"He acts mighty queer," said one of the bystanders by the name of Clevis Claverton, who was the third man on the postboy's bond. "Ha! here comes Meiggs, with Dan Shag and a party from Greenbrier. They will explain the matter, I imagine." Little Snap found his mother nearly distracted with the reports circulated concerning his fate, but which were happily ended with his safe appearance. Knowing it would be best for him to return to the post office as soon as possible, to give a more intelligible account of what had befallen him, he was about leaving the house immediately after eating his supper, when he was surprised by the appearance of a body of men at the door. Foremost of the party was Sheriff Brady, who said, as the postboy opened the door: "I arrest you, Dix Lewis, in the name of the United States Government. Will you come with me peacefully as my prisoner?" "Arrest me? What have I done now, Mr. Brady, to cause my arrest?" "Done? I should say there was enough to send you to prison for life. Will you allow me to handcuff you?" CHAPTER XIII A CURIOUS COURT. For a moment Little Snap could not comprehend the meaning of Sheriff Brady's order. Mrs. Lewis had been standing but a few feet away, and at the officer's demand she rushed forward to throw herself between Dix and the other. "You shall not harm him!" she cried. "I——" "Be calm, Mrs. Lewis!" commanded the officer. "It is a painful duty I am compelled to perform, but you only make it the harder by your nonsense." Mrs. Lewis was about to reply, when Little Snap said: "Do not mind it, mother; I shall come out all right. There, be calm, and know that I have done nothing that I am afraid to answer for. "Mr. Brady, I will accompany you without opposition, so you will not be obliged to fasten my hands." "I am not so sure of that. 'Safe bind sure to find,' I have always noticed. Hold out your hands, young man." Little Snap was inclined to rebel against this unnecessary treatment, but, fortunately, his better judgment prevailed, and he held out his wrists to receive the bonds Sheriff Brady was so anxious to snap upon them. "We were lucky to get him so easily," said the officer. "Now we will take him before Squire Claverton at once." With these words the sheriff marched away from the home he had so ruthlessly entered, his arm locked in that of the prisoner, the crowd following in increasing numbers as the procession kept on. Mrs. Lewis, without stopping to throw anything over her head, persisted in keeping close by the side of Dix, though he tried to have her remain at home, knowing that her presence would be of no avail to him.