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
Werewolf
Billionaires
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Romance
Werewolf