CHAPTER XXIV CONCLUSION Scores of brave, quick-witted men in uniform were leaping forward to use their sweeping arms to divert the runaways. But Corporal Hal's swift glance forward as he bent over the neck of the cavalry horse and urged it forward showed that these soldiers could not possibly save the woman and girl in the victoria. To whichever side the horses might be forced into dodging, the wild, snorting animals would still run over blocking soldiers and bring up in a confused tangle of wreckage among the guns. "On--on with you!" roared Corporal Hal, beating the horse's flank with one hand and cudgeling with his heels. That cavalry mount was a magnificent beast. Corporal Overton was quickly up alongside the victoria. Then he gained on the horses. "Now, in close, you good old brute!" glowed Overton, though his lips were bloodless as he took the chance and threw the bridle over. Bending sideways from the saddle, Corporal Hal reached the bridle of the nigh horse. Now he hung on grimly to the bridle of the runaway, at the same time using his other arm to bring the splendidly trained cavalry horse back on its haunches. That nigh runaway was checked, somewhat, but the pull threatened to drag Corporal Hal's left arm out of its socket. Something had to give way! Then, with a suppressed yell, Overton felt himself being torn from saddle. He held on. The runaways tried to forge ahead at renewed speed, but the determined doughboy soldier, holding still to the bridle of one of the animals, put a big check on the speed of the runaways. A few yards further they dashed, then slowed. Now a score of artillerymen, regular and militia, sprang in and seized the animals just as Corporal Hal Overton, his uniform torn and dust-grimed, and he himself bleeding, fell in the dust. But the runaways were stopped, and other soldiers assisted the woman and her fourteen-year-old daughter in safety to the ground. Back of them all the fine cavalry horse stood trembling and curious. This cavalry horse, struck by the wheels of the victoria, now showed blood spots along his glistening, lathered flanks. "Get up, messmate," called one of the regular artillerymen, bending over Overton. "You did the whole trick like an Army man, and the ladies want to thank you." He helped Hal to his feet. The soldier boy trembled slightly and almost unconsciously put a hand to his head. "Your hat, mate? We'll help you find that." But Hal's hand had gone to a cut on his head from which blood was oozing, for just as he went down one of the horses had struck him a glancing kick there. It was Corporal Noll Terry, who sprinting desperately along the field, espied his chum's campaign hat and picked it up with hardly a slackening of his speed. But Noll did run more slowly when he saw Overton again standing on his feet. Now Noll gently approached the cavalry horse, whose bridle reins dangled. "Easy now, boy," urged Noll as he approached and reached for the lines.