The horse, astonished at such treatment, bolted a little way, Savage sawing at its mouth.

Lord Ragnall and I cantered after it past the wagons, fearing disaster.

All of a sudden it swerved violently and Savage flew into the air, landing heavily in a sitting posture.
"Poor Beans!" ejaculated Lord Ragnall as we sped forward.

"I expect there is an end of his journeyings." To our surprise, however, we saw him leap from the ground with the most marvellous agility and begin to dance about slapping at his posterior parts and shouting, "Take it off! Kill it!" A few seconds later we discovered the reason.

The horse had shied at a sleeping puff adder which was curled up in the sand of that little frequented road, and on this puff adder Savage had descended with so much force, for he weighed thirteen stone, that the creature was squashed quite flat and never stirred again.