The strain of caring for his prisoner had fatigued him quite as much as the tramp, and it is doubtful if he could have covered the distance again in less than three or four hours.
The officers walked on either side of the horse, and during the journey he had ample opportunity to explain why he had not met them at the arrival of the train.
"We knew from the station agent that a boy had sent the telegram, and intended to wait for us, therefore it was only natural to suppose some of the crowd had got the best of you. When we heard the row both of us hurried from the depot, thinking you were in some way the cause of it."
"I was afraid you might leave when I failed to show up."
"Not much. On such a job as this we'd have stayed here more than one day before jumping back."
During the last portion of the journey, Jet dozed as he rode along, forcing himself to open his eyes now and then to make certain he was on the right course, and it was while he was thus in a semi-conscious condition that a shout from a clump of bushes told the tramp was nearly at an end.
"That is Mr. Harvey," Jet cried, gleefully, all desire for slumber gone from his eyelids now.