race horse. He may run away with Bob and you."
"Oh, but that was years ago, papa. He is too old to run away now. Please say yes."
Bert continued to plead, and in the end Mr. Bobbsey gave him permission to go to the hockey match.
"But you must be back before five o'clock," said he. "We are going to start for home at that time."
The dinner was a fine one and tasted especially good to the children after their long ride. But Bert and Bob were impatient to be off, and left the moment they had disposed of their pieces of pie.
Old Rusher was a black steed which, in years gone by, had won many a race on the track. He had belonged to a brother to Mr. Ramdell who had died rather suddenly two years before. He was, as Bert had said, rather old, but there was still a good deal of fire left in him, as the boys were soon to discover to their cost.
The road to Long Lake was a winding one, up one hill and down another, and around a
