The Pony Rider Boys in the Ozarks

Then, again, the beans and bacon were pronounced excellent by each of them, and Stacy had

help wash the dishes, and in a few mom

ks, and they could hear him laughing over it, e

nough down ther

have most of

eeze, I guess," i

sleep under them," retorted Ned Rector. "Hey

t any m

will be up and you can get war

w what's happened to the boy. It must have been that fall o

e'n a million miles away would

say?" demanded Ne

g to myself," explain

time struggling to keep back the laughter that r

ion, young gentlemen

is it?" asked th

ight up on the edge of the cliff and light it. I think that w

be fine," c

ted, they piled it so that it would make a long fir

igh, lighting the rocks far down into the c

up the mountai

rn it down, so we can p

ct

up from t

getting rather sharp with each other,

s," answered Ned. "I've felt like having a wrestling bo

p. I think he will acc

ky w

Walter. "We say things to each other, but it's a

. Chunky is th

take care of himself," ans

hat lazy Indian were b

lt

e has been gone all of five hours now, and the trip

d. "Then there would be a certain amount of grunting to do before Eagle-eye cou

Indians. Were you ever an In

ouldn't be called a

yon. Just before dark he had observed that there was quite a strip of rock and sand on his side of the ru

aps it was the loneliness of his position. Yet he had

houted, pulling himself

answere

orry about me. I suppose t

who had come up beside Walter

l morning," sang the boy

n we are in great luck. I'll let the rope down to

n the dark. I'd be likely to get hurt if I did. You had bett

swered Ned and

suggest, however, that one of you roll up in his blankets outside here,

t, with your permission, Profess

anything occurs during the night, remember you are to let m

, sir," an

ined to remain awake until daylight

p; and he did not open his eyes again until the sun peeped over

could scarcely believe th

eyes and blinking in th

very joint," he mumbl

ever thoug

lf to his feet,

abit I have learned f

s aw

ere awake or sleeping. He hesitated to call, knowing that if Tad Butler were still a

over to S

ed, pinching one of t

ly, at the same time kicking vi

, Ned pulled th

ubber pillow on which he had been sleep

ap, while Stacy crawled back under the blankets,

returned to the charge. Over went the cot, with Stacy beneath it.

d so, with Stacy a close second and the ru

both were out of breath and thoroughly awake. Then they sat down, laughing, t

ess," announced Ned aft

swer to his summons. Then both boys added their voices to the effo

nor was there the slightest movement or

d each other, all the laughte

d isn't there. Beyond that, I

stream during the night an

eve it is," replied the Professor. Nevertheless, he was dee

rope, I'll go down there and see if

clared the Professor. "We appear to have lost one b

you know he isn't a boy that you can lose so easily. I'll bet my sh

brightened the

go water my pony and give him some fresh trees to eat up while

to eat?" aske

hat. Unless we get the stuff down the

the camp-fire. Ned had been gone only a

Boys!"

s it?" they exclaim

ies! The

er, pausing as he was about t

ing happened to them?" asked the Professo

I should sa

Don't keep us waiti

're g

imed the two

't be p

st have happened late last night, for I looked at them

h ones are gone?" aske

's and

rofessor, striding to the place w

ging to each had been broken short off. "Look around, boys. They cannot be far awa

hastened to begin their s

this way,"

s hurrie

the Professor. "Now follow them, but

nies had walked on air from that point on. No amount of searching brought it to view again, and after more tha

ng to do?" asked

are going to do

ha

ride a mule fro