CHAPTER XVI
SUNGER GOES LAME
Jack was on the alert, ready to follow, but there was no need. Mr. Argentcame back with a grim smile on his bronzed face.
"I thought I heard a movement there, as if some one were listening," hesaid, "but it was a false alarm."
"Are they trailing you as closely as that?"
"Yes, and more so," was the answer. "There's a big fight on to get thismine away from me and my friends, but we're going to beat our enemies.They'd give anything to get the information that is to come to me throughthe mail, and that's why I'm always on the lookout, fearing some one mayoverhear what I say."
"But I thought you knew where the mine is," said Jack.
"So I do, and I'm one of the very few men who do know the exact location."
"Then why are you expecting information through the mail that will disclosethe place where it is?"
"You don't exactly understand," was the reply. "You see, after the man whofirst located the mine came back with some rich samples of gold from it, hedied, and the place where he had made the strike was lost for some time.Then the documents giving the location were found by those entitled toshare the wealth, and I came in on the deal.
"Now, in order to have everything perfectly legal it was necessary, in thisparticular case, to send to the authorities to have our titles made good.To do that we had to describe exactly where the mine was located. We had tosend this information to the government officials in San Francisco. But ofcourse our secret is safe with them.
"The trouble is, however, that they are now sending back to us our originaldocuments, which give the location of the mine, and with them come ourproofs to the claim, our legal title so to speak. Of course all thesepapers contain the written description of the location of the mine. Ifthese papers fall into the hands of the men who are working against us theymay jump our claim, as they call it, for it is not yet legally secured tous.
"That is why I am so anxious not to have the expected letters lost. So ifyou get them, Jack, take good care of them."
"You can make sure I will!" exclaimed the pony rider.
"Oh, I'm not worrying about you, Jack. I mean I know I can trust you, justas I could have trusted your father were he on the express route. It's theother fellows I'm worrying about. They held you up once, Jack, and--"
"They won't get a second chance!" exclaimed the lad, with flashing eyes."I'll be on the watch."
"Well, they're pretty foxy and cunning," went on the miner. "It's treacherymore than anything else you have to fear now; treachery and guile. They'lltry them now they've found out their hold-up methods didn't work!"
"Well, they may try them again," said Jack, "but they won't catch menapping again."
"Oh, I guess you weren't napping, Jack."
"No, not exactly. It all happened so suddenly they didn't give me a chance.Though I suppose that was their game. Well, I'll do my best."
"I know you will, Jack. Now, as I said, I don't know just when thedocuments will come. If I did I'd be there myself, and bring 'em through. Iwouldn't ask you to take the risk."
"Oh, the risk is part of the game," Jack said.
"I know it is, but I don't believe in anybody--man or boy--taking too many.But, not knowing when they'll arrive, I'll have to trust the regular mailservice. Only one thing, Jack. Don't bring them through at night. I mean bythat, don't make a night trip just for my papers. Of course, if you have tomake a night ride anyhow, and the documents arrive at Golden Crossing,bring them along with you. But don't make a special trip on their account,as there is no rush about them. I suppose you can depend on the people atthe other end of the line--I mean in the Golden Crossing office?"
"Well, I should say I could!" declared Jack, energetically. "Jennie Blakeis postmistress there and--"
"Oh, I forgot. She's a relative of yours, isn't she?"
"Yes," answered Jack, and he blushed under his coat of tan.
"Well then of course it's all right. I am not greatly worried about thetransportation from San Francisco to Golden Crossing. It's from there tohere the documents will be taken, if at all."
"They won't be taken at all!" declared Jack. Of course, he was boyishlyenthusiastic. For that one can not blame him. He was deeply interested inhis work. To him it meant everything. He wanted to bring the mail throughsafe, and on time every trip. And, so far, he had more than made good.
That one hold-up did not count against him, especially as he had so soonrecovered the bulk of the stuff.
"Well, I guess that's all I have to say to you, Jack," concluded the miner."As I remarked, I can't say just when the papers will arrive. And when theydo--well, take the best care of them you can."
