Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/36

28 same road dat we’re gwine to go ober in a day or two.”

“There’s nothing strange in that.”

“Why couldn’t we fetched down our war steeds and gone wid him?”

“He wouldn’t allow it; we should be too much in his way, and we couldn’t keep up with him for more than a few miles.”

“Dunno ’bout dat; Jilk and Firebug don’t take de dust oh any other animiles.”

Jethro thus alluded to the horse owned by himself and the mare which was the favorite of his master.

“That may he so, Jeth, but we expect to ride our horses all the way to California, while Alec will change his every ten or twelve miles.”

“Can’t we do de same?”

“How?”

“Why, ebery ten miles I’ll get into de saddle ob Firebug, and you kin get into de saddle ob Jilk: dat will be changing bosses.”

Alden looked at Jethro. The colored lad tried to keep a sober face, but had to duck his head and chuckle. He might be slow-witted, but he was not in earnest in making his proposition.