Part 12 (1/2)

Nearer came the approaching hoof-beats, Jack peered from his hiding place.

He could hear voices now, but the sound was uncertain. It would not do to call out. He must see who it was that was coming.

Suddenly several men rode into view. Jack counted their heads as they were outlined against the faintly-glowing eastern sky. There were seven of them.

Unless the robbers had come back reinforced these must be members of a searching party looking for the pony express rider. Yet Jack would take no chances. He must be certain.

”h.e.l.lo, Jack! Jack Bailey! Pony Express! Where are you?”

This was the cry that echoed on the dying night.

Now there was no doubt of it!

Jack leaped to his feet.

”Here I am!” he cried. ”Be with you in a second! Send some one up to help me carry down the mail!”

He was wildly excited, but he managed to calm himself long enough to light a match, and ignite a piece of bark. He wanted to indicate his position to the rescuers. They saw the flare and some one cried:

”All right, Jack! Be with you in a minute! Are you all right?”

It was the voice of Dr. Brown.

”Yes, I'm all right. It was a hold-up,” Jack explained. ”But I have the mail and express stuff back--that is I hope I have it all,” he added.

Another moment and he was surrounded by his friends. There were Jed Monty, the stage driver, Dr. Brown, Amos Perkfeld, the president of the express company, Payson Wayde and Mr. Argent, besides Henry Applebaugh, the hotel keeper, and one of his stable boys.

”Are you all right. Jack?” Dr. Brown repeated, ”Your father insisted that I come out and help look for you.”

”Yes, I'm all right. Just cut a little, where I sawed off the ropes on a piece of jagged gla.s.s. But does my father know?”

”Yes, your pony came galloping up to the Watson house, all lathered up, with you and the mail missing. We knew right away something had happened, after Mr. Watson came rus.h.i.+ng into town with the news. So we organized a searching party at once. But what happened to you?”

Jack told everything, down to his unexpected finding of the mail, and his hiding from the antic.i.p.ated robbers.

”And so you got everything back!” exclaimed Mr. Perkfeld. ”Well, I call that luck! Of course neither the government nor I could blame you for being robbed, but it is good to get it all back.”

”And did my pony get home safe?” asked Jack eagerly. Sunger meant much to him.

”He's all right,” said the hotel keeper. ”I had one of my boys look after him. He's a bit winded, that's all. Smart little horse, that! If ever you want to sell him, Jack--”

”You needn't ask. I don't,” was the quick answer. ”But what about my father, Dr. Brown? Is he worrying, much?”

”Well, some, of course, Jack. But I gave him Some quieting medicine, and he'll soon hear the good news. He's much better these last few days.”

The men questioned Jack at length about the appearance of the hold-up men, but he could not give a very clear description. No one recognized them as any one they knew.

”But we'll get a posse out after them as soon as we get back to town,”

declared Mr. Perkfeld. ”We'll show them they can't hold up the pony express and get away with it.”

”They didn't get away with it--that's the joke,” said Mr. Argent. ”I guess Jack is right. They probably feared pursuit, or might have gotten an alarm, so they dumped the stuff in the old mine hole and rode away, intending to come back later. Only Jack got ahead of them.”