At last the word was given, and away went the coach, cheered all the way down the valley until it was out of sight.
As before, the young driver lost no time on the trail, but upon reaching the Dead Line, instead of seeming to dread the spot and wishing to drive rapidly by, he dismounted from the box, and, going to the cross, felt about among the wild flowers growing about it until he picked up a slip of paper, while he hastily read what he found written thereon.
Taking from his pocket a similar slip, on which there was writing, he thrust it out of sight in the spot he had taken the other from. Then he returned to the coach and drove on once more as though he felt no fear of his surroundings.
He reached the night-cabin on time, and surprised the stock-tender there by telling him that he intended to drive on to W—— that night.
"You don't mean it?"
"I certainly do."
"Why, yer'll kill yer team, smash ther old box, and crush yerself to atoms."
"I believe I can drive the road at night," was the firm response.
"It's ther wust piece of road on ther whole Overland Trail."
"It is a bad one, but I will depend upon my team mainly and risk it."