lines, and otherwise objected to such conduct, and the unfortunate
animal did its best to comply with the orders, which were now being
flung at him, not only from the driver but from the girls in the
wagon.

"Oh, hold them!" pleaded Nita.

"Let them run," suggested Tavia. "It will be over sooner!"

"Mercy!" exclaimed Dorothy, "there's a river!"

This remark was followed by a most significant pause. Evidently even
Tavia saw the danger now.

And the old horses were frightened as well, for they backed, side
stepped, and made every possible effort to avoid having the wagon, and
its precious load, overturned into the deep river at the very side of
the roadway.

"Don't yell so!" called Dorothy to the driver. "That won't help any
and it hurts our ears."

"Is there no brake?" wailed Nita.

"There is likely to be one soon," Tavia assured her.

The girls were becoming more and more alarmed, and only Tavia kept up
the jesting. The hill was very steep, the river fairly curled around
it, and the horses grew more nervous each moment, under the strain
that was being put upon them.