Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/267

 friends to have a fresh horse ready, for it must be borne in mind that the minutes were precious. As the panting animal dashed up, his rider sprang from the saddle before he had fairly halted and ready hands helped secure it to the back of the waiting horse. The messenger leaped like an acrobat into place, caught up the reins, touched with his spurs the flanks of the animal, which instantly responded with a bound, and was off on a headlong run.

Often the rider snatched up the lunch that was waiting him, and ate while his horse was going at top speed. He shouted back to his cheering friends, with whom he had exchanged a few hurried words and the next minute was beyond hearing.

Such was the rule while the rider was making his run. Generally the stations were twelve or fifteen miles apart, and the ride of a one man was thirty or forty miles. This compelled two changes such as described, after starting on his furious race. At the end of his “stunt,” the new man, freshly mounted was awaiting him. The pause after the arrival of the courier was just long enough for the saddle and mail pouches to be transferred, when