The Pony Rider Boys in Louisiana

now rode the jungle fully as well as the guide, except that Tad had never used the bush-knife. It was a dangerous wea

en the fat boy, they did not at once catch sight of him. They were looking for Chunky on the ground, believing that he h

acy had thrown out both hands to protect himself. The vine had slipped neatly under the lad's arms. The next second he was dangling in the air, with the horse trotting on ahead. And there they

they did catch sight of their comp

tor. "Oh, I never thought I shou

e down just before r

t are you doing up

red Stacy sheepishly. "

't see any way of get

o ride under the vine, reach up and grab hold of it,

you did it?" qu

hunky. "Are you going to help m

tter to leave him up there where he cannot get into any f

with you, Tad," reflecte

u been there, Sta

h. Come, he

n much more quickly than we c

ant to fall,"

en, stay where you

," offered Tad, riding under

m afr

ng down. In trying to catch Chunky, Tad Butler was himself unhorsed, and the two boys landed on the

essor sternly. "This sort of

from his flushed face. "A good old-fashioned country road i

nt back?" demanded Pr

have to go back over that trail. That

ile. "Now, if there is no objection, I move that we proceed on our journey

o watch you?" stam

laughed Tad. "You must remember that he hasn't be

Stacy. "He's just be

The distance to their next camping place was now less than a mile, and they soon reached the Sunflower without further

ong, with little bayous reaching off into the swamp every now and th

across?" a

e the others will care about doing so," an

p, Mr. Lilly?" called

the little rise of

ce as to

own good

nse. "Stacy, how is your heart to

whispered Chu

re cane as you value your life. We don't propose to have another campf

this camp, young man

lashings from their packs, and after some delay they heard an occasional whack of t

e wood? Ichabod is waiting

as no r

o go look for him. I hope he

that if he wanted

most anything that other folks would t

way did

gone into the swamp a little way to ge

worried, knowing that Stacy could not have gone far and realizing tha

his back against a tree, while at his side on a log was a great, hook-beaked, barred o

as Stacy refused to do a thing because Re

I were a bag of meal

snorted Ned. "Get over there and sit down till I

," retorted Stac

watch out I will make it two and settle both accou

atching his companion swing the axe, and evidently d

e of the wood. It isn't that I am afraid of you, you

pausing to wipe the perspirat

nough wood to burn ten or fifteen minutes. Ned had to fetch the rest, for Stacy re

w rods back of them the dense cane. The party was now in the heart of the canebrake, in

tending some four feet above the ground. Below the knees were watery caverns, black and oozy, foul a

t for a pole. He wanted to try the water to see how deep it was. He returned a few minutes later with a

oned Ned, fixing a grin

hen again I

you ha

ope

ope you

pe I

in the black pool. He felt something move under the pole in his hand, and gave a vicious prod. There

n which to yell. Stacy uttered a wild, piercing scream, for he saw what had caused the disturbance below. A huge snout, with a