CHAPTER XII.

THE POSTBOY'S ARREST.

Instinctively, as he found himself going, Little Snap tried to catch upon the saddle, but instead he seized upon the mail pouch, and this he carried with him on his flying trip through the air.

Partially deprived of his senses by his fall, as he regained a sitting posture on the ground, he heard sharp cries from the pathway, and the dusky figures of half a dozen men appeared about the place where Jack had tripped and fallen.

"Don't let him get clear!" he heard some one say, and then a furious rush was made toward the horse struggling to regain its feet.

Little Snap's first thought was to rush to Jack's assistance, but the fact that he still held the mail pouch in his possession caused him to quickly change his mind.

While the party were attacking the animal, frantically trying to regain its feet, in the belief the postboy was somewhere beneath its body, it was possible he might get beyond their harm.

Finding their mistake, they would not likely injure Jack, and with this hope in his heart, Snap dashed lightly away in the direction he expected the path led.

He soon proved his good judgment by coming suddenly upon the well-worn way leading to Hollow Tree.

The sounds of the struggle had not ended, though he fancied they were nearly over. In this surmise he was correct, for he had not gone much farther before he heard the same voice as had spoken before, saying:

"Th' leetle satan isn't hyur. He's got 'way, boyees! Look clus thet he don't escape!"

Anxious to know what had been the fate of poor Jack, the postboy did not dare to remain a moment where he was. As long as the mail was in his hands he was in duty bound to look to its safety above everything else.

Accordingly, he fled along the path at the top of his speed, and he was a pretty good runner, too. The sounds of his enemies were soon lost to hearing, and he pursued his way without interruption until he felt certain he must be near Hollow Tree, when he slackened his gait.

As he came in sight of the singular post office, he saw that a light was burning within, by which he knew the postmaster was there.

Then the sound of voices fell on the stillness of the evening, and surprised to hear his own name mentioned, he paused just outside the roughly made door.

"There is one thing certain," Dan Shag was saying, "he is out o' th' way now."

"And there ain't no danger of his taking off being laid to our door," said another, by whose voice Little Snap recognized Morton Meiggs, one of his bondsmen.

"Cert. Them air Acreites hes done us one good turn, an' I feel it is our duty to pay 'em fer it."

"I wouldn't advise you to say too much about that. They'll be likely to ask for more'n we can allow them. "Say, that was an audacious movement. I wonder how old Warfield felt when he heard of Dix Lewis' fate?"

"I dunno. Thet man beats me. He hes promised to stand by me, but I ain't more faith in him than I hev in thet light's burning all night."

"He's going to get to Congress, all the same, and it's our interest to stand by him, or pretend so, at least."

"Guess I know which side my bread is buttered on. What I'm figgerin' on now is to git my hands on to thet mail bag. I'll make some dollars out'n thet, bet yer hat."

"Be crafty," warned the other. "That Calvert is a long-headed dog. But as it is long past the mail hour, you aren't obliged to keep the office open any longer. Let's start for Six Roads, to lay our plans for the next move."

Little Snap stopped to listen no more, but stepping somewhat heavily, he advanced toward the office, meeting the twain in the doorway as they were coming out.

Dan Shag was ahead, and a yell of terror left his lips, as he beheld the postboy before him.

"Good-evening, Mr. Shag; you seem surprised. I am a little late to-night, but better late than never, you know."

"Dix Lewis! alive and here!" gasped Morton Meiggs.

"You seem surprised, Mr. Meiggs, but I am worth a dozen dead men."

If Little Snap expected to be plied with questions, he was disappointed, for the postmaster took the sack without another word, and ran through the mail with uncommon celerity.

"Hark! I hear a horseman coming," exclaimed Mr. Meiggs. "I think I will be moving on toward Six Roads."

Little Snap was about to ask him for help in getting home, but the hoof strokes of the approaching horse brought a feeling of gladness to his heart.

"It's Jack!" he exclaimed, aloud, and even as he spoke the faithful horse dashed upon the scene.

The postboy fairly wept for joy, as he caressed the head of his favorite steed, which seemed as delighted as he.

"Good Jack!" said Little Snap; "I am so glad you escaped unhurt."

"Mail!" said Shag, sharply, throwing the pouch at his feet.

Flinging the sack over its accustomed position, the postboy swung himself into the saddle and was away before the others could speak.

As he dashed down the road toward the bridge he heard a body of horsemen galloping toward Hollow Tree, whom he felt certain were the Burrnocks, of Blazed Acre. However, he saw nothing further of them, and a little over an hour later he rode into Union Six Roads, to be met at the post office by a wondering crowd.

In his anxiety to get home and thus relieve his mother of the suspense he knew she must be suffering, Little Snap answered the questions asked of him as briefly as possible, hurriedly leaving the office as soon as he had delivered the mail pouch.

"He acts mighty queer," said one of the bystanders by the name of Clevis Claverton, who was the third man on the postboy's bond. "Ha! here comes Meiggs, with Dan Shag and a party from Greenbrier. They will explain the matter, I imagine."

Little Snap found his mother nearly distracted with the reports circulated concerning his fate, but which were happily ended with his safe appearance.

Knowing it would be best for him to return to the post office as soon as possible, to give a more intelligible account of what had befallen him, he was about leaving the house immediately after eating his supper, when he was surprised by the appearance of a body of men at the door.

Foremost of the party was Sheriff Brady, who said, as the postboy opened the door:

"I arrest you, Dix Lewis, in the name of the United States Government. Will you come with me peacefully as my prisoner?"

"Arrest me? What have I done now, Mr. Brady, to cause my arrest?"

"Done? I should say there was enough to send you to prison for life. Will you allow me to handcuff you?"