ERBOYS 
 
 EW-MEXICO 
 
 ATCHIN-- 
 
 
 
 V^m 
 
 
 1 * 1 
 
 sij| 
 
 
 U * 
 
 
 I ^^Bfo 
 
 
 
 i i^yfci!- 
 
 V ' ^*^v 
 
 . ^*^v ^h 
 
 i/jp 
 
 Y*m^Nm 
 
 
 RIDER BOYS SERIES 
 

 ,/ 
 
 S 3 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00022228251 
 
 
Stacy Headed Straight for the Glowing Pit. 
 Frontispiect. 
 

 The Pony Rider Boys 
 in New Mexico 
 
 OR 
 
 The End of the Silver Trail 
 
 By 
 FRANK GEE PATCHIN 
 
 Author of The Pony Rider Boys in The Rockies, The Pony Rid* 
 
 Boys in Texas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, 
 
 The Pony Rider Boys in The Ozarks, The Pony 
 
 Rider Boys in The Alkali, Etc. 
 
 Illustrated 
 
 THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 Akron, Ohio New York 
 
 Made in U. S. A. 
 
Coprright MCMX 
 By THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. Something in the Wind 7 
 
 II. In the Zuni Foothills 22 
 
 III. Indians! 29 
 
 IV. On the Trail op Juan 40 
 
 V. A Daring Act 51 
 
 VI. The Fire Dance of the Red Men 57 
 
 VII. Fleeing from the Enemy 71 
 
 VIII. Asleep on the Sleept Grass 82 
 
 IX. The Midnight Alarm 89 
 
 X. Meeting the Attack 100 
 
 XI. Hiding with Kris Eringls 110 
 
 XII. The Dash for Life 122 
 
 XIII. Following a Hot Trail 132 
 
 XIV. Against Big Odds 141 
 
 XV. Hit by a Dry Storm 153 
 
 XVI. Chunky 's New Idea 165 
 
 XVIL In the Home of the Cave Dwellers 175 
 
 XVIII. Facing the Enemy's Guns 186 
 
 XIX. Outwitting the Redskins , 196 
 
 XX. Conclusion , . , .205 
 
The Pony Rider Boys in New Mexico 
 
 CHAPTEB I 
 
 SOMETHING IN" THE WIND 
 
 4S \T THAT was that?" 
 
 \/\/ "Only one of the boys in the seat 
 
 behind us, snoring." 
 
 "Sure they're asleep"?" 
 
 "Yes, but what if they're not? They are 
 only kids. They wouldn't understand." 
 
 "Don't you be too sure about that. I've 
 heard about those kids. Heard about 'em over 
 in Nevada. There's four of them. They call 
 themselves the Pony Eider Boys; and they're 
 no tenderfeet, if all I hear is true. They have 
 done some pretty lively stunts." 
 
 "Yes, that's all right, Bob, but we ain't go- 
 ing to begin by getting cold feet over a bunch 
 of kids out for a holiday." 
 
 ' ' Where they going ? ' ' 
 
 "Don't know. Presume they'll be taking a 
 trip over the plains or heading for the moun- 
 
 7 
 
8 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 tains. They Ve got a stock car up ahead jammed 
 full of stock and equipment* ' 
 
 * 'Scarecrows ?" 
 
 "No. Good stock. Some of the slickest pon- 
 ies you ever set eyes on. There's one roan there 
 that I wouldn't mind owning. Maybe we can 
 make a trade," and the speaker chuckled softly 
 to himself. 
 
 A snore louder than those that had preceded 
 it, caused the two men to laugh heartily. 
 
 The snore had come from Stacy Brown. 
 Both he and Tad Butler were resting from their 
 long journey on the Atlantic and Pacific train. 
 Further to the rear of the car, their companions, 
 Ned Rector and Walter Perkins, also were 
 curled up in a double seat, with Professor Zepp- 
 lin sitting very straight as if sleep were furthest 
 from his thoughts. They were nearing their 
 destination now, and within the hour would be 
 unloading their stock and equipment at Blue- 
 water. 
 
 "They're asleep all right," grinned one of 
 the two men who occupied the seat just ahead 
 of Stacy and Tad. "Is old man Marquand go- 
 ing to meet us at the station?" 
 
 "Oh, no. That wouldn't be a good thing. 
 Might attract too much attention. Told him 
 not to. We'll get a couple of ponies at Blue- 
 water and ride across the mountains. But 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 9 
 
 we've got to be slick. The old man is no fool. 
 He '11 hang on to the location of the treasure till 
 the last old cat's gone to sleep for good." 
 
 "Any idea where the place is?" 
 
 "No. Except that it's somewhere south of 
 the Zuni range." 
 
 A solitary eye in the seat behind, opened cau- 
 tiously. The eye belonged to Stacy Brown. 
 The last snore had awakened him, and he had 
 lain with closed eyes listening to the conversa- 
 tion of the two men. 
 
 He gave Tad a gentle nudge, which was re- 
 turned with a soft pressure on Stacy's right arm 
 as a warning that he was to remain quiet. 
 
 "Do you know what the treasure consists 
 of?" 
 
 "Maybe a mine, but as near as I could draw 
 from Marquand 's talk it is jewels and Spanish 
 money which one of the old Franciscan monks 
 had buried. The Pueblos knew where it was, 
 but they sealed the place up after the Pueblo 
 revolution in 1680, and it's been corked tight 
 ever since." 
 
 "How'd Marquand get wise to it?" 
 
 "From an old Pueblo Chief whose life he 
 saved a few months ago. The old chief died a 
 little while afterwards, but before he went, he 
 told Marquand about the treasure." 
 
 "Didn't suppose a redskin had so much grati- 
 
10 THE PONY EFDER BOYS 
 
 tilde under his tough skin. Does the old man 
 know where the place is?" 
 
 "No, not exactly. That's where we come in," 
 grinned the speaker. "We are going to help 
 him find it." 
 
 "And then?" 
 
 "Oh, well. There's lots of ways to get rid 
 of him." 
 
 "You mean?" 
 
 "He might tumble off into a canyon, or some- 
 thing of the sort, in the night time. Here's the 
 place. ' ' 
 
 The train was rounding a bend into the little 
 town of Bluewater. 
 
 "Sit still," whispered Tad. "I want to get a 
 look at those fellows so I'll know them next time 
 I see them." 
 
 The Pony Rider boy left his seat, and hurry- 
 ing to the forward end of the car, helped him- 
 self to a drink of water from the tank; then 
 slowly retraced his steps. 
 
 As he walked down the car, he took in the 
 two men in one swift, comprehensive glance, 
 then swung his hands to his companions at the 
 other end of the car, as a signal that they were 
 arriving at their destination. 
 
 "Know 'em?" whispered Stacy, as Tad be- 
 gan pulling his baggage from the rack. 
 
 "Never saw either before. Better get your 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 11 
 
 stuff together. This train is fast only when it 
 stops. It drags along over the country, hut 
 when it gets into a station it's always in a hurry 
 to get away, ' ' laughed Tad. 
 
 A few minutes later the party of bronzed 
 young men sprang from the ear to the station 
 platform, where they instantly became the cen- 
 ter of a throng of curious villagers. 
 
 Eeaders of the preceding volumes of this ser- 
 ies are already too well acquainted with tfi*e 
 Pony Eider Boys to need a formal introduction 
 As told in ' ' The Pony Eider Boys in the Eoch 
 ies," the lads had set out from their homes in 
 Missouri for a summer's vacation in the saddle*. 
 That first volume detailed how the lads pene- 
 trated the fastnesses of the Eockies, hunted big 
 game and how they finally discovered the Lost 
 Claim, which they won after fighting a battle 
 with the mountaineers, thus earning for them- 
 selves quite a fortune. 
 
 In "The Pony Eider Boys in Texas,' ' the 
 boys were again seen to advantage. There thej) 
 joined in a cattle drive across the state as covjh 
 boys. They played an exciting part in the rougn 
 life of the cowmen, meeting with many stirring 
 adventure? „ It will be remembered how, in thiSi 
 story, Tad Butler saved a large part of the herd, 
 besides performing numerous heroic deeds, frV 
 eluding the saving of the life of a membe* ol 
 
12 N THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 the party from a swollen river. At the end of 
 their journey, they solved a deep mystery — a 
 mystery that had perplexed and worried the cat- 
 tle men, besides causing them heavy financial 
 loss. 
 
 In "The Pony Rideb Boys in Montana," the 
 scene shifted to the old Custer Trail, the battle 
 ground of one of the most tragic events in 
 American history. The story described how 
 Tad Butler overheard a plot to stampede and 
 kill a flock of many thousand sheep; how after 
 experiencing many hardships, he finally carried 
 the news to the owner of the herd; then later, 
 participated in the battle between the cowmen 
 and sheep herders, in which the latter came off 
 victorious. 
 
 It will be recalled too, how the Pony Rider 
 Boy was captured by the Blaekfeet Indians and 
 taken to their mountain retreat, where with a 
 young companion he was held until they made 
 their escape with the assistance of an Indian 
 maiden ; how they were pursued by the savages, 
 the bullets from whose rifles singing over the 
 heads of the lads as they headed for a river 
 into which they plunged, thus effect* ally throw- 
 ing off the savage pursuers; and finally, how in 
 time they made their way back to the camp of 
 (he Pony Riders, having solved the mystery of 
 the old Custer Trail. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 13 
 
 After these exciting adventures, the lads con- 
 cluded to cut short their Montana trip and go 
 on to the next stage of their journeyings, which 
 was destined to be even more stirring than any 
 that had preceded it. How Tad Butler and 
 Stacy Brown proved themselves to he real he- 
 roes, was told in "The Pony Eider Boys in the 
 Ozarks." 
 
 For a long time, an organized band of thieves 
 had been stealing stock in the Ozark range, 
 baffling all efforts to apprehend them. The boys 
 had been warned to guard their own stock care- 
 fully, but despite this, their ponies were stolen 
 from camp, one by one and in a most mysteri- 
 ous manner, until not an animal was left. Then, 
 one by one, the Pony Eider Boys became lost 
 until only Tad and Stacy remained. They were 
 facing starvation, and it will be recalled how 
 Tad Butler made a plucky trip to the nearest 
 mining camp for assistance. There the boys 
 were imprisoned underground by a mine explo- 
 sion; escaping from which, they met with perils 
 every bit as grave, and from which they were 
 eventually rescued by Stacy himself. 
 
 Through the disaster, the lads solved the Se- 
 cret of the Euby Mountain, thus putting an 
 end for good to the wholesale thieving in the 
 Ozark range. 
 
 Though the Pony Eider Boys had suffered 
 
14 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 many hardships in their journeyings, those that 
 lay before them were destined to try them even 
 more. In "The Pony Rider Boys in the Al- 
 kali/' they faced the perils of the baking alkali 
 desert. It will be recalled how they fonght des- 
 perately for water when all the nsual sources of 
 supply were found to have run dry ; how Tad and 
 Stacy Brown were captured by a desert hermit 
 and thrown into a cave ; how, after their escape, 
 they were lost in the Desert Maze, and how after 
 many hardships, they finally succeeded in making 
 their way to camp, dragging behind them a wild 
 coyote that Tad had roped when the boys were 
 beset by the wild beasts in the dead of night. 
 
 Nothing daunted by their trying experiences 
 the Pony Rider Boys set out on the concluding 
 trip of the season — a journey over the historic 
 plains and mountains of New Mexico. After a 
 long railroad ride, they had finally arrived at 
 the town of Bluewater, from which they were to 
 begin their explorations in the southwest. 
 
 A guide was to meet and conduct them across 
 the mountains of the Zuni range and so on to 
 the southern borders of the state. 
 
 By the time they reached the platform of the 
 station, the stock car had been uncoupled and 
 was being shifted to a side track where they 
 might unload their belongings at their leisure. 
 
 "I wonder where that guide is," said Tad. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 15 
 
 "He was told to be here," answered the Pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 "Never mind; we can nnload better without 
 him," averred Ned, starting off at a brisk trot 
 for their car which had been shunted alongside 
 the platform at the rear of the station. 
 
 With joyous anticipation of the new scenes 
 and experiences that lay before them, the lads 
 set briskly to work, and within an hour had all 
 the stock and equipment removed from the car. 
 
 There was quite an imposing collection, with 
 their ponies, their burros, tents and other equip- 
 ment, the latter lying strewn all over the open 
 level space beyond the station. 
 
 "Looks as if a circus had just come to town," 
 laughed Walter. 
 
 "We've got a side show, anyway," retorted 
 Ned. 
 
 "What's our side show?" 
 
 "Chunky's that." 
 
 "No; he's the clown. The rest of us are the 
 animals, only we're not in cages." 
 
 "Hey, fellows, see that funny Mexican on the 
 burro there," laughed Chunky. "Guess he 
 never saw an outfit like ours before." 
 
 The lads could not repress a laugh as they 
 glanced at the figure pointed out by Stacy. 
 
 The man was sitting on the burro, his feet 
 extended on ihe ground before him, hands 
 
16 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 thrust deep into trousers pockets. He was ob- 
 serving the work of the boys curiously. The 
 fellow's high, conical head was crowned by a 
 peaked Mexican hat, much the worse for wear, 
 while his coarse, black hair was combed straight 
 down over a pair of small, piercing, dark eyes. 
 The complexion, or such of it as was visible 
 through the mask of wiry hair, was swarthy, 
 his form thin and insignificant. 
 
 Stacy Brown strode over to him somewhat 
 pompously. 
 
 "You speak English ?" questioned the boy. 
 
 "Si, senor." 
 
 The Mexican's lips curled back, revealing two 
 rows of gleaming, white teeth. 
 
 "I'm glad to hear it. I didn't think yon 
 could. "We are looking for a guide who was 
 to have met us here to conduct us over the 
 mountains. His name is Juan. It'll be some- 
 thing else when he does show up. Do you know 
 him?" 
 
 "Si, senor." 
 
 "Isn't he coming to meet us?" 
 
 "Si, senor." 
 
 "Well, I must say he's taking his time about 
 getting here. Where is he?" 
 
 "Juan here, senor." 
 
 "Here? I don't see him," answered the la^ 
 looking about the place. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 17 
 
 "Me Juan," grinned the Mexican. 
 
 "You!" 
 
 "Si " 
 
 "Never mind the senor. I'll take for granted 
 I'm a senor, or whatever else you think. Say, 
 fellows, come here, ' ' commanded Stacy. 
 
 "Well, what's the matter?" demanded Ned, 
 approaching, followed by the other boys. 
 
 "This is it," announced Stacy, with a wave 
 of his hand toward the Mexican, 
 
 "What is it?" sniffed Ned. 
 
 "This." 
 
 "Chunky, what are yon getting atf" ques- 
 tioned Walter. 
 
 "Perhaps this gentleman will know where 
 we may find our guide," interrupted the Profea- 
 Bor, coming up. "Senor, do yon know on© 
 Juan " 
 
 "Yes, he knows him," grinned Stacy. "Hete 
 very well acquainted with the gentleman. 1 * 
 
 "Then where may we find this Juan •*' 
 
 "That's Juan — that's your guide," Stacy in- 
 formed the Professor. 
 
 "You — are you the guide?" 
 
 "Si, senor." 
 
 The Professor opened his eyes in amazement. 
 The burro, on the other hand, stood with notfB 
 to the ground sound asleep, oblivious to all that 
 was taking place about him* 
 
m THE FONT RIDER BOYS 
 
 "Why didn't you make yourself known- 
 why haven't you helped us to unload ?" de- 
 manded the Professor in an irritated tone. 
 
 "Me no peon. Me guide." 
 
 "He's a guide," explained Stacy. "Guides 
 don't work, you know, Professor. They are 
 /ust ornaments. He and the burro are going 
 to pose for our amusement." 
 
 The boys laughed heartily. Professor Zepplin 
 uttered an exclamation of impatience. 
 
 "Sir, if you are going with this outfit you 
 
 111 be expected to do your share of the labor, 
 'here are no drones in our hive." 
 
 "No; we all work," interposed Stacy. 
 
 "And some of us are eaters," added Ned. 
 
 luan shrugged his shoulders and showed his 
 pearly teeth. 
 
 At the Professor's command, however, Juan 
 stepped off the burro without in the least dis- 
 turbing that animal's dreams and lazily began 
 collecting the baggage as directed by the Pro- 
 fessor. After the equipment had been sorted 
 foito piles, the boys did it up into neat packs 
 which they skillfully strapped to the backs of 
 the burros of their pack train. Juan, lost in 
 contemplation of their labors, forgot his own 
 duties until reminded of them by Stacy, who 
 gave the guide a violent poke in the ribs with his 
 tluimb. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 19 
 
 Juan started; then, with a sheepish grin, be- 
 came busy again. 
 
 It was no small task to get their belongings 
 in packs preparatory to the journey; but late 
 in the afternoon the boys had completed their 
 task. They had had nothing to eat since early 
 morning. But they were too anxious to be on 
 their way to wait for dinner in town. 
 
 After making some necessary purchases in 
 the village, the procession finally started away 
 across the plain. 
 
 "You'll never get anywhere with that sleepy 
 burro, Juan," decided the Professor, with a 
 shake of the head. 
 
 "Him go fast," grinned the Mexican. 
 
 "So can a crab on dry land," jeered Ned. 
 
 Just then the guide utter a series of shrill 
 "yi-yi's," whereupon the lads were treated to 
 an exhibition such as they never had seen be- 
 fore. 
 
 The sleepy burro projected his head straight 
 out before him, while his tail, raised to a level 
 with his back, stuck straight out behind him. 
 The burro, seemingly imbued with sudden life, 
 was off at a pace faster than a man could run. 
 
 It was most astonishing. The boys gazed in 
 amazement; then burst out in a chorus of ap- 
 proving yells. 
 
 But it was the rider, even more than the burro, 
 
20 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 that excited their mirth. His long legs were 
 working like those of a jumping jack, and 
 though astride of the burro, Juan was walking 
 at a lively pace. It reminded one of the way 
 men propelled the old-fashioned velocipedes 
 years before. 
 
 A cloud of dust rose behind the odd outfit as 
 the party drew out on the plains. Their ponies 
 were started at a gallop, which was necessary 
 to enable them to keep up with the pace that 
 Juan had set* 
 
 "Here! Here!" shouted the Professor. 
 
 Juan never looked back. 
 
 1 * We 're lea ving the pack train. Slow down ! * ' 
 
 Laughingly the lads pulled their ponies down 
 to a walk; then halted entirely to enable the 
 burros to catch up with them. By this time the 
 pack animals had become so familiar with their 
 work that little attention was necessary on the 
 part of the boys. Now and then one more sleepy 
 than the rest would go to sleep and pause to 
 doze a few minutes on the trail. This always 
 necessitated all hands stopping to wait until 
 the sleeper could be rounded up and driven up 
 to the bunch. 
 
 Juan had disappeared. They were discussing 
 the advisability of sending one of the boys out 
 after him when he was seen returning. But at 
 what a different gait! His burro was dragging 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 21 
 
 itself along with nose to the ground, while Juan 
 himself was slouching on its hack half asleep. 
 
 "You must have a motor inside that beast," 
 grinned Tad. 
 
 "Him go some, eenor?" 
 
 "Him do," answered Stacy, his solemn eyes 
 taking in the sleepy burro wonderingly. 
 
 "Better not waste your energy performing," 
 advised the Professor. "We shall need what 
 little you have. We will make camp here, as 
 I see there is a spring near by. Help the boys 
 unpack the burros." 
 
 "Si, senor," answered the guide, standing 
 erect and permitting his burro to walk from 
 under him. 
 
 With shouts and songs the lads, in great good 
 humor, went to work at once, pitching their 
 camp for the first time on the plains of New 
 Mexico. There was much to be done, and twi- 
 light was upon them before they had advanced 
 far enough to begin cooking their evening meal. 
 
22 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 CHAPTER n 
 
 IN THE ZT7NI FOOTHILLS 
 
 A SUDDEN wail from the guide attracted 
 the attention of the party to him at once. 
 "Now what's the matter ?" demanded 
 Tad, hurrying to him. 
 
 The guide had thrown himself prone upon the 
 ground and was groaning as if in great agony, 
 offering no reply to the question. 
 
 "Are you sick?" 
 
 "Si, si, senor," moaned Juan. 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 * ' Estomago — mucho malo. * * 
 
 "Your stomach?" 
 
