en
he came to a pool of water, now and then turning out when they met
another team.

Finally they had come back as far as the foot of the hill where the
little bridge was.

"Now I shall soon be home," thought Farmer Hill.

Just then Prince stopped stock still.

"Get-up," said Farmer Hill. Prince did not go. "What is the matter?"
thought Farmer Hill.

He tried to look in front along the road, but could see nothing.

Just then a flash of lightning came and lighted up the country around
for a moment.

[Illustration: "'Why! the bridge is gone!' said Farmer Hill"]

"Why! the bridge is gone!" said Farmer Hill.

Sure enough, the heavy rain had made the creek so high that it had
swept away the little bridge.

"If your eyes had not been better than mine," said he to Prince, "we
should have been thrown into the water."

Then he turned Prince around and went back along the road to the corner
and took another road home.

At last, very late in the evening, they came to the farm.

"I am glad to be at home at last," thought Farmer Hill, as Prince
turned in at the driveway.

Again Prince stopped.

"What is the matter now?" thought Farmer Hill. "Surely, there is no
bridge gone here."

"Get-up," he said to Prince. But Prince did not go ahead; instead he
backed.

It was so dark that Farmer Hill could not see the horse; he could not
see the trees; he could not see the ground.

"Get-up," said Farmer Hill again.

Prince started forward; but this time he turned out and went on the
grass at the side of the driveway.

"I wonder what can be the matter there," said Farmer Hill.

John and mother were waiting for father and came out on the back porch
as they heard the wheels coming.

"We were afraid something had happened to you, it is so late," said
mother.

Then father told them how the bridge was gone and how Prince had
refused to go on.

"But I cannot understand," said he, "why he would not come into the
yard by the driveway."

"I'll go and see," said John.

John took the lantern and went down toward the road.

In a moment he came running back.

"Come here," he called. "That big flash of lightning must have struck
here. There is a great hole in the ground."

All ran to look.

There in the driveway was a deep hole with the gravel and earth and
big stones thrown about in all directions.

"And Prince could see that in the dark!" said father. "Twice he saved
me from harm."

"He has wonderful eyes," sai