"It's six!" exclaimed Dan Shag, moving uneasily in his saddle. "Hand over thet mail bag, Mr. Rimmon, fer ye can't hol' it enny longer."
The postmaster cast a last, anxious gaze down the road before he replied, and then a cry of great relief left his lips.
"He is coming!"
Eagerly the spectators looked down the road, and a murmur of joy arose on the air, as they saw the figure of a horse galloping rapidly toward the town. But the look of relief on the faces of all turned to one of dread expectancy, as they discovered that the creature was riderless!
It was Jack, the postboy's favorite steed, his sides covered with foam, and his breath coming in quick, short gasps, as he sped like the wind toward his home, but Little Snap was not on his back!
CHAPTER XVI.
A LONELY NIGHT RIDE.
During this long, anxious night how has it fared with Little Snap? Is the return of Jack without him a good or an evil omen?
Let us see.
His most direct course to Volney was by the post road to Greenbrier, after which he must take a more southerly direction by following the left bank of the Little Kanawha to the Blue Stone River. From this junction he was to ride ten miles within sound of this stream, when he must leave the river road for one leading over the hills to the east.
Though there was no moon, the night was made pleasant by a myriad of stars in the mellow autumn sky, so he rode on with a hopeful heart that he should have no trouble in finding his way.