"I know you couldn't help it, Sunger, old boy," the lad said. "It wasn't your fault."
He limped toward his steed and patted him. Then Jack saw that one of his saddle girths had broken. With that unmended it would be useless to try to continue the pursuit. The saddle would slip from under him, and bareback riding on the mountain trail is out of the question.
Jack realized this, and when the first of the posse came up it was decided to abandon the pursuit for the time being.
"We can't get him now, but maybe we can trail him later," said Jack.
"There's no use in my going on."
"No. And you'll be needed to carry the mail," a man replied. "The stage will be in soon. You'd better get back. Some of us will plan to follow the fellow. We can ask along the way, and maybe get trace of him. If so, we'll let you know."
One or two of the pursuers who had no special duties to take them back to the town agreed to follow the trail of the pursued one for some distance further. The others went back with Jack, temporary mending having been done to the saddle girth.
"Well, he got away, Jennie," said Jack, regretfully, as he entered the post office again.
"I'm glad of it!" she exclaimed impulsively.
"What!" he cried
"I mean for your sake," she added. "He might have shot you, Jack!"