Whether something frightened Dick's horse, or whether the animal wanted to take a good run and show the others what he could do, it was impossible to say. At any rate our hero's steed gave a sudden spring, and, rushing through the opened ranks of the cadet horsemen ahead of him, sailed past Captain Dutton at a fast gait. "Halt!" cried the leading cadet. "Where are you going, Hamilton? Come back here at once! I'll report you! Come back!" Dick tried to rein his horse in, but the animal had the bit in his teeth, and it was useless to pull on the leather. Still the young millionaire was not frightened. He knew he could manage the animal. But Dutton, with a muttered exclamation, spurred after Dick. "Halt!" he cried again. "Halt, or I'll place you under arrest for disobeying orders!" "I can't stop him!" Dick flung back, over his shoulder. Dutton's horse was a fast one, and he soon caught up to the young cadet. He crossed in front of him, wheeled about and, a moment later the two horses collided violently. Dick was flung up in the air, and, the next instant, came heavily to the ground, where he lay quiet, while his horse bolted. Dutton, who had retained his seat, looked down on the prostrate figure. "Come. Get up," he said. "No shamming." Dick did not move. "Here, Drew, Butler, Graham!" called Captain Dutton. "Here's a chance to practice first aid to the injured. See what's the matter with him." The three cadets he had named galloped forward, while the remainder of the company came to a halt. CHAPTER IX WHO FIRED THE GUN? "Pick him up, and see if he's hurt," ordered Dutton though he did not take the trouble to get off his horse to ascertain. "Very likely he's only shamming." But is needed only a look at Dick's pale face to show that he had had a hard fall. The breath was knocked out of him. The three cadets bent over him, and, while one raised him to a sitting position, the others chaffed his hands. Dick opened his eyes, and stared wonderingly about him. "What--what--where am I?" he asked, and then he saw the mounted students, he added, "I fell." "Are you hurt?" asked Graham. "No--no, I guess not." But when Dick tried to stand he found he was so dizzy that his fellow cadets had to support him. "Take him back to the hospital," ordered Dutton, "and then you three rejoin your company." At that moment Major Webster, who had been drilling some of the older cadets, in advanced tactics on a distant part of the field, came galloping up. "What has happened?" he asked. "Ah, Hamilton, eh? Are you hurt?" "I fell off my horse. He bolted with me," replied Dick. "Are you sure you're not hurt?" "Yes; only a trifle dizzy." "I'm sending him back to the hospital," announced Dutton. "That's proper. Are you sure you'll be all right, Hamilton?" asked the major kindly. "Oh, yes. I believe I can ride now." "No, I can't allow it. You must take a rest."