"Colonel," cried Dick, "it is I, Richard Mason, whom you left behind!"
"So it is," said Sergeant Whitley, keener of eye than the others.
The whole troop set up a shout as Dick came forward, taking off his
dripping cap.
"Why, Dick, it is you!" exclaimed Colonel Winchester in a tone of
immeasurable relief. "We missed you and your horse and hoped that you
were somewhere ahead. Your horse must have broken loose in the storm.
But here, you look as if you were nearly dead! Jump up behind me!"
Dick made an effort, but his strength failed and he slipped back to
the ground. He had not realized that he was walking on his spirit and
courage and that his strength was gone, so powerful had been the buffets
of the wind and rain.
The colonel reached down, gave him a hand and a strong pull, and with
a second effort Dick landed astride the horse behind the rider. Then
Colonel Winchester gave the word and the sodden file wound on again.
"Dick," said the colonel, looking back over his shoulder, "you come as
near being a wreck as anything that I've seen in a long time.
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