CHAPTER XVII.

LITTLE SNAP'S DISAPPOINTMENT.

"He's getting away!" shouted the man who had hailed the postboy. "Come on, you lubbers!"

If Little Snap had been taken off his guard at first, he was wide awake enough now, and giving Fairy an encouraging cry, he was borne swiftly away by the fleet-footed mare.

Glancing back once more, he saw the four men in pursuit of him, but as long as they were on foot, he had but little to fear from them.

With their hoarse shouts ringing in his ears, he sped around a curve in the road and out of their sight.

After he had gone a couple of miles, finding that he was not likely to be troubled by their pursuit, he slackened Fairy's speed, and improved his first opportunity to bend over and pat Jack's head close beside him, saying:

"Noble boy, you knew more than your master that time. I wonder where I should be now if you hadn't read that fellow's intentions better than I did? I wasn't quite satisfied with him, but his story did throw me off my guard. I have got to keep my eyes open sharper than that."

Talking thus, half to his animal friends and half to himself, he rode swiftly on toward Volney, the soft, clayey soil muffling the hoof strokes of his horses so that they gave back no sound, his advance scarcely breaking in upon the silence of the night.

Soon after his escape from the waylayers, whom he judged the men to be, he shifted upon Jack, giving Fairy a rest.

To his joy he at last came to what he was confident was the corner of the Blue Stone and Mountain roads spoken of by Mr. Renders.

If he had had any lingering doubts about this, they were driven away at sight of a farmhouse standing back a short distance from the latter highway and nearly concealed by a clump of trees, and which he knew must be the house of Mr. Renders' brother.

An unnatural stillness seemed to hang over the place, and at first he was inclined to ignore Mr. Renders' advice and keep on. But he knew only too well that Jack and Fairy needed all the rest they could get before completing their long journey.

Accordingly, he advanced boldly to the door, and seizing the heavy brass knocker, he raised a noise that must have aroused every inmate of the house.

Heads quickly began to appear from the windows, until he imagined he had awakened a house full of people.

"Who's there, and what is wanted at this unseemly hour?" demanded a voice he felt sure belonged to the host.

Little Snap quickly explained his situation, and as he finished speaking, handed Mr. Renders the note sent by his brother.

"Wait till I can strike a light, when I will read it, and if I think favorable of what he says, I will be out in a moment."

Then the window was closed, while a minute later a light shone from the apartment.

This last soon began to move about, and it was not long before the door was opened, when Mr. Renders appeared fully dressed.

"Hope you will excuse my delay, but I didn't keep you waiting longer than I could help. So you have come from Six Roads?"

"Yes, sir; and I have got to get back there before six o'clock this morning, or I would never have troubled you."

"Never mind that. I have called better men than I am out of their nests on worse nights than this. In regard to a horse, I have one which can take you to Volney and back in one hour, though I don't care about having you crowd him quite as hard as that, unless it is necessary."

"I will not hurt the horse. Can you let me have him? I will pay you well——"

"A fig for the pay! Dismount and turn your animals into that pen. I claim a horse can rest better by having a chance to move about if he wants to. I will feed them as soon as they have cooled off somewhat. I will lead out my horse."

Hardly able to comprehend that he was so well favored, Little Snap did as he was told, and by the time he had seen Fairy and Jack in comfortable quarters, Mr. Renders had his horse ready for him to spring into the saddle.

"He may need a little urging, but don't spare him. It is eleven miles to Volney, and he is good for the trip and return without any more stop than you will wish to make with Mr. Calvert. I think you will be fortunate enough to find that gentleman at home."

Mr. Renders then described Mr. Calvert's house to him, so he would have no difficulty in finding it, when Little Snap began the second stage of his journey.

The road now more broken than it had been since leaving Greenbrier, Little Snap rode on over hill and through valley, finding the horse loaned him by Mr. Renders an exceptionally fine animal. He had consulted his watch to find it was a quarter of two, when he looked ahead to see what he believed to be the village of Volney.

"Almost there," he muttered. "How glad I am. Now if I find Mr. Calvert at home I shall be soon on my return journey. That is the house Mr. Renders described, I am sure. How still it looks around it!"

Speaking his thoughts thus aloud, Little Snap dashed into the spacious grounds surrounding the quaint, old-fashioned dwelling he supposed was the home of the man he had ridden so far to see.

The occupant of the house proved to be more wakeful than he had expected, for he had barely pulled rein under the enormous willow growing by the door before a chamber window was opened, and a man's voice demanded.

"Who's there?"

"My name is Lewis, and I am from Union Six Roads. Does Mr. Calvert live here?"

"That's my name, sir, though I do not recognize yours."

"I carry the mail on the Kanawha route. Of course, you remember Dix Lewis, to whom you sub-let the line?"

"Wait a minute and I'll be down there."

Giving the finishing touches to his toilet, as he appeared, Mr. Calvert soon opened the heavy door and stepped out into the night.

He was a man in the vicinity of forty, with a frank, good-natured looking countenance, who seemed rather brusque in his movements and manner of speaking.

"I hardly remember your countenance, Mr. Lewis," he said, as he stepped forward and extended his right hand; "but that is nothing strange, as we never met but that once. What in the name of Congress has brought you here at this unexpected hour? But excuse me, dismount, put your horse in the barn, and come into the house before you begin your talk. I would call one of the negroes, but they are so sleepy at this time of night they are no good."

"I can't stop," said Little Snap, as soon as he could find an opportunity to speak. "I have to get back to Six Roads in season to take the mail to the Loop to-day."

"You won't do it, all the same. But what's up?"

The postboy then made the other acquainted with all that had happened, interrupted several times by Mr. Calvert, who finally exclaimed:

"A bad pickle, I should say. But I am glad you have come to me. Of course the only thing for you to do is to get out of it."

"I cannot do that with honor to myself," said Little Snap, who had not expected this from the contractor. "It would look as if I was really to blame for all they have said."

"Better let it look like that than to get your neck in the halter, or a bullet through your head."

The postboy could not help showing his surprise. Was it for this he had ridden so far, and with such high-colored hopes? He had not dreamed of anything other than assistance from the man who was behind him in his undertaking.