"I do' know how I likes it yit, Mah'sr Harry. Don't seem 'xactly nat'ral
after ridin' de oder road so long!"

"You have a pretty big letter-bag there," said Harry.

"Dat's so," said Miles; "but 'taint dis big ebery day. Sence de creek's
been up I haint been able to git across, and dere's piles o' letters to
go ober to-day."

"It must make it rather bad for the company when the creek rises in this
way," said Harry.

"Dat's so," answered Miles. "Dey gits in a heap o' trubble when dey
can't send dere letters and git 'em. Though 'taint so many letters dey
sends as telegraphs."

"It's a pity they couldn't have had their mine on the other side,"
remarked Kate.

"Dat's so, Miss Kate," said Miles, gravely. "I reckon dey didn't know
about de creek's gittin' up so often, or dey'd dug dere mine on de oder
side."

Harry and Kate laughed and drove on.

They soon reached Mr. Loudon's woods, but found no wood-cutters.

When they arrived at the station they saw Dick Ford and John Walker on
the store-porch.