Part 20 (1/2)
CHAPTER XVIII
A QUEER FEELING
Jack's first thought was that Ryan had ridden off in haste after having helped himself to a drink from the flask, but, somewhat to his surprise, he saw the man who had removed the stone from the pony's hoofs still standing beside his horse. The galloping came from another rider who seemed in haste. He waved his hand to Jack, and cried:
”Hold on! Wait!”
”Well, I wonder what's up now?” mused the pony express lad. ”He seems to want me.”
”I was afraid I wouldn't catch you,” exclaimed the young fellow who had ridden up in such haste. Jack recognized him then as Harry Montgomery, an employee of the stage line that ran out of Golden Crossing to the west.
”Do you want me?” Jack asked.
”Yes. They forgot to give you some important mail stuff when you rode out to the stage a while ago. The stage has come on into Tuckerton now, and the driver sent me on to see if I could catch you. He wants you to ride back into town, if you will, and get the stuff he forgot to give you.”
”Why didn't he let you bring it?” asked Jack, not much relis.h.i.+ng the ride back. It would delay him still further, and he had enough valuable mail in his possession now without wis.h.i.+ng for any more.
”The driver said he didn't like to have me carry it, as I'm not supposed to do that. Besides he wants you to receipt for it. But if I couldn't catch up to you I guess he intended to hold the stuff over until your next trip.”
”Oh well, as long as it's only a case of a mile's ride back to Tuckerton, I suppose I'd better do it,” Jack reasoned. ”You wouldn't have caught me, only my pony went lame and I was delayed getting the stone out,” he said to Harry. ”This gentleman helped me.”
”Oh, it wasn't much,” said Ryan, nodding to Harry. The latter did not appear to know him. The flask which had been in so much evidence a little while before was not in sight now.
”Yes, I'll ride back and get the stuff,” Jack decided. It had come into his mind that perhaps the forgotten package contained the letters Mr. Argent was expecting. They might have been sent by special mail, and not be in the regular sacks. It would be best for Jack to go, though he would be delayed.
”And if it's too late, and if I think they are the letters about the secret mine, I won't do any night-riding,” Jack decided, mentally.
”Well, I'm glad I caught you,” Harry said, as he turned his horse about.
”Yes, it would have been too bad if you had had your ride for nothing,” the pony express lad said. ”Well, Sunger, old boy, we'll hit the back trail again for a little while,” and Jack swung himself up into the saddle.
Somewhat to Jack's surprise, when Ryan mounted, he, also, turned his horse's head in the direction of Tuckerton.
”Are you going back, too?” Jack asked him.
”Yes, I guess I might as well.”
”But I thought you were going to Golden Crossing.”
”So I am. But it just occurred to me that I am hungry, and there's an eating place in Tuckerton, isn't there?”
”Yes,” answered Harry. ”But it isn't a very good one.”
”Oh, well, when a man's hungry he can't be too particular. I guess I can stand it.”
The three rode back together, and in a short time had reached the small town. The stage had pulled in, temporary repairs having been made, and the driver who handed Jack a sealed package expressed regret at having to bring him back.
”It was all my fault, too,” the driver said. ”I ought to have remembered about this special package, for they told me there was some hurry about it.