 "He's got a pain under his apron," diagnosed 
 Stacy solemnly. 
 
 "Been working too hs>rd," suggested Ned. 
 
 In the meantime the guide was rolling and 
 twisting on the ground, glancing appealingly 
 from one to the other of them. 
 
 "Professor, hadn't you better fetch your 
 medicine case and dose him up?" asked Tad. 
 
 "Yes, I'il attend to him." 
 
 "Give him a good dose while you are about 
 it," urged Ned. "Something that will cure his 
 laziness at the same time." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 23 
 
 The Professor brought his case; then, remem- 
 bering something else in his kit that he wanted, 
 he laid the case down and hurried back to his 
 tent. However, Stacy opened the case, select- 
 ing a bottle, apparently at random, drew the 
 cork and held the bottle under Juan's nose. 
 
 " Smell of this, my son. It'll cure your 
 estomago on the run." 
 
 "Be careful, Chunky, what are you doing 
 there I ' ' warned Tad, ' ' You shouldn 't fool with 
 the medicines. You— — " 
 
 His further remarks were cut short by a sud- 
 den yell of terror and pain from Juan. 
 
 The guide leaped to his feet choking, gasping, 
 while the tears ran down his cheeks as he danced 
 about as if suddenly bereft of his senses. 
 
 "Now you've gone and done it," growled 
 Ned. "He never moved so fast in his life, I'll 
 wager." 
 
 Juan was running in a circle now, shrieking 
 and moaning. Professor Zepplin approached 
 them in a series of leaps. He could not imagine 
 what new disaster had overtaken the lazy 
 Mexican. 
 
 "Here, here, here, what's the trouble now?" 
 he demanded sternly. "Stop that howling!" 
 
 " Chunky 's been prescribing for your patient 
 in your absence," Ned informed him. 
 
 The Professor grabbed the wild guide by the 
 
24 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 collar, giving him a vigorous shake. When he 
 released his grip, Juan sank to the ground in a 
 heap, moaning weakly. 
 
 "What's that you say? Stacy pre- 
 scribed " 
 
 "I — I let him smell of the bottle," explained 
 Stacy guiltily. 
 
 "What bottle?" 
 
 Stacy slowly picked up the offending bottle 
 and handed it to the Professor. 
 
 "Ammonia! Boy, you might have put his 
 eyes out ! Never let this occur again. Remem- 
 ber, you are not to touch the medicines under 
 any circumstances whatever!" 
 
 "Yes, sir," agreed Chunky meekly, while Ned 
 Rector strolled away, shaking with laughter. 
 
 "Drink," begged the patient. 
 
 "Fetch him some water," directed Professor 
 Zepplin. 
 
 "No, no, no, senor," protested Juan, gesticu- 
 lating protestingly. 
 
 "What do you want?" 
 
 "Guess he wants something stronger than 
 water," suggested Ned. 
 
 "Si, si, si," agreed the guide, showing his 
 white teeth in an approving grin. 
 
 "You won't get anything stronger than that 
 in this outfit, unless you cook yourself some 
 coffee," muttered Tad. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 25 
 
 "That's what's the matter with him," de- 
 cided Chunky, who had been observing the sick 
 man keenly. 
 
 "Guess we drew a prize when we got Juan/' 
 announced Walter. 
 
 "Give him some medicine, anyway," urged 
 Ned. "He is sick — let him take the dose." 
 
 "Let him have the worst you've got in your 
 case, Professor," added Tad, with a laugh. 
 
 A grim smile played about the corners of Pro- 
 fessor Zepplin's mouth as he ran his fingers over 
 the bottles in his medicine case. Finally, se- 
 lecting one that seemed to fit the particular ail- 
 ment of his patient, he directed Chunky to fetch 
 a spoon. 
 
 By this time Juan was protesting volubly that 
 he was "all better" and did not need the medi- 
 cine. The Professor gave no heed to the fel- 
 low's protestations. 
 
 "Open your mouth," he commanded. 
 
 Juan shut his teeth tightly together. 
 
 "Open your mouth!" commanded the Profes- 
 sor sternly. "We want no sick men about this 
 camp. It will fix you in a minute." 
 
 But the guide steadfastly refused to separate 
 the white teeth. 
 
 "Boys, open his mouth while I pour the medi- 
 cine down him," gritted the Professor. 
 
 They required no urging to do the Professor's 
 
26 THE PONT EIDER BOYS 
 
 bidding. Tad and Ned ranged themselves on 
 either side of the patient, while Chunky sat on 
 the guide's feet. Almost before he was aware 
 of their purpose the boys had pried his jaws 
 open and into the opening thus made Professor 
 Zepplin dropped the concoction he had mixed. 
 
 The effect was electrical. Juan leaped to his 
 feet as if elevated by springs, uttering a yell 
 that might have been heard a mile or more on 
 the open plain. But Juan did not run in a 
 circle this time. Acting upon the mathematical 
 theory that a straight line is the shortest dis- 
 tance between two points, the guide made a 
 break for the spring, howling like a madman. 
 The Pony Rider Boys looked on in amazement. 
 
 Juan fell on his knees before the spring, dip- 
 ping up the water in his hands. 
 
 ' ' What did you give him, Professor ? ' ' grinned 
 Tad. 
 
 "Hot drops!" answered the man of science 
 tersely. 
 
 "Not that stuff you fed me when I ate too 
 much honey in the Rockies?" questioned Stacy. 
 
 "The same." 
 
 "Wow! I had ten drops and it felt like a 
 pailful when it got inside of me." 
 
 "How much did you give Juan?" questioned 
 Walter. 
 
 "Twenty drops," answered Professor Zepplin 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 27 
 
 without the suspicion of a smile on his face this 
 time. 
 
 The Pony Rider Boys added their yells to 
 those of the guide, only with a difference. The 
 more Juan drank of the spring water, the more 
 did the hot drops burn. 
 
 All at once he sprang up and started for th* 
 plain. 
 
 "Catch him!" commanded the Professor. 
 
 With a shout the lads started in pursuit. 
 They overhauled the guide some twenty rods 
 from camp, he having proved himself fleet of 
 foot. Then again, the fire within him perhaps 
 helped to increase his natural speed. 
 
 "I burn! 1 burn!" he wailed as the boys 
 grabbed and laughingly hustled him back to 
 camp. 
 
 "You'll burn worse than that if you ever ask 
 for liquor in this outfit," retorted Ned. "We 
 don't use the stuff, nor do we allow anyone 
 around us who does." 
 
 "How do you feel now?" grinned the Profes- 
 sor as they came up to him with their prisoner. 
 
 "He's got a whole camp-fire in bis little 
 estomago," announced Chunky solemnly, which 
 sally elicited a loud laugh from the boys. 
 
 "Give him some olive oil," directed the Pro- 
 fessor. "I think the lesson has been sufficiently 
 burned into him " 
 
28 THE PONT EIDEE BOYS 
 
 But considerable persuasion was necessary to 
 induce Juan to take a spoonful of the Profes- 
 sor's medicine. He had already had one sample 
 of it and he did not want another. Yet after 
 some urging he tasted of the oil, at first gin- 
 gerly; then he took it down at a gulp, 
 
 "Ah!" he breathed. 
 
 "Is it good?" grinned Tad. 
 
 "Si. Much burn, much burn," he explained,, 
 rubbing his stomach. 
 
 "Think you want some liquor still, Juan, or 
 would you prefer another dose of my magic 
 drops?" 
 
 "No, no, no, senor!" cried Juan, hastily mov- 
 ing away from Professor Zepplin. 
 
 "Very well; any time when you feel a long- 
 ing for strong drink, just help yourself to the 
 hot drops," said the Professor, striding away 
 to his tent, medicine case in hand. 
 
 The guide, a much chastened man, set about 
 assisting in getting the evening meal, but the 
 hot drops still remained with him, making their 
 presence known by occasional hot twinges. 
 
 Supper that night was an enjoyable affair, 
 though it was observed that the guide did not 
 eat heartily. 
 
 "Do you think he really had a pain?" asked 
 Walter confidentially, leaning toward Ned. 
 
 "Pain? No. He wanted something else." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 29 
 
 "And he got it," added Stacy, nodding 
 solmnly. 
 
 A chorus of "he dids" ran around the table, 
 stopping only when they reached Juan himself. 
 
 CHAPTER IH 
 
 Indians! 
 
 M X UAN, did you see two men get off the 
 train at Bluewater yesterday when we 
 did? One of them had a big, broad som- 
 brero like mine?'' asked Tad, riding up beside 
 the guide next day while they were crossing the 
 range. 
 
 "Si." 
 
 "Know them?" 
 
 "Si," he replied, holding up one finger. 
 
 "You mean you know one of them?" 
 
 The guide nodded. 
 
 "Who is he?" 
 
 "Senor Lasar." 
 
 "Lasar. What's his other name?" 
 
 "Juan not know." 
 
 "Did they stop in the village?" 
 
 "No. Seiiors get ponies, ride over moun- 
 tain," and the guide pointed lazily to the south- 
 west. 
 
 "Where did they go? Do you know?" 
 
3t) THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 Juan shrugged his shoulders, indicating that 
 he did nut. 
 
 "What is Mr. Lasar's business?" 
 
 Again the guide answered with a shrug. He 
 seemed disinclined to discuss the man in whom 
 Tad Butler was so much interested. Up to that 
 time the lad had been too fully occupied with 
 ether matters to think of the conversation he 
 and Stacy had overheard on the Atlantic and 
 Pacific train. Now it came back to him with 
 full force. 
 
 "Know anybody by the name of Marquand 
 in this country ?" he asked, taking another tack. 
 
 Juan said he did not, and then Tad gave up 
 his (questioning. 
 
 "I was asking Juan about the two men who 
 sat ahead of us in the train yesterday," he ex- 
 plained to Chunky, as the fat boy joined them. 
 
 "Wha'd he say?" 
 
 "One is named Lasar, but he did not know 
 the other one. 1 can't help believing that those 
 fellows were plotting to do some one a great 
 injury." 
 
 "So do I," agreed Chunky. "I guess we had 
 better not say anything about it to the others, 
 but we'll try to find out who this man Lasar 
 is, and who Mr. Marquand is. Then we'll de- 
 cide what to do next." 
 
 Their further conversation was interrupted 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 31 
 
 by the voice of the Professor, announcing that 
 they would halt for their noonday meal. All 
 other thoughts left the mind of Stacy Brown 
 when the question of food was raised. He 
 quickly slipped from his pony, running back to 
 hurry the burros along so as to hasten the meal 
 for which he was yearning. Only one burro 
 was unpacked, as it was the intention of the 
 outfit to push on soon after finishing their lunch. 
 
 While the guide, under Ned's direction, was 
 making it ready, Tad and Chunky strolled off 
 to climb a high rock that they had seen in the 
 vicinity and which, they thought, might give 
 them a good view of the plains to the south* 
 west on the other side of the range. 
 
 They had promised to be back in half an hour, 
 but circumstances arose that caused them to de- 
 lay their return considerably. 
 
 After threshing through the bushes, over 
 sharp rocks and through miniature canyons, they 
 gained at last the object of their quest. The dis- 
 tance had been further than they had imagined. 
 
 "We'll have to make a short trip of it up to 
 the top and back," said Tad. "It has taken us 
 almost all our time to get here. But we'll have 
 a look, anyway." 
 
 They soon gained the top of the rock, which 
 stood some twenty feet higher than the crest of 
 the mountain on which it rested. 
 
32 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "Isn't this great?" exclaimed Tad. 
 
 "Mi glit think we were in the Rockies." 
 
 "Or the Ozarks." 
 
 "I hope we don't have as much trouble here 
 as we did in that range. Our guide is not much 
 better than the Shawnee we had for a time on 
 that trip. I can't see the foothills, but the plain 
 on beyond is pretty clear." 
 
 "Hope we don't have to chase all over the 
 desert for water. I " 
 
 Tad grasped his companion by the sleeve and 
 jerked him violently to the rock. 
 
 ' l What 's up f What 's the matter with you ? ' ' 
 protested Stacy. 
 
 "Keep still, some one's coming." 
 
 The lad's keen ears had caught a sonnd which 
 Stacy had entirely failed to hear. It was the 
 sound of horses making their way through the 
 bushes. There were several in the party, Tad 
 could tell by the sounds, and having in mind the 
 man Lasar, he thought he might perhaps learn 
 something of advantage by remaining quietly 
 on the top of the rock. 
 
 All this he explained in a few brief words 
 to his companion. Then both boys crouched 
 low, peering over the cliff, having first removed 
 their sombreros. 
 
 What they saw, a few moments later, sur- 
 prised them very much indeed. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 33 
 
 The horsemen in single file suddenly appeared 
 out of a draw to the east and headed for the 
 rock where the lads were in hiding. 
 
 ' ' Look ! Look ! ' ' exclaimed Tad in a low, sup- 
 pressed voice. 
 
 "I-n-d-i-a-n-s!" breathed Chunky. 
 
 They seemed to rise right up out of the 
 ground, as one by one they emerged from the 
 draw to the more level rocks that lay about 
 the hiding place of the Pony Eider Boys. 
 
 1 ' I wonder who they are ? ' ' questioned Tad. 
 
 "They look savage. I wonder if they'd hurt 
 us, Tad?" 
 
 "I don't know. I do know, though, that I 
 wouldn't trust those ugly faces one second. I 
 thought the Blackfeet were savage, but they're 
 not to be compared with these redskins." 
 
 A full dozen of them had, by this time, come 
 into view. They sat huddled on their ponies, 
 their painted faces just appearing above the 
 gayly colored blankets in which they were en- 
 veloped. 
 
 "They must be cold," muttered Chunky. 
 "Shouldn't think they'd need bed clothes 
 around them this time of the year." 
 
 "Not so loud, Chunky," warned Tad. 
 
 "Know what they are, Tad?" 
 
 "I wouldn't say positively, but somehow they 
 look to me like Apaches." 
 
M THE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 Tad's surmise was correct. The twelve war- 
 riors were members of the savage band that had 
 in past years caused the Government so much 
 trouble and bloodshed. 
 
 "They're off their reservation, if they are 
 Apaches,' ' whispered the lad. 
 
 "What does that indicate, Tad?" 
 
 "I don't know. They may be on the war- 
 path; then, again, they may be down here after 
 game. I'm not sure even, if there is any game 
 here. We'll lie still until they get by us. That's 
 the best plan; don't you think so!" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Lie perfectly still, Chunky. The little 
 bushes in front of us will screen U3, providing 
 we don't move about. Indians have quick eyes, 
 though they do look as if they were half 
 asleep." 
 
 ' ' They 're getting off their horses, Tad. What 
 does that mean?" 
 
 "I don't know." 
 
 Tad peered through the bushes, noting every 
 move that the redskins made. At first he 
 thought they had discovered him and were 
 about to surround the rock and take him pris- 
 oner. But he soon saw that such was not their 
 intention. Tethering their ponies, the Indians 
 cast their blankets on the ground, after having 
 first picked out a suitable place. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 35 
 
 "They're making camp," whispered Tad. 
 
 One after another of the savages took out his 
 pipe, and soon the odor from burning tobacco 
 was wafted to the nostrils of the hidden Pony 
 Rider Boys. 
 
 "Guess they're going to get some dinner/' 
 decided Stacy, observing that the strangers 
 were gathering brush. 
 
 This was the case. The ponies had been 
 staked where they could browse on the green 
 leaves, and now their masters were about to 
 satisfy their own appetites. 
 
 Tad groaned. 
 
 "What is it?" questioned Stacy apprehen- 
 sively. 
 
 "They will be here half of the day at least. 
 I know a little about Indians, having been cap- 
 tured by them once. The difference is that my 
 Indians were in a hurry to get somewhere. 
 These fellows seem to have all the time in the 
 world. They're waiting — killing time for some 
 reason. You'll see, after they finish their din- 
 ner, that they will smoke some more, then lie 
 down for a catnap." 
 
 "And — and what '11 we be doing?" 
 
 "We'll be hiding on the top of this rock, 
 Chunky." 
 
 "Wish I had my rifle." 
 
 "Lucky for both of us that yon haven t.** 
 
36 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 The lads had been talking in whispers, but 
 the words fairly froze in their months, when, 
 upon glancing down they saw the eyes of a sav- 
 age fixed upon them. f 
 
 "On your life, don't move a muscle, Chunky^ 
 whispered Tad, as soon as he had recovered his 
 
 wits. . , 
 
 Tad was not sure that the Indian saw them, 
 yet there could be no doubt that the savage eyes 
 were burning into their very own. 
 
 Soon, however, the Indian dropped his 
 glances to his pipe bowl and the boys breathed 
 a sigh of relief. 
 
 "Don't move yet, Chunky," directed Tad. 
 It was a wise command, for almost instantly 
 the Indian glanced in their direction again, and, 
 as if satisfied, emptied his pipe and stretched 
 out on his blanket. The two lads breathed 
 gighs of relief. 
 
 "Did he see us, do you think, Tad£ 
 "No At first he thought he saw something 
 up here, but he changed his mind after a little, 
 
 as you observed." 
 
 Bv this time the redskins were cooking their 
 midday meal, and the odor nearly drove Stacy 
 frantic It made him realize how hungry he 
 was He pulled a leaf from a bush and began 
 chewing it in hopes of wearing oil the keen edge 
 of his appetite. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 37 
 
 "How long we got to stay here?" he de- 
 manded. "I've a good notion to get up and 
 walk back to camp. They don't dare hurt us." 
 
 "Lie still!" commanded his companion 
 sternly. "I have a plan that we may be able 
 to put into operation. We can't do it now, 
 though. ' ' 
 
 The lads waited, Tad almost with the patience 
 of an Indian, Chunky ill at ease and restless. 
 
 ' ' Can 't you lie still f What ails you 1 ' ' 
 
 "My stomach's fighting my appetite. Hear 
 'em growl at each other ? ' ' 
 
 "S-h-h-h." 
 
 "I don't care. I'd 'bout as soon be scalped 
 as to starve to death." 
 
 The braves had by now filled their stomachs, 
 gulping their food down without the formality 
 of chewing it at all. Stacy's amazement was 
 partly mixed with admiration as he observed 
 the food disappear with such rapidity. 
 
 Now the braves had begun puffing at their 
 pipes. After a time, one by one laid down his 
 smoking bowl and stretched himself out for a 
 nap, just as Tad had said they would. The sav- 
 ages were spread out so that they had a very 
 good view of three sides of the rock on which 
 the two lads were perched, but the fourth side 
 was hidden from them. Tad decided that, as the 
 Indians showed no intention of moving, they 
 
38 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 were going to remain where they were until 
 night. 
 
 "I want yon to follow me, Chunky," Butler 
 said, determined to try his plan. "You will 
 have to move absolutely without a sound. Look 
 before you put down foot or hand. Be sure 
 where you place them. We'll wait a few min- 
 utes until they're sound asleep." 
 
 "What you going to do — sneak?" 
 
 "Try to get back to camp. The others will 
 be coming along looking for us pretty soon, if 
 we don't get away. The Indians might resent 
 being disturbed, and perhaps make trouble." 
 
 "Tell me when you're ready, then." 
 
 Some minutes had elapsed and the lads could 
 plainly hear the snores of their besiegers. 
 
 "Now!" whispered Tad. 
 
 At the same time he began crawling toward 
 the edge of the rock at their rear. Stacy was 
 close upon his heels. 
 
 The side which the boys were to descend was 
 much more precipitous than the one they had 
 come up by, but offered no very great difficul- 
 ties for two nimble boys. Proceeding with in- 
 finite caution, they gained the ground without a 
 mishap. 
 
 "We'll walk straight on in this direction, un- 
 til we get out of sight; then we can turn to the 
 left and hurry to the camp." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 39 
 
 Stacy nodded. As lie did so his eyes were 
 off the ground for a few seconds. Those few 
 seconds proved his undoing. 
 
 The lad stepped on a stone that gave way 
 under him, turning his ankle almost upon its 
 side. 
 
 "Ouch!" yelled Chunky. 
 
 "Now you've done it," snapped Tad. "We'll 
 have the whole pack of them down on us. Can 
 you walk?" 
 
 1 * I— I don 't know. I HI try. ' • 
 
 "Take hold of my hand. You've got to 
 run. ' ' 
 
 The redskins were on their feet in an instant. 
 A few bounds carried them around the rock 
 whence the exclamation had come. By this time 
 Tad had dragged his companion into the bushes 
 but not quickly enough to elude the keen eyes 
 of the savages. 
 
