They did not burn steadily, but whisked back and forth, just as it may
be imagined two serpents would have done who saw the fugitives coming,
and, making ready, said by their actions, "Thus far, but no farther."
To Nick Ribsam it looked like the flaming sword of Hazael, sweeping
across the highway; but it would never do to hesitate, and the mare
galloped straight on. The fiery serpents darted angrily at each other,
but the head of the horse glided beneath and the boy caught a hot blast
as he shot by.
"Where is the bridge?" shouted Nellie, who could see nothing, and who
clung more desperately than ever to the supporting arm of her brother.
"It must be close at hand--there it is!"
So it was, indeed, but the fire was ahead of them; the whole structure
was one mass of flames, roaring and crackling with fury.
The scene that followed was a dreadful one: the sight of the
furnace-like structure set the mare wild, and she broke into a dead run
toward the blazing mass of kindling wood, determined to plunge headlong
into it.
Nick Ribsam rose to his feet, and bent back with might and main, but he
might as well have tried to check a runaway locomotive: the mare took
the bit in her teeth and was beyond control.
With a presence of mind which did him credit, Nick wrenched her to one
side, while she was at the height of this mad flight, so that the hub of
the fore wheel struck a tree at the side of the road, checking the
vehicle so abruptly that both traces snapped as if they were ribbons,
and the mare continued her gallop in the direction of the bridge.
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