Herbert then led Capitola out and placed her upon her own pony, Gyp, which, to her unbounded astonishment, she found there in charge of Wool, who was also mounted upon his own hack.
Herbert Greyson threw himself into the saddle of a third horse, and the three took the road to Hurricane Hall.
"And now," said Capitola, as Herbert rode up to her side, "for mercy sake tell me, before I go crazy with conjecture, how it happened that you dropped down from the sky at the very moment and on the very spot where you were needed? and where did you light upon Wool and the horses?"
"It is very simple when you come to understand it," said Herbert, smiling. "In the first place, you know, I graduated at the last commencement."
"Yes."
"Well, I have just received a lieutenant's commission in a regiment that is ordered to join General Scott in Mexico."
"Oh, Herbert, that is news, and I don't know whether to be in despair or in ecstasy!" said Cap, ready to laugh or cry, as a feather's weight might tip the scales in which she balanced Herbert's new honors with his approaching perils.
"If there's any doubt about it, I decidedly recommend the latter emotion," said Herbert, laughing.
"When do you go?" inquired Cap.
"Our regiment embarks from Baltimore on the first of next month. Meanwhile I got leave of absence to come and spend a week with my friends at home!"