known, he never should have touched
her! The blood mounted uncomfortably into her tired face, and made her
conscious of the heat of the day, and of a burning thirst. She must go
on and get to some water somewhere. She could not stand this much
longer.

Carefully securing the bridle over her arm she reached up and took hold
of the saddle, doubtfully at first, and then desperately; tried to reach
the stirrup with one foot, failed and tried again; and then wildly
struggling, jumping, kicking, she vainly sought to climb back to the
saddle. But the pony was not accustomed to such a demonstration at
mounting and he strongly objected. Tossing his head he reared and dashed
off, almost throwing the girl to the ground and frightening her
terribly.

Nevertheless the desperation of her situation gave her strength for a
fresh trial, and she struggled up again, and almost gained her seat,
when the pony began a series of circles which threw her down and made
her dizzy with trying to keep up with him.

Thus they played the desperate game for half an hour more. Twice the
girl lost the bridle and had to get it again by stealthy wiles, and once
she was almost on the point of giving up, so utterly exhausted was she.

But the pony was thirsty too, and he must have decided that the quickest
way to water would be to let her mount; for finally with lifted head he
stood stock still and let her struggle up his side; and at last,
well-nigh falling from sheer weariness, she sat astonished that she had
accomplished it. She was on his back, and she would never dare to get
down again, she thought, until she got somewhere to safety. But now the
animal, his courage renewed by the bite he had taken, started snorting
off at a rapid pace once more, very nearly upsetting his rider at the
start, and almost losing her the bridle once more. She sat trembling,
and gripping bridle and saddle for some time, having enough to do to
keep her seat without trying to direct her bearer, and then she saw
before her a sudden descent, steep but not very long, and at its bottom
a great puddle of dirty water. The pony paused only an instant on the
brink and then began the descent. The girl cried out with fear, but
managed to keep her seat, and the impatient animal was soon ankle deep
in the water drinking long and blissfully.

Hazel sat looking in dismay about her. The water-hole seemed to be
entirely surrounded by steep banks like that they had descended, and
there