thinking he must have stepped on some sleeping beast. But there came no
outcry, which would have followed in that case.

"It can't be dead leaves," mused the lad, "it doesn't feel that way.
What--"

He stooped down and felt with his hands. A thrill ran through him.

"The mail pouches!" he exclaimed in a hoarse whisper. "The mail pouches the
robbers took from me! They hid them here, and I've found them! What luck!"




CHAPTER XI


DUMMY LETTERS

Jack was so overjoyed at his queer and unexpected discovery that, for the
moment, he forgot all about the approaching horsemen from whom he had
hidden himself. Then there came a thought to him.

"Perhaps the pouches are empty! If the rascals have taken all the mail out
and just thrown the empty pouches in here, that isn't such a great
discovery after all!"

Once more he felt of the pouches in the darkness. He could tell that they
were well filled--almost the same as when he had tied them to his saddle.