At the same time he turned in his saddle and yelled back down the trail, as if a numerous band was coming round the turn:
“Come on, boys! Hurry up and we’ll get them!”
The pursuers of the coach stopped suddenly. Then they wheeled their ponies about and dashed off at top speed. Jack’s ruse had succeeded. Evidently the highwaymen thought that a large body of horsemen was behind Jack. At any rate, they deemed it more prudent not to wait to find out.
But only one serious aspect of the situation was relieved by the abrupt departure of the highwaymen. The limp form of the coachman hung on the box, almost toppling off the seat. The lines had dropped from his hands and lay on the backs of the terrified wheelers. On they came, thundering at runaway speed, while Jack hesitated, his mind full of the thought of that dangerous bit of road that lay ahead.
He shouted up to his companions on the roof:
“Hullo, boys! I’m with you again!”
There was a yell of joy. An answer to his hail came quickly.
“Jack Merrill, by all that’s wonderful!”
“Jack! How under the sun did he get here!”
“It’s Jack on deck again as usual!”