ly steep pitch. "He might back down."

"Girls," said Betty hastily, "I'm sick of sitting still, so I'm going to
walk up this next hill. Any of you want to come?"

Relieved of his four passengers the horse still hung his head and lifted
each clumsy foot with an effort.

"Oh, Roberta, there's a watering trough up here," called Betty from the
top of the hill. "I'm sure that'll revive him."

By their united efforts they got the "beastie" up to the trough, which
was most inconveniently located on a steep bank beside the road; and
while Betty and Alice kept the back wheels of the trap level, Katherine
unfastened the check-rein. To her horror, as the check dropped the bits
came out of the horse's mouth.

"How funny," said Alice, "just like everything up here. Did you ever see
a harness like that, Betty?" Betty left her post at the hind wheel and
came around to investigate.

"Why he has two bits," she said. "Of course he couldn't go, poor
creature. And see how thirsty he is!"

"Well, he's drunk enough now," said Roberta, "and you'll have to put the
extra bits in again--that is, if you can. He'd trail his nose on the
ground if he wasn't checked."

The "beastie" stood submissively while the bits were replaced and the
check fastened. Then he chewed a handful of clover with avidity and went
on again as dejectedly as ever. Presently they reached a long, level
stretch of road and stopped in the shade of a big pine-tree for a
consultation.

"Do you suppose this is the top?" asked Rachel.

Just then a merry tally-ho party of freshmen, tooting horns and singing,
drew up beside them. "Is this the top of the notch?" asked Betty, waving
her hand to some girls she knew.

"No, it's three miles further on," they called back. "Hurrah for 190-!"

"Well?" said Betty, who felt in no mood for cheering.

"Let's go back to that pretty grove two hills down and tie this apology
for a horse to the fence and spend the rest of the day there," suggested
Katherine.

Everybody agreed to this, and Roberta backed her steed round with a
flourish.

"Now let's each have a gingersnap before we start down," she said. So
the box was opened and passed. Roberta gathered the reins in one hand,
clucked to the horse, and put her gingersnap into her mouth for the
first bite. But she never got it, for without the slightest provocation
the "beastie" gave a sudden spring forward, flopped his long tail over
the reins, and started at a gallop down the road.