Quickly rallying, he tried to penetrate the gloom enough to enable him to get away from the place; but only blinded by the cimmerian blackness, he was forced to feel his way along as best he could, knowing that he was likely to stumble upon his enemies at any moment.
In fact, he had not gone far before the sound of voices reached his ears. Listening a moment, he heard the harsh tones of Bird Burrnock give some command to his followers.
Obliged to advance, if he moved at all, he crept nearer to the outlaw gang, moving with extreme caution, until he knew from the sound of their voices he was close upon them. As if to verify this, a faint gleam of light from their torch fell across his pathway.
The leader of the party was saying something as he stopped, which he did not hear plain enough to understand. Listening more intently for the reply, he came near betraying his presence by a low cry, not at the words spoken, but the tone in which they were given.
It was his father's voice!
CHAPTER XXI.
"WHAT JACK RIMMON SAYS, GOES."
The little crowd about the post office at Six Roads looked with speechless amazement upon the riderless horse as the animal approached at a furious pace.
"Something has happened to Dix!" exclaimed Mr. Rimmon. "I feared it. Come here, Jack; where is your master?"
With a low neigh, the panting horse stopped beside him, the creature trembling in every part.
Even Dan Shag was moved to emotion, and for the time he forgot to repeat his request for the mail pouch.