 The Indians uttered a short, sharp cry, then 
 aimed their rifles at the figures of the two flee- 
 ing Pony Rider Boys. 
 
 Tad saw the movement. He threw himself 
 prone upon the ground, jerking Chunky down 
 beside him. 
 
 They were screened from the eyes of the 
 enemy, for the moment. 
 
 * ' Crawl ! Crawl ! ' ' commanded Tad. 
 
 On hands and feet the boys began running 
 
40 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 rapidly over the ground, on down into a narrow 
 gulch. If they could gain the opposite side they 
 would be safe, as it was unlikely that the In- 
 dians would follow them there. To do so, the 
 hoys were obliged to cross an open space. 
 They had just reached it, when their pursuers 
 appeared behind them. Once more the Indians 
 raised their rifles, their fingers exerting a gentle 
 pressure on the triggers. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 ON" THE TEAIL OP JUAN 
 
 ««TT OOK out! They're going to shoot !" 
 cried Tad. 
 
 The lads quickly rolled in opposite 
 directions. 
 
 "Hallo-o, Tad!" ' 
 
 The call was in the stentorian voice of Pro- 
 fessor Zepplin, to which Ned Rector added a 
 shout of his own. 
 
 Fearing that some ill had befallen Tad and 
 Stacy, the others had started out after them. 
 Following them came Walter and the lazy Mexi- 
 can. 
 
 "We're down here! Look out for the In- 
 dians!" warned Tad in a loud voice. 
 
 "You're crazy!" jeered Ned. "Come out of 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 41 
 
 that. What ails you fellows? The dinner's 
 stone cold and Professor Zepplin is all in the 
 stew." 
 
 Tad scrambled to his feet, with a quick glance 
 at the top of the ridge, where, hut a moment 
 before, half a dozen rifles had been leveled at 
 Chunky: and himself. 
 
 Not an Indian was in sight. Tad was amazed. 
 He could not understand it. Grabbing Stacy 
 by an arm he hurried him up the other side of 
 the gulch, where they quickly joined their com- 
 panions. 
 
 "What does this mean?" demanded the Pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 "Hurry! We must get out of this. It's In- 
 dians ! ' ' 
 
 "They — they wanted to scalp us," interjected 
 Stacy. 
 
 "But you runned away, eh? Brave man!" 
 chuckled Ned. 
 
 "Indians! There are no Indians here. 
 Why " 
 
 "I'll tell you about it when we get to camp. 
 They were just about to shoot at us when you 
 appeared up here." 
 
 ' ' 'Pache bad Injun, ' ' vouchsafed Juan. 
 
 "Were those Apaches?" questioned Tad. 
 
 The guide shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 "I was sure they were, though I do not think 
 
42 THE PONT EIDER BOYS 
 
 I ever saw an Apache before. They don't live 
 about here, do they, Juan?" 
 
 " 'Pache off reservation. Him go dance. 
 Firewater! Ugh!" making a motion as if 
 scalping himself. 
 
 "I'm hungry," called Stacy. 
 
 "Yes; so am I," added Tad. "But I think 
 we had better not wait to eat. We can take a 
 bite in the saddle while we are moving." 
 
 Stacy protested loudly at this, but Tad's 
 judgment prevailed with the Professor, after 
 the boys had related their experience in detail. 
 All hands began at once to pack up the few 
 belongings that had been taken from the burro, 
 and once more they started on their way, mov- 
 ing somewhat more rapidly than had been the 
 case in the early part of the day. 
 
 "I don't suppose there will be much use in 
 our hurrying, Professor," said the lad, after 
 they had been going a short time. "I know 
 enough about Indians to be sure those fellows 
 will follow us until they satisfy themselves who 
 and what we are. They are up to some mis- 
 chief, and they thought we were spying on them. 
 Otherwise, I do not believe they would have 
 tried to shoot us. Don't know as you could 
 blame them much." 
 
 "I am inclined to agree with you, Master 
 Tad. It will be good policy not to pay any at- 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 43 
 
 tention to them if we discover any of them, 
 Just go right along about our business as if wo 
 didn't see them at all." 
 
 "And you're not likely to," grinned Tad. 
 "Where did you say they were going, Juan!" 
 
 " 'Pache, go dance." 
 
 "He means they're bound for a pow-wow 
 somewhere. That explains it," nodded the 
 lad. 
 
 The rest of the day passed without incident 
 Not a sign of the Indians did the boys see. As 
 a matter of fact, the roving redskins were as 
 anxious to keep out of the sight of the Pony 
 Biders as the boys were to have them do so. 
 
 The party enjoyed the trip over the moun- 
 tains immensely; and, when, a few days later, 
 they made camp in the foothills on the southern 
 fiide of the Zuni range, the boys declared that 
 they had never had a better time. 
 
 Professor Zepplin decided that they would re- 
 main in that camp for a couple of days, as he 
 desired to make some scientific investigations 
 and collect geological specimens. This suited 
 the rest of the party, who were free to make as 
 many side trips as they wished, into mountain 
 fastnesses or over the plains to the south of 
 them. 
 
 Early in the day the guide asked permission 
 to go away for an hour or so. They noticed that 
 
U THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 lie had been uneasy, apparently anxious to get 
 away for some reason unknown to them. 
 
 "He's got something np his sleeve/' decided 
 Tad, eyeing Juan narrowly. 
 
 "You may go, but we shall expect you back 
 in time for the noon meal," the Professor told 
 
 him. 
 "Give me money," requested the guide. 
 "Certainly. Let me see, you have worked a 
 week. I gave you five dollars when we started 
 Qlit. You were to have ten dollars a week while 
 jrou were with us. That leaves five dollars due 
 you," announced the Professor. 
 "Me work week. Me want ten dollars." 
 «*But, my man, I've already paid you five dol- 
 lars, which pays you for half of the week. Here 
 Is the five dollars for the other half. That's 
 all I owe you. Do you understand?" 
 
 "Si senor. But Juan work one week," pro- 
 tested the guide. 
 
 "Let me show him," interrupted Tad. He 
 drew ten marks in the sand with a stick, separ- 
 ating them into two groups of five. "Here are 
 ten marks, Juan. Well call them ten dollars. 
 tJnderstand?" 
 
 "Si." 
 
 "Well, here are the first five marks in the dirt 
 fliat the Professor paid you. How many does 
 fhat leave?" 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 45 
 
 "Five," gleamed the white teeth. 
 
 "Eight. Go to the head of the class," in- 
 terrupted Stacy. 
 
 "Chunky, you keep out of this. You'll mix 
 him up." 
 
 "Guess somebody's mixed up already," re- 
 torted the fat boy. 
 
 "Five is right," continued Tad. Five dol- 
 lars is what we owe you. Is that clear now?" 
 
 "Si, seSor. But I work one week. Juan 
 earn ten dollar- -" 
 
 "I'll tell you what to do," interjected Ned. 
 "Start all over again. You begin work to-day, 
 Juan, and we'll pay you ten dollars for every 
 week from now on. You haven't worked for us 
 before to-day, you know." 
 
 The lads laughed heartily, but Juan merely 
 showed his teeth, protesting that he had earned 
 ten dollars. 
 
 "Here," said Tad, thrusting a five dollar bill 
 at him. "You take this. It's all we owe you. 
 If you see any of your friends, you ask them 
 how much we owe you. They'll tell you the 
 Professor is right." 
 
 Juan took the money greedily, still protesting 
 that they owed him ten dollars, because he had 
 worked a week. Mounting his burro, he rode 
 away, at once falling into the marvelous speed 
 that he had shown them on the first day out. 
 
46 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 The lads shouted with laughter as they saw 
 burro and rider disappear among the foothills, 
 both running for all they were worth, Juan ut- 
 tering his shrill "yi — yi's," as he pedaled the 
 ground. 
 
 That was the last they saw of the Mexican 
 guide that day. The rest of the day was em- 
 ployed in games, trick riding, rope throwing 
 and the like. Stacy found some horned frogs, 
 which were of considerable interest to the boys. 
 Chunky made the discovery that the frogs liked 
 to have their backs scratched with a stick, and 
 the frogs of the foothills probably never spent 
 such a happy day in all their lives as Chunky 
 and his stick provided for them that afternoon. 
 
 Late in the day, it dawned upon the boys that 
 Juan was still absent. They consulted with the 
 Professor about this, upon his return from a col- 
 lecting trip along the foot of the mountains. 
 But the Professor was 3ure Juan would be in 
 in time for supper. 
 
 Such was not the case, however. After the 
 meal had been finished Tad announced his in- 
 dention of riding off in the. direction Juan had 
 gone, to see if the guide could not be found. 
 
 "I'll go with you," announced Stacy. 
 
 "All right; come along," said Tad, tighten- 
 ing his saddle girths. "We'll have a fine gal- 
 lop." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 47 
 
 "Be careful that you do not get lost, boys," 
 warned the Professor. 
 
 "Can't get lost. All we have to do is to fol- 
 low the foothills. "We shall probably find Juan 
 and his burro sound asleep on an ant-hill some- 
 where. He's positively the laziest human be- 
 ing I ever set eyes on." 
 
 "Better take along five dollars to bait him 
 with," suggested Ned. 
 
 "I've got my stick," said Stacy. "I'll tickle 
 the back of the burro and its rider, just as I did 
 the frogs." 
 
 "You try that on the burro and hell kick you 
 into the middle of next week," warned Walter. 
 
 "Yes," laughed Tad. "Did you see him kick 
 when Juan tossed a tomato can against his heels 
 this morning! Kicked the can clear over a«tree 
 and out of sight." 
 
 "He'd make a good batter for the Chillicothe 
 baseball team," suggested Chunky. "He'd be 
 the only real batter in the nine. They could 
 turn him loose on the umpire when they didn't 
 need him on the diamond. Wouldn't it be funny 
 to see some umpires kicked over the high board 
 fence?" 
 
 "Come along if you are going with me." 
 
 Stacy swung into his saddle, and, galloping 
 off, caught up with Tad, who was in a hurry 
 to get back to camp before dark. 
 
48 THE PONY RIDEB BOYS 
 
 "Keep your eyes to the right, Chunky, and 
 I'll look on the left. If yon see anything that 
 looks like a lazy Mexican and a lazy bnrro, just 
 call out." 
 
 "I'll run over them, that's what I'll do," de- 
 clared the fat boy. "Hello, there's a fellow on 
 horseback." 
 
 "I see him." 
 
 The lads changed their course a little so as to 
 head off the solitary horseman, who was loping 
 along in something of a hurry. 
 
 "Howdy," greeted the lad. 
 
 "Evening, stranger* Where you hail from 
 and where to?" 
 
 "We're in camp back here. I'm looking for 
 our guide, a Mexican named Juan. He went 
 away this morning and we haven't seen him 
 since. ' ' 
 
 "And you won't so long as his money holds 
 out," laughed the horseman. 
 
 "Then, you've seen him? Will you tell me 
 where I may rind him ? ' ' 
 
 "Sure thing, boy, but I reckon you'd better 
 not be going any further?" 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "He's over yonder, gambling with some rene- 
 gade Apaches." 
 
 "Apaches!" exclaimed the lads in one voice. 
 "Those must be the same fellows we saw up in 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 49 
 
 the range. But how do yon suppose he knew 
 they were over there?" 
 
 "He? Those Greasers know everything ex- 
 cept what they ought to know — especially if 
 there's any games of chance going on." 
 
 "Will you please tell me how we can reach 
 the place! We want to make a very early start 
 in the morning, and I don J t like to take a chance 
 of his not getting back in time." 
 
 "If ye 're bound to go, keep right along tlte 
 edge of the foothills. You can't miss the place. 
 Better keep away if you don't want to be gejk- 
 ting into a mix-up. There's going to be lively 
 doings over there pretty soon," warned tfl* 
 stranger. 
 
 "How do you mean? IVe seen Indians lb©- 
 fore. Guess they won't hurt us if they let Juan 
 pow-wow with them." 
 
 ' ' This is different, young man. They 're going 
 to hold a fire dance to-night " 
 
 "Afire dance?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I thought they weren't allowed to do that 
 any more?" 
 
 "They ain't, but they will. There's a bunch 
 of Sabobas from over the line. They're the 
 original fire eaters. They come over here kind 
 of secret like. Then there 'e Pueblos, 'Paches, 
 and bad ones from every tribe within a hun- 
 
SO THE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 flred miles of here. Been making smoke signals 
 from the mountains for more'n a week 
 past " 
 
 "I saw that yesterday and thought it was 
 Intended as a signal." 
 
 "Bight." 
 
 **But yon don't think there will be any danger 
 In just going after our guide, do you f " ' 
 
 "Boy, they'll be letting blood before morn- 
 ing, even if the Government doesn't drop down 
 on the picnic and clean out the whole bunch of 
 them. There is sure to be trouble before morn- 
 tog." 
 
 "Thank you," said Tad, touching his pony. 
 
 a Going on?" questioned the horseman. 
 
 "Yes; I'm going to fetch Juan," replied Tad, 
 touching spurs to his pony and galloping away, 
 followed by Stacy Brown. 
 
 The horseman sat his saddle watching the re- 
 ceding forms of the two Pony Rider Boys until 
 they disappeared behind a butte in the foothills. 
 
 "Well, if those kids ain't got the sand!" he 
 muttered. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 51 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 A DARING ACT 
 
 M TF you don't want to go with me yon may 
 
 I go back, Chunky. Perhaps one would 
 not be as likely to get into trouble as 
 two. You can find your way, can't you?" 
 
 "I go back? Think I'm a tenderfoot? Huh! 
 Guess I ain't afraid of any cheap Wild West 
 Indians. I'm going with you, Tad." 
 
 "Very well; but see to it that you keep in 
 the background. You have a habit of getting 
 into trouble on the slightest provocation. ' ' 
 
 "So do you," retorted Stacy. 
 
 The ponies had been urged to their best pace 
 by this time. Twilight had fallen and darkness 
 would settle over them in a very short time 
 now, though a new moon hovered pale and weak 
 in the blue sky above. Tad knew this, so he 
 did not worry about the return trip. 
 
 "We should be sighting the place pretty 
 soon," he muttered. 
 
 "I see a light," announced Stacy. 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 "To the right. Over that low butte there." 
 
 "Yes; that's so. I see it now. You have 
 •^rp eyes," laughed Tad. 
 
52 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "I can see when there's anything to see." 
 
 "And eat when there's food to be had," ad- 
 ded Tad. 
 
 "Think those are the Indians that wanted to 
 shoot ns, Tad?" he asked, with a trace of ap- 
 prehension in his voice. 
 
 Tad glanced at his companion keenly. 
 
 "Getting cold feet, Chunky?" 
 
 "No!" roared the fat boy. 
 
 " I beg yonr pardon, ' ' grinned Tad. ' ' I didn 't 
 mean to insult yon." 
 
 "Better not. Look out that you don't get. 
 chilblains on your own feet. May need a hot 
 mustard bath yourself before you get through." 
 
 They rounded the butte. A full quarter of a 
 mile ahead of them flickered a large fire, with 
 several smaller blazes twinkling here and there 
 about it. Shadowy figures were observed mov- 
 ing back and forth, some with rapid movements, 
 others in slow, methodical steps. 
 
 "There must be a lot of them, Tad." 
 
 "Looks that way. I wonder where we shall I 
 find the guide." 
 
 Both boys fell silent for a time, and as they 
 drew nearer to the scene pulled their ponies 
 down to a walk. Tad concluded to make a 
 detour half way round the camp in order to get 
 a clump of bushes that he had observed be- 
 tween them and the redskins. From that point 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 53 
 
 of vantage lie would be able to get a closer 
 view, and perhaps locate the man for whom he 
 was looking. 
 
 Biding in, they were soon swallowed up in 
 the shadows. 
 
 ''Hold my pony a moment,' ' directed Tad, 
 slipping to the ground. 
 
 " Where are you going! " 
 
 "Nowhere, just this minute. I'm going to 
 look around." 
 
 The lad peered through the bushes until, ut- 
 tering a low exclamation, he turned to his com- 
 panion. 
 
 "I see him. He's over on the other side " 
 
 "Who! Juan?" 
 
 "Yes. Now I want you to remain right here. 
 Don't move away. I'll tie my pony so he won't 
 give you any trouble. Sit perfectly quiet, and 
 if any Indians come along don't bother them. 
 I'm going around the outside, so I don't have 
 to pass through the crowd, though they seem 
 too busy to notice anyone." 
 
 Tad slipped away in the shadows until he 
 came to a spot opposite where he had caught 
 a glimpse of the lazy Mexican. 
 
 He discovered Juan in the center of a circle 
 of dusky Indians who were squatting on the 
 ground. Some of the braves were clothed in 
 nondescript garments, while others were at- 
 
54 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 tired in gaudy blankets. These were the gamb- 
 lers. 
 
 At that moment their efforts were concen- 
 trated on winning from Jnan the wages of his 
 first week's work with the Pony Rider Boys. 
 A blanket had been spread over the ground, and 
 on this they were wagering small amounts on 
 the throw of the dice, a flickering camp-fire 
 near by dimly lighting up the blanket and mak- 
 ing the reading of the dice a difficult matter for 
 any but the keenest of eyes. The sing-song calls 
 of the players added to the weirdness of the 
 scene. 
 
 Tad waited long enough to observe that the 
 guide lost nearly every time, the stolid-faced 
 red men raking in his coins with painful 
 regularity. 
 
 ' ' It 's a wonder he has a cent left. But they're 
 not playing for very large amounts, as near as 
 I can tell." 
 
 Each time the Mexican lost he would utter 
 a shrill "si, si," then lured by the hope that 
 Dame Fortune would favor him, reached greed- 
 ily for the next throw. 
 
 "It's time for me to do something," mut- 
 tered Tad. 
 
 Stepping boldly from his cover, he walked 
 Tip to the edge of the circle. 
 
 "Juan!" he called sharply. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 55 
 
 "Si," answered the Mexican, without looking 
 up. 
 
 "Juan!" 
 
 This time the word was uttered in a more 
 commanding voice. 
 
 "You come with me!" 
 
 The guide, oblivious to all beyond the ter- 
 rible fascination of the game he was playing, 
 gave no heed to Tad Butler's stern command. 
 Three times did Tad call to him, but without 
 result. One of the red men cast an angry glance 
 in the lad's direction, and then returned to his 
 play. 
 
 Without an instant's hesitation, Tad sprang 
 over into the center of the circle, and grasping 
 Juan by an ear, jerked him to his feet. 
 
 Red hands fell to belts and dark faces scowled 
 menacingly at the intruder. 
 
 "You come with me, Juan!" 
 
 Juan sought to jerk away, but under the 
 strong pull on his ear, he did not find it advis- 
 able to force himself from his captor's grip. 
 
 "You ought to be ashamed of yourself. 
 You're lucky if Professor Zepplin doesn't give 
 you another dose of hot drops for this. I sup- 
 pose these Indians sat down to rob you," 
 growled Tad. 
 
 "No, no, no," protested Juan. 
 
 By this time the Indian gamblers had leaped 
 
56 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 to tlieir feet, an ugly light in their eyes that 
 boded ill for the Pony Eider Boy who had inter- 
 rupted them in the process of fleecing the 
 Mexican. 
 
 "With one accord they barred the way in a 
 solid human wall. Tad found himself hemmed 
 in on all sides. It had been easy to gain an 
 entrance to the circle, but getting out of it was 
 another matter. 
 
 "This man belongs to me," he said with as 
 much courage in his tone as he was able to 
 command. "You will please step aside and let 
 us go. You're breaking the law. If you offer 
 any resistance I'll have the Government officers 
 after you in short order. ' ' 
 
 He could not have said a worse thing under 
 the circumstances. At first they took him for 
 a spy, possibly a Government spy. Now they 
 were sure of it, for had not the lad told them 
 so himself? 
 
 With a growl, one who appeared to be the 
 most important personage in the group drew 
 his sheath knife and sprang straight at the slen- 
 der figure of Tad Butler. 
 
 Tad acted without an instant *s hesitation. 
 
 Stepping aside quickly, he cleverly avoided 
 the knife-thrust. At the same instant, while the 
 Indian was off his balance, not yet having re- 
 covered from the lunge, the Pony Eider Boy's 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 57 
 
 fist and the Indian's jaw met in sudden col 
 lision. 
 
