Part 4 (2/2)

”No; stay back, old fellow!” Jack exclai, obeyed

Jack noticed that one of theloose, as if about to fall, but he reasoned that he could fasten that securely after he had learned whether or not the white object was the packagefro on the very verge of one of the openingsplanks, was the packet, which Jack was sure contained jewelry, if not money

”Well, if this isn't lucky!” he cried, as he picked it up, and thrust it into the bottoet out again,” he added, patting the package

It was the work of but a fewbranches to fill in the holes left by the e secure, but they could easily be seen, even after the er There was a chance that soh the pony express trail was one not often followed after nightfall

Jack tried to ascertain by careful looking how the planks had coive way under the hoofs of his steed But there was no clew that he could discover The bridge was not a carefully made one, and it would have been an easy matter for any one to so loosen a couple of the planks that the least motion would send them into the strea like that?” Jack reasoned ”I er Well, all's well that ends well, I guess

Now I'd better be getting along”

The bridge was as secure as Jack couldwastheain, and set off at a lively pace For a while he orried lest his pony er appeared to be none the worse for the adventure

Jack rode on, and had covered about half the distance to Rainbow Ridge when he heard, on the trail ahead of hiht be the echo of his own, but atold him it was some one else on the road

”I wonder who it can be,” he asked himself

He saw a few minutes later It was Jake Tantrell, the man who had sneered at him--the man as anxious to have his place Was it fancy, or did Tantrell start and draw back his horse at sight of Jack

”Look out for the bridge,” Jack called as he passed the h the fellow had scorned him, that he could do no less than warn hio”

”Oh--er--they did! Planks gave way?” Tantrell stammered

”Yes,” Jack said ”I nearly had a bad fall”

He said nothing about the dropped package

”Well, that's too bad,” the e”

”Some one did,” said Jack

”Eh? What's that?”

”I said some one did I mean some one fixed it for me, I think”

”What--what do you mean?”

”I mean those planks never came loose by themselves I stuck a couple of branches in the holes Look out when you ride over”