"Good-evening, gentlemen. I was starting to come up to your house, Mr. Warfield." "Was that the direction I left at the post office for you to follow, young man?" demanded Mr. Warfield, sternly. "No, sir; but Jack was so tired that I thought——" "So you put more importance upon the condition of your horse than you do the affairs of Uncle Sam?" "Not exactly that; but I did not know you wished to see me upon government matters. I——" "It seems to me, young man, that you should have been very anxious to see me, if I was not to see you, after what has happened to-day. Mr. Shag was so much concerned about it that he rode up here posthaste to let me know. He tells me you have lost the Hollow Tree packet of mail." "Mr. Shag said it was missing, sir, when I got to his office; but I trust you do not think it any of my fault. Mr. Belmont——" "The horse does not seem very badly winded," broke in Sheriff Brady, who had approached Jack, and was running his hand over the creature's body. "Ha! Mr. Warfield, I hardly think we shall have to look much farther for the missing mail. Here it is, fast enough." Little Snap uttered a low exclamation of astonishment, as he saw the sheriff take from the little pouch he had fastened to the saddle for his convenience in carrying small articles to and fro on his trips, the missing package of mail matter! All feelings imaginable were depicted upon the countenances of the little group surrounding the postboy. CHAPTER VII. "THE TRUTH IN A NUTSHELL." "This explains why he did not wish to come up to your house with his hoss, squire," said Dan Shag, nodding his head toward the recovered package. "I thought it was best to git here as soon as possible." The sheriff was examining the package more closely, while Mr. Warfield looked from him to the postboy with a peculiar expression upon his face. "What does all this mean?" asked Mrs. Lewis, in an anxious voice. "My boy has done nothing wrong; I am sure of that." "Do not be alarmed, mother," said Little Snap, gently. "Please go into the house, and I will explain it to these men." "So you confess to the theft?" inquired Mr. Warfield, quickly, without giving Mrs. Lewis time to speak. "No, sir. In fact, I do not know as there has been any theft." "Don't get excited, my boy," said Mr. Warfield, in a more kindly tone than he had previously used. "We are all your friends, and are not here to injure you. Mr. Shag came up to tell me about the missing package, and I thought it was best for us to see you before it had been noised all over town. Own up to the truth and we will not be hard with you." "I am not going to tell you anything but the truth, Mr. Warfield. How that package of mail came in my saddle pocket is more than I can explain. I certainly did not put it there, nor did I know it was there."