 The impact of the blow might have been heard 
 more than a rod away. 
 
 The red man's blanket dropped from his 
 shoulders; he staggered backward, made a su- 
 preme effort to pull himself together, then 
 dropped in a heap at the feet of the boy who had 
 felled him. 
 
 Without waiting for the astonished red 
 gamblers to recover their wits, Tad grasped an 
 arm of the Mexican and sprang away into the 
 bushes. 
 
 He had done a serious thing, even though in 
 self-protection. He had knocked down an 
 Apache brave with his fist. The sting of that 
 blow would rest upon the savage jaw until the 
 insult was wiped out by the victim himself. 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE FIRE DANCE OP THE RED MEN 
 
 THE Indians made a sudden move to pursue 
 the lad who had done so daring a thing. 
 One of their number re-strained them, 
 pointing to the fallen brave, as much as to say, 
 "Revenge is for him!" 
 With a shrug of their shoulders the Indians 
 
58 THE PONY, EIDER BOYS 
 
 sank down and resumed their game as stoically 
 as before. They gave no further heed to the 
 unconscious Apache, who still lay just outside 
 the circle where he had been knocked out by 
 Tad's blow. 
 
 M Hurry! Hurry!" commanded the lad, fairly 
 dragging his companion along. "They'll be 
 after us in a minute." 
 
 Yet before the minute had elapsed Tad had 
 halted suddenly, his wondering eyes fixed upon 
 the scene that was being enacted before him. 
 
 About a pit of red hot coals, naked save for 
 the breech clouts they wore, swayed the bodies 
 of half-a-dozen powerful braves. 
 
 They were the fire dancers and Tad was gaz- 
 ing upon a scene that probably never will be 
 seen again in this country — the last of the fire 
 dances — a secret dance of which it was to be 
 supposed the Government agents knew nothing. 
 
 Back and forth waved the copper-colored line, 
 right up to the edge of the pit of glowing coals, 
 uttering a weird chant, which was taken up by 
 others who were not in the dance. 
 
 The voices of the chanters grew louder, their 
 excitement waxed higher, as the thrill of song 
 and dance pulsed through their veins. 
 
 All at once, Tad was horrified to see one of 
 the dancers leap into the air, uttering a mighty 
 shriek. While still clear of the ground the 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 59 
 
 dancer's body turned, then he dove head first 
 into the bed of hot coals. He was out in an 
 instant. 
 
 The chant rose higher as the remaining 
 dancers followed the leader into the burning pit 
 and out of it. So quickly did they move that 
 they seemed not to feel the heat, and from Tad's 
 point of vantage, he was sure that none was 
 burned in the slightest. 
 
 Juan tried to pull away. But Tad held him 
 in a firm grip. 
 
 Now that the dancers had passed through the 
 fire unscathed, others followed them, some no 
 more than touching the live coals, then bound- 
 ing out on the other side of the pit; others re- 
 maining long enough to roll swiftly across the 
 glowing bed. 
 
 Excitement was rapidly waxing higher and 
 higher. The red men were in a dangerous mood. 
 It boded ill for the paleface who sought to 
 interfere with their carnival at this moment. 
 
 "Come!" whispered Tad in a low, tense voice. 
 "We've got to get out of this mighty quick! 
 Chunky 's probably half scarced to death, too." 
 
 Tad did not go far. He had scarcely taken 
 half a dozen steps when a frenzied yell, a series 
 of shrill shrieks sounded in the air. The sounds 
 seemed to come from all directions at once. 
 
 "What's that?" 
 
60 THE PONY BIDEB BOYS 
 
 "Me not know.*' 
 
 "Somebody's running a pony. I hear it com- 
 ing. It's headed right for that bunch of crazy 
 savages. Probably an Indian gone mad." 
 
 It was not an Indian who was the cause of 
 this new disturbance, as the lad discovered 
 almost immediately afterward. 
 
 "Yip, yip! Y-e-o-w! W-o-w!" 
 
 The yells were uttered in the shrill voice of 
 Stacy Brown. 
 
 "It's Chunky!" groaned Tad. "Here's 
 trouble in earnest!" 
 
 They never knew just how it happened, and' 
 Chunky could not tell them, but in all prob- 
 ability the excitement had been too much for 
 the fat boy. 
 
 He had moved closer when the dancing began, 
 and the fever of it got into his veins until his 
 excitement had reached a pitch beyond his con- 
 
 trol. 
 
 With a series of howls and yells, the fat boy 
 drove the rowels of the spurs deep into his pony's 
 
 sides. 
 The animal dashed forward at a break-neck 
 
 pace. 
 
 Stacy headed straight for the glowing pit,, 
 yelling with every leap of the pony. 
 
 Tad gazed spellbound. He seemed powerless 
 to move. He had been deeply affected by the 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 61 
 
 scenes he had seen; but this was different. The 
 lad held his breath. 
 
 Beaching the edge of the pit, Stacy's pony 
 rose in the air, clearing the bed of coals in a 
 long, curving leap. 
 
 Two red men had just risen from their fiery 
 bath. The hind hoofs of the pony caught and 
 bowled them over. 
 
 "Run to the camp and get help! Take my 
 pony! Eide for your life! Don't lose a second !" 
 gasped Tad, giving the lazy Mexican a shove 
 that sent him stumbling until he bad measured 
 his length upon the ground. 
 
 Juan picked himself up slowly; and, crawling 
 away into the bushes, lay down to rest— or 
 hide. 
 
 Stacy's pony landed fairly in the center of 
 a bunch of ha If -clothed savages, some of whom 
 went down under the pony when it landed on 
 them so unexpectedly. 
 
 The next instant the fat boy had been jerked 
 from the animal's back, to which he was cling- 
 ing desperately. 
 
 With a yell the redskins hurled him toward 
 the fire. But the force of the throw had not 
 been quite strong enough. Stacy landed on the 
 edge of the pit, rolling half into it, the upper 
 part of his body being on the ground to which 
 fee was hanging, yelling lustily. His shod feet 
 
62 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 were in the fire, however, but as yet he did not 
 realize that his clothes were burning. 
 
 Tad Butler sprang quickly from his hiding 
 
 place. 
 
 < 'Crawl out!" he roared. " You '11 be burned 
 
 alive!" 
 «I__I can't. I fell in," piped Stacy, all his 
 
 bravery gone now. 
 
 Tad leaped across the intervening space and 
 bounded to the side of his companion. 
 
 "Ouch! I'm on fire!" shrieked Stacy. 
 
 Tad grabbed and hauled him from his dan- 
 gerous position. One of Tad's feet slipped in 
 while he was doing so. By this time the clothes 
 of both lads had begun to smoulder. 
 
 "Run for it! Better be burned than 
 scalped!" shouted Tad. 
 
 Holding to Chunky 's arm the Pony Rider Boy 
 started to run. He was tripped by a moccasined 
 foot before they had gone ten feet. Both boys 
 fell headlong. Ere they could rise half a dozen 
 mad savages were upon them. 
 
 The lads were jerked roughly to their feet, 
 Chunky shivering, Tad pale but resolute. There 
 was nothing that he could say or do to repair 
 the damage that his companion had done. 
 
 One whom the lad took to be a chief, from his 
 liead-dress and commanding appearance, pushed 
 Ws way into the crowd about the two boys, 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 63 
 
 hurling the red men aside with reckless sweeps 
 of his powerful arms. 
 
 "Ugh!" he grunted, folding his arms and 
 gazing sternly at the two prisoners. 
 
 "Who you?" 
 
 Tad explained as best he could. 
 
 "Why you do this?" 
 
 "My friend here got excited," Tad declared,. 
 
 "Huh! Lie!" 
 
 Tad's face burned. He could searcely resist 
 the impulse to resent the imputation that the 
 savage had cast upon him. He conquered the 
 inclination with an effort. 
 
 "Sir, we had no wish to interfere with you. 
 We came here to get one of onr men who had 
 come here to gamble. If you will release us 
 we will return to our camp and give you no 
 further trouble. I promise you that." 
 
 "T-h-h-h-at's so," chattered Chunky. 
 
 "Keep still," whispered Tad. "You'll get 
 us into more trouble." 
 
 The chief appeared to be debating the ques- 
 tion in his own mind, when one of the men, 
 whom Tad recognized as a member of the 
 gambling circle, whispered something to the 
 chief. 
 
 The chief's eyes blazed. Uttering a succes- 
 sion of gutteral sounds, he gave some quick di- 
 rections to the red men near him. 
 
64 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "He makes a noise like a litter of pigs," mut- 
 tered Chunky. 
 
 Acting upon the chief's direction two braves 
 grabbed the lads, and hurried them away, Tad 
 meanwhile watching for an opportunity to break 
 away. Had he been alone, he felt sure he could 
 do so safely. But he would not leave his com- 
 panion, of course. 
 
 The Apaches took the boys a short distance 
 from the camp, planked them down roughly 
 with their backs to a rock. 
 
 "Now, I wonder what next?" muttered Tad. 
 
 While one of the braves stood guard over 
 them, the second trotted back to the camp, re- 
 turning after a few minutes with a third savage 
 who carried a rifle. 
 
 The boys were sure then that they were to be 
 shot. 
 
 "Huh! You run, brave shoot urn!" warned 
 one of the first pair, after which parting injunc- 
 tion the two captors strode away, leaving their 
 companion to guard the boys. 
 
 For a few moments the Indian walked up and 
 down in front of them, keeping his eyes fixed 
 on the lads. Tad noted that he walked rather 
 unsteadily. Finally, the guard sat down fac- 
 ing them, some ten feet away. 
 
 "Well, youVe certainly gone and done it 
 this time, Chunky," said Tad in a low voice*. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 63 
 
 •'"What on earth made you do a crazy thing like 
 that?" 
 
 "I— I don't know." 
 
 "Well, it's too late for regrets. All we can 
 do will be to make the best of our situation and 
 watch for an opportunity to get away." 
 
 For several minutes the boys sat gazing at 
 the stolid figure before them. Tad's mind was 
 working, though his body was not. 
 
 "Make believe you're going to sleep, but 
 don 't overdo it, ' ' whispered Tad. 
 
 This was something that Stacy could do, and 
 he did it with such naturalness that Tad could 
 not repress a smile. 
 
 "That Indian is dazed from his excitement, 
 and if we make him think we're asleep he's 
 likely to relax his vigilance," mused Tad, as 
 the two boys gradually leaned closer together, 
 soon to all appearances being wrapped in sleep. 
 Little by little the Indian's head nodded. 
 
 Finally he toppled over to one side, the rifle 
 lying across his feet. 
 
 Tad and Chunky remained motionless. 
 
 The Indian snored. 
 
 The boys waited. Soon the snores became 
 regular. The moment for action had arrived. 
 
 Tad pinched Chunky. 
 
 "Huh! Wat 'cher wanf# 
 
 The fat boy had in reality been ask&g* 
 
m THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 "For goodness sake, keep quiet!" begged 
 Tad in a whisper. " Don't yon know there's an 
 Indian with a gun guarding us? He's asleep. 
 Come, but be quiet if you value your life at all. 
 Anyway, remember that I want to save mine." 
 
 Stacy was wide awake now. Together the 
 lads crawled cautiously away, every nerve on 
 the alert. Over by the pit of live coals the up- 
 roar was, if anything, louder than before. 
 
 The boys gave that part of the camp a wide 
 berth. 
 
 "Now get up and run!" commanded Tad. 
 "Raise your feet off the ground, so that you 
 won't fall over every pebble you come to." 
 
 Tad and Chunky clasped hands and scurried 
 through the bushes, making as little noise as 
 possible, and rapidly putting considerable dis- 
 tance between them and the sleeping red man 
 who had been set to watch them. 
 
 "Having lots of fun, ain't we, Tad?" 
 
 "Fun? You're lucky if you get off with a 
 whole scalp " 
 
 "Wow!" exclaimed Stacy. 
 
 The lads brought up suddenly. 
 
 At first they were not sure what had disturbed 
 them, that is, Tad was not. This time Stacy had 
 seen more clearly than his companion. 
 
 "Ugh!" grunted a voice right in front of 
 fhem, and there before their amazed eyes stood 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 67 
 
 an Indian. To their imaginations, he was mag- 
 nified until he appeared nearly as tall as the 
 moonlit mountains in the background. 
 
 For one hesitating instant the lads stood star- 
 ing at the figure looming over them. 
 
 With an angry growl the red man bounded 
 toward them. He had recognized the boys and 
 was determined that they should not escape 
 him. 
 
 It was Stacy Brown's wits that saved the situ- 
 ation this time. As the Indian came at them the 
 fat boy dived between the savage's naked legs, 
 uttering a short, sharp yelp, for all the world 
 just like that of a small dog attempting to 
 frighten off a bigger antagonist. 
 
 There could be only one result following 
 Chunky 's unexpected tactics. Mr. Redskin flat- 
 tened himself on the ground prone upon his 
 face. Somehow the fellow was slightly stunned 
 by the fall, not having had time to save himself 
 from a violent bump on the head. 
 
 "Run for it, Chunky! He'll be after us in a 
 second. ' ' 
 
 The lads made a lively sprint for the open. 
 In a moment, observing that they were not being 
 followed, they halted, still in the shadows of 
 the bushes. All at once Tad stumbled over an 
 object in the dark. At first he thought it was 
 another Indian, and both boys were about to 
 
68 THE PONT RIDER BOYS 
 
 run again, when the voice of the prostrate man 
 caused them to laugh instead. 
 
 "Si, si, sefior," muttered the fellow. 
 
 * * Juan I It 's Juan ! Get up ! You here yet ! " 
 
 They pulled the lazy guide to his feet, start- 
 ing off with him, when all at once Tad happened 
 to think that one of the ponies was back there 
 somewhere among the Indians. 
 
 "You stay here, and don't make a fool of 
 yourself this time!" commanded Tad. 
 
 "Where are you going?" 
 
 "After your pony. You hang on to Juan. 
 I'll hold you responsible for him, Chunky." 
 
 "Guess I can take care of a lazy Mexican if 
 I can floor a redskin," answered Stacy proudly. 
 
 But Tad was off. He had not heard the last 
 remark of his companion. In picking his way 
 carefully around the camp to where he had seen 
 a lot of ponies tethered, Tad found a Navajo 
 blanket. He quickly possessed himself of it, 
 throwing it over his head, wrapping himself in 
 its folds. 
 
 He was now in plain sight of the wild antics 
 of the dancers, who, still mad with the excite- 
 ment of the hour, were performing all manner 
 of weird movements. For a moment, the lad 
 squatted down to watch them. He had been 
 there but a short time when a voice at his side 
 startled him, and Tad was about to take a fresh 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 69 
 
 sprint when lie realized that it was not the voice 
 of a savage. 
 
 "Young man, you'd better light out of here 
 while you've got the chance," said the stranger. 
 
 Turning sharply, Tad discovered a man, who, 
 like himself, was wrapped in a gaudy blanket. 
 He was unable to see the man's face, which was 
 hidden under the Navajo. 
 
 "Who are you?" demanded the lad sharply. 
 
 "I'm an Indian agent. I only got wind of 
 this proposed fire dance late this afternoon. 
 These men will all be punished unless they re- 
 turn to their reservations peaceably. If they 
 do, they will be let go with a warning." 
 
 "Do they know you're here?" 
 
 "They? Not much," laughed the agent. 
 
 "But supposing they ask you a question?" 
 
 "I can talk all the different tribal languages 
 represented here. You'd better go now. Where 
 are you from?" 
 
 Tad explained briefly. 
 
 "Well, you have had a narrow escape to- 
 night. If they catch you again they'll make 
 short work of you." 
 
 "They won't catch me. Thank you and 
 good-bye. ' ' 
 
 "Don't go that way. Strike straight back; 
 then you will have an open course." 
 
 "I'm going after my companion's pony. I 
 
70 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 think I know where to find it," answered Tad, 
 wrapping the blanket about himself and steal- 
 ing across an open moonlit space without at- 
 tracting attention. 
 
 The Indian agent watched him curiously for 
 a moment ; then he 'rose and followed quickly 
 after Tad. 
 
 "That boy is either a fool — which I don't 
 think — or else he doesn't know the meaning of 
 the word 'fear.' " 
 
 Tad did not find Stacy's pony where he had 
 expected. Indian ponies were tethered all 
 about, singly and in groups, while here and 
 there one was left to graze where it would. 
 
 "What sort of a looking pony is yours?" 
 questioned the agent, coming up to him. 
 
 "A roan." 
 
 "Then I think I know where he is. He was 
 not like the horses in this vicinity, which at- 
 tracted my attention to him." 
 
 The agent led the way, in a roundabout course, 
 to the south side of the camp, where they be- 
 gan looking over the animals. Occasionally a 
 redskin would pass them, but no one gave either 
 .the slightest heed. 
 
 "Here he is," whispered Tad." 
 
 "Lead him off. Don't mount just yet." 
 
 Tad did as the agent had suggested. But all 
 at once something happened. Tad's blanket 
 
IN NEW MEXICO U 
 
 had dropped from his shoulders, revealing him 
 in his true colors. An Indian uttered a yell. Tad 
 sprang into his saddle and put spurs to the pony e 
 In a moment more than a dozen redskins had 
 mounted and started yelling after him, believ- 
 ing he was stealing a pony. 
 
 Tad headed away to the south to give his com- 
 panions a chance to get out of the way, and the 
 savages came in full cry after him. 
 
 CHAPTER VXI 
 
 FLEEING FROM THE ENEMY 
 
 ASHEILL cry was wafted to the hoy. 
 After a few moments Tad realized 
 that they were no longer on his trail. 
 He knew the cry had been a signal, warning 
 them to halt. What he did not know, however, 
 was that the Indian agent had been responsi- 
 ble for the signal ; that he in all probability had 
 saved the boy's life. 
 
 The lad, after satisfying himself that the In- 
 dians had abandoned the chase, at once circled 
 about, coming back to the point where he had 
 left Chunky and the Mexican. They were both 
 there waiting for him. 
 
 "What was all that row?" demanded the fat 
 boyc 
 
72 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 "We were having a little horse race, that's 
 all," grinned Tad grimly. "Hurry along f 
 now." 
 
 They reached their own camp in safety an 
 hour later. The two hoys had much to relate, 
 and as the narration proceeded, Professor Zepp- 
 lin shook his head disapprovingly. 
 
 "Young gentlemen, much as I have enjoyed 
 this summer's outing, it's a wonder I haven't 
 had nervous prostration long before this. It'll 
 be a load off my mind if I get you all back in 
 Chillicothe without anything serious happening 
 to you." 
 
 "I think," suggested Tad, "that we had bet- 
 ter strike camp at once and move on. The moon 
 is shining brightly, and Juan ought to have no 
 trouble in leading the way." 
 
 "Yes; that will be an excellent idea. Yon 
 think they may give bs further trouble?" ques- 
 tioned the Professor. 
 
 "They may before morning. They're get- 
 ting more ugly every minute." 
 
 "Everything worth while seems to happen 
 when I am not around," protested Ned. 
 
 "Good thing you weren't along," replied 
 Stacy. "You'd been scared stiff. It was no 
 place for tend erf eet." 
 
 "You — you call me a tenderfoot!" snapped 
 Ned, starting for him. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO U 
 
 "Stop quarreling, you two!" commanded 
 Tad. "We've had all the fighting we want for 
 one night. Get busy and help strike this camp. 
 Guess none of this outfit could truthfully be 
 called a tenderfoot. We've all had our share of 
 hard knocks, and we '11 have enough to look back 
 to and think about when we get home and have 
 time to g$ over our experiences together this 
 winter.' ' 
 
 The thought, that at any minute the half- 
 crazed savages might sweep down on them has- 
 tened the preparations for departure. The Pony 
 Eider Boys never struck camp more quickly 
 than they did in the soft southern moonlight 
 that night. 
 
 All at once Juan set up a wail. 
 
 "What is it — what's the trouble now?" de- 
 manded Tad. 
 
 "My burro. I go for him." 
 
 "You'll do nothing of the sort. Ton 11 walk, 
 or ride a pack animal,/' answered Stacy. "You 
 don't deserve to have a burro." 
 
 "Here's his old burro now," called Walter, 
 as a shambling object, much the worse for wear, 
 came stumbling sleepily into camp. 
 
 The boys set up a shout that was quickly 
 checked by Tad. 
 
 "If the burro can find the way what do you 
 think an Indian conld do, fellows?" 
 
