Herbert then led Capitola out and placed her upon her own pony, Gyp,
which, to her unbounded astonishment, she found there in charge of
Wool, who was also mounted upon his own hack.
Herbert Greyson threw himself into the saddle of a third horse, and
the three took the road to Hurricane Hall.
"And now," said Capitola, as Herbert rode up to her side, "for mercy
sake tell me, before I go crazy with conjecture, how it happened
that you dropped down from the sky at the very moment and on the
very spot where you were needed? and where did you light upon Wool
and the horses?"
"It is very simple when you come to understand it," said Herbert,
smiling. "In the first place, you know, I graduated at the last
commencement."
"Yes."
"Well, I have just received a lieutenant's commission in a regiment
that is ordered to join General Scott in Mexico."
"Oh, Herbert, that is news, and I don't know whether to be in
despair or in ecstasy!" said Cap, ready to laugh or cry, as a
feather's weight might tip the scales in which she balanced
Herbert's new honors with his approaching perils.
"If there's any doubt about it, I decidedly recommend the latter
emotion," said Herbert, laughing.
"When do you go?" inquired Cap.
"Our regiment embarks from Baltimore on the first of next month.
Meanwhile I got leave of absence to come and spend a week with my
friends at home!"
"Oh, Herbert, I--I am in a quandary! But you haven't told me yet how
you happened to meet Wool and to come here just in the nick of
time!"
"I am just going to do so.
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