ment confused the boy. There were two
long lines of vehicles, mostly great trucks and drays, going up and
down, for West street is on the water front, adjoining the docks where
the steamships come in, and the wagons cart goods to and from them.

Then there was a big throng of people, hurrying to and from the
ferries, several of which came in close together. The people all
seemed in a rush, a trait, which Roy was soon to discover, affected
nearly every one in New York. He saw policemen standing on the
crossings, and, whenever the officer held up his hand, the travel of
the vehicles stopped as if by magic, leaving a lane for pedestrians to
cross.

"He's got them pretty well trained," observed Roy.

"Yes, he belongs to the traffic squad. Any driver who refused to do as
the officer says, will be arrested. But come on. I want to take you
to your hotel."

Trying to see everything at once, Roy followed his new friend.
Suddenly, as he was in the midst of a press of wagons, men and women,
in the middle of the street, he heard a cry:

"Runaway! Runaway! Horse is coming! Look out!"

Instantly the policeman began shoving people to one side, to get them
out of the path of the runaway. Truck drivers began pulling their
steeds to either curb. Roy looked down the street and saw a horse,
attached to a cab, coming on at a gallop. Thanks to the prompt action
of other drivers the runaway had a clear field.

"Look out!" shouted the officer. "Hey there, young man!" to Roy. "Git
out of the street!"

But Roy had other intentions. He handed his valise to De Royster, who
was vainly pulling him by the arm.

"Come on out of here!" cried De Royster. "You'll get run over."

"Take my satchel," said Roy.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stop that horse!"

"You'll be killed!"

"Say, I guess I know how to handle horses. It won't be the first one
I've caught!"

Mortimer De Royster, giving one more look at the maddened animal, which
was now close at hand, made a leap for the sidewalk. Roy looked up,
gauged the distance, and, to his horror saw that the cab contained a
lady and a little girl. There was no driver on the seat.

"Look out! You'll be killed!" shouted several in the crowd.

"The boy's crazy!" muttered the policeman He took a step forward, as if
to drag Roy out of the way.

The next instant the boy had made a leap, just as the horse reached
him. It was a leap to one side, but not to get out