They quickly mounted their wheels and turned on the power, but Bob's wheel failed to respond. With a cry of dismay he got off, shouting to Jack, who was already some distance away.
"Something's wrong with my wheel; go after her."
But Jack was out of hearing and without looking back, he faced after the runaway, which was dashing down the road in a cloud of dust. He knew that about a mile farther on, there was a very steep hill, at the foot of which ran a wide brook, and here the road made a sharp turn before it led over a narrow bridge. The bridge was a high one, as the stream ran through a deep gully, and unless the turn was made safely, he knew that horse and carriage would be dashed over a stone abutment to the stream, several feet below, as there was only a very flimsy fence by the roadside at this point. All this ran through Jack's mind as he raced along, and he realized that if he was to do any good he must catch the team before it reached the top of this hill. Turning on still more power, he was soon almost flying along the road, and in a short time was alongside the carriage.
As he passed it, he stood up in the saddle, leaning forward, his hands still grasping the handle grips. He was now opposite the horse's head, and quickly shutting off the power, he straightened up, stood on the saddle, and leaped with all his might for the head of the maddened brute. His leap was true and he caught the bridle near the bit with both hands and hanging on with a bull-dog grip, gradually brought the horse to a stop right on the brow of the hill.
"I—I guess you had better get out now," he gasped, still holding the horse by the bridle.
The girl, who was about fifteen and very pretty, obeyed.
"Oh, Jack," she cried, as she got on to the ground, "I never was so scared in my life, and you have saved me. If Prince had gone down that awful hill I'd have been killed sure."
"I guess it's more than likely, Evelyn, but how did it happen?"
"Why, just before I got to that turn in the road, where you were, Prince shied at a piece of paper that blew across the road, and I yanked on the reins. One of them broke and, of course, after that I had no control of him, and I didn't know what to do. I set out to jump, but he was going so fast that I didn't dare to."
By this time, Bob had ridden up, having located the trouble with his wheel, which was only a wire that had slipped from a connection.