U THE PONT EIDER BOYS 
 
 "That's right,' ' agreed Professor Zepplin. 
 "We had better keep quiet " 
 
 "And hit the trail as fast as possible," added 
 Tad. "Daylight must find us a long ways from 
 here." 
 
 "And ride all night — is that what you mean?" 
 complained Stacy. 
 
 "Yes; it'll give you an appetite for break- 
 fast." 
 
 "I've got one already." 
 
 "That goes without saying," agreed Ned. 
 
 "Come, come, Juan!" urged Tad, observing 
 that the guide was doing nothing more in the 
 way of work than rubbing the nose of his prodi- 
 gal burro. "Aren't you going to help us?" 
 
 "Yes; what do you think we're paying you 
 good American dollars for?" 'demanded Ned. 
 
 "I think some of the Professor's hot drops 
 would be good for what ails him," observed 
 Stacy Brown. "I'll get the Professor to give 
 him a dose right now." 
 
 "No, no, no! Juan no want fire drops." 
 
 "All right; get busy, then." 
 
 He did. Not since the last dose of the Pro- 
 fessor's medicine had he shown such activity. 
 Very soon after that the camp had been struck 
 and the party was ready to take up its journey. 
 
 Tad took a last look about, to make sure that 
 nothing had been left. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 75 
 
 "I think I'll put out the fire," he said, tossing 
 the bridle reins to Stacy, while he ran over fb 
 the dying camp-fire, whose embers he kicked 
 apart, stamping them out one by one. "No us$ 
 leaving a trail like that for any prowling red- 
 skin." 
 
 They were quickly under way after that, J«ai» 
 leading the way without the least hesitancy. He 
 and the burro worked together like a piece oJ 
 automatic machinery. 
 
 "He might better walk and lead the burro," 
 said Stacy, who had been observing their* peetfc 
 liar method of locomotion. "Should think if 
 would be easier." 
 
 The moon was dropping slowly westward* 
 and the party was using it for a guide, keeping 
 the silver ball sharply to their right. Juan 
 on the other hand had hitched his lazy chariot 
 .to a star. 
 
 By this star he was laying his course to the 
 southward. The Pony Rider Boys enjoyed 
 their moonlight trip immensely, and a gently 
 breeze from the desert drifting over them re- 
 lieved the scorching heat of the late afternooB 
 and early evening. 
 
 "Guess the Indians are not going to bothej 
 us," said "Walter, riding up to Tad just before 
 daylight. 
 
 "Probably not. They will be in too mudi 
 
76 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 trouble with the Government, after last night's 
 performances, to give much thought to chasing 
 us. And besides, I don't see why they should 
 wish to do so. Had they been very anxious to 
 be revenged on us, most likely they would not 
 have allowed us to get away as they did." 
 
 "Was it very terrible, Tad?" asked Walter 
 Perkins. 
 
 "What, the dance, or what happened after- 
 wards?" laughed the lad. 
 
 "Both!" 
 
 a Well, I'm free to confess that neither was 
 exactly pleasant. When they caught Chunky I 
 thought it was all up with us. Hello. There's 
 Mr. Daylight" 
 
 Glancing to the left the boys saw the sky 
 turning to gray. A buzzard screamed overhead, 
 laying its course for the mountains where it 
 was journeying in search of food. 
 
 "What's thatf" demanded Stacy, awakening 
 from a doze in Ms saddle. 
 
 "Friend of yours with an appetite," grinned 
 Ned. 
 
 "I thought it sounded like breakfast call," 
 muttered Stacy, relapsing into sleep again, his 
 head drooping forward until, a few minutes 
 later, he was lying over the saddle pommel with 
 Arms thrown loosely about the pony's neck. 
 
 Ned, observing the lad's position, suddenly 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 77 
 
 conceived a mischievous plan. Unnoticed hf 
 the others, he permitted his own pony to fall 
 back until he was a short distance behind Stacy. 
 The others were a little way ahead. 
 
 Ned rode slowly alongside his companion, as 
 he passed, bringing the rowel of his spur 
 sharply against the withers of Chunky 's mount. 
 
 The effect was instantaneous. 
 
 The fat boy's mount, itself half asleep, sud- 
 denly humped its back, and with bunching feet 
 leaped clear of the ground* 
 
 " Hello, what's the matter back there?" called 
 Ned, who by this time was a full rod in advance 
 of his companion. 
 
 Stacy did not answer. He was at that mo- 
 ment turning an undignified somersault in the 
 air, his pony standing meekly, awaiting the next 
 act in the little drama. 
 
 The fat boy landed on the plain in a heap. 
 \ "Are you hurt, Chunky?" cried Tad anxi- 
 ously, slipping from his saddle and running to 
 iiis companion. 
 
 "I— Idunno. I— I fell off, didnt I?" 
 
 "You're off, at least," grinned Ned. "What 
 was the matter?" 
 
 "I — I dunno; do you?" 
 
 "How should I know? If you will go to sleep 
 on a bucking broncho, you must expect things 
 to happen." 
 
m THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 Stacy, by this time, had scrambled to his feet; 
 after which, he began a careful inventory of 
 himself to make snre that he was all there. He 
 grinned sheepishly. 
 
 Satisfying himself on this point, Stacy 
 shrugged his shoulders and walked over to his 
 pony with a suggestion of a limp. 
 
 "Now that we have halted we might as well 
 make camp for a few hours, get breakfast and 
 take a nap, ? * suggested the Professor. 
 
 The boys welcomed this proposition grate- 
 fully, for the}?- were beginning to feel the effects 
 of their long night ride, added to which, two of 
 them had had a series of trying experiences be- 
 fore starting out. 
 
 In the meantime, Stacy Brown had been ex- 
 amining his pony with more than usual care. 
 
 Tad observed his action, and wondered at it 
 A moment later, the fat boy having moved 
 away, Tad thought he would take a look at the 
 animal. He was curious to know what Stacy 
 had in mind. 
 
 "So that's it, is it!" muttered Tad. 
 
 He found the mark of a spur on the pony's 
 withers. While it had not punctured the skin, 
 the spur had raked the coat, showing that the 
 rowel had been applied with considerable force. 
 
 Tad, with a covert glance about, saw Ned Rec- 
 tor watching him. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 79 
 
 "You're the guilty one, eh?" he demanded, 
 walking up to Ned. 
 
 "S-h-h-h," cautioned Ned. "He'll be red- 
 headed if he knows I am to blame for his coming 
 a cropper." 
 
 " Chunky 's not so slow as you might think 
 But that wasn't a nice thing to do. It's all 
 right to play tricks, but I hope you won't be so 
 cruel as to use a spur on a dumb animal, the way 
 you did, even if he is an ill-tempered bronchc 
 You might have broken Chunky 's neck, too." 
 
 Ned's face flushed. 
 
 "It was a mean trick, 111 admit. Didn't 
 strike me so at the time. Shall I ask Chunky *s 
 pardon"?" 
 
 "Do as you think best. I should, were I in 
 your place." 
 
 "Then, I will after breakfast." 
 
 Ned got busy at once, assisting to cook the 
 morning meal, while Juan led the ponies out to 
 a patch of grass and staked them down. While 
 the Pony Eider cook was thus engaged, he felt 
 a tug at his coat sleeve. 
 
 Turning sharply, Ned found Stacy at his 
 side. Stacy's face was flushed and his eyes were 
 snapping. 
 
 "What is it, Chunky?" 
 
 "Come over here, I want to talk with you." 
 
 They stepped off a few paces out of hearing 
 
80 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 of the others, Tad smiling to himself as he ob- 
 served Stacy's act 
 
 "Well, what's the matter, Chunky?" 
 
 "I can lick you, Ned Rector!" 
 
 "Wha— what?" 
 
 "Said I could lick you. Didn't say I was go- 
 ing to, understand. Just said I could " 
 
 "Like to see you try it." 
 
 "All right; it's a go." 
 
 Ere Ned could recover from his surprise, 
 Stacy Brown had launched himself upon his 
 companion. One of Stacy's arms went about 
 Ned's neck, one foot kicked a leg from under 
 Ned, and the two lads went down in the dust 
 together. 
 
 It had happened in a twinkling. 
 
 "Here, here! What's going on over there?'* 
 shouted the Professor, starting on a run, while 
 the other lads were laughing. 
 
 Chunky was sitting on the chest of his fallen 
 adversary, Ned struggling desperately to throw 
 the lad off. 
 
 "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" crowed Chunky, in im- 
 itation of a rooster, flapping his hands on his 
 thighs, in great good humor with himself. 
 
 Professor Zepplin grabbed him by the collar, 
 jerking Stacy Brown from the fallen Pony Rider 
 Boy. 
 
 Ned scrambled to his feet, and, with a sheep- 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 81 
 
 ish grin on his face, proceeded to brash the dust 
 from, his clothes. 
 
 "Downed you, did he?" questioned Tad. 
 
 "It wasn't fair. I didn't know lie was going 
 to try." 
 
 "Neither did the Russians when the Japs 
 sailed into them at Port Arthur, ' ' laughed Wal- 
 ter. "And they got what was coming to them.** 
 
 "So did I. Chunky, I deserve more than you 
 gave me. If you want to, beat m@ up some 
 more." 
 
 "Now, isn't that sweet of him?" chortled 
 Stacy. "I fell off my pony, then I fell on you, 
 and we'll call it quits, eh, Ned?" 
 
 Ned put out a hand, which Stacf grasped with 
 mock enthusiasm. 
 
 "We sure will." 
 
 "I'd like to know what this k all abontf" 
 questioned Walter. "Something's bee* going 
 on." 
 
 "I made his pony throw him over, 5 " admitted 
 Ned. 
 
 Stacy nodded with emphasis. 
 
 "He found it out and jumped on me." 
 
 "I'll turn you both over my knee ££ you try 
 to repeat these performances," warned the Pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 Linking arms, Stacy and Ned started for tBfe 
 breakfast table, humming, 
 
82 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "For he's a jolly good fellow, 9f 
 
 and a moment later all four of the lads were 
 standing about the breakfast table, singing the 
 Chorus at the top of their voices. 
 
 CHAPTER Vm 
 
 ASLEEP ON THE SLEEPY GRASS 
 
 THE slanting rays of the sun got into the 
 eyes of the Pony Rider Boys. Four 
 arms were thrown over as many pairs 
 of eyes to shut out the blinding light. 
 
 "Ho-ho-hum!" yawned Chunky. 
 
 Cocking an impish eye at his companions, he 
 observed that each had fallen into a deep sleep 
 again. 
 
 The fat boy cautiously gathered up a handful 
 of dry sand and hurled it into the air. A shower 
 of it sprinkled over them, into their eyes and 
 half-opened mouths. 
 
 Three pairs of eyes were opened, then closed 
 again. 
 
 Encouraged by his success, Stacy chuckled 
 softly to himself, then dumped another handful 
 of sand over his companions. 
 
 But he was not prepared for what followed. 
 
 Three muscular boys hurled themselves upoik 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 83 
 
 him. Instantly the peaceful scene was changed 
 into a pandemonium of yells. Down came the 
 tent poles, the canvas rising and falling as if 
 imbued with sudden life. 
 
 Professor Zeppliin, startled by the racket, 
 roused himself and sprang from his own tent. 
 Observing the erratic actions of the tent in which 
 the boys had been sleeping, he instantly con- 
 cluded that something serious had happened. 
 
 "Boys! boys!" he cried, running to the spot, 
 frantically hauling away the canvas. "What 
 has happened! What has happened?" 
 
 They were too busy to answer him. When 
 finally he had uncovered what lay below, he 
 found his charges literally tied up in a knot, 
 rolling and tumbling, with Stacy Brown lying 
 flat on his back, each of his three companions 
 vigorously rubbing handfuls of sand over his 
 face, down his neck and in the hair of his head. 
 
 "I think I'll take a hand in this myself," 
 smiled the Professor. He ran to his tent, re- 
 turning quickly. In his hands he carried two 
 pails of water. 
 
 Unluckily for the boys, they had failed to 
 observe what he was doing. Nor did they un- 
 derstand that they were in danger until the con- 
 tents of the two pails had been dashed over 
 them. 
 
 There were yells in earnest this time. The, 
 
84 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 water turned the dirt into mud at once, and their 
 faces were "sights." Stacy's face had been 
 protected, in a measure, by the other boys who 
 were bending over him rubbing in the sand. 
 
 The unexpected bath put a sudden end to their 
 sport, and they staggered out shouting for ven- 
 geance. They did not even know who had been 
 the cause of their undoing. 
 
 The Professor, as he walked away smiling, 
 iiad handed the pails to the grinning Juan witM 
 instructions to refill them. 
 
 The unfortunate Juan, bearing the pails away, 
 was the first person to catch the eyes of the lads, 
 as they rubbed the sticky mud out of them. 
 
 With a howl they projected, themselves upon 
 him. Juan's grin changed instantly to an ex- 
 pression of great concern. He went down under 
 their charge, with f©ur boys, instead of three, 
 on top of him. 
 
 "Duck him!" shouted some one. 
 
 "Yes! Souse him in the spring!" chorused! 
 the boys. 
 
 Juan cried out for the Professor, but his ap- 
 peals were in vain. 
 
 Shouting in high glee the lads bore him to 
 the spring from which they got their water. 
 They plumped him in, not any too gently, again 
 and again. 
 
 "Now roll him in the sand," suggested Ned 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 85 
 
 They did so. 
 
 The wet clothing and body made the sand 
 stick to him until the lazy Mexican was scarcely 
 recognizable. 
 
 At this point Professor Zepplin took a hand. 
 He came bounding to the scene and began 
 throwing the boys roughly from their unhappy 
 victim. Perhaps he was not greatly disturbed 
 over the shaking up the guide had sustained, but 
 of course he confided nothing of this to the boys. 
 
 "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves — 
 for four of you to pitch on to one weak Mexican ! 
 I'm surprised, young gentlemen.'* 
 
 "But — but — he ducked us," protested Ned. 
 
 "He did nothing of the sort." 
 
 "What — didn't duck us? Guess I know 
 water when I feel it," objected Walter. 
 
 "You were ducked, all right, but it is I, not 
 Juan, who am responsible for that." 
 
 "You?" questioned the lads all at once. 
 
 The Professor nodded, a broad grin on his 
 face. 
 
 "But he had the pails." 
 
 "I gave them to him, after pouring the water 
 over you. That's what is known as circum- 
 stantial evidence, young gentlemen. Let it be 
 a lesson to you to be careful how you convict 
 anyone on that kind of evidence." 
 
 "Fellows," glowed Chunky, "we've made s 
 
66 THE PONY KIDER BOYS 
 
 mistake. Let*g make it right by ducking the 
 Professor.*' 
 
 The boys looked over Professor Zepplin crit- 
 ically. 
 
 "I guess we'd better defer that job till we 
 grow some more," they decided, with a laugh. 
 
 The next fifteen minutes were fully occupied 
 in cleaning up and putting on their clothes. 
 They were all thoroughly awake now, with 
 cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling after their 
 violent exercise. The guide had rather sullenly 
 washed off the wet dust that clung to his face 
 and hands. 
 
 " Never mind the clothes, Juan," advised Ned. 
 "It 11 brush off as soon as it gets dry. We'll 
 take up a contribution to buy you a clothes 
 brush. Ever see one?" 
 
 Juan grinned. 
 
 "You promise not to gamble the money away 
 if we give it to you!" 
 
 "Si." 
 
 "Shell out, fellows. Ten cents apiece. That 
 ought to salve his injured feelings." 
 
 Ned passed the hat, all contributing. 
 
 "That makes forty cents. Here, Professor* 
 you haven't put in your ten yet. It'll take just 
 fifty cents to paste up Juan's injuries." 
 
 "That reminds me of a fellow I heard about 
 once," announced Stacy. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 87 
 
 "Are yon going to tell a story?" questioned 
 Ned. 
 
 "If yon will keep still long enough," replied 
 Stacy. 
 
 "Then me for the bnnch grass. It's like go- 
 ing to a funeral to hear Chunky try to tell a 
 story. ' ' 
 
 "Let him tell it," shouted the lads. 
 
 "Go on, Chunky. Never mind Ned. He'll 
 laugh when he gets hack to Chillicothe, " jibed 
 Walter. 
 
 "I heard of a fellow once " 
 
 "Yes; you told us that before," jeered Ned. 
 
 "Not the one we ducked in the spring, was 
 it?" grinned Tad. 
 
 "Who's telling this story?" demanded Stacy 
 belligerently. 
 
 "You are, I guess. I won't interrupt again." 
 
 "Well, did I say this fellow was a boy?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Well, he was — he's grown up now. He 
 rushed into a drug store " 
 
 "Was anything chasing him?" asked Ned in* 
 nocently. 
 
 Stacy gave no heed to the interruption. 
 
 "And he said to the man in the store* 
 'Please, sir, some liniment and some cement!' " 
 
 " 'What?' asked the clerk all in a muddle. 
 You see, he'd never had a prescription like that 
 
88 THE PONT EIDER BOYS 
 
 to fill before. It made him tired, 'cause he 
 thought the kid was making fun of him." 
 
 " 'What — what's the trouble? What do you 
 want liniment and cement for?' 
 
 " 'Cause,' said the boy to the pill man, 
 ' 'cause mom hit pop on the head with a plate.' " 
 
 For a moment there was silence, then the boys 
 roared. But Ned never smiled. 
 
 "Laugh, laugh! Why don't you laugh?" 
 urged Walter. 
 
 "Laugh? Huh! I laughed myself almost 
 sick over that a long time ago. Read it in an 
 almanac when I was in short trousers." 
 
 1 ' The ponies ! The ponies ! ' ' cried Juan, rush- 
 ing up to them, waving his arms, then running 
 his fingers through his long black hair until it 
 stood up like the quills of a porcupine. 
 
 'What!" cried the Pony Rider Boys in sud- 
 den alarm. "What's the matter with the pon- 
 ies?" 
 
 Juan pointed to the place where the stock 
 had been tethered after they arrived at the 
 camp. 
 
 There was not am animal to be seen anywhere 
 on the plain. 
 
 "Gone !" gasped the lads, with sinking hearts. 
 
 "No, no, no. There!" stammered the guide. 
 
 With one accord the boys ran at top speed to 
 the spot indicated by Juan. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 89 
 
 There, stretched out in the long grass lay 
 bronchos and burros. 
 
 "They're dead, the ponies are dead, every one 
 of them!" cried the lads aghast 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE MIDNIGHT ALAKM 
 
 «IT7HAT'S this, what's this?" demanded 
 
 V/V the Professor, striding up. 
 
 "Look! Look! The ponies are 
 dead ! ' ' exclaimed Ned excitedly. 
 
 "What do you suppose could have happened 
 to them?" stammered Walter. 
 
 "Is it possible? What's the meaning of this, 
 guide?" 
 
 Juan shrugged his shoulders and showed his 
 white teeth. 
 
 In the meantime Tad had hurried to his own 
 pony, and was down on his knees examining it. 
 Placing his hands on the animal's side, he re- 
 mained in that position for an instant, then 
 sprang up. 
 
 * ' They 're not dead, fellows ! They 're alive ! ' * 
 
 "Asleep," grumbled Ned disgustedly. 
 
 "But there's something the matter with them. 
 Something has happened to the stock," added 
 Tad. 
 
90 THE PONY RIDER BOYS' 
 
 "Only a false alarm," nodded Stacy. 
 
 "Think so? Try to wake your pony up," ad- 
 vised Tad. 
 
 Stacy had already hurried to his own broncho, 
 and now began tugging at the bridle rein, with 
 sundry pokes in the animal 's ribs. 
 
 "I can't. He's in a trance," wailed Stacy, 
 considerably startled. 
 
 That expression came nearer to describing the 
 condition of the stock than any other words 
 could have done. 
 
 "Guide, what do you know about this?" ques- 
 tioned the Professor. "Has some one been 
 tampering with our animals?" 
 
 Juan shrugged his shoulders with an air of 
 indifference. 
 
 ' { No bother bronchs. ' ' 
 
 "Then will you please tell us what is the mat- 
 ter with them?" 
 
 "Sleepy grass!" 
 
 "Sleepy grass?" chorused the lads. 
 
 "Of course they're asleep all right," added 
 Ned. "But whoever heard of sleepy grass?" 
 
 "He means they're sleeping on the grass," 
 Stacy informed them. 
 
