The Pony Rider Boys on the Blue Ridge
Tad to congratulate him on his plucky fight. But Tad was too much interested in rescuing the
congratulations. They were men who, for reasons best known to themselves, sympathized with Smoky Griffin, but who h
ot that can fit like that without turnin' a hair is welcome to anything that Jim Abs's got. Come righ
at I can think of that would make me any happier
rdner. Want a bit
let me pay fo
th of benefit in getting rid of Smoky Griffin. He won
e water without the
mp at the rear of the store. Into each glass he squeezed some juice from a lemon, adding a spoonful of
hearty,
that lemonade," gasped Chunky between gulps
lared Abs, addressing Tad, at w
battle grin had given place to a smile that was almost girlish in its sweetness. It was a winning smile, too, bu
nish writing their letters. Tad's letter to his mother wa
l them to wait till I finish my letter, then I'll attend to them," said Stacy
picked up the weapon, examining it critically. H
"Smoke may come along looking for it when he
't show his face around these
ap gun as that. Why, he couldn't hit the side of
scovered the big eyes of Billy Veal pe
ctly safe for you now. Here, have a banana," offered Stacy, helping himself to one from the
banana," commanded Tad, glanci
say we could have
as I t
el, then," begg
you are, Stacy Bro
anding out a five-cent piece. "Th
? Don't you think I have trouble enough withou
he porch threw himself down and began scribbling. After a few minutes of this Stacy's head began to nod. He recovered himself with a start
This done they started for their ponies, Chops having, in the meantime, packed the supplies. Th
onder by that rise of groun
storekeeper. "You'l
t to the rise
to three
l your kindness. We may be back here for further supplies later
pent nearly twenty dollars with him, so of course he would be glad to see
so that the hoofbeats should not awaken the sleeper. While all this was going on the loungers sat about watching the
to their interfering with Stacy. The fat boy, in all probability, would not have awakened in hours had n
at up gr
at do you want to
ust have gone into the store, he got up and hurried in. Mr. Abs was unusually busy
's my
manded the storekeeper i
Where's the re
t you
uldn't be askin
forcibly, for he nodded his head until Chunky
e are
re on their way
r way to Smoky Bald?
dn't you
through the door. Shading his eyes he gazed off across the plateau. There
manded, turning to the grinn
is, boss,"
led when he failed to find the animal where he had left it, and it was some five minutes later when he discovered the horse. It did not take the boy many seconds to leap int
ady the pony's neck was flecked with foam, Stacy urging the animal on to renewed efforts by frequen
ad as a report from Stacy's
a cloud of dust rising betw
out of sight before he to
l enthusiasm of the moment, touched spurs
e sweat rolling from his face,