k, for the bouncing and bumping
jerked the words out of her mouth with ludicrous incoherency.

"I am holding him, but he _will_ go," said Toady, with a wicked
triumph in his eye as he glanced back at Polly.

The next minute the words were quite true; for, as he spoke, two or
three distracted hens flew squalling over the wall and scattered
about, under, over, and before the horse, as only distracted hens
could do. It was too much for Bob's nerves; and, taking matters into
his own hands, or feet, rather, he broke into a run, and rattled the
old lady over the stones with a velocity which left her speechless.

Polly laughed, and Toady chuckled, as they caught glimpses of the
awful bonnet vibrating wildly in the background, and felt the frantic
clutchings of the old lady's hands. But both grew sober as a shrill
car-whistle sounded not far off; and Bob, as if possessed by an
evil spirit, turned suddenly into the road that led to the railroad
crossing.

"That will do, Toady; now pull up, for we can't get over in time,"
said Polly, glancing anxiously toward the rapidly approaching puffs of
white smoke.

"I can't, Polly,--I really can't," cried the boy, tugging with all his
might, and beginning to look scared.

Polly lent her aid; but Bob scarcely seemed to feel it, for he had
been a racer once, and when his blood was up he was hard to handle.
His own good sense might have checked him, if Aunt Kipp hadn't
unfortunately recovered her voice at this crisis, and uttered a
succession of the shrillest screams that ever saluted mortal ears.
With a snort and a bound Bob dashed straight on toward the crossing,
as the train appeared round the bend.

"Let me out! Let me out! Jump! Jump!" shrieked Aunt Kipp, thrusting
her head out of the window, while she fumbled madly for the
door-handle.

"O Toady, save us! save us!" gasped Polly, losing her presence of
mind, and dropping the reins to cling to her brother, with a woman's
instinctive faith in the stronger sex.

But Toady held on manfully, though his arms were nearly pulled off,
for "Never say die," was his motto, and the plucky little lad wouldn't
show fear before the women.

"Don't howl; we'll do it! Hi, Bob!" and with a savage slash of the
whip, an exciting cry, a terrible reeling and rattling, they _did_ do
it; for Bob cleared the track at a breakneck pace, just in time for
the train to sweep swiftly by behind them.

Aunt Kipp dropped in a heap, Polly looked up at her bro