or me to do so without running the risk of doing more harm than good."

"Oh, that's all right," replied Jim, as he tried to urge the already
nearly-exhausted horses to still greater exertions.

But Ralph had no idea as to what he meant by "all right." If he meant
that there was no harm in driving at such a mad pace, Ralph was certain
he was wrong, and if he wished to convey the impression that Harnett
would not be angry, the young student was equally certain he was
mistaken.

The sounds made by the pursuers seemed to be dying away in the distance,
as if the pace was too fast for them, and as Dick guided his team
skillfully into the woods, two miles beyond where Bob had disappeared;
Jim gave vent to another yell of triumph.

The moonlighters' property was safe, and it only remained to be seen how
much Harnett was to suffer by the flight.

The now thoroughly maddened horses were dashing along the rough road at
a most reckless pace, and Ralph shuddered at the thought of what the
result might be if they should meet any teams either coming or going.
But, fortunately, it was so late in the night that thus far they had
seen no travelers, and the only hope was that they would be equally
successful until the wild flight was ended.

On and on Jim urged the horses, with no signs of checking their speed,
until finally, when it was no longer possible to hear any sounds from
the rear, Ralph said:

"I don't hear any one behind, and if you do not pull the horses up soon,
you will ruin them, if, indeed, you have not done so already."

As near as Ralph could judge, they were fully ten miles beyond the place
where Bob had left the road, when Jim began to quiet the frightened
animals, and before another mile had been traveled, he had succeeded so
far as to make them sober down to a walk.

Guiding them to one side of the road, where it chanced to be very broad,
Jim brought them to a full stop, and Ralph leaped out to examine them.

The glossy coats of the beautiful animals were wet with perspiration,
and covered with foam until they looked like white horses marked with
small patches of black; their red, dilating nostrils and heaving flanks
told of the effect the mad pace had had upon them, and they looked as if
it would have been impossible for them to have run another mile.

Ralph even believed that they were already exhausted, and that they were
utterly ruined; but Jim treated his fears as childish, being hardly
willing to fol