Barker was silent, and instantly dropped the unbroken rein.

As for Margaret, she sat quite still, holding to the low rail-back of her seat, and preparing for a jump.

They were by this time nearly at the bottom of the descent, and rapidly approaching a corner where a great heap of rocks made the prospect hideous.

To haul the horses over to the left would have been destruction, as the ground fell away on that side to a considerable depth down to the rocks below.

Then Barker did a brave thing.
"If I miss him, jump off to the right," he cried; and in a moment, before Margaret could answer or prevent him, he had got over the dashboard, and was in mid-air, a strange figure, in his long frock-coat and shiny hat.