The following morning, as the postboy was leaving the little village of Six Roads, he was accosted by a man on horseback, who was a stranger to him, and who showed by his personal appearance that he had ridden several miles. "Young man," he said, "are you the postboy of the Kanawha?" "I carry the mail, sir, between this place and Upper Loop." "I thought I wasn't mistaken. I want to go to Greenbrier, and possibly to a place called Salt Works, and as the road is a strange one to me, perhaps you will have the kindness to allow me to ride with you. I can't promise that I shall be very good company, but I will at least be civil." He spoke with an air of honesty, and he looked like a straightforward person. He was about forty years of age, and he rode a horse that Little Snap saw was to all outward appearances the equal of his Jack. "Do you object to my company?" he asked, as Little Snap hesitated a moment in his reply. "If you have any suspicions of me, I won't object to riding a little in front of you, so you can keep your eye on me all of the time." "I think I can trust you, sir." "Thank you. My name is Austin Goings, and I am not ashamed to say that I am a Kentuckian, though it has been several years since I bade adieu to the scenes of my nativity. May I ask your name?" "It is Dix Lewis, Mr. Goings. I am afraid you will find me to be poor company, as I have been so used to only the companionship of my horse that I must be dull." "Fine-looking horse, Dix," said the Kentuckian, at once assuming a social companionship. "I should judge he might be fleet of foot. I am rather proud of my own horse here, and if agreeable to you, we will have a little spurt when we come to a suitable road." "I never race Jack, sir, unless it is a case of necessity. His work is hard enough without my adding to it by any unnecessary hard driving." "Good on your head, Dix Lewis! I like that kind of talk. We shall get along famously. How long have you been carrying this mail?" "Two years." "Must have begun pretty young." "Was a little over sixteen when I made my first trip." "I'll venture you are a gritty one. Ever have any trouble?" "None that I could not look after." "Don't be offended at my questions. I should judge there might be some tough characters in this vicinity, and, naturally, one in your position would be likely to run across them. If I am not mistaken, the Raggles settled in this locality." "I never knew but one family by that name, and they have come recently." "I may have been mistaken. They were a bad gang, anyway." Little Snap making no reply to this, Mr. Goings dropped the conversation, so that very little was said until reaching Hollow Tree. Dan Shag showed his surprise at seeing a companion with the postboy. "Reckon it's a purty good thing to hev a guard," he said, in a low tone. "Had the colonel got home this mornin'?" "No, sir. Everything all right this morning?" "Alwus is goin' right, this way."