The other road agent, who was occupied with the minister, turned to assist his comrade, when he, too, received a check from an unexpected source.
The minister, who was an old man, had a stout staff, which he used to guide him in his steps. He raised it and brought it down with emphasis on the arm which held the revolver, exclaiming. "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon! I smite thee, thou bold, bad man, not in anger, but as an instrument of retribution."
"Well done, reverend doctor!" exclaimed Mortimer Sprague. "Between us we will lay the rascals out!"
Luke, who was close at hand, secured the fallen revolver be fore the road agent's arm had got over tingling with the paralyzing blow dealt by the minister, who, in spite of his advanced age, possessed a muscular arm.
"Now git, you two!" exclaimed Mortimer Sprague. "Git, if you want to escape with whole bones!"
Never, perhaps, did two road agents look more foolish than these who had suffered such a sudden and humiliating discomfiture from those among the passengers whom they had feared least.
The young dude and the old missionary had done battle for the entire stage-load of passengers, and vanquished the masked robbers, before whom the rest trembled.
"Stop!" said Colonel Braddon, with a sudden thought. "One of the rascals has got my pocketbook!"
"Which one?" asked Mortimer.
The colonel pointed him out.