"Isn't it simply glorious?" breathed Hazel.

"It is too wonderful for words," agreed Harriet.

Miss Elting nodded, smiling happily at the enthusiasm of the girls. The
wagon was following an old logging road. Small bushes grew up in the
middle of the road. The wheels sank down into deep ruts that had been cut
by the tires of the heavy logging wagons, but in general the way was free
of obstructions, though the bushes in the road tickled the hide of the
young horse until he began to prance from one side of the road to the
other in an effort to avoid them. Harriet wanted to suggest to Jasper that
he use both hands to drive, but she did not quite like to do so. He
undoubtedly would resent her interference, nor could she blame him for
doing so.

"Jasper, are you sure the horse is perfectly safe?" questioned Miss Elting
apprehensively.

"Hasn't been doing nothing for nigh onto a week. Jest feels his oats,
that's all."

Harriet was not fully satisfied with the explanation, though the others
appeared to be. Harriet watched the animal now even more closely than she
had done before.

"Gid-ap!" commanded Jasper, giving the horse an unexpected slap with the
reins after a particularly quick swerve to one side of the road on the
animal's part. The horse cleared the road with a single leap sideways. He
had been pricked by the sharp top of a bush at the instant the reins were