The Pony Rider Boys in the Grand Canyon The Mystery of Bright Angel Gulch

taking their ease in a Pullman sleeping car, making

udy their maps and enter into long discussions with Professor Zepplin, the grizzled, stern-looking man who in so many other journe

ore tender passengers, though the hardy Pony Riders gave no heed to such trivial discomforts as heat and dust. They were used

emed to drop several degrees in an instant. Everyone drew a long breath, faces were pre

es, so tall that the lads were oblige

announced Professor Zepplin somewhat eni

h a car window. "It strikes me that we've left

rofessor?" ask

base of the San Francisco mountains southward for a distance of nearly two hundred miles.

Flagstaff in an hour," cried Sta

is enormous forest covers an area of over ten thousand square

xclamations of ama

y. "I never could think in such big figures. I'm like a rich fello

about it?" d

, but for anything above that it's a check,"

e lau

after an interval of silence, "did y

snaffl

to put on Stacy Brown

board of Ned's face if he didn't watch out, after which the Professor turned the rising

from anything they ever had seen. One peak especially attracted their attention. Its blackened s

d Tad, with an inquiring gaze

Professor Zepplin. "You sh

sunset," obj

here. The effect is al

, too!" quest

nset then," s

However, we shall have more of this later on. For the present you would do well t

s had been stowed there. All was bustle for the next twenty minutes. Then the train drew into the stati

set like a gem in a frame of green and gold, nestling, it seemed, at the very base of the towering peaks of the San Franc

pposite side. Here the garb of the Pony Riders failed to attract the same attention that it had done further east.

lly sixty years old, standing straight as a tree and wearing a soft black felt hat, a white shirt and a wing collar. From his chin, extend almost back to the ears, there stood a growth of wh

leeve. He turned to fin

ng up into

Man of the Canyon?

ooks as if he might

where we can find Jim

fes

e do," draw

he Professor so

swered th

im, pardner?" spoke up Tad, observing how th

he cowboy, pointing to the straig

nned at

our guid

ce enough to b

ed Stacy. "He's mysterious l

lin strode up

nce, I

drawled t

em, the old man gazing keenly with twinkling, searching eyes into the face of each on

e gentleman who is to

sor Ze

e you, Mr. Nance," ch

erfeet, eh?" qu

r some time. They are pretty well used

hey haven't before they get

es?" asked Tad. "Ha

take yon to corral after

el, where they sat down to the first satisf

g on board the train," announced Stacy, his e

oned Ned. "There are some poli

eals?" quizzed the guide after they

d to make for his men on the

never heard you men

y on spirit soup. Eve

of you boys ever h

not particularly interested in Chunky's narra

to make it. He had barre

uck made?" dem

oup you catch a snipe. Then you

e no

understand? Well, after he's become a shadow you let the shadow drop into a barrel of rainwater. The result is spirit soup

mbling as if from the agitation of their own

young man," rebu

ter under his breath; then

kboard brought around. Into this the whole outfit piled u

estioned the Profe

'll let the fat boy walk if we've got too

poke up Stacy promptly.

wed to walk,

o the corral, Mr. Na

hawk flies. We'll b

re he had deposited funds to cover the purchase of stock and stores for the trip through the Canyon. This the

s in the corral, asking the

y, indicating a mild-eyed pinto

the herd of m

isn't he?" questi

sound al

handle a pinto, bo

ckies for years and years? Don't I know how to rope anything that ambles on four legs? Wel

eyes ever so little, then permitted the eyelids to droop. It was not a

unky," he warned. "Sha

an't rope him I'd li

the Professor. Jim Nance appeared to take only a passive interest in t

hands, then grasping the hondo

e were climbing the f

h action was followed by the other two boys, only the owner of the

epy pinto. The pinto, at the touch of the rope, sprang into sudden life. Then thi