I drew my pistol, fired it over their heads, and they scattered.

Then, I was scared still more, by a sound as of a cavalry or a battery of artillery coming behind us.

It was three loads of people on the hayracks, who had overtaken us on account of our having gone by the roundabout way; coming at a keen gallop down the hill to have the credit of passing a fancy carriage.
They passed us like a tornado; shouting as they went by, asking what I had shot at, and telling us to hurry up so as to get home by breakfast time.

The horsemen ahead, whatever might have been their plans, did not seem to care to argue matters with so large a force, and rode off in several directions, while I pressed close to the rear of the last hayrack.

Thus we drove into Monterey Centre.
"What did you shoot for ?" asked the judge as we stopped at his house.
"I wanted to warn a lot of men on horseback that were heading us off, that there'd be trouble if they tried to stop us," I answered.
"Damned foolishness," said the judge.