siness. He's got messages, dispatches of some kind that
are worth a heap to somebody. With all the armies gatherin' in the south
an' west of the state it stands to reason that them dispatches mean a
lot. Now, we've got to get 'em an' get the full worth of 'em from them
to whom they're worth the most."

"He's got a pistol," said the elder Leffingwell, "I seed it in his belt.
If he wakes before we grab him he'll shoot."

The man Kerins laughed.

"He'll never get a chance to shoot," he said. "Why, after all he went
through today, he'll sleep like a log till mornin'."

"That's so," said one of the young Leffingwells, "an' Kerins is right.
We ought to grab them dispatches. Likely in one way or another we kin
git a heap fur 'em."

"Shut up, Jim, you fool," said his mother sharply. "Do you want murder
on your hands? Stealin' hosses is bad enough, but if that boy has got
the big dispatches you say he has, an' he's missin', don't you think
that sojers will come after him? An' they'll trace him to this house,
an' I tell you that in war trials don't last long. Besides, he's a nice
boy an' he spoke nice all the time to pap an' me."

But her words did not seem to make any impression upon the others,
except her husband, who protested again that it would be enough to take
the horse. As for the dispatches it wasn't wise for them to fool with
such things. But Kerins insisted on going the whole route and the young
Leffingwells were with him.

Meanwhile Dick had dressed with more rapidity than ever before in his
life, fully alive to the great dangers that threatened. But his fear was
greatest lest he might lose the precious dispatches that he bore. For
a few moments he did not know what to do. He might take his pistols and
fight, but he could not fight them all with success. Then that pleasant
flood of cold air gave him the key.

While they were still talking he put his saddle bags over his arm,
opened the shutter its full width, and dropped quietly to the ground
outside, remembering to take the precaution of closing the shutter
behind him, lest the sudden inrush of cold startle the Leffingwells and
their friends.

It was an icy night, but Dick did not stop to notice it. He ran to the
stable, saddled and bridled his horse in two minutes, and in another
minute was flying westward over the flinty road, careless whether or not
they heard the beat of his horse's hoofs.

CHAPTER VIII. A MEETING AT NIGHT

Dick heard above