Not content with this, he warned the inside passengers that there was danger to be apprehended, and that there were bandits on the road.
He urged them to have their weapons in readiness, so that in case the robbers did come, we could give them a red-hot reception.

The people inside caught the old man's spirit, and they all resolved that if an attack did come they would meet it like men.

To tell the truth, I didn't fear any danger, and I thought the old man was excitin' everybody without cause; but I didn't say anything, cause it wouldn't do any harm anyhow, even if we were not molested.
"However, I had reckoned without my host, for just as we reached this place, and were a-turnin' around this bend in the road, two men sprang out from the bushes and grabbed the lead horses by the bits.

Two more jumped out on one side of the coach, and two more on the other, while one man stepped up to me and demanded me to come down.

Of course the coach was stopped, and just as the robber spoke to me, the old man reached over in front of me and fired.