While at the Van Tassel party, Ichabod came across a group of men swapping stories.  Brom Bones was among them, and he had his own tale to tell about an encounter he had with the Headless Horseman.  Brom began telling a story that took place one evening while he was traveling back from Sing Sing, a nearby village.  While riding on his horse, Brom came across a Hessian on horseback.  Brom challenged the rider to a race, with a bowl of punch as the prize.  Brom and his horse were in the lead.  The race changed when they approached the church bridge and the other horse bolted.  Then the other rider and his horse "vanished in a flash of fire."  Ichabod recalled this story later on when he was riding home on Gunpowder.