 "Ah! I begin to understand," nodded the 
 Professor. ' • I think I know what the trouble is 
 now. The guide is no doubt right." 
 
 The boys gathered around him, all curiosity* 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 91 
 
 "Tell us about it, Professor. We are very 
 much mystified f ' ' said the Pony Riders. 
 
 "A long time ago I remember to have read, 
 somewhere, of a certain grass in this region that 
 possessed peculiar narcotic properties " 
 
 "What's narcotic 1 ?" interrupted Stacy. 
 
 "Something that makes you go to sleep when 
 you can't," explained Tad Butler, rather am- 
 biguously. 
 
 "When eaten by horses or cattle it is said to 
 put them into deep sleep. The Rockefeller In- 
 stitute, I believe, is already making an analyti- 
 cal test of the grass." 
 
 "Please talk so I can understand it," begged 
 Stacy. 
 
 "Yes; those words make my head ache," 
 scowled Ned. "Even the guide is making up 
 faces in his effort to understand." 
 
 "He does understand. He understands only 
 too well. For many years this grass has been 
 known. Cows turned out for the day would fail 
 to return at night " 
 
 "To be milked," interjected Stacy. 
 
 "And an investigation would disclose them 
 sleeping in some region, where the sleepy grass 
 grew " 
 
 And the fat boy hummed : 
 
 "Down where the sleepy grass is growing." 
 
92 THE PONY RIDEE BOYS 
 
 "Travelers who have tied out their horses 
 in patches of the grass for the night have been 
 unable to continue their journey until the ani- 
 mals recovered from their strange sleep. Thus 
 the properties of the grass became known," 
 
 "Indians use 'em to tame bad bronchos," 
 the guide informed them. 
 
 "Just so." 
 
 "But, when will they wake up?" questioned 
 Tad. 
 
 "Mebby sun-up to-morrow," answered Juan, 
 glancing up at the sky. 
 
 "What, sleep twenty-four hours?" demanded 
 Ned. 
 
 "Si." 
 
 "Preposterous." 
 
 "Then, then, we've got to remain here all the 
 rest of the afternoon and night — -is that it?" 
 demanded Tad. 
 
 "It looks that way." 
 
 "And you knew about this stuff, Juan?" 
 questioned Tad. 
 
 "Si." 
 
 "Well, you're a nice sort of a guide, I must 
 say." 
 
 "You ought to be put off the reservation," 
 threatened Stacy, shaking a menacing fist in 
 front of the white teeth. 
 
 In the meantime, Tad had gone over to the 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 93 
 
 animals again, and, taking them in turn, sought 
 to stir them up. He found he could not do so. 
 The ponies' heads would drop to the ground 
 after he had lifted and let go of them, just as if 
 the animals were dead. 
 
 "Gives you a creepy feeling, doesn't it?" 
 shivered Walter. 
 
 "I should say it does," answered Ned. 
 
 "Well, what is it, Chunky?" asked Tad, who 
 observed that Stacy had something on his mind 
 that he was trying to formulate into words. 
 
 "I've got an idea, fellows," he exploded. 
 
 "Hold on to it, then. You may never get 
 another," jeered Ned. 
 
 "What is it, Master Stacy!" asked the Pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 "Then — then — then — that's what Juan and 
 his burro have been eating all the time. I knew 
 there was something the matter with them." 
 
 A loud laugh greeted the fat boy's suggestion. 
 
 "Guess he's about right, at that," grinned 
 Tad. 
 
 "A brilliant thought," agreed the Professor. 
 "Boys, I must have some of that grass. I shall 
 make some experiments with it." 
 
 "Experiment on Chunky," they shouted. 
 
 "No; he sleeps quite well enough as it is," 
 smiled the Professor. 
 
 "I want some of it too — no, not to eat," cor- 
 
94 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 reeled the fat boy. "1*11 feed it to my atratlS 
 cat when I get back; then he won't be running 
 away from home every night.' ' 
 
 "Better unload the rest of the equipment, 
 boys," advised the Professor. "If we must re- 
 main here all night we might as well make the 
 best of it." 
 
 "Without their ponies, the lads spent rather a 
 restless afternoon. They had not fully realized 
 before how much a part of them their horses 
 bad become until they were suddenly deprived 
 of them. 
 
 In the meantime, the bronchos slept on undis- 
 turbed. 
 
 'I've got another idea," shouted Stacy. 
 
 "Keep it to yourself," growled Ned. "Your 
 ideas, like your jokes, graduated a long time 
 ago." 
 
 "Is there sleepy grass in the Catskill Moun- 
 tains?" persisted Stacy. 
 
 "We don't know, and we don't " 
 
 "I know there is, and that's what put Rip Van 
 "Winkle to sleep for twenty years," shouted the 
 fat boy in high glee. "See, I know more 
 than—" 
 
 "Yes; you're the original boy wonder. "We'll 
 take that for granted," nodded Ned Rector. 
 
 Tad, however, was not inclined to look upon 
 their enforced delay with anything like amuse- 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 95 
 
 ment. To him it had its serious side. He had 
 not forgotten that they had been fleeing from 
 the Indians. When he got an opportunity to do 
 so, without his companions overhearing, he ap- 
 proached the Professor. 
 
 "I think it would be a good plan for us to 
 have a guard over our camp to-night." 
 
 "On account of !•" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Very well; I think myself that it would be 
 a prudent move. Have Juan sit up, then." 
 
 "No, he's a sleepy head. Suppose we boys 
 take turns V 1 
 
 "Very well; arrange it to suit yourselves. I 
 presume we ought to do something of the sort 
 every night. It might have saved us some 
 trouble on our Ozark journey had we been that 
 prudent. Arrange it to suit you. I'll take my 
 turn " 
 
 "No; we can do it, Professor. You go to bed 
 as usual. We'll draw lots to see who takes the 
 different watches. With the four of us we'll 
 have to take only two hours apiece. That won't 
 be bad at all." 
 
 The other boys, after the plan had been ex- 
 plained to them, entered into it enthusiastically. 
 Walter was to take the first trick, Ned the next, 
 Chunky the third and Tad the fourth. 
 
 And they were to take their guns out with 
 
96 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 them. The Professor agreed to this, now that 
 they had become more familiar with firearms. 
 As a matter of fact, all the boys had developed 
 into excellent marksmen, though Tad was recog- 
 nized as the best shot of the party. 
 
 Professor Zepplin, during the afternoon, gave 
 each of them a lesson in revolver shooting, using 
 for the purpose, his heavy army revolver. They 
 did pretty well with this weapon, but, of course, 
 were not nearly as expert with it as with the 
 rifle. 
 
 Evening came and the stock was still sleeping 
 soundly. There was nothing the boys could do 
 but let them sleep, though the fact of all the 
 ponies and burros lying about as if dead began 
 to make the Pony Eiders nervous. Night came, 
 and with it semi-darkness, the moon being over- 
 cast with a veil of fleecy white clouds, which cast 
 a grayish film over the landscape. The lads 
 joked each other about having the "creeps," but 
 none would admit the charge. 
 
 Walter, with rifle slung over his right 
 shoulder, went out on the first watch with in- 
 structions to go at least two hundred yards from 
 camp and keep walking around the camp in a 
 circle. This would protect them from surprises 
 on all sides. Ned decided not to retire until he 
 had taken his guard trick, in view of the fact 
 that he was to go on at eleven o'clock. But 
 
IN NEW MEXICO - 97 
 
 Stacy, proposing to get all the sleep he was en- 
 titled to, turned in early. The rest did not dis- 
 turb him. The boys were unusually quiet that 
 evening, perhaps feeling that the responsibility 
 of the safety of the camp rested wholly upon 
 their youthful shoulders. 
 
 Ned came in at one o 'clock, after having taken 
 his turn, unslung his rifle, drew the cartridges 
 then put them back in the magazine again. 
 
 "I might need them before morning," he told 
 himself. 
 
 Chunky being sound asleep, Ned grabbed him 
 by a foot giving him a violent pull. 
 
 " "Watcher want? Get out!" growled the fat 
 boy sleepily. 
 
 "Get up and take your watch!" commanded 
 Ned. 
 
 "Who's afraid of Indians?" mumbled Stacy. 
 
 This time Ned took the lad by the collar, 
 jerked him to his feet and shook him until Stacy 
 yelled "Ouch!" so loudly as to awaken the en- 
 tire camp. 
 
 It took some time, however, to get Stacy him- 
 self awake sufficiently to make him understand 
 that he had a duty to perform. Finally, how- 
 ever, he shouldered his rifle, after surreptiti- 
 ously helping himself to a sandwich from the 
 cook tent. Then he marched off, munching the 
 bread and meat. 
 
98 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "See here," snapped Ned, running after him. 
 "You're not measuring off your distance. Come 
 back and pace it off." 
 
 "How many?" 
 
 "Two hundred yards. Stretch your fat legs 
 as far as they'll go, then you'll have a yard, 
 more or less." 
 
 Stacy started all over again, forgot the count, 
 came back, then tried it again. Even at that he 
 was not sure whether he had gone one hundred 
 yards or five. 
 
 He was awake enough, now, to observe his 
 surroundings. The cool breezes of the night 
 were tossing the leaves of the cottonwoods near 
 the water course to the west of them, while here 
 and there in the foliage might be heard the ex- 
 ultant notes of a mocking bird. 
 
 Stacy shivered. 
 
 "Guess it's going to freeze to-night," he de- 
 cided, beginning his steady tramp about the 
 camp of the Pony Rider Boys. 
 
 Muttering to himself, as was his habit when 
 alone, Stacy kept on until finding himself oppo- 
 site the ponies, he decided to go over and look 
 at them. All were asleep. Not one had awak- 
 ened since going down under the powerful in- 
 fluence of the "sleepy grass." 
 
 "I'd like to eat some of that stuff myself, 
 right now," Chunky decided out loud. "I'd 
 
IN NEW MEXICO^ '99 
 
 have a good excuse for going to sleep then. 
 Now I can't without getting jumped on by the 
 fellows. Wonder what time it is — only half- 
 past one. Must be something the matter with 
 my watch. I know I've been out more'n two 
 hours." 
 
 This trip he circled out further from the camp, 
 growing a little more confident because nothing 
 had happened to disturb him. 
 
 In the meantime the camp slept in peace — 
 that is, the lads did until nearly time for the 
 change of guard. Then the whole party was 
 aroused with the sudden, startling conviction 
 that something serious had happened. 
 
 All at once the crack of a rifle sounded on 
 the still night air. It was followed by another 
 shot, and another, until four distinct reports had 
 rolled across the plains. 
 
 In wild disorder the Pony Rider Boys tumbled 
 from their cots, and, grasping their weapons, 
 leaped from the tents. 
 
 "What's the row 1 ?" inquired the Professor. 
 
 "Wow! Wow! Wow! Yeow!" shrieked a 
 shrill voice to the northward. 
 
 "It's Chunky. He's giving the alarm! We're 
 attacked ! ' ' cried the lads. 
 
 Bang ! Bang ! 
 
 They saw the flash of the fat boy's weapon 
 before the report reached their ears. 
 
100 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 A moment later the other boys caught sight 
 of Stacy dashing into camp, hatless, waving his 
 rifle and yelling as if bereft of his senses. 
 
 "What is it? What is it!" cried the boys 
 with one voice. 
 
 ''Indians! Indians! The prairie's full ol 
 them!" 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 MEETING THE ATTACK 
 
 INSTANTLY the camp was thrown into con- 
 fusion. The lads ran here and there, not 
 knowing what to do. 
 
 "Get behind the ponies! That's the only 
 cover we can find here, Run for it!" 
 
 And run they did, the Professor outdistanc- 
 ing all the rest in his attempt to secrete himself 
 where the enemy's weapons would not be likely 
 to reach him. 
 
 In a moment more, the camp of the Pony 
 Rider Boys was deserted, and behind each sleep- 
 ing pony lay a boy, with rifle barrel poked over 
 the animal 's back, ready to shoot at the first sign 
 of the redskins. Stacy, in his excitement, had 
 forgotten that not a cartridge was left in his 
 magazine, and the others were too fully occu- 
 pied to remember to tell him. 
 
 For all of half an hour did the party lie pro- 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 101 
 
 tected. The boys began to grow restive. Tad's 
 suspicions were being slowly aronsed. 
 
 "I'm going to do a little scouting," he told 
 them, slipping from behind the pony and skulk- 
 ing along back of the tents. The moon was 
 shining brightly now. He could see a long dis- 
 tance. Not a human being was in sight. 
 
 '"I thought so," he muttered, retracing his 
 steps. "See here, Stacy Brown, what did you 
 see — what did you shoot at?" he demanded 
 sternly. 
 
 "I— I shot the chute — I — I mean I chuted 
 the shot — I mean — " 
 
 "Say, what do you mean?" 
 
 "I — I mean — say, leggo my neck, will you?" 
 roared Chunky. 
 
 "Fellows, he doesn't know what he means." 
 
 "Guess he's been feeding on crazy grass out 
 on the prairie," was Ned's conclusion. 
 
 "There isn't an Indian anywhere around 
 here. I know it. They would have been after 
 us long before this, if there had been." 
 
 One by one the boys came from their hiding 
 places, the lazy Mexican last. Disapproving 
 eyes were turned on Stacy. 
 
 "Chunky, you come along and show us where 
 you were when you shot — did you shoot at an 
 Indian?" asked Tad. 
 
 "Yes, and I— I — I shot him." 
 
102 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "Show U3. We're all from Chillicothe," de- 
 manded Ned. 
 
 Stacy, with a show of importance, led the 
 way, keeping a wary eye out for the enemy. It 
 was noticed, however, that each of the lads, held 
 his rifle ready for business in case there should 
 be an enemy about. 
 
 " There! I was standing right over there — 
 I guess." 
 
 "You guess! Don't you know?" questioned 
 the Professor. 
 
 "Yes ; that's the place." 
 
 The lad walked over to the identical spot from 
 which he had first fired his rifle. 
 
 "He was over there and I shot at him, so," 
 said Stacy, leveling the weapon. "Ye-ow! 
 There he is, now!" shrieked the boy. 
 
 Every weapon flashed up to a level with the 
 eyes. 
 
 "There is something over there on the 
 ground," decided the Professor. 
 
 "Put down your guns so you don't shoot 
 me," said Tad, "I'm going to find out what 
 it is." 
 
 Keeping Ms own weapon held at "ready," 
 the lad walked boldly over to where a heap of 
 some sort lay on the plain. It surely had not 
 been there during the afternoon — Tad knew 
 thai 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 103 
 
 He reached it, stooped, peered, then uttered 
 a yell. 
 
 "What is it" they cried, hurrying up. 
 
 "You've done it now, Chunky Brown,. You 
 certainly have gone and done it." 
 
 "What — what is it?" cried the others in 
 alarm. 
 
 "You've shot the lazy Mexican's burro. 
 That's your Indian, Stacy Brown." 
 
 Juan, who had followed them out on the 
 plain, uttered a wail and threw himself upon 
 the body of his prostrate burro. The animal, 
 it seemed, had recovered consciousness during 1 
 the night, and in a half-dazed condition had 
 wandered out on the plain. Stacy, while 
 crouching down on the ground, had seen the 
 head and long ears of the burro. He thought 
 the ears were part of the head dress of a sav- 
 age and let fly a volley of bullets at it. 
 
 "He— he' isn't dead," shouted the fat boy. 
 "See, I just pinked him in the ears." 
 
 And, surely enough, an examination revealed 
 a hole through each ear. The holes were so 
 close to the animal's head that it was reason- 
 able to suppose the shot had stunned him, being 
 already in a weakened condition from the sleepy 
 grass. 
 
 The boys set to work to rouse the burro, 
 which they succeeded in doing in a short time*. 
 
104 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 Juan, with arm around the lazy beast's neck, led 
 it back to camp, petting and soothing it with 
 a chattering that they could not understand. 
 
 There was no more sleep in camp that night, 
 though the boys turned in at the Professor's 
 suggestion. Every little while, laughter would 
 sound in one of the tents, as the others fell to 
 discussing Stacy's Indian attack. 
 
 The next morning they were overjoyed to 
 find that the ponies had awakened and were try- 
 ing to get up. 
 
 "Lead them out of that grass, fellows," 
 shouted Tad, the moment he saw the ponies were 
 coming around. "We don't want them to make 
 another meal of that stuff." 
 
 "Nor take another of Chunky 's Eip Van 
 Winkle sleeps," added Ned. 
 
 Never having had a like experience, none of 
 the lads knew what to do with their mounts 
 after getting them sufficiently awake to lead 
 them to a place of safety. They appealed to 
 Juan for advice, but the lazy Mexican appeared 
 to know even less than they. 
 
 Tad, after studying the question a few mo- 
 ments, decided to give them water, though spar- 
 ingly. This they appeared to relish and braced 
 lip quite a little. But the boy would not allow 
 4hem to graze until nearly noon, when each one 
 took his pony out, making sure that there was 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 105 
 
 none of the sleepy grass around. The animals 
 were then permitted to graze. 
 
 About the middle of the afternoon Tad de- 
 cided that all were fit to continue the journey, 
 and that it would be safe to travel until sunset. 
 Everyone was glad to get away from the spot 
 where they had had such unpleasant experi- 
 ences, and the boys set off, moving slowly, the 
 stock not yet being in the best of condition. 
 
 Late in the afternoon, when they had about 
 decided to make camp, one of the boys espied an 
 object, something like a quarter of a mile away, 
 that looked like the roof of a house.' 
 
 Ned said it couldn't be that, as it appeared 
 to be resting on the ground. They asked Juan 
 if he knew what it was, and for a wonder he did. 
 He said it was a dug-out — a place where a man 
 lived. 
 
 "Is he a hermit?" asked Stacy apprehen- 
 sively, at which there was a laugh. Stacy had 
 not forgotten his experiences in the cave of the 
 hermit of the Nevada Desert. 
 
 For the next hour, the lads were too busy, 
 pitching tents and unloading the pack animals, 
 to give further thought to the dug-out or its 
 occupant; but when, after they had prepared 
 their evening meal, they saw some one approach- 
 ing on horseback, they were instantly curious 
 again. 
 
106 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 The newcomer proved to be the owner of the 
 idug-out. He was a tall, square-jawed man, with 
 a short, cropped iron-gray beard and small 
 blue, twinkling eyes. 
 
 "Will you join us and have some supper V* 
 asked Tad politely, walking oat to greet the 
 stranger. 
 
 "Thank you; I will, young man," smiled the 
 Btr anger. 
 
 Tad introduced himself and companions. 
 
 "You probably have heard my name before, 
 young men. It is Kris Kringle; I'm living out 
 here for my health and doing a little ranching 
 on the side." 
 
 Stacy looked his amazement. 
 
 "Is — is he Santa Claus?" he whispered, tug- 
 ging at Tad's coat sleeve. 
 
 "No, young man. I am not related to the 
 gentleman you refer to," grinned Mr. Kringle. 
 
 There was a general laugh at Stacy's ex- 
 pense. 
 
 After supper, the visitor invited all hands to 
 ride over to his dug-out and spend the evening 
 with him. The boys accepted gladly, never 
 having seen the inside of a dug-out, and not 
 knowing what one looked like. Professor Zepp- 
 lin had taken a sudden liking to the man with 
 the Christmas name, and soon the two were en- 
 gaged in earnest conversation. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 107 
 
 The distance being so short, Tad decided that 
 fhey had better walk, leaving the ponies in 
 charge of Juan so they might get a full night 'a 
 rest. Then all hands set out for the dug-out, 
 
 A short flight of steps led down into the place t 
 the roof of which was raised just far enough 
 above the ground to permit of two narrow win- 
 dows on each side and at the rear end. 
 
 The room in which they found themselves^ 
 proved to be a combination kitchen and dining 
 room. Its neatness and orderliness impressed 
 them at once. 
 
 "And here," said Kris Kringle, *'is what I 
 call my den, ' ' throwing open a door leading into 
 a rear room and lighting a hanging oil lamp. 
 
 The Pony Rider Boys uttered an exclamation 
 of surprised delight. 
 
 On a hardwood floor lay a profusion of 
 brightly colored Navajo rugs, the walls being 
 hung with others of exquisite workmanship and 
 coloring, interspersed with weapons and trophies 
 of the chase, while in other parts of the room 
 were rare specimens of pottery from ancient 
 adobe houses of the Pueblos. 
 
