Barry raised his hand.
And then it happened.

It was like the release of a coiled watch-spring; the black whirled as a top spins and Strann sagged far to the left; before he could recover the stallion was away in a flash, like a racer leaving the barrier and reaching full speed in almost a stride.

Not far--hardly the breadth of the street--before he pitched up in a long leap as if to clear a barrier, landed stiff-legged with a sickening jar, whirled again like a spinning top, and darted straight back.

And Jerry Strann pulled leather--with might and main--but the short stirrups were against him, and above all the suddenness of the start had taken him off guard for all his readiness.

When the stallion dropped stiff-legged Jerry was thrown forward and an unlucky left foot jarred loose from the stirrup; and when the horse whirled Strann was flung from the saddle.