"I wonder how it would do to try another ruse, and hide them, say in aloosely tied package, that looked as if it didn't contain anything morevaluable than a pair of old shoes?"
"That might answer. But as you tried that game once, and it didn't work, itwould hardly deceive the outlaws a second time. But use your own judgment,Jack. I leave it all to you. Only bring me the papers, and don't let theother fellows get them."
"I won't!"
"Shake!" exclaimed the miner, and their hands met in a firm clasp.
Jack rode the trail that day, reaching Golden Crossing with the packagesand letters.
"Well, Jennie," he remarked, "the game is on."
"What game?" she asked. "I hope you don't mean any more bogus inspectorsare coming here."
"No. I mean that any time now that package of mine documents may reachhere. When it does, put it in the safe if I'm not here."
"And what are you going to do with it?"
"Carry it to Rainbow Ridge, of course."
"Oh, Jack! Suppose something happens?" half whispered Jennie.
"Well, I hope it doesn't. And I'm going to do my best to see that somethingdoesn't happen. But if it does, well, I'll have to put up with it, Isuppose," Jack said, with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I almost hope the old package doesn't come," murmured Jennie, with a poutof her pretty lips.
"Oh, that wouldn't do," said Jack. "It's very valuable and important. Andthat's what the pony express is for--to transport speedily valuable andimportant packages and letters. I'll make out all right, I guess."
"I--I hope so," she faltered.
For several days after that Jack watched the mails anxiously for a sight ofthe package of documents relating to the mine. But it did not come, and ashe made each trip he planned what to do at certain points of the road,where he might possibly be held up again.
"Though it's a question, just as Mr. Argent says, whether they would trythe same tactics twice," Jack reasoned. "They may try some other game. I'llhave to be on the watch for both."
Mr. Argent himself was getting anxious now. Each time Jack came intoRainbow Ridge from his trip, the miner asked if the letters had come. Eachtime Jack answered in the negative.
"Well, they'll be along any day now," Mr. Argent would say. "Be on thelookout."
Jack was idling about the Golden Crossing post office about a week after hehad received the caution to be on his guard. He was waiting for the stageto come in with the western mail, with which he expected to make the rideback to Rainbow Ridge.
A dusty messenger rode up on a tired and lather-covered horse, and calledto Postmistress Jennie:
"Is the pony express rider here?"
"Yes," answered Jack, coming forward. "What's wanted?"
"Stage has had a bust-up a little way out," the messenger said. "I come into get help, and to say that the driver wants to see you."
"Wants to see me?"
"Yes, he's got a bundle of mail that's marked '_Rush_,' and he wants toknow if you can ride out there, get it and take it on to Rainbow Ridge."
"Well, I suppose I can," Jack said, "though it isn't regular."
"No, he told me to tell you he knowed that. And he said he'd have sent themail in by me, only there's some valuable stuff in it, and he wants aregular man to take it. So will you
go out?"
"I think I'd better, yes. How far out is the stage?"
"About five miles. Half way between Bosford and Tuckerton," was the answer.
"All right, I'll ride out and get the mail," decided Jack, and in due timehe arrived at the place where the stage had been delayed because of abroken wheel. The mail was transferred to Jack, and he started back withit.
"I wonder if the important letters can be in this bag," mused Jack, as heurged Sunger onward. There was no way of telling.
The stage, as the messenger had said, had broken down half way betweenBosford and Tuckerton. These were two small settlements, the last one beingabout three miles from Golden Crossing.
As Jack was passing through the eastern outskirts of Tuckerton he noticedthat Sunger was limping slightly.
"Hello! What's this? Got a stone under your shoe?" he exclaimed, as he gotoff. He made an examination and found that such was the case. Sunger hadgone lame, though not so badly but that, with the removal of the stone, theanimal could be ridden.
"I'll fix you up," Jack said, as he guided the pony to a shady spot on thetrail, and proceeded to get out a simple kit he carried with him foremergencies.
Jack of the Pony Express; Or, The Young Rider of the Mountain Trails Page 16