It was the rider who earlier in the afternoon had passed them. 下午早些时候，正是骑手从他们身边经过。

　　He had spied the Indians first, and had ridden around them without being seen. 他首先发现了印第安人，并在他们周围骑着，没有被发现。

　　A few miles out he had met the Express rider from the West. 在几英里外，他遇到了从西部来的快马骑手。

　　They had exchanged pouches, and he had turned back. 他们交换了小袋，他就掉头往回返。

　　“I figured on getting a fresh horse from you,” he said to Bartigan. “我想从你那里得到一匹新马，”他对巴提干说。

　　“Then I ran into the redskins again, and they would have caught me if I’d had any further to go. “然后我又遇到了印第安人，如果我再往前走，他们就会抓住我。”

　　My pony was done for, and I was wounded. 我的小马疲倦不堪，我也受了伤。

　　Give me some coffee and a bite to eat. Then give me a horse and—” 给我来点咖啡，吃点东西。“然后给我一匹马——”

　　His words died away to a murmur; he dropped back. 他的话音渐渐消失，变成了喃喃低语；他昏过去了。

　　“The man is in bad shape,” said Bartigan, rising from a hasty examination of his wound, “他伤得很重，” 巴提干匆匆检查了一下伤口说道，

　　“and he’ll not be able to ride on. “他不能再骑马了。

　　We’ll do the best we can by him, and take him with us when we go in the morning.” 我们会尽力照顾他，早上我们走的时候带上他一起。”

　　William Saunders thrust himself forward. 威廉·桑德斯向前冲去。

　　“But the pouch, Mr. Bartigan,” he cried. “但是邮袋，巴提干先生，”他带着哭腔说。

　　“The mail for the East. That ought to be on the way now.” “往东方的邮件。现在本应该已经在路上了。”

　　The big plainsman shrugged his shoulders. 那个相貌平平的大个子耸了耸肩。

　　“I can’t spare any of the riders or any of the scouts to turn back with the pouch.” “我不能让任何骑手或侦察兵带着这个袋子回去。”

　　“The mail must go through,” declared the boy. “邮件一定送达，”威廉说。

　　“We’ll take the pouch with us and turn it over if we meet an Express rider,” replied Bartigan. “我们会带着这个邮袋，以防遇到快马骑手，”巴提干回复说。

　　“If not, we’ll leave it at the next relay station.” “如果没有，我们就把它留在下一个中继站。”

　　He turned his back upon the boy and went about his duties. 他转身背对着那男孩，开始做他的工作。

　　For a moment William stood thinking, his eyes upon the saddlebags that held the mail pouch, where they lay upon the ground beside the fire. 威廉站在那里想了一会儿，他的眼睛盯着那个装着邮袋的马鞍袋。

　　Then he bent over, picked them up, slipped out of the circle of wagons, and made his way to the corral near by. 然后他弯下腰，把它们捡起来，从一圈货车里溜出来，向附近的畜栏走去。

　　William’s horse was tethered near the gate. 威廉的马拴在大门附近。

　　“What are you up to, son?” asked the sentinel as the boy led out his pony and began to saddle it. “你在干什么，孩子？” 哨兵问，这时男孩牵着他的小马开始给它套鞍。

　　“Tell Mr. Bartigan someone else will have to check the supplies, for I have gone to take the mail through,” “告诉巴提干先生，必须有人来检查物品，因为我已经去把邮件送过去了。”

　　was the reply, and William rode off into the darkness. 威廉答复道，然后骑着马消失在黑暗中。