Follow My Leader | Page 7

very little comfort in it.
So among them they unharnessed the mare and managed to disengage her from the vehicle and get her to her feet.
"She's all sound," said the man, after a careful overhauling.
"She's a cad," said Dick, "and I shouldn't have been sorry if she'd broken her neck. Look at the smash she's made."
The trap was indeed far worse damaged than they supposed as first. Not only was a shaft broken, but a wheel was off, and the rail all along one side was torn away. It was clear there was no more driving to be got out of it that afternoon, and the boys gave up the attempt to raise it in disgust.
"Do you know Tom, our man--Ashford's man?" said Dick.
"Who? Tom Tranter? Yes, I knows him."
"Well, you'll meet him on the road between here and Markridge, walking, or perhaps running. Tell him we've had a spill and he'd better see after the trap, will you? We'll go on."
"What about the horse, though?" said Heathcote.
"I suppose we shall have to take the beast along with us. We can't leave her here."
"I think we'd better stop till Tom comes, and all go on together," suggested Heathcote.
"I suppose you funk it with Ashford," said Dick whose temper was somewhat ruffled by misfortune. "I don't. If you two like to stop you can. I'll go on with the mare."
"Oh, no, we'll all come," said Heathcote. "I'm not afraid, no more is Coote."
"All serene then, come on. Mind you tell Tom, I say," added he to the carter. "Good-bye, and thanks awfully."
And they departed in doleful procession, Dick, with the whip in his hand, leading the mare by the mouth, and Heathcote and Coote following like chief mourners, just out of range of the animal's heels.
"What shall we say to Ashford?" asked Heathcote, after a little.
"Say? What do you mean?" said Dick.
"He's sure to ask us what has happened."
"Well, we shall tell him, I suppose."
"There'll be an awful row."
"Of course there will."
"We shall get licked."
"Of course we shall. What of it?"
"Only," said Heathcote, with a little hesitation, "I suppose there's no way of getting out of it?"
"Not unless you tell lies. You and Coote can tell some if you like--I shan't."
"I'm not going to tell any," said Coote, "I've told quite enough in my exam. papers."
"Oh, of course, I don't mean telling crams," said Heathcote, who really didn't exactly know what he did mean. "I'll back you up, old man."
"Thanks. I say, as we are in a row, mightn't we just as well take it out of this beastly horse? If Coote led him you and I could take cock shots at him from behind."
"Oh, yes," said Coote, "and hit me by mistake; not if I know it."
"We might aim at Coote," suggested Heathcote, by way of solving the difficulty, "and hit the mare by mistake."
"Perhaps it would be rather low," said Dick. "I don't see, though, why she shouldn't carry us. She's a long back; plenty of room for all three of us."
"The middle for me," said Coote.
"Think she'd kick up?" asked Heathcote.
"Not she, she couldn't lift with all of us on her. Come on. Whoa! you beast. Give us a leg up, somebody. Whoa! Hold her head, Coote, and keep her from going round and round. Now then. By Jove! what a way up it is!"
By a mighty effort of combined hoisting and climbing, the boys, one after the other, scaled the lofty ridge, and perched themselves, as securely as they could, well forward on the mare's long back.
Luckily for them, the patient animal endured her burden meekly, and plodded on in a listless manner, pricking her ears occasionally at the riot which went on on her back, and once or twice rattling the bones of her riders by a mild attempt at a trot, but otherwise showing no signs of renewing her former more energetic protest.
In this manner, after a weary and not altogether refreshing journey, the three jaded, tightly-packed heroes came to a standstill at the door of Mountjoy House, where, one after the other, they slid sadly from their perches, and addressed themselves to the satisfying of Mrs Ashford's natural curiosity, only hoping the interview would not be protracted, and so defer for long the supper to which they all eagerly looked forward.
"Why, what's all this?" said the matron.
"Where's the waggonette, and Tom?" chimed in Mr Ashford, appearing at the same moment.
"Please, sir," said Dick, "we didn't wait for Tom, and drove home, and there was a little accident. I was driving at the time, sir. We got spilt, and the trap was a little damaged. We left word for Tom to see to it, and I'll write and get my father to pay for mending it. We're all awfully sorry, sir. Dr Winter sends his regards,