“Good morning, Mr. Little Hawk,” he said. “Sunning yourself?”
“I wait for you. I hear noise—knock,” the Indian said.
“Knock, like little tick-knock in car,” he added as Jack regarded him, mystified.
“Tick-knock? What do you mean?”
“On fence,” said the Indian stolidly. “Hearum twice. Like dis:” And while Jack’s eyes opened wide, with a stone he held in his hand the Indian tapped on the iron hand-rail of the car the telegraph words, “Oh—Oh—Orr.”
In a moment Jack was on the ground before him, all excitement. “Where? Where did you hear it?” he cried.
“Fence. Sleep dar,” said the Indian, pointing to the nearby fence. “No t’ink much about. Den see horse run—way dar. Den t’ink tick-knock, an’ come you.”
Uttering a shrill shout Jack was off on the jump to find Superintendent Finnan. And fifteen minutes later the superintendent, Little Hawk, and one of the foremen, mounted, were away on the gallop along the ranch fence toward the point at which the Indian had seen the disappearing horseman.
Alex was thoroughly exhausted when he found himself once more at the ranch. Slipping to the ground, he entered the cabin of his own accord, and threw himself dejectedly upon the couch.