of Hazael, sweeping
across the highway; but it would never do to hesitate, and the mare
galloped straight on. The fiery serpents darted angrily at each other,
but the head of the horse glided beneath and the boy caught a hot blast
as he shot by.

"Where is the bridge?" shouted Nellie, who could see nothing, and who
clung more desperately than ever to the supporting arm of her brother.

"It must be close at hand--there it is!"

So it was, indeed, but the fire was ahead of them; the whole structure
was one mass of flames, roaring and crackling with fury.

The scene that followed was a dreadful one: the sight of the
furnace-like structure set the mare wild, and she broke into a dead run
toward the blazing mass of kindling wood, determined to plunge headlong
into it.

Nick Ribsam rose to his feet, and bent back with might and main, but he
might as well have tried to check a runaway locomotive: the mare took
the bit in her teeth and was beyond control.

With a presence of mind which did him credit, Nick wrenched her to one
side, while she was at the height of this mad flight, so that the hub of
the fore wheel struck a tree at the side of the road, checking the
vehicle so abruptly that both traces snapped as if they were ribbons,
and the mare continued her gallop in the direction of the bridge.

The momentum of Nellie threw her violently against the dashboard, while
Nick, before he could let go the reins, was jerked out the carriage,
and, lighting on his feet, ran a dozen steps ere he could check himself
and free his hands from the reins.

He stopped almost on the edge of the creek, and caught one glimpse of
the mare as she bounded out of sight into the smoke and flames, and was
gone forever.

The lad felt a pang of sorrow for the foolish beast, who stood as good a
chance of saving herself as he, had she but used a tithe of common
sense; but there was no time for mourning, and he ran back to the
vehicle, where Nellie was crouching, and crying violently.

"Why, Nellie, I am ashamed of you!" said her brother, reprovingly. "Is
it going to mend matters to sit down and cry?"

"But how can I help it, Nick?" she asked, rubbing her red eyes with her
apron and trying to check herself; "I don't see how you can keep from
crying yourself!"

"I'm glad I ain't such a ninny as you, and when I get home I am going to
tell father and mother."

"You needn't be so smart," said Nellie, beginning to fire up under the
reproof of h