he deep ditches which lined the road.

As the boys gazed at the approaching carriage Mont's heart seemed to
stand still.

"Fellows!" he cried, "there is someone in the phaeton--a lady, I
believe."

"So there is!" gasped Link, in tones of horror. "What shall we do?"

"We must stop them."

With his face whiter than usual, and his lips tightly compressed, our
hero ran down the road.

"He is courting death," said his chum, beneath his breath, "but we may
be of some use."

And both started after their companion.

Mont was running at the top of his speed, for he saw that the occupant
of the carriage was only a young girl, and utterly helpless, and that
every second's delay endangered her life.

On and on he went, until he was within a score of yards of the maddened
steeds.

Then he planted himself firmly in the middle of the road and prepared
for a spring.

Fiercely the ponies dashed onward.

Nearer and nearer they came, until it seemed they must inevitably
trample him beneath their iron-shod hoofs.

But our hero never wavered.

Motionless he crouched there until the end of the pole almost touched
his cheek.

Then he leaped up and caught both the bridles in his strong, nervous
grip.

The ponies, with loud whinnies of rage, tossed up their heads and lifted
him from his feet, but he clung tenaciously to them.

They dragged him along the ground for a few yards, and then their speed
began to slacken.

Link now came up, and the vicious little brutes were brought to a
standstill.

Then Mont, thoroughly exhausted, sank in a heap upon the ground.

As soon as the carriage was stopped in its wild career, a fair and
beautiful girl sprang out.

"Oh, is he very much hurt?" she cried, as she raised her clasped hands
in despair.

Our hero staggered to his feet, and as he gazed on the fairy-like form
and sweet, delicate face his cheeks flushed and his heart beat quickly.

"I am not hurt at all," he said stoutly, although his arms and legs and
every portion of his body ached as though he had been upon the rack.

"How can I thank you?" she exclaimed. "If it had not been for you, I
shudder to think what might have happened. You saved my life."

At this praise our hero blushed more than ever.

"I require no thanks," he said. "I am rewarded enough by knowing I have
been of some service to you, but I think you are scarcely strong enough
to be trusted with such high-spirited animals."

"My father would never ha