The Pony Rider Boys in Louisiana

going to do?" que

Everyone get o

he axe, burying th

warned the

cy will come down long before ther

hunky. "George Washington, with his dull litt

s rolling from his forehead, for his axe was not making as much impression on the tree

tree," pleaded a mock

you," retorted Rector. "We shall have this

b. He poised it carefully for a few seconds, then let go. The limb was not heavy, but in falling that distance it gained considerable momentum. The limb caught Ned fai

essor. "I'll not have such goings on. Sta

ill

d you to

an I come down when Ned Rector is usi

ta

fess

axe. We can't have

mud after I had saved him fro

had to stop him," answe

Ned to go away, which Rect

ome dow

st eight or ten feet he shot down barely touching the tree, landing in a heap in the mud at the feet of his laughing companions

time. I'll owe you a thrashing until some more con

r for going into the lake?" demanded the Prof

t ex

s what

ted to take a bath,"

tent and fin

has breakfast nearly r

the word "breakfast," and s

ard Ned. The same condition existed at breakfast. Ned was casting threatening glances at the fat boy, which the latter was pleased t

ay mad at me for very long," wailed the fat b

e folks mad at you?

isn't making life interesting for you?" replied Stac

efore, but I reckon maybe there's somet

ays something in what I say. I'll

et's talk about the canebrake. Wh

l lay our course

that?"

"The common garden variety

wer River, do yo

about it?" inquired Lil

some twenty miles to the westward of where

efore, you boys d

s anything. I move that we appoint you as

," shout

e guardian of our young friend I fear I should be a miserable failure. I am too slow fo

t it does," p

ep going with Stacy Brown

akfast," a

s will have some work

harply. "You needn't think we are going to do your work

ow

o hold a meeting and draw up rules and regulations for the guidance of the Pony Rider Boy

e. It is an excellent idea

"We may make some regulations to which you will fi

y. "The Professor

others," m

akfast the boys began

t come on shore in search of prey. Such things had been known. Beyond this the boys were eager to get into the heart of the canebrake and begin following the game trails of the southern jungle, an un

to drive our horses t

hen you know ho

to get through on foot wh

inary animal would be of no use at all. I will lead the way and sh

ew to me," a

u in case we get separated. If you do,

rn?" wondered

es

you wind

of string,"

" Tad informed him. "Blow it for keeps

hings down here. Won't it scare

u blow the hor

proper place. The boys liked to attend to all these details themselves, having been in the habit of doing things in the same way for so long.

guide looked over the outf

hey will know better than you boys. After you have ridden the brake for a time you will know it as wel

he vine that could unho

nt, causing him to sit down suddenly. The others were too fully occupied to notice his mishap, nor did they hear him call to them to wait for

ees, leaping fallen trees where not too high, slashing right and left with his long bush-knife, cutting a vine here or a limb there, le

gh little animal's ears laid back on its head, and nose thrust straight ahead. To Tad Butler the wild ride was a delight, only he would have prefe

hind, out of sight and out of sound of the rapid