Here were many tears of joy wept that night, and as long as they lived, the family would never forget that occasion.
And now, with a few words of explanation, we must bid them farewell.
Old Solitaire's part has, no doubt, been sufficiently described. It will be remembered that he appeared only in the afternoons, and immediately after Little Snap passed him he would cross the mountain to be on the watch on the other side.
Ab Raggles, though a cousin to Bird, was not in sympathy with the other, and he afterward, with such help as was given him for the part he acted in the capture, became quite a respectable citizen. In regard to the postboy's adventure the night he came over the mountain on horseback, he was thrown from Jack's back by a wire having been stung across the path by the Burrnocks.
She who was known as Budd Grass confessed to the entire plot of the Raggles' of whom she proved to be a sister. She had stolen all of the mail, and either put it into Little Snap's saddle pocket when he was not looking, or secreted it in the tree where Shag once found it.
She, with her relatives, had to pay the penalty of wrongdoing.
Trencher Raggles, alias Jason Warfield, received the severest punishment of them all, though he was more talented and had higher aspirations than the others. His downfall was a startling surprise to the citizens of Six Roads.
The Clavertons and Morton Meiggs, who had been tools of his, disappeared soon after his arrest.
As Mr. Goings had said, nothing could be proved against Dan Shag, so he was allowed his freedom, though he was postmaster of Hollow Tree no longer. In fact, that office was discontinued at once, and to-day not a house stands where once existed Blazed Acre "City."
It was found that the Burrnocks had caused the breakage in the dam of Tripping Waters, and in that awful undertaking Pewee lost his life. The note found by Little Snap in his pocket was written by Jason Warfield.