Paul’s glance wandered from one girl to the other. Peg’s face was pale and set. She was the youngest of the party, tall for her age, but slight in body and of a highly nervous and sensitive temperament. Asa’s taunting jeers disturbed her but little, but Adelina’s smooth superior tone stung her like the lash of a whip. Her pale face flushed a bright red.
“I’m not afraid, and I can do it if I want to,” she said with quick defiance.
“Go it then! Let’s see you!” cried Asa.
“Don’t you do it, Peg, if you don’t want to,” said Paul quietly. “Never mind him!”
“Here, young feller, you keep y’re mouth shut,” said Asa truculently, rushing his broncho at Paul.
“I’m going to do it,” said Peg, as Paul swerved his pinto out of Asa’s way.
“Don’t try it, Peg,” said Adelina’s smooth voice. “You know old Tubby’s pretty slow, an’ she might fall in.” The insult was more than Peg could bear, to whom Tubby was a friend greatly beloved.
“I’m going, Paul,” said Peg, between her shut teeth.
“All right, Peg, I’ll go with you. Come on, we’ll take it together.” As he spoke they took their ponies back and went at the jump full gallop.
“Hai-yai!” yelled Asa, as, thundering down on them from behind, he put his broncho between the ponies. Whether it was the sudden yell that caused poor old Tubby to lose her stride, or whether it was the sudden rush of the broncho’s feet behind her that made Peg lose her nerve, as Tubby rose for the leap Peg pulled hard and next instant Tubby was floundering in the swift running water and Peg floating down toward the pool.