The Pony Rider Boys in the Rockies

aming cup of tea, Walter was put to bed, protesting stubbornly t

Thomas

't reach a stirrup. I want you to be fit

he camp fire discussing the stirring scenes through which they had so recently passed, until the deep, rhythmic snores of S

is, all save Lige Thomas. He was up with the sun, busying

emselves in the cool, refreshing waters of a little mountain stream, anno

g happily, took his place with the rest and ate as hearti

all together, it's a good time t

who needs it most

lready," chuckl

coming to you," ad

y one of you takes a step, be sure that your foot is going to land on something solid. As we get up into the Park Range you will find the country rougher, and still more caution will be

sy red, and devoted his

" breathed Walter. "You

o do more than anything else," int

inquired t

oot a

xclaimed

blue eyes opening wide. "The bigges

all be on the hunting grounds in a day or so, if we have good luck, and non

be fine," cho

I have not been on a hunting trip since I hunted wild boar in the Black Forest with General von Moltke!

te," objected Ned Rec

to hunt? We have n

the only rifl

't thought of that. I should hav

good-naturedly an

ong package marked 'hard

k said

Lige so low that the othe

on the ground at Lige

, stretching his neck so h

't correct the habit," warned Ned. "If you'll use your eyes

taken from the bundle, and laid on the ground, did not exact

ose full o

t--" gas

fairly shoute

nough,

laid before their astonished eyes four han

d at each othe

ld scarcely belie

us-for us to use

ely didn't expect to go hunting without guns, did you? At the Professo

ector, in which the boys joined with a will, their shouts echoing

d Tad, with flashing eyes. "Any boy with those two thing

at the top of their voices. "

questions as to when they were to have

. "First I must find out how well you boys can

spoke up T

added N

shooting with my thi

on't call myself

u, Master Stacy?"

ow. But somehow, when I try to fire a real gun, I ca

t's

ing I want to hit," he added humorously, at wh

shake of the head. "You will have to learn t

r. "Any man who shuts his eyes when he's getting ready to shoot, is

guess we can spare the time. But we must not waste too much of it, as we have an eighteen

nd get ready for the busy week ahead of us. At any rate, you boys can try out the guns this

s fondled the guns, worked the cartridge ejectors, examined

guide. "When we finish shooting you can strap your guns to the saddles, or carry them

et about obeying the instructions of the guide, they pictured themselves riding over the mountains lik

ts, neatly rolled, soon were strapped to the backs of the sl

homas," announced Tad, their

ldered their

ige, after glancing critically over the boys and their outfits.

se was packing, returning in a moment w

worked up to a high pitch of

asked Chunky, with

," whereupon the guide opened the pack

led Chunky, eyeing

dge belts!" sho

a shining brass buckle, bearing a spread eagle on its face, the b

g with their shouts of joy in which not even the

dily filling his belt with the cartridges,

heir belts, were parading about with guns on their

laimed Chunky, the weight of his lo

d all those shells. Put all but ten of t

d to eat, Chunky

t carry any more bullets than that. And what's more, Mr. Chunky Brown, if you intend to shoot o

ded and

th you

cious lives to s

ave camp and follow the blazed trail. We shall take the lower trail. Push right al

ch with us?" ask

the sad

echoes with the crashing explosions of thei