124 THE SWAN AND HER CREW, 



as they got into the open roads the leader evinced a strong 

 desire to look about him, and presently his movements grew so 

 erratic that Dick said he was sure he would turn round and 

 \ook at them before long. Frank resented this imputation on 

 his skill in driving by giving the leader a cut with the whip, 

 whereupon he attempted to bolt, and it was as much as Frank 

 could do to hold him in. Then sometimes he would hang back, 

 so that the traces were loose, and the wheeler did all the pulling ; 

 and then he would start forward and nearly break the traces. 

 After this sort of thing had gone on for some two or three 

 miles, the wheeler, which had been going very steadily, began to 

 imitate the bad example of his leader ; and Frank and his com- 

 panions began to wish they had let tandem-driving alone. 



They came to a turnpike gate and, on Frank attempting to 

 pull in the horses in order to pay the toll, he found that they 

 were beyond his control, and after cannoning rather severely 

 against the gate-post, they fairly bolted, and tore away at a great 

 pace along the road, which was fortunately pretty straight and 

 free from vehicles. 



" Sit still," said Frank, " don't jump out, or you will come to 

 grief. As long as there is nothing in the way they shall go as 

 fast as they like. They will get tired of it sooner than I shall." 



Away they went like the wind, the dog-cart bounding over 

 the ruts and small stones in the roadway so that the boys had 

 to hold on as tightly as they could. A large waggon now 

 appeared in sight, and they rapidly came up with it. Frank 

 tried to turn, his horses a little, but they had the bits in 

 their teeth and would not swerve out of their course. The 

 waggoner, seeing the state of affairs, promptly drew his horses 

 and waggon close up to the side of the road in time for the 

 runaways to pass them safely, but the wheels were within an 

 inch of coming into collision. On they went until they came to 

 a rise in the road, and here the horses, seeing that a long hill 

 stretched before them, began to draw in. 



" Now," said Frank, " you have come at this pace so far for 

 your own satisfaction, you shall go to the top of the hill at 

 the same pace for mine." And he lashed them up and made 

 them gallop right to the top of the hill, which was half a mile 

 long, and then they were glad enough to be pulled up. 



" You will have no more trouble with them now, sir," said 

 Mason, and he was right. The horses went as steadily as 



