still a little valley to cross, at the bottom of which dashed a
rocky mountain torrent on its way to the placid waters beyond.

At the top of the first long rise Peleg Snuggers stopped the team
for a few minutes' rest. Here the view was magnificent, and many a
cadet stopped his idle talk to gaze at the mountains to the
westward and the sparkling lake winding along in the opposite
direction. It was early fall, and nearly every tree was tinted
with red and gold, while here and there the first frosts had
covered the ground with leaves and nuts.

"Don't wait too long, Peleg," urged Tom impatiently. "It will take
some time to get ready for our celebration to-night, you know."

"I'm hurrying as fast as I can, Master Tom," was the reply. "Git
up, Jack! git up, Sally!" And once more they moved off, and again
some of the boys tooted their horns. At this Sally picked up her
ears and gave a little start to one side of the narrow road,
dragging her mate along.

"Whoa! Steady there!" cried Peleg Snuggers, and tried to pull the
team in. Failing in this He grabbed the brake handle and pushed it
back vigorously. He was so nervous that he gave the handle a
mighty wrench, and in a twinkle the brake bar snapped off, close to
the wheel. Onward bounded the stage, hitting the team in the
flanks, and away leaped both horses on a dead run!

"The brake is broke!"

"Stop the team, Peleg, or they'll upset us sure!"