ground also. The coach passed over them in a moment, as the
horses cantered on.

All this passed in an instant, and Marco, before he had a moment's
time for reflection, found himself alone on his seat,--the driver run
over and perhaps killed, and the horses cantering away, with the reins
dangling about their heels. The first impulse, in such a case, would
be to scream aloud, in terror,--which would have only made the horses
run the faster. But Marco was not very easily frightened; at least,
he was not easily made crazy by fright. So he did not scream; and not
knowing what else to do, he sat still and did nothing.

[Illustration: THE ACCIDENT.]

In the mean time, the passengers inside knew nothing of all this. Many
of them had been asleep when they came over the bridge. The jolt had
aroused them a little, but there was nothing to indicate to them
the accident which had occurred forward, so they quietly adjusted
themselves in their seats, and endeavored to compose themselves to
sleep again.

The horses were well trained and gentle. They cantered on as far as
the level ground extended, and then they slackened their pace as
they began to rise the ascent. The idea then occurred to Marco, that
perhaps he might clamber down over the fender to the pole, and then
walk along upon that a little way till he could gather up the reins.
Then he thought that if he could get back again with them to the
driver's seat, perhaps he could stop the horses. Marco was an expert
climber. He had learned this art in his gymnasium at New York; so that
he had no fears in respect to his being able to get down and back
again. The only danger was, lest he might frighten the horses again
and set them to running anew.

After a moment's reflection, he concluded that at any rate he would
try it; so he cautiously stepped over the fender and clambered down.
When his feet reached the pole, he rested them a moment upon it, and
clung with his hands to the fender and other parts of the front of the
coach. He found his position here more unstable than he had expected;
for the coach being upon springs, the forward part rose and fell with
many jerks and surges, as the horses traveled swiftly along, while the
pole was held in its position straight and firm. Thus the different
parts of his body were connected with different systems of motion,
which made his position very uncomfortable.

He found, however, after a moment's pause, that he could stand, and
prob