They looked at each other with growing surprise and a bit of alarm in their eyes.
"What can it be?" asked Bob.
"Maybe it's a stampede," suggested Frank.
"Whatever it is, we'd better get back out of sight," counseled Sammy. "We can get down close to the bank of the river and look through the bushes."
They followed this advice, and, crouching low, looked in the direction of the sounds.
These grew louder and louder until suddenly a horseman came in sight, riding at full speed. He held the reins of the powerful black horse he was riding with one hand, while with the other he held in front of him a girl. She seemed to have fainted and would apparently have fallen from the saddle without the rider's sustaining arm.
The horse drew nearer, plunged into the little river, struggled up the further bank and tore on with tremendous speed. It was evident that the rider was in deadly fear of pursuit.
And when the boys looked back in the direction from which the rider had come, they did not wonder at his fear.