Never in their roguish lives had Barney and Pomp received such a shock. It was awful to think that it was all owing to careless fooling upon their part.
“Och hone, it’s ruined we are,” wailed Barney. “Shure Misther Frank niver will fergive us the day.”
“Golly! don’ I wish I had stayed abo’d de waggin!” wept Pomp.
On they ran in the darkness, stumbling over stones and obstructions.
But nothing could be seen ahead of the Steam Horse.
A thousand awful reflections came to the two servitors. They saw the Steam Horse lying at the bottom of a precipice in a million fragments.
Or it might dash against the wall of a cliff and be shattered.
Again, if by any chance it should be stopped some of the counterfeiters might get possession of it.
All these fears augmented a thousandfold flitted through the minds of the excited and despairing pursuers.
“Golly! where ebber can dat Hoss hab gone to anyhow!” cried Pomp in agony. “We’se done fo’ dis time, I’ish.”