Madame Max was immediately off her horse.

"Oh, Mr.Finn, are you hurt ?" But Phineas, happily, was not hurt.

He was shaken and dirty, but not so shaken, and not so dirty, but that he was on his legs in a minute, imploring his companion not to mind him but go on.

"Going on doesn't seem to be so easy," said Madame Goesler, looking at the ditch as she held her horse in her hand.

But to go back in such circumstances is a terrible disaster.