ll and landed on her feet, laughing.

"Here it is, Colonel Witham," said she, rolling it back to where he
stood. "Let's see you ride it."

Colonel Witham, grasping one of the handle-bars, eyed the velocipede
almost longingly.

"No," he said. "I'm too old and stout now. Guess my riding days are
over. But I used to make it go once, I tell you."

"Go ahead, get on. You can ride it," urged Tim Reardon. "It won't
break."

"Oh no, it will hold me, all right," said Colonel Witham. "We didn't
have any busted tires in our day. Good iron rim there that'll last for
ever."

"Just try it a little way," said Bess Thornton.

"I never saw anybody ride that had won medals," said Tim Reardon.

Colonel Witham's pride was rapidly getting the better of his discretion.

"Oh, I can ride it," he said, "only it's--it's kind of hot to try it.
Makes me feel sort of like a boy, though, to get hold of the thing."

The colonel lifted a fat leg over the backbone and put a ponderous foot
on one pedal, while the drops of perspiration began to stand out on his
forehead.

"Get out of the way," he shouted. "I'll just show you how it
goes--hanged if I don't."

The colonel had actually gotten under way.

Little Tim Reardon doubled up with mirth, and rolled over on the grass.

"Looks just like the elephant at the circus," he cried.

"Sh-h-h, he'll hear you," whispered Bess Thornton.

Colonel Witham was certainly doing himself proud. A new thrill of life
went through him. He thought of those races and the medals. It was an
unfortunate recollection, for it instilled new ambitions within him. He
had ridden up the road a few rods, had made a wide turn and started
back; and now, as he neared the hotel once more, his evil genius
inspired him to show the two how nicely he could make a shorter turn.

He did it a little too quickly; the wheel lurched, and Colonel Witham
felt he was falling. He twisted in the saddle, gave another sharp yank
upon the handle-bars--and lost control of the wheel. A most unfortunate
moment for such a mishap; for now, as the wheel righted, it swerved to
one side and, with increased speed, ran upon the board walk that led
down to the boat-landing.

The walk descended at quite a decided incline to the water's edge. It
was raised on posts above the level of the ground, so that a fall from
it would mean serious injury. There was naught for the luckless colonel
to do but sit, helpless, in the saddle and let the wheel take i