"But we'll get him yet!" some of them boasted.
"They won't if he gets a start on that horse of his," thought Jack.
When Jack made his appearance at the Mansion Hotel the next morning to deliver the mail, and take that which was to go back to Golden Crossing, the pony express rider was met by Mr. Argent.
"Just a word with you, Jack," said the miner. "You remember the bogus letters that were taken away from you, I suppose?"
"I should say I did!" Jack exclaimed. "Why, have they found them?"
"No. But it doesn't matter about them. I want to tell you now that the real papers and letters—the ones that contain the information about the mine—may be along any day or night now. And I want to ask you to be specially careful about them."
"I will, Mr. Argent."
"I know you will, Jack, but I want to caution you, not only about them, but about your own safety. There are a number of desperate men who would go almost any length to get possession of that package of documents. So be on your guard."
Mr. Argent suddenly ceased speaking and looked around. They were out in front of the hotel, near a clump of bushes. Without saying anything further Mr. Argent suddenly made a leap behind the shrubbery.