It snorted and puffed and rattled and skidded; but above all, it went!

There is no use attempting a record of my impressions during that first
half mile--in fact, I am not aware that I had any. But after a time I drew
nearer to Hawkins, and at last came within thirty feet of the galloping
Maud.

Hawkins' face was white and set, he bounced painfully up and down, risking
his neck at every bounce, but one hand kept a death-like grip on the lever
of the horse-brake.

"Jump!" I screamed. "Throw yourself off!"

Hawkins regarded me with much the expression the early Christians must
have worn when conducted into the arena.

"No," he shouted. "It's"--bump--"it's all right. It'll"--bump--"work in
a minute."

"No, it won't! Jump, for Heaven's sake, jump!"

I think that Hawkins had framed a reply, but just then a particularly hard
bump appeared to knock the breath out of his body. He took a better grip
on the bridle and said no more.

I hardly knew what to do. Every minute brought us nearer to the town,
where traffic is rather heavy all day.

Up to now we had had a clear track, but in another five minutes a