ee for many
miles around, with farms dotting one side of the roadway and the other
sloping down gradually toward the distant lake.

"I'm afraid we're going to be a little late, after all," announced Gif,
as he looked at his timepiece. "You'll have to shake it up a bit, old
man," he added to the driver.

"Oh, I'll get you there in time--don't worry," was the ready reply, and
then the driver cracked his whip and sent his horses down the other side
of the hill at a good rate of speed.

About half way down the long hill there was a turn to the right. Here,
on the outer edge of the road, was a gully which the wind of the day
previous had partly filled with snow. Just before this bend was gained,
those in the box-sled heard the toot of an automobile horn.

"Somebody coming up the hill," said Fatty Hendry, who had resumed his
seat beside the driver.

"Confound 'em! and I've got to take the outside of the turn," muttered
the liveryman.

"Better be careful--it's none too wide along here," cautioned the fat
youth.

The driver was already reining in his steeds, but the slope was
considerable, and it was hard to hold them back. The box-sled struck the
rear horses in the flanks, and away they went as fast as ever, crowding
the horses in front and urging them onward also. Then the on-coming
automobile hove in sight, and passed so closely that the driver of the
box-sled had to pull still further over to the edge of the highway.

"Look out where you're going!" yelled Jack.

"I told you to be careful----" commenced Fatty, and then clutched at the
high seat of the box-sled.

There was a wild scream of alarm and a general confusion among all the
young people as the back end of the box-sled slewed around. One corner
went down into the gully, and an instant later the box-sled stood up on
its side, and girls and cadets went floundering forth into the snow.

CHAPTER IX

A MISHAP ON THE ROAD

"Gracious! where are we going?"

"Get off my head, Randy!"

"Say, Spouter, don't sit down on Ruth that way!"

"Hi! stop the horses, somebody!" screamed Fred, and then he leaped up
and clung to the partly overturned box-sled, while Gif and another cadet
did the same.

The driver had sensed the coming of the accident, and when the box-sled
went over to one side, he had leaped to the other. Now he was standing
in the snow with the reins still in his hands and doing his best to
quiet the somewhat frightened steeds, which were pl