The Pony Rider Boys on the Blue Ridge

gs come and do their worst," declared Tad Butler, standing o

ine, if you please,"

ed Rector and Walte

ke bugs?" questioned Tad, giving

ssi

u d

ir. N

which

ssi

ad. "Chops doesn't always

ssi

him a few lessons," suggest

hops, regarding Chu

ms to be nothing more to be said at th

diot, aren't you, Ch

ssi

d we're going to have a quiet time of it down here in the Blue Ridge with a guide who won't

s enough when we get in farth

anded Ned, insta

r and moun

lion up in the Grand Ca

now all ab

, don't we, Chun

oes," finished Chunky, directin

eed Chops, gr

iar nickname. Chops's right name was Billy Veal. The boys seized upon this to call him Veal Chops, which after a few hours was changed to the

ooked like an angry gash, while the e

, a useful man about the stock, and possessing numerous other qualifications. What the informant did not say was that, while Billy may have known how to do all these things, he was loath to do anything that might be construed as work. Besides this, his appetite was greater than Stacy

Stacy took a piece of hardtack which he tossed to the waiting colored man, and the hardtack instantly went into Chops's

garded the fel

ld stow away food like that. Did

ssi

did yo

while de clock was s

marveled t

ssi

ha! You must have bee

ssi

full?" a

uld hab done

m Chops. He might give you some valuab

I could eat six pies all at once, without having to

een eating pumpkin pies,

d in a semicircle about the campfire, all opening to the fire. "I am inclined to think, too, that you have an invention worth while in

er, we have not tried it out. We'll see how it works with u

s, and when packed, it folded into a neat little package five inches thick b

gether at the upper ends. Next raise the ridge-pole by sticking the other two into the ground to make a triangle. Peg down the sides, tie out the front poles at the grommets, and your tent is ready for occupancy, having taken not more than seven or ei

ring away the ground, then piling in hemlock boughs fully three feet deep. Over this was placed the sleeping bag, and no softer bed ever h

eping bags on the ground, though the Professor did make a bed for himself, w

o have a storm tonight," advised Butler. "Walter is sleeping in my tent,

ssi

oing to storm, do you

ssi

It is going to storm, and it isn't going to storm. You'd make a fine thermometer, Cho

w at this time of the year, there having been but few rains, and its course was marked mostly by white sand and smoothly worn rocks, with here and there al

birds farther up the rocky sides in the dense foliage. It was an ideal cam

very well. The boys were obliged to admit that, but the difficulty was to find out what he did know, for he was as likely to say one thing as another. The

asked Stacy after they had settle

ered the colored man,

e. Would you like to be introdu

r. Doan' want

don't yo

ssi

"Don't beat around the bush. You'll be getting y

pper," warned the Professor severely. "You s

ered Chops, gr

ething, Chops,"

ssi

," jeered t

om the guide. You are interfering wi

e fat boy with a grin almos

old southern waffles, the kind that mother didn't make. A jug of molasses was produced as a surprise. Such a feast the boys had not had within memory. Co

you brought syrup," glowed the P

ssi

s is indeed a su

ort to earn his wages," muttered Tad Butler. "T

as guided us pretty well,

ould follow this hollow; in fact, one couldn't get out of it until h

ops," decl

demanded Ned, turn

n everything to you? If you insist

do, Stacy,"

no resisting Stacy Brown's droll way of saying things. Stacy was a natura

d been gathering all the afternoon, and just as they sat back for a comfortab

odding to his companions a

el. I guess you were right at

en he isn't wrong," ob

g when you are not right,

o ask if you young men know where

nswered Sta

ss of the Blue Ridge Mountains in

iliar range of mountains. Ahem! The Blue Ridge is the most easterly range of the Appalachian mountain system. I presume you are unaware that it actually has its beginning at West Point

," mutte

Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Carolinas. The Blue Ridge proper is that part of the range below Pennsylvania which separates the Great Vall

murmured S

terruption, but the Professor fixed a stern

ous groups, such as the Black, the South and the like, some reaching several

a new guide if we ever get any

y well. Did he not surprise us with waffl

" agreed

couldn't eat so much more than the rest of us. Our flour is nearly all gone, though we haven't

"I was figuring on having cookies all the way across the

salt horse, you ought to conside

continued Professor Zepplin, "the Black Mo

from Buncombe?" i

nheeding the interruption, "and are a part of the Appalachian system. They

ere at our feet, Professor?"

the toe of his boot, whereat Stac

see and Catawba River basins. That, for the present, will be quite sufficient for the topography of the country. As you are no doubt aware,

th and eyes, not understanding a word of what had been said, but being sure

vid sheet of lightning flashed up the pas

uched in front of the fire. From their tents the lads could talk to each other, the openings of the tents being close to the fir

a good night to

e of that," answ

fine night for duck

ot seemly language,"

Isn't truth seeml

vading the

mping right up against it," retorted

er the last of the party, except Tad, had turned in. Butler watched th

tered as he threw himself down on his bed of boughs. He did not remove

d accompanied them on so many happy adventures in the saddle on their summer outings. The Professor, who, in spite

y more peaceful territory of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In fact, the Pony Rider Boys did not

utside of the truth, for, as he listened, the storm steadily increased in fury. The present center of the rising storm appeared to be to the eastward of their camp, and already the ordinarily small stream

wide-eyed and shivering just beyond the

Tad, and Billy obeyed

outs where we might climb up the

ssir," chat

it?" insisted

ssi

f this pass, and could neither go up no

Ah'd stay

here where you can keep dry, and if the storm gets much worse let me know. I am going to turn in and get some s

reatly disturbing to him, though he did not exactly like the idea of being shut up in that walled-in pass with no way of getting out save by following the stream either up o

yelled th

cy's yell. Chops sat shivering and regarding him apprehensively. He h

the matter with Mr.

ls broke fo

What's the matt

soused from head to f

le of taking a bath

wn," wail

et a boat," urged

told you to do, then you wouldn't have got we

What'l

er, so far as I

n his pajamas was charging out of h

and drier place that we can g

ir. N

essor. We'll have to take

edicine so cold,"

vised Butler. "I think we are ab

ink?" questione

are in for

s time there was no fire. It had been drowned out, and the night was black.

d the scene. The waters from the stream were swirling and eddying about the bases of the tents; the stream had left its former chann

serious,"

s," agr

are we goi

e may," replied Tad. "The horses already are standing in water above their fe

de say?" demanded

ps is too frightened to talk. Shall I

our judgment in these matters I

unless you prefer to take a long swim. Saddl

was alarming, and they lost no time in getting into their wet clothes, Chunky chattering like a magpie, Chops rollin

o than Tad Butler thought, but which he