The Rover Boys out West | Page 5

rear. For an instant the stick
held, then it snapped, and the wheel went around as before.
The bridge was now less than two hundred feet away, and whatever
was to be accomplished must be done quickly. At last Dick had the
reins, and he began to pull upon them with all of his strength, at the
same time calling upon Tom to hold him to the seat.
"To the right -- turn 'em to the right!" sang out Sam, as he saw a narrow
opening between the rocks.
"Yes, the right!" added Fred Garrison. "It is our only hope!"
Dick did as requested, and at the last instant the heavy stage swung
around. There was a grinding and a splitting of wood as the front
wheels met the rocks and went to pieces, and then Dick came down on
the horses, with Tom on top of him -- and the elder Rover knew no
more.
"Dick's hurt!" gasped Sam, as he scrambled out of the side window of
the turnout. "Don't let the horses kick him."
For the runaway team were struggling wildly, amid the rocks and the
wreck of the harness. But Tom was already up, and he and Larry Colby
dragged Dick to a place of safety. In the meantime some of the other
cadets who were used to managing horseflesh took care of the team and
led them away and tied them fast to a tree.
"Dick, Dick! are you badly hurt?" The question came from Tom, as he
gazed anxiously into his brother's face. There was a nasty cut on the left
check from which the blood was flowing.
Dick did not answer, and Tom asked somebody to run down to the
stream for some water. When this was brought he and Sam bathed
Dick's face, and presently the latter opened his eyes and stared around
him in bewilderment.

"A touchdown -- I claim --" he began, and then stopped. "Wha - what
has happened?" he stammered. "Oh, I remember now!" And he feel
back again.
"He thinks he's still in the football game," whispered Harry Blossom.
"Oh, but he's a plucky one."
All of the other lads had been severely shaken up, but nobody had been
hurt excepting Frank, as before mentioned. Soon he came limping up,
followed by Peleg Snuggers.
"I missed it by jumping," he observed ruefully. "Hullo, is Dick knocked
out?"
"So ye stopped 'em, eh?" cried the general utility man. "It was prime
plucky to do it, so it was! Poor Dick, hope he ain't bad."
By this time Dick was opening his eyes once more, and this time he
kept them open.
"I -- I -- that was a nasty tumble, wasn't it?" he muttered. "I'm glad I
didn't go under the horses' feet."
"How do you feel?"
"I guess I had the wind knocked out of me, that's all." He tried to get up,
but his legs refused to support him. "I'll have to keep quiet awhile."
"Yes, don't you move," said Sam. "We can't get across the stream
anyway, now the bridge is down. We'll have to go around to the other
bridge."
"It's queer the workmen didn't put up some sort of a sign as a warning,"
said Fred Garrison. "I believe they can be held liable for this disaster."
"To be sure they can be held liable," burst out Peleg Snuggers.
"But a sign wouldn't have kept the brake from breaking," said Tom.

"True, lad, but ye must remember that it was their duty to put the sign
up at the beginning of this road, which is on the top of the hill. If the
sign had been there we would never have started to come down this
way."
"Perhaps we missed the sign," put in another cadet.
"Of dot is so, ve besser run pack und stop udder carriages from comin'
dis vay," broke in Hans Mueller quickly. "Listen to dot!"
They all listened, and heard merry cries of laughter and carriage wheels
rapidly approaching.
"A carriage--with ladies!" gasped Sam. "Come on and stop them!" And
away he, dusted up the hill, as well as his short legs would carry him.
Hans, Larry, and several others followed. They had barely gained the
top of the hill when a large carryall belonging to John Laning appeared.
In the carryall were the farmer and his two charming daughters, and,
Mrs. Stanhope, who was his sister-in-law, and her daughter Dora. Mrs.
Laning was also present, along with several neighbors.
"Hi, whoa! stop!" yelled Sam. "Stop!"
"Hurrah for Putnam Hall!" cried Grace Laning, waving a tiny flag
toward Sam, which made the younger Rover blush.
"Glad to be able to congratulate you, Sam!" said Dora Stanhope.
"Where are the other members of the football team?"
"Just ahead -- down by