"But this is the way we often ride in this country.

Keep your seat, Mr.Bache, and we'll take you through on time," he quoted, from Hank Monk's famous admonition to Horace Greeley.
We were now rattling down a steep hill at full speed.

Just as we reached the bottom, the front wheels struck a deep ditch over which the mules had jumped.

We were all brought up standing, and Bache plunged forward headlong to the front of the vehicle.
"Take the back seat, lieutenant," said Major Brown sternly.
Bache replied that he had been trying to do so, keeping his nerve and his temper.

We soon got the wagon out of the ditch and resumed our drive.