ed, with no cap, came tearing out of the weighing room and
across the paddock to where Bandmaster stood.

"By all that's wonderful, it's Alan!" exclaimed Duncan Fraser.

"Yes, yes!" said Eve, and felt on the verge of fainting. She could
hardly believe her eyes. It was Alan sure enough, marvelous. How had
he got there? She quivered with the tumult of her feelings. The
surprise was too much for her, the exquisite joy of seeing him again
overcame her.

Alan shook hands hurriedly with Will Kerridge.

"Sorry to take the mount from you, Will," he said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Captain; I'm right glad you came in time," was the
reply.

Alan mounted and rode Bandmaster on to the course.

"Who is the rider in khaki?" asked a well-known man.

"Blest if I know. He's riding Bandmaster too." He turned to look at
the board.

"Well, of all the wonderful things!" he exclaimed. "It's Captain
Chesney, the owner; he must have just arrived from the front in time."

CHAPTER XXVII

THE STEEPLECHASE

Alan was recognized by scores of people, deafening cheers greeted his
appearance on Bandmaster. He walked the horse past the stand and saw
Eve and her friends. Stopping for a moment he waved his hand. There
was a flutter of handkerchiefs in response. Eve was a proud woman.
Her hero, everybody's hero, was there sitting his horse well, eager for
the fray, ready to show how he could ride.

The horses were at the post as he cantered down. The starter wondered
why the favorite was late. He could not let them go without him.

The riders looked at the khaki-clad horseman and some of them
recognizing him cheered wildly.

"It's Captain Chesney," said Dan Rowton, rider of Handy Man.

When he came up there was a general cheer and many of them expressed
pleasure that he was riding. There was no time to talk. Alan smiled
his thanks and took his place in the center. In a minute or two they
were off, Frosty going away with the lead.

Alan's feelings can be imagined. He was excited, small wonder at it.
He thought how wonderful that he was there in Trent Park, riding in the
steeplechase.

The tension of the motor ride against time strung him to the highest
possible pitch and he had not quite recovered from his wounds.

How glorious it was to be on Bandmaster! How much had happened since
the horse won the Hunt Cup! Many startling events had crowded one
another in rapid succession.

Bandmaster moved well. A