The Pony Rider Boys in the Ozarks

cannot consen

r, don't stop me. I'm

am

you are. It's the moments to

king-down ropes? I want to splice them on in case this one should prove t

want us to do

the rope,

o be a sort of 'tug-of-wa

ose it

hope w

ope you do, to

ose. That sounds

demanded Chunky, pus

he wins it will be because he takes a tumb

his trousers pockets. He stepped to the edge of

," he decided sagely, wherea

you please take char

rong protest. I am doing wrong. I should use my authority to

mall tree there with the rope, and pay it out carefully, so that I can

w what they say happens to p

u m

sually hang

ughed

him to work. Little does he care what trouble

fall off if it were n

the Shawnee and givin

ead!" shouted Ned in a

ickly to

gle-eye. You're wan

take a hold nearest to the tree. You'll be my salvation. The rest o

ile Tad straightened out the rope unti

Have I got to stand here a

ay run the signal

n't see any such t

are

answered the fat b

ou will stand here and watch me. When I give a sig

ind of

old up my hand, it means that they are to stop letting out rope. When I move

eir hand, it means you want to go up or d

eless. No, no! Nothin

up and down, just li

ur

their hands at all, at least I hope they don't while I

I unde

rections to me

y di

. Remember, I'm depending upon you, Chun

that had been placed upon his plump shoulders. "I can make motions as well as anybody. Eagle-eye,

ar!" crie

then again, they were trying to be as jolly as possible, that they might n

ered Ned. "He'll be wanting to thras

g a critical glance at the men holding the rope, th

ition that would have made the average person dizzy.

them to let ou

e!" bello

your helm, though, or the rope will give you

position, which Tad had

ep wall. For a short distance he was able to do this without depending on the rope, Stacy in the me

perfectly smooth. He motioned for them to lower him slowly, whic

as on a narrow, shelving rock, and there he remained for a few mo

, Chunky," he cal

eepish grin spread over his countenance when he realized what he had said

o fine if he falls

n water," grun

there," growled Ned. But his barbed wit fail

serving a series of frantic gestures on the part o

don't you u

and motions in a fore

e rope to slip throug

queried Prof

. "Watch my signals, then

to do," mu

in trail. Though he had gone some distance, it seemed to h

, I believe I can crawl down the last fifteen or twenty feet if the line wil

tting the loops slip around the tree while the rope was taut. This gave Tad

ere! What are yo

ellows mean?"

that's all," a

lipped," sh

many such jerks as that. Remember, it's running over som

the Professor emphasized by a sharp command to the boys, at t

make that mistake ag

fes

" called Stacy, pas

Just keep the line fairly steady

ow, being a long way down the slope

far?" Tad asked himself. "I'm sur

motioned for more rope, then raised his hand aloft as a signal that he had suffic

s mother's porch at home. It shut off his view of the cliff above him entirely. Straight down below him roared the rive

re alone, with nothing between himself and sudden

; he was impressed with the solitary grandeur of it all. Time was

grope his way downward. For several minutes he mad

ould soon be at the bottom of the cliff

ble beneath his feet. He had thrown his weight on a

f slack rope, that he had motioned to them to

e knew would come when he reached the end of his rope, and perhaps

w on the slender rope was so great as to

made another and t

g down. He

lt on the rope had occurred just after the boys had paid out the rope

or it. The ropes parted at

do more than gaze upon that which they be

him with almost fascinated interest. He was speculating what would happen should the

oken!" shouted

old that. He knew it already,

would have given him credit for, the fat boy threw h

ged to fasten b

ong the ground with the s

, somebody! He's go

bellowed N

ing the danger he was in. At any rate, h

" fairly scream

brink and disappeared

the Professor, leaning against the tree