It was a favourite sport of Miss Kit to gallop along this tempting stretch of grass, and Juno knew the way only too well.
As I came into the open, I could see that, in spite of the rider's efforts, the mare was making straight for the dangerous cliffs, and that in a few short minutes, unless a miracle happened, or unless I could reach the spot first, her mad career was likely to end in a way it made me sick to contemplate.
I stood in my stirrups and gave a loud halloo, and could see Miss Kit turn her head for a moment and then settle down again to the task of keeping her seat and pulling frantically at the reins; while I, aiming direct for the point of danger, put Paddy in a straight line across country.
It was a desperate race, that between the mad, high-mettled mare and the canny, raw-boned hunter.

Happily he had but a boy's light weight to carry.

For a moment or two I lost sight of the runaways.

Then as I cleared a rise I saw them, a quarter of a mile away on my right, our courses closing on one another at every yard.
Presently, with a sickening sensation, I caught sight of the solitary beacon-post which marks the edge of the chasm for the unwary traveller.
On clear ground I could have been certain of arriving there in time to stop the mare, but, to my dismay, two tumble-down stone walls, of which I had forgotten the existence, lay between me and the goal.

The nearer of them was fairly high; the other, only twenty yards beyond, was lower, but more dangerous on account of the loose stones between the two.
I called on Paddy; and, oh, the suspense as he rose at the ugly wall! Over! Paddy came down with a stagger, and lost a pace as he gathered himself again for the next.