CHAPTER XIX.

THE BUSHBINDERS' PLANS.

Little Snap's first impulse, as he saw the trap into which he had been driven, was to turn at bay and meet his enemies in a hand-to-hand struggle, as hopeless as his chances were.

But at that moment Jack had reached the bank of the stream, and the fleeing horse, instead of checking his speed or turning aside, sped like an arrow out over one of the bridge stringers toward the other side!

The postboy was not far behind the gallant steed, but he had opportunity to see the horse rush safely the length of the timber, to reach the clear way beyond.

With a snort, as if of triumph, Jack renewed his swift flight now in comparative safety.

The sight of this feat caused the hopes of Little Snap to rise, and he resolved to follow the example set by his equine friend.

"On, Fairy!" he cried; "it is our only chance!"

The pursuers suddenly stopped, as they beheld with amazement the daring deed attempted by the fugitive.

Fairy, seeming to realize the desperate part she was to act in the startling undertaking, rushed fearlessly in the steps of her mate.

Sitting firmly in his saddle, the postboy felt himself carried out over the dark chasm, and he caught a gleam of the foaming waters hurling their forces madly against the rock walls of the channel. The next instant he felt a quiver run through the frame of the faithful steed, and he knew that she was falling!

Under the weight of her burden the mare somehow missed her footing, her feet slipped on the treacherous way, and she tried in vain to recover her equilibrium.

Finding that she was falling, Little Snap freed his feet from the stirrups just as horse and rider shot headlong into the boiling river!

At that moment the pursuing party halted on the bank of the stream, amazed witnesses of the mishap.

Little Snap was carried completely over a stringer running parallel with the first, and, lighter than the horse, struck in the water farther down the stream.

Fortunately, he escaped the jagged rocks of the banks, though the fall deprived him for a time of his senses. When he came to a realization of his situation, he found himself struggling in a mass of _débris_ which had clogged the river a short distance below the crossing.

In the midst of his efforts to extricate himself, he heard a voice just above him. Then, as he peered out from his retreat, he saw some of his enemies coming rapidly toward the place.

"I can see him!" cried the foremost. "I knew he came down this way."

"Give up, younker!" called another voice. "Ye mought as well, fer we air sure to git yer."

Letting go the branch upon which he had found himself clinging, Little Snap hoped to elude his foes by swimming down the stream. But he found himself so entangled in the mass of floating wood about him, that before he could get clear, the party was in the water beside him.

A sharp struggle ensued, but at its end the postboy was dragged out of the water by the hands of the Burrnock gang.

"Bind him, boys!" said the leader, exultantly. "That's gittin' him what I call mighty easy. I tole yer the bridge racket would fix him."

"What do you mean by this treatment?" demanded the postboy, as he found himself bound hands and feet.

"Keep cool an' ye'll find out quick 'nough, younker. Tote him erlong, boys."

Little Snap looked for some trace of Fairy, but in vain.

Nothing further was said by his captors, while he was borne away into the depths of the forest, subject to such thoughts and feelings as may be imagined. What would they think at home of his non-appearance when the time for his return came? Then he thought of Jack, and wondered if the horse would keep on until he had reached Six Roads. He was certain the steed would, and this gave him the only hope he felt in his captivity.

At last the captors and their prisoner reached the little opening marking the top of the bluff overhanging the cave, where Little Snap had once sought Ab Raggles.

In the party which had effected his capture he saw Buzzard and Hawk Burrnock, while the leader of the gang was none other than he who had been chief spokesman in the cavern. This man the postboy soon found was Bird Burrnock, the father of the four brothers.

As soon as the underground room was reached, Bird Burrnock addressed the captive as follows:

"Time is too mighty short, younker, fer us to perlaver with yer. 'Tis true we mought hev saved a good leetle slice o' yit by knockin' ye in th' head when we pulled ye out'n th' river. To speak th' truth, I hoped th' river would fix yer; but seein' yit wan't likely to, we got round in season to take enny idee o' escape ye mought hev hed out yer head.

"We know yer air wanted mighty bad up to th' Roads, but we want yer wuss hyur, though they air playin' inter our hands. Still, yer mought give 'em th' slip. Yer can't us! But this ain't bizness.

"To say nothin' o' th' shabby way yer treated th' boys, we hev a double puppose in gittin' yer inter our grips. Yit don't make enny difference to ye wot it is, so long es 'tis so. Now we hev got yer, we hev got a leetle proposition to make yer, on which yer future happiness depends, es th' parson would say.

"'Tan't enny use fer me to deny, but we hev got our eye on thet mail route, 'cos we think yit can be made a mighty payin' investment. Shag wants to run in shacks with us, but we like yer grit well 'nough to make a bargain with ye. Now, if ye'll 'gree to stand in with us, an' do th' square thing, we'll not only give ye a shake in th' profits, but we'll see thet ye don't hev enny trubble. All ye'll hev to do will be to stop yer hoss long 'nough fer us to look th' baggage over. Mind ye, we do th' sortin'. Further, we promise thet ye won't hev enny further trubble at Six Roads, or ennywhere else. Is't a trade, younker?"

Little Snap was so amazed at this audacious scheme that at first he could not find tongue to reply to Bird Burrnock.

"What if I refuse to enter into any such a contract?"

"Then our own safety demands thet we put ye where ye can't trubble us enny more. But ye won't?"

"I'll not stand in with you!"

At this declaration the little knot of listeners started excitedly, and Bird Burrnock, the leader, uttered a fearful oath.

"Then ye wanter die, younker?" he hissed.

"Of course I do not, sir! But I cannot lend my aid to any such infamous scheme. Why, it's robbery of the worst sort, and you cannot carry it on for any length of time without being caught."

"Thet's our lookout. Mebbe ye air shaky in thet direction, but I can tell yer we air well heeled thet way. Why, th' most' influential citizens o' th' Roads air in with us. There's th' judge, an' the colonel. Then, too, we'll take keer o' Shag. Once more, will yer fall with th' plan, or shall we be 'bliged to take desprit measures with yer?"

Little Snap realized that he was in the power of men who would hesitate at nothing to carry out their unlawful purpose, and he thought of his mother even then anxiously awaiting his return home, and imagined the anguish she would feel upon his failure to come. He thought of his father, so helpless to aid the others, and his younger sister and brother, and the sorrow they would experience. Still, with these sad reflections in his mind, and the dread consequence if he refused to comply with the demands of his captors plainly before him, he hesitated but a moment in his reply.

"I cannot accept your terms."

"Fetch erlong th' rope, boys," ordered Bird Burrnock, tersely. "I reckon 'twon't take us long to change his mind."