Little Snap quickly decided to conceal the garment under his saddle, and he had just accomplished this purpose as the horseman rode up. "Hello, Mr. Lewis! I am glad to meet you again. I have heard of your adventure here, and I could not refrain from riding down to see the place. Particularly as I hoped to have the pleasure of your company back." Little Snap was remounting his horse, and he made no reply to the speech. Mr. Goings was extravagant in his praises of the postboy's ride for life. "It must have been a thrilling situation. At Salt Works, where the whole account is known, they look upon you as a hero." "But you seem to be in a hurry to move on, so I won't detain you. We can talk as we ride along." "I am two hours behind time," said Little Snap. "But no one can blame you for that, under the circumstances. They should reward you for heroic conduct instead." The postboy making no reply to this, nothing farther was said, until, as they were leaving Tripping Waters Valley they met a party from Salt Works going down to view the scene of the flood. Little Snap had to speak briefly to them, but he hardly stopped his horse. At the post office he was again plied with questions, all of which he answered as briefly as possible. "I suppose you are anxious to get on toward home," said the postmaster. "I don't blame you. Before you get along to-morrow we will fix up the road as best we can for you, though it will be some time before it will be in the condition it was this morning. I see that Goings is intending to ride up with you." "Yes; do you know anything of him?" "Not a thing; supposed he was a friend of yours. As near as I can make, he is looking after the political interests of Colonel Warfield, though he is doing it on the sly." "He didn't speak very favorably of Mr. Warfield to me as we were coming down this morning." "It's a funny way he has of drawing people out. All the same, he is working his best for Warfield. There is going to be a mass meeting here soon." Without stopping to say more, Little Snap left the office to find Mr. Goings waiting for him at the door. Springing into the saddle, the postboy resumed his journey at a pace which made it impossible for his companion to keep up a conversation, until they came in sight of the live oak, where Old Solitaire was wont to be seen. Little Snap discovered him as soon as he came in sight of the place, and the next moment his companion exclaimed: "Look! what old duffer is that!" "Has my letter come to-day?" came the old, familiar question, while the squirrels suddenly stopped their nimble movements, and began to chatter as if with fear. It may have been the sight of the strange horseman which had alarmed them. The old hermit himself was eying the latter closely, as Little Snap gave his oft-repeated reply. "I am sorry to trouble you," said the disappointed man, "but I have waited so long. Take this to her, and I am certain that to-morrow I shall get my letter."