The bridge was now less than two hundred feet away, and whatever was to be accomplished must be done quickly. At last Dick had the reins, and he began to pull upon them with all of his strength, at the same time calling upon Tom to hold him to the seat. "To the right--turn 'em to the right!" sang out Sam, as he saw a narrow opening between the rocks. "Yes, the right!" added Fred Garrison. "It is our only hope!" Dick did as requested, and at the last instant the heavy stage swung around. There was a grinding and a splitting of wood as the front wheels met the rocks and went to pieces, and then Dick came down on the horses, with Tom on top of him--and the elder Rover knew no more. "Dick's hurt!" gasped Sam, as he scrambled out of the side window of the turnout. "Don't let the horses kick him." For the runaway team were struggling wildly, amid the rocks and the wreck of the harness. But Tom was already up, and he and Larry Colby dragged Dick to a place of safety. In the meantime some of the other cadets who were used to managing horseflesh took care of the team and led them away and tied them fast to a tree. "Dick, Dick! are you badly hurt?" The question came from Tom, as he gazed anxiously into his brother's face. There was a nasty cut on the left check from which the blood was flowing. Dick did not answer, and Tom asked somebody to run down to the stream for some water. When this was brought he and Sam bathed Dick's face, and presently the latter opened his eyes and stared around him in bewilderment. "A touchdown--I claim--" he began, and then stopped. "Wha--what has happened?" he stammered. "Oh, I remember now!" And he feel back again. "He thinks he's still in the football game," whispered Harry Blossom. "Oh, but he's a plucky one." All of the other lads had been severely shaken up, but nobody had been hurt excepting Frank, as before mentioned. Soon he came limping up, followed by Peleg Snuggers. "I missed it by jumping," he observed ruefully. "Hullo, is Dick knocked out?" "So ye stopped 'em, eh?" cried the general utility man. "It was prime plucky to do it, so it was! Poor Dick, hope he ain't bad." By this time Dick was opening his eyes once more, and this time he kept them open. "I--I--that was a nasty tumble, wasn't it?" he muttered. "I'm glad I didn't go under the horses' feet." "How do you feel?" "I guess I had the wind knocked out of me, that's all." He tried to get up, but his legs refused to support him. "I'll have to keep quiet awhile." "Yes, don't you move," said Sam. "We can't get across the stream anyway, now the bridge is down. We'll have to go around to the other bridge." "It's queer the workmen didn't put up some sort of a sign as a warning," said Fred Garrison. "I believe they can be held liable for this disaster." "To be sure they can be held liable," burst out Peleg Snuggers. "But a sign wouldn't have kept the brake from breaking," said Tom.