The Pony Rider Boys in Louisiana

down in front of the hotel for his morning airing. By his side walked B

nd killed it. When night came he would throw himself down on the trail and go to sleep or crouch like a wild turkey high up in the crotch of a giant cypress. Unlike the guides of the north, Billy loved to talk. He had not, however, looked forward to the task before him with any great enthusiasm, believing that he wa

s over. Stacy demurred. He said he never could pick out a horse before breakfast, so, to save argument and grumbling, everyo

s between a standard-bred saddle horse of the north and a mustang. They were tough, wiry animals, owned by a rancher on the outskir

nally choosing a white-coated, pink-nosed animal for himself, af

ide opened their eyes at

nasty temper," w

nodded the Po

and can stand a

black yonder,

not," sai

y n

n. We don't want

cking out your mounts," grinned Lilly. "Where did

. He was born that way,"

trappings in a wagon, and the boys now proceeded to saddle and bridle the horses they had decided to take. Then they mounted and raced up and down the road

a fast gallop, scooping up Stacy Brown's sombrero that had been lost from the fat boy's head, and deftly spinning i

e the packing of kits, the stowing of supplies, and a hundred and one petty details, all of which Tad supervised, knowing pretty well what would be nee

utfits, attracting a great deal of attention in the little southern village. Major Clowney said t

the Major's home and giving the ladies a

he thing," shou

ajor?" asked Tad, glanci

be delight

you say,

manship of his young charges, and was quite willing, indeed, t

rom their horses, while the Professor, leaving his mount secure

g like a pack of Indians on the war path. All the colored people in the establishment ran out into the street to see the exhibiti

were leaning over the f

ied Miss Millicent. "That

t past, lifting his hat. Miss Millicent flung a long-stemmed rose

up the rose by the very tips of his fingers. He came within a fraction of an inch of missing it, but the recovery w

down from their saddles and scooping up their hats. Tad, however, suddenly changed his mind about recovering his hat. He had discovered a little colored boy of about ten years running across th

oop caught one of the colored youngster's feet and was suddenly jerked taut, and the pickaninny landed on his head and

rror of calculation might have resulted in serious injury to the little colored boy, but Butler was confident of himself, the onl

e awe of Tad Butler's ready rope. There was something almost uncanny to them in the way the lad had roped the pickaninny, an

es jump, Mr. Lil

emselves," ans

lighted at its jumping skill. Then the others pour

here seemed no end to the stunts that the Pony Rider Boys could do, and they gave the spectators everything they knew along this line. Professor

from their saddles without the least attempt to be spectacular. This was as much of a surprise to

, you know," explained Tad. "They hav

e if it weren't for that,"

ried the young ladie

ever witnessed," declared th

s who really do," ad

"though we are not what you might call bad shots, especially in the case of Sta

lly said they had better be going if they were to make Tensas Bayou that night as they had planned to do, so bidding good-bye to their new-found friends, the lads rode away, waving their hats in response to the fluttering handkerch