 At the far end of the room was a great fire- 
 place. Book cases, home-made, stood about the 
 room, full of books. The Professor realized, at 
 once, that they were in the home of a student 
 and a collector. 
 
ID8 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "This is indeed an oasis in the desert/' he 
 glowed. "I shall be loath to leave here." 
 
 "Then don't," smiled Mr. Kringle. "I'm sure 
 I am glad enough to have company. Seldom 
 ever see anyone here, except now and then a 
 roving band of Indians." 
 
 { * Indians!" exclaimed Tad. "Do you have 
 any trouble with them?" 
 
 "Well, they know better than to bother with 
 me much. We have had an occasional argu- 
 ment," said their host, his jaws setting almost 
 stubbornly for the instant. "Most of the tribes 
 fal the state are peaceful, though the Apaches 
 are as bad as ever. They behave themselves 
 because they have to, not because they wish to 
 3o so." 
 
 "I saw their fire dance the other night," be- 
 jgan Tad. 
 
 "What?" demanded Mr. Kringle. 
 
 "Fire dance." 
 
 "Tell me about it?" 
 
 Tad did so, the host listening with grave face 
 tmtil the recital was ended. 
 
 He shook his head disapprovingly. 
 
 "And this — this Indian that you knocked 
 flown — was he an Apache?" 
 
 "I don't know. I think so, though. He had 
 ©*i a peculiar head dress " 
 
 "That was one of them," interrupted Mr. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 109 
 
 Kringle, with emphasis. "And I'll wager you 
 haven't heard the last of him yet. That's an 
 insult which the Apache brave will harbor under 
 his copper skin forever. He'll wait for years, 
 but he '11 get even if he can. ' ' 
 
 The faces of the Pony Eider Boys were grave. 
 
 "Have you a reliable guide 1 ?" 
 
 "Far from it," answered the Professor. "If 
 I knew where I could get another, I 'd pack him 
 off without ceremony. 
 
 Kris Kringle was silent for a moment. 
 
 "I need a little change of scene," he smiled. 
 "How would you like to have me take the trail 
 with you for a week or so ? " 
 
 ' ' Would you ! ' ' glowed the Professor, half ris- 
 ing from his chair. 
 
 "I think I might." 
 
 "Hurrah!" cried the Pony Eiders enthusiast- 
 ically. "That will be fine." 
 
 "Of course, you understand that I expect no 
 pay. I am going because I happen to take a no- 
 tion to do so. Perhaps I'll be able to serve you 
 at the same time. ' ' 
 
 The Professor grasped Mr. Kringle by the 
 hand impulsively. 
 
 "I'll send that lazy Juan on his way this very 
 night " 
 
 "Let me do it," interposed Stacy, with flush- 
 ing face. "I'll do it right, Professor. But I'll 
 
110 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 put on my pair of heavy boots first, so it '11 hurt 
 him more." 
 
 The boys shouted with laughter, while the new 
 guide's eyes twinkled merrily. 
 
 "I think, perhaps, the young man might do it 
 iven more effectively than you or I," he said. 
 ^Have you weapons, Professor?" 
 
 "Rifles." 
 
 "That's good. We may need them." 
 
 "Then you think f" 
 
 "One can never tell." 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 RIDING WITH KKIS KEINGLE 
 
 A SLENDER ribbon of dust unrolling 
 across the plain far to the northward 
 marked the receding trail of Juan and 
 his lazy burro. They had given him a week's 
 extra pay and sent him on his way. 
 
 The burro was making for home, aided by the 
 busy feet of its master, while Stacy Brown, shad- 
 ing his eyes with one hand, was watching the 
 progress of the guide, whom he had just sent 
 adrift. 
 
 "Well, he's gone," grinned Stacy, turning to 
 his companions, who were busy striking camp. 
 "And a good riddance," nodded Tad. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO m 
 
 "He'll probably join the Indians and tell 
 them where we are, ' ' suggested Walter. 
 
 "I hadn't thought of that," replied Tad. 
 "Still, if they wish to find us they know how 
 without Juan's telling them." 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "They can follow a trail with their eyes shut," 
 said Ned. 
 
 "That's right. They do not need to be told," 
 muttered Tad. 
 
 Everything being in readiness, the boys 
 started with their outfit for the dug-out, where 
 1hey were to be joined by Kris Kringle. They 
 felt a real relief to know that they were to have 
 with them a strong man on whom they were 
 sure they could rely to do the right thing under 
 all circumstances. Tad, however, believed that 
 &fr. Kringle had decided to join them, fearing 
 they would be attacked by the Apaches and come 
 to serious harm. Yet he hardly thought the 
 redskins would dare to follow them, after the lat- 
 ter had once gotten over the frenzy of their fire 
 dance. By that time the Indian agents would 
 have rounded them all up ®n the reservations, 
 where the Indians would be able to do no more 
 harm for a while. 
 
 After picking up the new guide the start was 
 made. The party had water in plenty in the 
 water-bags, so that no effort was made to pick 
 
112 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 up a water hole when they made camp late in the 
 afternoon. The guide had brought in his pack 
 a tough old sage hen, at which the lads were in- 
 clined to jeer when he announced his intention 
 of cooking it for their supper. 
 
 "You'll change your mind when you taste it, 
 young gentlemen. It depends upon the cooking 
 entirely. A sage hen may be a delicious morsel, 
 or it may not," answered Mr. Kringle, with a 
 grin. 
 
 They were encamped near a succession of low- 
 lying buttes, and to while away the time until 
 the supper hour, the boys strolled away singly 
 to stretch their legs on the plain after the long 
 day's ride in the hot sun. 
 
 When they returned an hour or so later, 
 Stacy, they observed, was swinging a curious 
 forked stick that he had picked up somewhere a 
 few moments ago. 
 
 "What you got there ?" questioned Ned. 
 
 "Don't know. Picked it up on the plain. 
 Such a funny looking thing, that I brought it 
 along." 
 
 "Let me see it," asked Mr. Kringle. 
 
 Stacy handed it to him. 
 
 "This," said the guide, turning the stick over 
 in his hand, "is a divining rod." 
 
 "Divining rod?" demanded Stacy, pressing 
 forward. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 113 
 
 "Yes." , 
 
 "Never heard of it. Is it good to eat?" 
 
 "Looks to me like a wish bone," interjected 
 Ned. "Do you eat wish bones, Chunky?" 
 
 "Might, if I were hungry enough." 
 
 "A divining rod is used to locate springa 
 Some users of it have been very successful. I 
 couldn't find a lake with it, even if I fell in 
 first" 
 
 "Indeed," marveled the Professor. "I bars 
 heard of the remarkable work of divining roda. 
 What kind of wood is it ! " 
 
 "This is hazel wood. Oak, elm, ash or privei 
 also are used, but hazel is preferred in this coun- 
 try." 
 
 "Then — then we won't have to go dry an$ 
 more — I can find water with this when I*fa 
 dry?" questioned Stacy. 
 
 "You might; then again you might not." 
 
 "Better take it away from him," suggested 
 Ned. "He might find a spring. If he did he^3 
 be sure to fall in and drown." 
 
 The stick, which was shaped like the letter "¥, 
 was an object of great interest to the Party 
 Rider Boys. One by one they took it out on 
 the plain, in an effort to locate some water. The 
 guide instructed them to hold the Y with t&e 
 bottom up, one prong in each hand and to walk 
 slowly. 
 
114 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 But, try as they would, they were able to get 
 no results. 
 
 "The thing's a fraud!" exclaimed Ned dis- 
 gustedly, throwing the divining rod away. 
 
 Stacy picked it up. 
 
 "I know why it doesn't work," he said. 
 
 "Why?" demanded the other boys. 
 
 " 'Cause — 'cause there isn't any water to 
 make it work," he replied wisely. 
 
 The boya groaned. 
 
 Shortly after returning to camp, they found 
 the fat boy standing over a pail of water hold- 
 ing the stick above it. 
 
 He was talking to the stick confidentially, 
 urging it to "do something," to the intense 
 amusement of the whole outfit. 
 
 "Now, where's your theory?" questioned the 
 Professor. 
 
 "Why, k doesn't have to work, does itf 
 Don't we know there's water here ? If we didn't 
 the stick would tell us, maybe. Take my word 
 for it, this outfit won't have to go dry after this. 
 Stacy Brown and his magic wand will find all 
 the water needed," continued the fat boy 
 proudly. 
 
 "Your togic is good, at any rate, even if the 
 rod doesn't work at command," laughed the 
 Professor. 
 
 Supper was a jolly affair, for everyone was 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 115 
 
 In high spirits. The sage hen, contrary to gen- 
 eral expectation, was found to be delicious. 
 Chunky begged for the wish bone and got it. He 
 said he'd use it for a divining rod when he 
 wanted to find a little spring. 
 
 "Mr. Kringle, I am commissioned by the fel- 
 lows to ask you a question," announced Tad, 
 after the meal had been in progress for a time. 
 
 "Ask it," smiled the guide. 
 
 "We thought we'd like to call you Santa 
 Claus, seeing you've brought us so much cheer. 
 Then again, it's your name you know. Kris 
 Kringle is Santa Claus." 
 
 "Oh, well, call me what you please, young 
 men." 
 
 From that moment on, Kris Kringle was 
 Santa Claus to the Pony Eider Boys. 
 
 They had now come to a rolling country, with 
 here and there high buttes, followed by large 
 areas of bottom lands which were covered with 
 rank growths of bunch grass. Traveling was 
 more difficult than it had been, and water more 
 scarce. 
 
 It was on the second day out, after they had 
 been skirmishing for water in every direction, 
 that the lads heard the familiar yell from 
 Chunky. 
 
 "There goes the trouble maker," cried Ned. 
 "He's at it again." 
 
116 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 The guide bounded up, starting on a run for 
 the spot where Chunky 's wail had been heard. 
 The others were not far behind. 
 
 They saw the red, perspiring face of the fat 
 boy above a clump of grass, his yells for help 
 continuing, unabated. 
 
 "What is it?" shouted the guide. 
 
 "I've got it, Santa Claus! I've got it!" 
 
 "Got what?" roared the Professor. 
 
 "The stick. I — I mean it's got me. Help! 
 Help!" 
 
 Stacy was wrestling about as if engaged in 
 combat with some enemy. They could not 
 imagine what had gone wrong — what had 
 caused his sudden cries of alarm. 
 
 "It's the divining rod!" called the guide. 
 
 "He's found water!" shouted the boys. 
 
 "I've got it! I've got it! Come help me 
 hold it. The thing 's jerking my arms off. ' ' 
 
 To the amazement of the Pony Eider Boys, 
 the forked stick in the hands of the fat boy was 
 performing some strange antics. Breathing 
 hard, he would force it up until it was nearly 
 upright, when all at once the point of the tri- 
 angle would suddenly swerve downward, bend- 
 ing the rod almost to the breaking point. 
 
 "See it! See it?" 
 
 "Most remarkable," breathed Professor Zepp- 
 lin. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 117 
 
 " Yes, there can be no doubt about it," nodded 
 the guide. 
 
 "He's bluffing," disagreed Ned. 
 
 "Doesn't look to me as if be were," returned 
 Tad. 
 
 "Take bold with me here, if you don't be- 
 lieve me," cried Stacy. "No, not on the stick, 
 take bold of my wrists." 
 
 Ned promptly accepted the invitation. 
 
 Instantly the tug of the divining rod was felt 
 by the new hands. 
 
 Ned let go quickly. 
 
 "Ugh! The thing gives me the creeps." 
 
 "Let me try it, Master Stacy," said Profes- 
 sor Zepplin. 
 
 "I can't let go of it," wailed Chunky. 
 
 "Step off a piece," directed the guide. 
 
 Stacy did so, whereupon the divining rod im- 
 mediately ceased its peculiar actions. 
 
 The Professor took hold of it, but the rod re- 
 fused to work for him. 
 
 "Let Santa Claus try it," suggested Ned. 
 
 The guide did so, but with no more success 
 than the Professor had had. . 
 
 "I told you it wouldn't work for me," Mr. 
 Kringle grinned. "Here, Master Tad, you try, 
 it" 
 
 Tad, with the rod grasped firmly in his hands, 
 walked back and forth three times without result. 
 
118 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 On the fourth attempt, however, the stick sud- 
 denly bent nearly double. 
 
 All were amazed. 
 
 "Why were we unable to get results, Mr. 
 Kringle?" questioned the Professor. 
 
 "According to some French writers as much 
 depends upon the man as on the divining rod. 
 "Where one succeeds another fails absolutely. 
 Supposing the others take a try?" 
 
 Walter and Ned did so, but neither could get 
 the rod to move for him. 
 
 "I guess Chunky is the champion water- 
 finder,'* laughed Ned. 
 
 ' Would it not be a good idea to find out 
 whether or not there is water here?" asked the 
 Professor. 
 
 "Yes," agreed the guide. "It may be so far 
 down that we cannot reach it, however. You 
 know in some parts of this region they are locat- 
 ing water with the rod and sinking artesian 
 wells." 
 
 "Why — why didn't we think to bring some 
 down with us ? " demanded Chunky. * ' Can 't we 
 get any in some of the towns down here?" 
 
 "Some what?" questioned the guide. 
 
 "Artesian wells." 
 
 A roar greeted the fat boy's question. 
 
 "Bring down a load of artesian wells!** 
 jeered Ned. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 119 
 
 "An artesian well, my boy, is nothing more 
 than a hole in the ground," the guide informed 
 him, much to Chunky 's chagrin. 
 
 The spot where the divining rod had so sud- 
 denly gotten busy was about midway of an old 
 water course, covered with a thick growth of 
 bunch grass. 
 
 "Get some tools, boys," directed the Profes- 
 sor. 
 
 Tad ran back to camp, which lay some dis- 
 tance to the east of where they were gathered. 
 Searching out a pick and two shovels, he leaped 
 on his pony, dashing back to the arroyo. 
 
 "That was quickly done," smiled Santa 
 Claus. "Are all of you lads as quick on an er- 
 rand as that?" 
 
 "Only Chunky," answered Ned solemnly. 
 
 The guide began to dig, in which effort he was 
 joined by Stacy Brown, who, with a shovel, 
 caved in about as much dirt as he threw out. 
 
 "Here, give me that shovel," commanded 
 Ned. "You'll fill up the hole before we get it 
 dug." 
 
 Tad, having tethered his pony, took the extra 
 shovel and went to work. 
 
 "Guess it's a false alarm," decided Ned, after 
 they were up to their shoulders in the hole. 
 
 "Don't be too sure. The ground is quite 
 damp here. Try your rod, young man." 
 
120 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 "Chunky held the divining rod over the exca- 
 vation, whereupon it drew down with even 
 greater force than before. 
 
 "Dig,** directed the guide. 
 
 They did so with a will. 
 
 "Here's water!" shouted Kris Krin^le. , 
 
 They crowded about the hole, amazement 
 written on every face. 
 
 A fresh, cool stream bubbled up into the hole, 
 causing those in the pit to scramble out hastily. 
 
 "Some of you boys run back to camp and 
 fetch pails and water-bags," directed the guide. 
 
 "I'll go. I've got the pony here," spoke up 
 Tad. 
 
 "No; I want you to do something else for 
 me." 
 
 "We'll all go," offered Walter. The three 
 lads started on a run, Chunky holding his pre- 
 cious divining rod tightly clasped in both hands. 
 
 "What is it you wish?" questioned Tad. 
 
 "I wish you would ride over toward that 
 small butte and cut a load of brush. Want to 
 rip-rap the outer edge of this water hole, so 
 the bank will not cave in and undo all our work. 
 Have you a hatchet?" 
 
 "Yes, in my saddlebags." 
 
 "Good. Hurry, please." 
 
 Tad leaped into the saddle, and putting spurs 
 to his broncho, tore through the high bunch 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 121 
 
 grass, above which only his head was now ob- 
 servable. In a short time he was back with the 
 green stuff piled high on the saddle in front of 
 him, with a large bundle tied to the cantle of 
 the saddle behind. 
 
 Unloading this, Butler started back at a gal- 
 lop for more. "When there was work to be done, 
 Tad Butler was happy. Activity to him was a 
 tonic that spurred him on to ever greater efforts. 
 
 This time he found himself obliged to climb 
 higher up the butte in order to get branches of 
 available size. These he cut and threw down. 
 After having procured what he thought would 
 be all he could carry the lad scrambled down, 
 and, dropping on his knees began tying them 
 into bundles. The heat was sweltering, and oc- 
 casionally he paused to wipe away the perspira- 
 tion. 
 
 *'I smell smoke," sniffed Tad. "I wonder 
 where it comes from?" 
 
 The odor grew stronger, but so interested was 
 he in his labor that he did not at once under- 
 stand the significance of his discovery. 
 
 "W-h-o-o-e-e!" 
 
 It was a long-drawn, warning shout. 
 
 "It's a signal !" exclaimed the lad, straighten 
 ing up. * ' I wonder what 's the matter ? ' ' 
 
 As he looked toward the camp a great wall of 
 Same seemed to leap from the ground between 
 
122 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 him and his companions. There it poised fo» 
 one brief instant, then, with a roar swooped 
 down into the tall bunch grass, rushing roar- 
 ing and crackling toward him. 
 
 For an instant he stood unbelieving, then the 
 truth dawned upon him. 
 
 "The prairie's on fire!" cried Tad. 
 
 CHAPTER Xn 
 
 THE DASH FOR LIFE 
 
 THE shouts of the Pony Rider Boys and of 
 the guide were swallowed up in the roar 
 of the flames." 
 
 "They'll be burned alive!" whispered the 
 lad. 
 
 Then, all at once he realized that he himself 
 was in dire peril. 
 
 "I'll have to go the other way and be quick 
 about it at that," he decided, making a dash for 
 the pony, that already was whinnying with fear 
 and tugging at its tether. 
 
 Tad did not wait to untie the stake rope. 
 "With a sweep of his knife he severed it and 
 vaulted into the saddle. 
 
 Whirling the animal about he headed to the 
 west. To his alarm he suddenly discovered that 
 the prairie fire was rapidly encircling him, the 
 
. IN NEW MEXICO m 
 
 Barnes running around the outer edge of the bot- 
 toms with express train speed, threatening to 
 head him off and envelop him. Had it not been 
 for the long grass, which, tangling the feet of 
 the pony, made full speed impossible, the race 
 with the flames would have been an easy one to 
 win. As it was, Tad knew that the chances 
 were against him. 
 
 But the dire peril in which he found himself 
 did not daunt the Pony Eider Boy. Perhaps 
 his face had grown a shade paler underneath 
 the tan, but that was all. His senses were on the 
 slert, his lips met in a firm pressure and the hand 
 gripped the bridle rein a little more firmly, per- 
 haps, than usual. 
 
 Uttering a shrill cry to inform his compan- 
 ions that he was alive to his peril, and at the 
 same time to encourage the broncho, Tad dug 
 in the rowels of his spurs. 
 
 The frightened pony cleared the ground with 
 all four feet, uttering a squeal, and launching it- 
 self at the rapidly narrowing clear space ahead 
 of him; and urged to greater and greater en- 
 deavor at every leap by the short, sharp "yips" 
 of his rider. 
 
 For all the concern that showed in his face. 
 Tad Butler might have been running a horse 
 race for a prize rather than fleeing for his life. 
 
 "If I make it I'm lucky," commented Tad 
 
124 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 grimly. He found himself wondering, at the 
 same time, how the fire had started. He knew 
 that the flames first showed themselves midway 
 between where he was at work and the place 
 where his companions were engaged at the water 
 hole. 
 
 He could not understand it. Fire was nec- 
 essary to use to start fire, and he knew that none 
 of them had been foolish enough even to light 
 a match in the dry bunch grass of the prairie. 
 
 The flames were reaching mountain high by 
 this time, great clouds of smoke rolling in on 
 the breeze and nearly suffocating him. 
 
 At times Taa was unable to see the opening 
 ahead of him. When, however, the smoke lifted, 
 giving him a momentary view, he saw that the 
 gap was rapidly closing. 
 
 All at once his attention was drawn from the 
 closing gap. 
 
 ' * Yeow ! Yeow f Yeow ! Y-e-o-w ! ' ' 
 
 A series of shrill, blood curdling yells from 
 out the pall of smoke and flame at the rear, bom- 
 barded his ears. 
 
 At first he thought it was Indians; then the 
 improbability of this being the case came to him. 
 
