hitch in the ponies. These fellows are chuck full of mischief."

Very full, certainly; nor did Dab Kinzer know exactly what the matter
was for a minute or so after he seized the reins and sprang up beside
Frank Harley.

Then, indeed, as the ponies kicked and reared and plunged, he thought he
saw something work out from under their collars, and fall to the ground.
An acorn-burr is just the thing to worry a restive horse, if put in such
a place; but Joe and Fuz had hardly expected their "little joke" to be
so very successful as it was.

The ponies were off now!

"Joe," shouted Fuz, "let's jump!"

"Don't let 'em, Ford," exclaimed Dab, giving his whole energies to the
horses. "They'll break their necks if they do. Hold 'em in."

Ford, who was in the middle, promptly seized an arm of each of his
panic-stricken cousins, while Frank clambered over the seat to help him.
They were all down on the bottom now, serving as a, weight to hold the
evergreen branches, as the light wagon bounced and rattled along over
the smooth, level road.

In vain Dab pulled and pulled at the ponies. Run they would, and run
they did; and all he could do was to keep them fairly in the road.

Bracing strongly back, with the reins wound around his tough hands, and
with a look in his face that should have given courage even to the Hart