"Oh!" screamed Miss Josephine Smith, as the gallant Chester helped her
mount from the block, "my nervth are tho delicate!"

How different Sarah! She sat Mr. Kerchey's handsome horse like a queen,
holding her head proudly, as he playfully pranced and reared.

"I--I--hope--I hope there is no--ah--danger?" articulated the amateur
farmer, as he reluctantly loosed his hold of the bridle.

Sarah laughed merrily, and boldly struck the animal with her whip. It
made Mr. Kerchey gasp to see him bound and plunge. But she kept her
balance miraculously.

After seeing that every girth was well fastened, and every fair rider
safely mounted, Chester leaped into his own saddle from the turf,
without touching foot to stirrup. But he dismounted again immediately,
smothering his laughter as well as he could.

All the gentlemen were mounted, except Mr. Kerchey.

His horse, excited by seeing his mate, governed by Sarah, dance about
the yard, would not stand still an instant, or come up to the block.
Harry Dustan, laughing at his distress, had cantered gayly away with
Miss Sedley, the "school-ma'am." Only Chester was thoughtful enough to
go to Mr. Kerchey's relief.

The latter, heated, agitated, and wofully perplexed, was beginning to
see that riding horseback was a far more serious affair than he had
imagined. He witnessed the bold riding of his neighbors with dismay.
Galloping was to him a perfect mystery. His courage and ambition had
never gone beyond a gentle trot. The mere thought of dashing off side by
side with Sarah made him dizzy.

"Can't you mount?" asked Chester, soberly, considering the
circumstances.

"No--I--that is--perhaps--on the whole--I'd better not--ah--attempt it."

"Oh, that won't do! What will the girls say?"

"But, you see--it is all--ah--new to me," stammered Mr. Kerchey.

"You'll get into the way of it at once," replied Chester, in an
encouraging tone. "It's as easy as running down hill, or running up--an
account. Now,"--he wheeled the horse to the block,--"put your leg over
the saddle. No! the other leg,--your right one,--unless you want to ride
backwards."

XXVIII.

MR. KERCHEY'S DARING EXPLOIT.

After considerable trouble, Mr. Kerchey was mounted, with his feet thrust
into the stirrups up to the ankles.

Chester, perceiving the smiling faces of the old ladies at the windows
and at the door, watching the performance, was so convulsed with mirth
that he could with difficulty get once mor