The horses drawing the cage had
been brought to a stop by the driver. But another horse, frightened by
the din and the runaway, broke loose just at that time, and came tearing
along, with flaming eyes and distended nostrils, like a Malay running
amuck.
Frank sprang toward the head of this horse, for the peril to the
stampeding people seemed great. But the animal veered and passed by,
dragging Merry a few yards by the shafts and hurling him to the ground.
The sight he beheld as he scrambled up was enough to stop the beating of
his heart. Inza and Elsie had tried to again cross the street. Inza had
been knocked down by the horse, and lay unconscious, while Elsie had
been swept on in the crowd. More than that, the keeper of the tiger, who
had courageously leaped after the terrible beast with his spearlike iron
goad, hoping to be able to prod and cow it into subjection, had been
knocked flat also by the horse, his iron goad flying out of his hand and
into the street.
Though Frank was some distance away, he started toward the tiger, which
had crouched and seemed about to spring on Inza. But before he could
take a step, he saw Elsie run from the crowd toward Inza and the tiger.
Her face was very white, but it was filled with the look of high courage
which inspired her.
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