How to do that was a difficult question.
"Air ye goin' to do it?" demanded Burrnock, "or shall we hev to take it from ye? 'Pears to me ye oughter thank us fer bein' perlite 'nough to let ye handle the ol' sack."
"I repeat that I cannot do it, as much as I would like to oblige you. It would be against——"
"Bah! ye could do yit ef ye felt like yit. Uncle Sam need never know ye hev tampered with yit, 'less ye air fool 'nough to tell. Kem, once more, an' fer the las' time, I ax ye to hand over dad's letter. Why, it's his'n, an' ye hev no bizness to keep yit."
Little Snap had already formed a plan of action, which, if desperate, was only in keeping with his situation.
He said:
"You say you will stand back ten feet, and will not touch me while I am finding the letter?"
"Ye hev coined my idee, only there's to be no foolin'. Shoot ye, true ez preachin', ef ye show the fust sign o' treachery. D'ye cave?"
"I'll do all I agree, if you will keep your word. As I dismount, you must step back, and upon your knees you must promise you will never tell a living soul I opened that mail pouch."
As Little Snap spoke he slipped from the saddle into the middle of the road, the outlaws at the same time falling back a few feet.