The man seemed disconcerted at this.

"Charge? What charge?" he blustered.

"You'll find out soon enough," Jack replied.

He started off, thinking Mr. Argent would keep the man there until Mr.
Perkfeld could be summoned. But the fellow made a sudden dash, leaped to
the saddle of a horse that was near the end of the porch, and was off down
the road on a gallop.

As he rode off he was joined by another man, who also made a hurried exit
from the hotel and leaped to the back of his horse. But he was not so quick
but what Jack recognized him as the other man who had annoyed the young
postmistress of Golden Crossing.

"Well, they got away!" Jack said, regretfully, as he came back to Mr.
Argent.

"Perhaps it's just as well," answered the miner. "I don't know that you
could have really held them on the charge of being impudent and rough to
Miss Blake, and you tell me that is all they did."

"Yes, that's so. But what about one of them listening to what you were
telling me about the secret mine."

"Oh, bless you, that doesn't worry me!" said Mr. Argent, with a laugh.
"I'll defy anybody to find that mine without the proper directions, and I
don't intend to tell even you those, Jack--at least not yet. I really
didn't let out any information of any account, and what that chap