Jack, just as he heard the thudding of hoofs behind him, slipped off over the hind-quarters of Dainty; and then, still gripping the bridle, he pulled her sharply backward, when she overbalanced and came right over on her back, dashing Jack to the ground with her. Before she could scramble to her feet and start off again, Jack saw a number of mounted figures close round him and his horse. Dainty was captured, and some one dismounting ran towards Jack just as he lost consciousness. He soon, however, came to himself to find the regimental doctor feeling for broken limbs, and a newly joined officer, Cornet Leland of his troop, supporting his head. Jack, fearing that he had made but a sorry exhibition of horsemanship, and thinking he might get into trouble for thus bringing his regiment into unpleasant prominence, struggled to his feet, asserting that he was all right. He saw that a Hussar trumpeter had unsaddled Dainty, who now stood quiet enough while the regimental sergeant-major was examining her. ‘Are you able to walk, do you think?’ asked Cornet Leland kindly. ‘I think so, sir,’ replied Jack; and he tried, but his left leg pained him so much that he almost cried out with the pain. He had been thrown on to the hilt of his sword, which had badly bruised his left hip. Sergeant Barrymore came trotting back from the [Illustration: Dragged the little boy right from under the iron-shod hoofs. PAGE 74 ] colonel to see the extent of the damage. The crowd was getting pressing in its attentions; and, with the true military dislike of civilian interference, Jack saying he felt all right, he was assisted again on to Dainty, she having been resaddled. Sergeant Barrymore took the bridle of the now docile animal, and the others mounting and trotting off to their places, Jack and Barrymore made for the camp, the crowd giving the former a spontaneous cheer as they did so. In this fashion they reached the camp, where Jack was at once put to bed and his bruises and contusions medically treated. For many painful hours he lay awake, Will Hodson, Sergeants Linham and Barrymore, and many others dropping in to chat for a few minutes with him. ‘The reason why your horse was so unmanageable was that she had something pricking and scratching her all the while,’ said Sergeant Barrymore; ‘one side is all torn and lacerated just under the saddle-girth. You could not have spurred her there if you had tried. It’s very strange.’ It was very strange, and, as well as his aching head would let him, Jack tried to think the matter out; but at last he fell into a troubled sleep without arriving at any solution of the mystery. CHAPTER XI. JACK RECEIVES VISITORS. Next morning Jack felt much better. He got up, and, being excused from duty, sat outside his tent in the warm autumn sunshine, much interested in the crowd of sight-seers who thronged amongst the tents, talking and laughing and apparently enjoying themselves.