“Who? Me? None at all,” replied the rider with a grin, “’cause I didn’t go.”
“Which one of you made the trip?”
And Alden looked from one face to the other. The tallest man, the chief speaker replied:
“None of this crowd went.”
“Hasn’t the mail been sent on? Then I shall take it after all.”
“Oh, the mail reached the station long ago if all went well; one of the party in camp over yonder took it.”
This was strange and Alden asked:
“How was that? I don’t understand it, when you refused me the chance.”
“I should have given you the chance, if you hadn’t been tuckered out; the fellow who took the mail was as fresh as a daisy and eager for the trip.”
A suspicion flashed upon Alden.