Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/204

 whether he could do any service in the circumstances. His first thought was of lifting the body to the back of his horse, and either riding or walking beside it to camp. Then he feared that such action would call down an attack on him and Jethro and defeat its purpose.

“I’ll leave the body here till our folks come up, when they can give it burial; or Shagbark and several of us will come forward and bring it away to-night.”

The probability of such purpose failing led Alden to search the clothing. He took out a small gold watch, several letters and a trifling amount of money which he carefully placed in his own pockets. The sad duty finished he straightened and was on the point of remounting beside his trembling companion, when a thought flashed upon him.

“Jeth, I’m going to take his place!”

The stare of the African showed he did not understand.

“We’ll bofe take his place if we wait here any longer!” he stammered.

“I’m going to ride his pony to the next station and deliver the mail for him.”

Even then Jethro was bewildered by the words of his companion.