The Bobbsey Twins at Snow Lodge | Page 6

the right! Go to the right! I'll see if I can't make the horses go
over to one side."
"All right!" cried Nan, who understood what her brother meant. "Keep
to the right, girls," she called to her frightened chums, "and don't any of
you fall off!"
Those who had been about to roll from their sleds now held on with
firmer clasps. They were close to the runaway team now. Bert was near
to them also, and, while wondering to whom they belonged, and
whether they had injured their driver or anyone else in their mad rush,
he caught up a handful of snow as his sled glided onward.
It was hard work to throw the snow ball at the horses, going down hill
as he was, but Bert managed to do it. He had the good luck to hit one of
the animals with the wad of snow, and this sent the horse over to one
side, its mate following. This was just what Bert wanted, as it gave Nan
and the others more room to coast past them.
And this is just what the girls did. Their sleds whizzed past the
runaways, one sled, on which Hattie Jenson rode, almost grazing a
hoof.
"Now you're safe!" cried Bert. "Keep on to the foot of the hill! You're
all right!"
He gathered up another handful of snow, and threw it at the steeds,
making them swerve more than ever towards the side of the hill. Then
one of the animals slipped and stumbled. This caused them both to
slow up, and Bert, seeing this, left his sled, rolling off, and letting it go
down without him.
Hardly thinking of what he was doing, he ran for the heads of the
horses. Perhaps it was not just wise, for Bert was not very tall, but he

was brave. However, he was not to stop the runaways all alone, for just
then some of the larger boys, who had been rushing down the hill,
came up, and before the horses could start off again several lads had
grasped them by the bridles and were quieting them.
"That was a good idea of yours, Bert Bobbsey," said Frank Miller. "A
fine idea, lo throw snowballs at them. It made them go to one side all
right, and slowed them up."
"I wanted to save the girls," said Bert, who was panting from his little
run.
"Whose team is it?" asked another boy.
"I don't know," answered Bert. "I can't say that I ever saw them before.
There's no one in the sled, anyhow, though it is pretty well loaded with
stuff."
He and the other boys looked into the vehicle. It contained a number of
boxes and bags. Then the boys looked down the hill and saw that the
girls who had been in danger were now safe. Nan and the others were
walking up, dragging their sleds.
The boys then noticed a man half running up the slope. He was waving
his arms in an excited fashion.
"I guess that's the man who owns the horses," said Charley Mason.
There was no doubt of it a few minutes later, when the man came close
enough to make himself heard.
"Are they all right, boys?" he asked. "Are my horses hurt?"
"They don't seem to be," answered Frank.
"That's good. Are my things all right?"
"Everything seems to be here," said Charley Mason, who was standing
beside Bert. "I know who he is now," went on Charley in a low tone to

his chum." He's Mr. James Carford, of Newton."
"He's lame," observed Bert, for the man limped slightly.
"Yes, he was in the war," went on Charley. "He's real rich, too, but
peculiar, they say."
By this time aged Mr. Carford was looking over the team and the sled
and its contents. He seemed weary and out of breath.
"Yes, everything is all right," he said slowly. "I hope no one was hurt
by my runaways, I never knew 'em to do that before. I left 'em outside
the store a minute while I went in to get something, and they must have
taken fright. I hope no one was hurt."
"No, everyone got out of the way in time," said Bert.
"That's good. Who stopped the horses?" the old man asked.
"Bert Bobbsey," answered Frank Miller. "He warned his sister and the
other girls to steer to one side, and then he threw snow at the horses and
made them fall down. Then they slowed up so we could grab 'em."
"Ha! Bert Bobbsey did that, eh?" exclaimed aged Mr. Carford. "So this
is the second time a Bobbsey has mixed up in my family affairs. The
second time," and Mr. Carford looked at Bert in a peculiar manner.
"Did you