Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/324

 between him and me. We are both traveling in the same direction, and I don’t think he feels backward about that little matter. In fact he has proved he doesn’t. I’ll give him the fight of his life!”

And Alden compressed his lips and walked more briskly to the door through which he passed, entering as the others were sitting down to the table. He was greeted warmly and knew he could not have been more welcome.

It impressed Alden that two facts were self-evident; since all the men were present the rider who had taken charge of the mail must have carried it to the next station and returned during the night. Inasmuch as the entire ride was less than twenty-five miles the achievement was not remarkable, when the circumstances are remembered. Every rider had a swift intelligent pony, and both were familiar with the route.

Moreover, since the force at the station had increased from three to four men, one of them must be the horseman whom Alden met, and who refused to speak a word to him. A glance at the different ones told the youth which was he, but, as he made no reference to his freak