lings first, they or the
dangerous brute whose huge hoofs thundered behind them. Ingred, who was
the taller and the stronger of the two, seized Bess by the hand and
literally dragged her along. Together they tumbled over the fence
somehow and rolled down the bank into the safe shelter of some gorse
bushes. For a moment they were afraid the mare would leap after them,
but the height of the rails balked her; apparently she was satisfied
with routing the enemy and returned across the field to her foal. The
girls, with shaking knees, got up and hurried towards the lane where
they had left Miss Strong.

"You've saved my life, Ingred!" gasped Bess, as they went along.

"No, I haven't!" choked Ingred. "At least, it was my fault you ever went
into the field at all. Miss Strong told me to tell you the horse was
savage, and you were such a long way off picking cowslips that I didn't
trouble to go after you. I trusted to Verity telling you."

"Verity ran the other way with Kitty."

"I know. Well, at any rate, it was my fault and I'm ready to take the
blame. Precious row I shall get into with the Snark!"

"Why should we say anything about it?"

"Not say anything?"

"There's really no need. It's over and done with now. I don't want to
get you into a scrape. I vote we just keep it to ourselves."

Ingred paused, with her hand on the gate, and gazed with unaffected
astonishment at her companion.

"Bess Haselford, you're the biggest trump I've ever met! It's only one
girl in a thousand who'd want to cover up a thing like that. Most people
would make _such_ a tale of it, and pose as an injured martyr whom I'd
nearly murdered. I'm sure Francie would, or even Verity."

"You put yourself into danger to come and warn me!"

"Well, it was the least I could do!"

"Let's forget about it then. And don't tell any of the girls, in case
they blab. It would make Miss Strong so nervous, she'd be scared about
our going into any fields for ever afterwards."

"Right-o, I won't tell, but I shan't forget. As I said before, I think
you're the biggest trump on the face of the earth."

"Cuckoo!" rang out Linda's voice from the bank.

"Where are you girls?" shouted Miss Strong from the lane.

"Coming!" called Ingred, as she latched the gate and hurried with Bess
to rejoin the rest of the party.

CHAPTER XVIII

Bess at Home

The Pilgrims, after a glorious tramp down the dale of Beechcombe,
reached Pursborough without further adve