ehow, between the involuntary contraction of his
flexor muscles from pain and the glancing of my stick, his foot slipped
from the stirrup. This, as I had learned from my instructor, was a great
point gained, and in an instant I had him by the ankle and by the top of
his jack-boot, doubling his leg, at the same time heaving mightily
upward.

As I gave my whole strength to the effort I was dimly aware of screams
and panic among the nursery--maids and children who were but a moment
before my fellow-spectators. At the same time I caught the flash of the
Guardsman's sabre as he cut down at me after the fashion prescribed in
the broadsword exercise. Fortune, however, did not desert me. My
antagonist had not enough elbow-room, and his sword-point was shivered
against the stone arch overhead, the blade descending flatways and
harmlessly upon my well-protected shoulder just as, with a final effort,
I tumbled him out his saddle.

The recollection of the ludicrous figure which that Guardsman cut haunts
me still. His pipeclayed gloves clutched wildly at holster and cantle as
he went over. Down came the gleaming helmet crashing upon the pavement,
and with a calamitous rattle and bang the whole complicated structure of
corselet, scabbard, carbine, cross-belts, spurs and boots went into the
inside corner of the archway, a helpless heap.

That started the horse. The noble animal had stood my assault as
steadily as if he had been cast in bronze, but precisely such an
emergency as this had never been contemplated in his training, as it had
not in that of his master, and he now started forward rather wildly. I
had my hand on the bridle before he had moved a foot, and swung myself
half over his back as he dashed across the sidewalk and up Whitehall.
The Guards' saddles are very easy when once you are in them, and I had
reason, temporarily at least, to approve the English style of riding
with short stirrups, for I readily found my seat, and ascertained that I
could touch bottom with my toes. As I left the scene of my victory
behind me I heard the guards turning out, and caught a glimpse as of all
London running in my direction, but by the time that I had secured the
control of my horse I had distanced the crowd, and as we entered the
Strand we attracted comparatively little notice. In driving, the English
turn out to the left instead of to the right, as is the custom here, and
I was obliged to cross the westward-bound line of vehicles bef