The Pony Rider Boys in Montana; Or, The Mystery of the Old Custer Trail

though as he once more reached the bank he could tell where the river lay, because

Tad!" he

was not quite sure that it was

! T-

ur

tance away-that fain

you,

-e

e are

er

I don't

r. Just belo

s he discovered that they were so nearly straight up and down th

You'll have to wait a few

rock. It's awful slippe

. Is Stacy

I've g

I'll be with you," sa

h longer. The falls are just below here an

lls on his face, so close were they to him and their roar was loud in his e

through the brush, headed toward camp. On the way he passed Profe

Then get one and hurry around the bend. You'll be needed ther

rehend what Ned had in mind, t

pon reaching their camping place, put his pony

and the lad had a narrow escape from following w

way I can stick on to drive him in, and we

animal about, Ned drove him into the thicket

back. The boy worked with the speed and precision of a Gattling gun. Yet he groaned h

just as Ned had finally cinched the gi

gasped the Professo

e with a rope and be ready to

ich to urge on the animal, but Ned had thoughtfully picked up a lo

it!" thundered

spoken. It was a time when words were useless. Wha

that rope!"

ver, but Ned was in no mood for trifling now. He brought

aled and leaped into the air with

harply, again smiting the animal wh

their perilous position. While the bluff was sandy at the point where they had fallen in, down below, where Tad was now desperately clingin

her squeal of protest the little animal plunged for the bank. No sooner had his forw

he least effort on his part, so that he was well out of the way when his mount landed. He

ther and further down the slippery bank. Now on its back, now with its nose in the sand, Bad-eye was rapidly nearing the swiftly moving creek. Ned had all he could do to keep out of th

stant later, and he would hav

ed still clinging to the reins. As the pony went in,

hock of the icy water, which seem

seemed almost a miracle that the lad was not killed by those

rd the middle of the stream. Even when he was under water, he still kept a firm grip on the rein.

and pony had drifted do

was by his side almost instantly, being aided in the eff

do. That was to climb into the saddle and get him started. Ned did this with di

boy slipped off, at the same tim

d was on the pommel, the reins bunched in his left.

in driving the knee ag

aster, the animal fighting every inch

g!" shoute

e had not had breath

d, as they swung around

u there

y distinguishable repl

e and I will be ther

ing down along the

numb, that's the troubl

in the face of the swift current was one that would have taxed the strength of the strongest man,

e past me,"

heading up," rep

down stream so that he might the easier pi

led the Professor, who had reached

dy to cast me a r

raid I

ve Walte

d him to remain in camp in

ry later. I'll tell y

down," warne

know where you are. Just s

his voice was we

hard on the reins to slow the animal down w

able to hel

if he

he mane as he goes by. Don't you mi

o get the three of us up

now

t are we g

Better call to him to get Pink-eye or one of the others saddled as soon as you can make hi

or the rock

o, but he

the boys were now clinging to the overburdened animal. Ned began swimming to assist the p

nd get hold of the s

ed his ins

never make it,"

ard, cold object. It was the slender, pillar-like rock th

it," exc

rock. The pony freed from a share of his burden, struck o

"I wouldn't, were it not for Chunky. He co

rself now. How's th

ll righ

, are you

es

etween the boys, and unders

ave thing to d

o me. I'm afraid I shall never be able to hold on here alo

ed his hand at ca

up his own spirits than with the intent to

ow it out, then let it

e

found to be too short to reach, and at Ne

restored his circulation. Walter, who was in camp had Pink-eye ready and saddled for an emergency, and Tad mounting the pony, forced him to take to the

ony and all," he explained, wheeling alongsid

with you when we get

y. "The one who loses has to g