw that there was a chance of bringing that wild race to a halt without a terrible smash.

It turned out exactly as Frank had figured. The animal, startled at seeing this figure in the middle of the road, with wildly waving arms, and uttering hoarse shouts, jumped to one side.

There was the hill to the right, and hence the only way in which the beast could leave the road was in the direction of the river.

It lay close to the thoroughfare at this point; indeed, passersby had always been in the habit of pulling up right there to admire the magnificent view up and down the romantic looking stream.

[Illustration: HE WAVED HIS HAT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE HORSE SHEER.

_Columbia High on the Diamond._ _Page 108._]

Horse and vehicle shot over the bank, and with a terrific splash vanished in the swirling water. It seemed too bad that necessity compelled the sacrifice of that much admired red dress, Frank thought, but there was no other way.

“They’ll drown! Oh! my, what a splash! Frank, run! run!”

It was folly for Ralph to shout after this fashion, for his companion was on the jump even before the horse had touched the surface of the river. Frank had eyes for only one thing, and that the figure of Minnie.

As he ran he saw the vehicle behind the swimming horse. Lef was hanging to it desperately, as badly frightened a boy as ever lived; for, strange to say, he could not swim a stroke, having a mortal dread of water.

He was trying to yell something, but had swallowed so much of the river that his words were next to unintelligible. But Frank had by now discovered another struggling figure a little back of the vehicle and horse.

“It’s Minnie!” was what his white lips framed as he madly jumped down the bank, tearing off his coat as he went. How he ever managed to free his feet from the low shoes he was wearing, Frank never knew, for he had not the faintest recollection of doing anything of this sort.

Now he was in the river, and swimming with all his power toward that splashing form which, because of the glimpses he had of the bright color, he knew must be the imperiled girl. Her dress seemed to be helping her to keep afloat, though this would only last for a minute or so, when it must become soaked, and serve to drag her down.

The water was very deep at this point. Moreover, the current had a full swing, and swept along rapidly. On the other hand, fortunately, Minnie was only a comparatively few yards away from the shore, so that the boy did not have to cover any great distance before reaching her.

As he swam Frank was shouting hoarsely, his strained eyes fastened upon the object of his intense solicitude.

“Keep it up, Minnie! Fight hard! I’m coming to you! It’s all right!” was the burden of his encouraging cries.

Then he reached her, and began to tow her toward the bank. The girl was almost hysterical with fright, so that Frank was put to it to avoid having her arms wrapped about his neck. Dragging her thus, and all the time trying to soothe her by encouraging words, he gained foot after foot.

“Here! this way, Frank!”

Ralph had waded into the water until it was up to his waist. He also held out a stout stick he had snatched from the ground. And when the fingers of the swimmer closed upon the knob at the end of this friendly club he knew it was over.

In another minute he had emerged from the water, still holding fast to the form of Minnie. But the girl did not faint. Far from it; she was now filled with indignation toward the wretched Lef, who had been drawn out of the river by the horse, and was even then dripping on the low shore. The subdued animal made no effort to continue his mad flight; the cold water had taken all this desire out of him, and he looked about as dejected as his master.

Frank was immediately engaged trying to wring some of the water out of the girl’s skirt, and at the same time seeking to cheer her up, for she was now sobbing hysterically after her recent double fright.

Lef, finding that his horse would stand, now pushed toward the group. His teeth still chattered, more from recent fear than anything else. At the same time he was full of anger toward Frank, who had as usual been on the spot to win the laurels while the husks came his way.

“What did you do that for? The whole thing’s your fault, Frank Allen! Minnie can blame you for her ducking; and you might have cost one of us a life. I believe you did it just to have a chance to play the hero part you’re so fond of!”

So Lef sputtered as he shook his hand in front of Frank’s face.

The stooping boy looked up. There was a smouldering fire in his own eyes, for he believed that only for the cowardly nature of Lef and his inability to manage the horse this thing need not have occurred.

“Look there, _you_!” he said, sternly, pointing down the road.

Lef, looking, saw a furniture van coming along. It took the entire width of the narrow river road, and was at a spot where cruel rocks abounded on either side.

“You must have met that thing. The horse would have dashed to one side, and the buggy been overturned among those rocks. And you can understand what must have followed. That’s why I made him shy! I knew it was ten times safer for you both to be dragged into the river than thrown out down the road!”

Lef was mute with horror. He realized that this quick-witted boy had sized up the situation in a second, and acted promptly.

After all, there was no damage done save to their ruffled feelings, and Minnie’s lovely red dress. But the girl would not speak to Lef, even when he asked her if she would get into the vehicle again.

“Frank, you’ll walk home with me, won’t you?” she said, turning to him, with the same old glow in her blue eyes.

“Only be too glad; and besides, I think the exercise would be the best thing for you after your ducking. Ta! ta! Lef. The next time you ask a girl to go out riding be sure you take a horse you can manage.”

Lef could not make any reply. He was too full of anger to speak, and turning away he went back to his horse. After the furniture van had passed he jumped in and sped the animal, now tractable enough, down the road. The three pedestrians stepped aside to let him pass; but not a word was said, although Ralph did wave a hand mockingly after him, as if speeding his homeward flight.

“What caused the runaway, Minnie?” asked Frank, as they walked on, after Ralph had secured Frank’s coat and shoes, the warm sunshine and air rapidly drying the water-soaked garments of the party.

“I really hardly know. Something I said must have made Lef angry, for he began to whip the horse unmercifully, although I told him it was cruel. We had turned to come back, you see. Oh! I was so frightened! I’ll never go riding with him again. I only hope my mother will never know,” she said, entreatingly.

“She won’t from me, and I can answer for Ralph here,” said Frank, promptly.

Half an hour later the boys parted from Minnie and turned toward Frank’s house.

“What’s the matter with your arm, Frank?” asked Ralph, who had been noticing that the other kept feeling of it every now and then.

“I’m afraid I bruised it against a rock when I jumped in; and, hang the luck, of course it happens to be my pitching wing. You may have to get in that box to-day, after all, Ralph, and fight for the glory of Old Columbia,” the other said, soberly.