A RIDE WITH A MAD HORSE IN A CAR. 223 



" My arrangements for transporting her had been 

 made by a friend the day before. A large, roomy 

 car had been secured, its floor strewn with bright, 

 clean straw, a bucket, and a bag of oats provided, 

 and everything done for her comfort. The car was 

 to be attached to the through express, in consider- 

 ation of fifty dollars extra, which I gladly paid, be- 

 cause of the greater rapidity with which it enabled 

 me to make my journey. As the brigade broke 

 up into groups, I glanced at my watch and saw 

 that I had barely time to reach the cars before 

 they started. I shook the reins upon her neck, 

 and with a plunge, startled at the energy of my 

 signal, away she flew. What a stride she had ! 

 What an elastic spring ! She touched and left the 

 earth as if her limbs were of spiral wire. When 

 I reached the car my friend was standing in front 

 of it, the gang-plank was ready, I leaped from the 

 saddle, and, running up the plank into the car, 

 whistled to her ; and she, timid and hesitating, yet 

 unwilling to be separated from me, crept slowly 

 and cautiously up the steep incline, and stood be- 

 side me. Inside I found a complete suit of flan- 

 nel clothes, with a blanket, and, better than all, a 

 lunch-basket. My friend explained that he had 

 bought the clothes as he came down to the depot, 

 thinking, as he said, ' that they would be much 

 better than your regimentals,' and suggested that I 

 doff the one and don the other. To this I assented 