 1 '• Yeow I Yeow ! Yeow ! ' ' persisted the voice 
 behind, and it was coming nearer every second, 
 
 Tad slackened the speed of his pony ever so 
 little, despite the peril of his position. 
 
W NEW MEXICO 125 
 
 "There's somebody in there behind me, and 
 he'll never get out alive if he loses his way." 
 
 The moment this thought occurred to him, Tad 
 began to yell at the top of his voice. 
 
 Suddenly from out the thick veil of smoke 
 burst a pony with a mighty snort, coming on in 
 bounds, each one of which cleared many feet of 
 ground. Od the pony's back was Stacy Brown, 
 hatless, coatless, his hair standing up in the 
 breeze, his face as red as if it had come in actual 
 contact with the flames. 
 
 "Yeow!" he roared, as his pony shot past 
 Tad as if the latter 's mount were standing still. 
 "Where Stacy had come from, how he had passed 
 through that wall of flame, Tad had not the 
 slightest idea. 
 
 As a matter of fact the explanation was sim- 
 ple enough. The guide had sent Chunky out to 
 assist Tad in bringing in the rip-rapping ma- 
 terial. Stacy had made a detour from the camp, 
 having gotten just inside the danger zone when 
 the fire broke out. Guided by the butte where 
 he knew his companion must be, Stacy headed 
 for that point. There he came upon Tad's 
 trail, and began yelling to attract his attention. 
 He had heard Tad's answering cry, and this in- 
 spired the fat boy to renewed efforts. 
 
 Stacy, now that he had passed Tad, slowed up 
 ever so little. He had passed his companion 
 
126 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 so swiftly that he was unable to determine 
 whether or not Tad were in distress. 
 
 The latter came np, overhauling Stacy in a 
 few moments. Both ponies were steaming from 
 the terrific gruelling they were giving them- 
 selves. 
 . "What you doing here?'* exploded Tad. 
 
 "Same thing you are." 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 "Trying to save myself from being burned 
 alive " 
 
 "Don't slow up! Don't slow up!" shouted 
 Tad. "Keep going!" 
 
 "I am. Wat's matter with you?" 
 
 "I don't see what you had to come tumbling 
 into this mess for," objected Tad. 
 
 "Didn't tumble in. Bode in. Came to help 
 you- — — " 
 
 "Precious lot of help you'll be to me. Lucky 
 if we're not both burned with our boots on, 
 See! The flame's narrowing in on us. More 
 steam, Chunky ! More steam ! ' ' urged Tad. 
 
 "Can't. Blow up the boiler if I do," Stacy 
 could not be other than humorous, even under 
 their present trying situation. 
 
 "That's better than burning out your flues, 
 and it's quicker too " 
 
 All at once, Chunky uttered a terrible howl. 
 His pony had stepped into a hole and gone dowa 
 
. IN NEW MEXICO 127 
 
 floundering in the long grass, Chunky himself 
 having heen hurled over the animal's head, land- 
 ing several feet in advance. 
 
 "Help! Help!" 
 
 The rest was lost as the fat boy's face plowed 
 the earth filling mouth, eyes and nostrils. 
 
 Tad did not lose his presence of mind, though 
 events had been following each other in such 
 quick succession. 
 
 Changing the reins to his right hand and 
 bunching them there, he grasped the pommel of 
 the saddle, driving his own pony straight at the 
 kicking, floundering Chunky. 
 
 The pony swerved ever so little, Tad's body 
 swept down, and when it rose, his fingers were 
 fastened in the shirt collar of his companion, 
 with Chunky yelling and choking, as he was 
 being dragged over the ground at almost a kill- 
 ing pace. 
 
 Tad had no time to do more than hold on to 
 his friend. He dared not stop to lift him to the 
 saddle just then. The flames were roaring be- 
 hind them and on either side, leaving a long, 
 narrow lane ahead, through which lay their only 
 hope of safety. 
 
 * ' Buck up ! Buck up, Chunky ! ' ' shouted Tad, 
 himself taking a fresh brace in the stirrups, for 
 the weight of the fat boy's dragging body was 
 slowly pulling Tad from the saddle. 
 
128 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 Stacy was howling like an Indian, not from 
 fear, but from anger at the rough usage to which 
 he was being subjected. He did not stop to 
 think that it was the only way his life might be 
 saved — nor that his own pony lay back there in 
 the bunch grass amid the flame and smoke. 
 
 Tad knew it. 
 
 Now, by a mighty effort Tad righted himself 
 again, and, leaning forward, threw one arm 
 about the pony's neck, trusting to the animal to 
 follow the outward trail to safety of its own 
 accord. 
 
 Tad felt a sudden jolt that nearly caused him 
 to slide from his pony on the side opposite 
 Chunky. At the same time, the strain on the 
 lad's arm was suddenly released. 
 
 Tad was up on his saddle like a flash. His 
 right hand held the fat boy's shirt, while a series 
 of howls to the rear told him where the owner 
 of the. shirt lay. 
 
 Tad groaned. Pulling his pony fairly back 
 on its haunches, he dashed back where Stacy 
 lay kicking, entangling himself deeper and 
 deeper in the bunch grass. 
 
 Had Tad not had presence of mind they both 
 might have perished right there. He was off 
 like a flash. With supreme strength, he grasped 
 the body of his fallen companion, raising him 
 into the saddle. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 129 
 
 "Hold on!" he shouted. "Don't you dare 
 fall off!" 
 
 Stacy clung like a monkey to a pony in a cii- 
 cus race. 
 
 "Y-i-i-p!" trilled Tad. He had no time to 
 mount. Already he could feel the hot breath 
 of the flames on his cheek. 
 
 The broncho was off with a bound. 
 
 "Tad! Tad!" cried Chunky in sudden 
 alarm, now realizing that he was alone, "Whe 
 —where are you?" 
 
 <H-h-h-h-e-r-e!" 
 
 "W-w-where?" 
 
 "H-h-h-holding to the b-r-r-oncho's t-tail." 
 
 "Wow !" howled Stacy, as, turning in the sad- 
 dle, he discovered his companion being fairly 
 jerked through the air, holding fast to the pony's 
 tail, the lad's feet hardly touching the ground 
 at all. The broncho, that ordinarily would have 
 resented such treatment, too frilly occupied in 
 saving his own life from the flames, gave no 
 heed to the weight he was dragging, and it is 
 doubtful if he even realized there was any ad- 
 ditional weight there. 
 
 With a final, desperate leap, the broncho shot 
 out ahead of the narrowing lane. Like the jaws 
 of some great monster, the two lapping lines of 
 fire closed in behind them, roaring as if with 
 deadly rage. 
 
130 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 The pony dashed out into a broad, open water 
 course, whose dry, glistening sands would prove 
 an effectual barrier to the prairie fire. 
 
 Tad, though everything was swimimng before 
 his eyes, realized quickly that they were now 
 well out of danger. 
 
 "St-t-t-top him. I c-e-c-an*t let go if you 
 d-d-don 't." 
 
 "Whoa! Whoa I Don't you know enough to 
 quit when you're through?" chided Chunky, 
 tugging at the reins. The broncho carried them 
 some distance before the lad was able to pull 
 him down. Finally he did so. 
 
 "Leggo!" he shouted, at the same time whirl- 
 ing the pony sharply about, fairly "cracking 
 the whip" with Tad Butler. 
 
 Chunky 's clever foresight probably saved 
 Tad Butler's life, for, instantly the pony found 
 itself free, it began bucking and kicking in a 
 circle, kicking a ring all round the compass be- 
 fore it finally decided to settle down on all fours. 
 Finishing, it meekly lowered its nose to the 
 ground and now, as docile as a kitten after hav- 
 ing supped on warm milk, began dozing, the 
 steam rising in a cloud from its sides. 
 
 "Well, of all the fool fools, you're the 
 champion fool!" growled Stacy, slipping from 
 the saddle and surveying the broncho with dis- 
 approving eyes. "Huh! I guess we'd been 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 131 
 
 done to a turn by this if it hadn't been for you, 
 just the same. Hello, Tad!" 
 
 Tad had doubled up in a heap where the tail 
 of the broncho had flung him. He was well- 
 nigh spent, but he smiled back at his companion, 
 who stood on a slight rise of ground, almost a 
 heroic figure. 
 
 Chunky 's shirt was entirely missing, his skin 
 red from the heat, ridged with scratches where 
 he had come in violent contact with cactus plants, 
 his hair tousled and gray with dust. 
 
 "Well you are a sight," grinned Tad. 
 
 "You wouldn't take a prize at a baby show 
 yourself," retorted Stacy, spicily. 
 
 Tad's clothes were torn, and his limbs were 
 black and blue all the way down where the hoofs 
 of the broncho had raked them again and again. 
 
 "My arms feel a foot longer than they did. 
 What are you looking at?" 
 
 Stacy's eyes grew large and luminous as he 
 gazed off over the plains. 
 
 "Look! Look, Tad!" he whispered. 
 
132 THE PONY RIDER BOYS/ 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 FOLLOWING A HOT TRAIL 
 
 "T"^IRE! Fire!" cried Professor Zepplin, 
 
 ri leaping up from where he had been 
 leaning over, watching the water bub- 
 bling in the bottom of the excavation they had 
 .made. 
 
 The guide had been hanging over the hole, dip- 
 ping water to Ned, who was turning it into the 
 water-bags. 
 
 "Where.^ where?" demanded Mr. Kringle ex- 
 plosively. He also sprang to his feet. "It's a 
 prarie fire!" 
 
 "The boys are caught. They'll perish!" ex- 
 claimed Professor Zepplin, with blanching face. 
 "Go to them, go to them, Mr. Kringle!" he 
 begged. 
 
 "No living thing could get through that wall 
 of fire, Professor," announced the guide impres- 
 sively. "We'll shout and perhaps, if alive, 
 they'll hear us." 
 
 They did so, with the result already known. 
 
 "Which direction did Master Stacy take?" 
 Mr. Kringle asked. 
 
 "I saw him riding down that way," replied 
 .Walter, pointing excitedly. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 133 
 
 "Then, perhaps he is safe outside of the fire 
 zone. Some of you hurry back to the camp. 
 The stock may take fright and st impede. No, 
 we'll all go. The wind may shift at any mo- 
 ment, and while I do not think the flames could 
 reach the camp, all our animals might be suffo- 
 cated, even if they did not succeed in getting 
 away." 
 
 "But you're not going to desert Tad and 
 Chunky, are you?" demanded Walter indig- 
 nantly. 
 
 "Certainly not. What can we do here? We 
 must get the ponies first; then we'll hurry to 
 them. I'm afraid they've been caught," an* 
 swered the guide. 
 
 "If there's any way of escape you may de- 
 pend upon it that Master Tad has discovered 
 that way," answered the Professor. "He is a 
 resourceful boy, and " 
 
 But the rest were already dashing madly to- 
 ward the camp and Professor Zepplin began to 
 do so with all speed to catch up with them. The 
 hot breath of the prairie fire had brought the 
 color to his blanched cheeks. 
 
 "How — how do you think the fire started?" 
 stammered the Professor, when he at last came 
 up with the guide. 
 
 "It was set afire," answered Kris Kringle 
 grimly. 
 
134 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "Set!" shouted the Professor and the tuna 
 boys all in one breath. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "By whom?" 
 
 "That remains to be se«n." 
 
 "Do you mean that one of the boys was im- 
 prudent enough to build a fire in that grass? 
 Surely they would not have been so foolish as 
 to do a thing like that." 
 
 "As I said, that remains to be seen. The 
 first thing to be done is to get to them as quickly 
 as possible, though I ion't know that we can 
 do any good. They're either out of it, by this 
 time, or else they're not," added Mr. Kringle 
 suggestively. "Professor, I wish you and one of 
 the boys would get out your rifles, mount your 
 ponies and watch the camp, while two of us go in 
 search of the lost ones." 
 
 "Watch the camp?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "For what reason?" 
 
 "Merely as a precaution/' 
 
 "I'll attend to that. I want all of you to get 
 after Tad and Stacy. We don't care about the 
 camp particularly, when compared with two 
 human lives." 
 
 The smoke was rolling over them in such 
 dense clouds that the camp was wholly obscured 
 ifrom view until they were upon it. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 135 
 
 "Quick! Get the horses before they break 
 away!" commanded the guide. 
 
 "I can't find them!" shouted Ned, who had 
 bounded on ahead and disappeared in the great 
 suffocating cloud. 
 
 "Walter was only a few steps behind him, both 
 boys groping, blinking and coughing as the 
 smoke got into eyes and lungs. 
 
 "Lie down when it gets stronger than yon 
 ean stand. There's always a current of fresh 
 air near the ground," called the guide. 
 
 Both lads adopted his suggestion instantly, 
 and they were none too soon, for already they 
 were getting dizzy. After a few long breaths, 
 they were up, groping about once more in search 
 of the stock. 
 
 "Over to you - - right," called the Professor. 
 
 "We've been there. They're not there at 
 all," answered Ned. 
 
 By this time the guide had dived into the 
 cloud. 
 
 "The stock has gone," they heard him shout. 
 
 "Have they stampeded?" roared the Profes- 
 sor. 
 
 "I don't know. I'll find out in a minute." 
 
 "Queer that this smoke blows two ways at 
 once," said Walter. 
 
 "There is a slight breeze blowing this way," 
 explained Ned- "Not enough, however, to turn 
 
136 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 the fire back. It has got too good a start." 
 
 Suddenly a weird "c-o-o-e-e" sounded to the 
 right of them. 
 
 "What's that!" 
 
 "It's the guide, Walt. He's trying to call 
 the boys, to see if they are alive," explained 
 Ned. 
 
 "I don't think so. That cry is for some other 
 purpose. I'm going over where he is to find 
 out what it does mean. Come on." 
 
 Together the lads ran as fast as they could 
 in the direction from which the guide's voice 
 had come. 
 
 They found him with hands shaped into a 
 megaphone, uttering his shrill cries. He made 
 no answer to their questions as to what he was 
 trying to do. 
 
 All at once off in the cloud they heard rapid 
 hoofbeats. The boys glanced at each other in 
 surprise. 
 
 "It's the ponies returning," breathed Walter 
 Perkins. 
 
 Ned shook his head. 
 
 The cries now took on a more insistent tone, 
 and a moment later two ponies came whinnying 
 into the camp, snorting with fear. Kris Krin- 
 gle spoke to them sharply, whereupon they came 
 trotting up to him with every evidence of 
 pleasure. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 137 
 
 The lads were amazed. 
 
 "Can you boys shoot a rope?" 
 
 "Yes," they answered together. 
 
 "Which one is the better at it?" 
 
 "Ned is more expert than I am." 
 
 "Take one of my ponies. We've got to go 
 after the stock. Eope and bring them in as fast 
 as possible. It 's getting late, and it will be dark 
 before we know it. There's not more than two 
 hours of daylight left." 
 
 "I can take my pony and help," began Wal- 
 ter. 
 
 "You haven't any pony. They're all gone." 
 
 Ned and the guide dashed from the camp at 
 break-neck speed. Emerging from the dust 
 cloud they saw some of the stock far off on the 
 plain. 
 
 "There they are!" cried Ned 
 
 "Thank goodness, they're all together. And 
 they are not running. We've got them 
 bunched." 
 
 "Were they afraid of the smoke! What made 
 them break away?" 
 
 "They didn't break away." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "Their tethers were cut and they were sent 
 adrift," answered the guide grimly. 
 
 Ned was speechless with surprise. 
 
 Some of the ponies, objecting to being roped. 
 
133 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 ran away, necessitating a lively chase. Krii 
 Kringle worked with the precision of an au- 
 tomatic gun and with proportionate speed. In 
 half an hour they had roped all the ponies, and, 
 with the burros trailing along behind, started 
 back to camp as rapidly as possible. 
 
 A heavy pall of smoke still hung over the 
 camp and all the surrounding country. 
 
 Once more they staked down the ponies and 
 pack animals, and urging vigilance on the part 
 of Professor Zepplin, Ned and the guide dashed 
 away at full gallop in search of the two missing 
 lads. 
 
 "Are we going through the fire! " questioned 
 Ned apprehensively. 
 
 " "We're going to try it. The worst of it must 
 have passed before this, but we may have to turn 
 back or turn out for spots. It's the shortest 
 way, and the only course to follow if we want 
 to know what has become of them." . 
 
 Spreading out a little they continued on their 
 way, the ponies snorting, threatening to whirl 
 about and race back into the open plain. The 
 ground was like a furnace and the grass smoul- 
 dered beneath thern, heating their feet and 
 singeing their fetlocks. 
 
 Suddenly Ned's pony reared into the air, 
 bucked and hurled its rider far over into the 
 smouldering bunch grass. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 139 
 
 Ned uttered a yell of warning as he felt him- 
 self going. 
 
 The guide wheeled like a flash. Ned's mount 
 had whirled and was away like a shot. But the 
 guide was after him with even greater speed. 
 The chase came to an abrupt ending some few 
 rods farther on, when Kris Kringle's lariat 
 squirmed out, bringing the fleeing pony to the 
 ground with its nose in the hot dust. 
 
 "Without dismounting, the guide turned Ms 
 own mount, and fairly dragging the unwilling 
 pony behind him, pounded back to the place 
 where Ned had been unhorsed. 
 
 "Grab him!" commanded the guide to Nec^ 
 who had quickly scrambled to his feet. "What 
 was it that he saw?" 
 
 "I don't know. Guess he made up bis mind 
 to go back." 
 
 "No; he saw something. Hang on to hffli 
 and cover the ground all about you tiH yen find 
 it." 
 
 "Wha— what do you 1° 
 
 "Never mind. Look!" 
 
 "Here! Here it is!" cried Ned aghast* 
 
 The guide was at his side instantly. 
 
 "It's a pony," gasped the Pony Rider DOjt 
 
 Kris Kringle was off his own mount instantly^ 
 and bidding Ned hold the animal, he made $ 
 brief examination of the fallen horse, aftei 
 
140 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 wliicli he darted here and there, unheeding the 
 fact that the still burning grass was blistering 
 his feet through the heavy soles of his boots. 
 
 For several rods Kringle ran along the faint 
 trail that Tad and Stacy had left, or rather, that 
 the fire had left after passing over it. 
 
 "They beat their way out here. "We may find 
 them later. Come on ! " 
 
 Again Ned and the guide dashed away, both 
 keeping their gaze on the smoking prairie about 
 them. The smoke now was almost more than 
 they could bear. 
 
 "Do — do you think they are alive V asked 
 Ned unsteadily. 
 
 "So far. If they are not, it's not their fault. 
 The Professor is right. Those boys have pluck 
 enough to pull them through, but sometimes 
 pluck alone will not do it. A prairie fire is no 
 respecter of pluck.' " 
 
 They burst out into an open space. There 
 were no signs of either of the missing boys. 
 
 "Something has happened to them. We must 
 have missed them," announced the guide. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 141 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 AGAINST BIG ODDS 
 
 **W 7 HAT is **» c^ky'" 
 
 YY "There!' 7 
 
 Tad jerked his companion flat on 
 the ground, flattening himself beside Stacy at 
 the same instant. 
 
 What had caused their sudden alarm was the 
 sight of two Indians, sitting on their pon- 
 ies without saddles, some distance out on the 
 open plain. The redskins were wrapped in 
 their brightly colored blankets, which enveloped 
 them from head to knees. Even the hands were 
 invisible beneath the folds of the blankets. 
 
 "D-d-do you think they saw us, Tad?" 
 
 "I don't know. It's safe to say they did. 
 Indian eyes don't miss very much. You ought 
 to know that, by this time. I wish we could 
 make that pony lie down." 
 
 "Why don't you?" 
 
 "He's too afraid of the ground — thinks it's 
 still hot, and I don't blame him. The fire has 
 singed him pretty well as it is. 
 
 The Indians sat their mounts as motionless 
 as statues, the ponies headed directly toward 
 where the two lads were lying. 
 
142 THE PONT RIDER BOYS 
 
 "I'll bet they're got guns tinder those 
 blankets," decided Tad. "Yon can't trust an 
 Indian even while you are looking at him." 
 
 "Anybody 'd think you'd been hunting Indians 
 all your life," growled Stacy. 
 
 "They've been hunting me mostly," grinned 
 Tad. 
 
 "And usually caught you," added Chunky. 
 
 "I don't like this lying here as if we were 
 scared of them." 
 
 "But, what else can we do, Tad?" 
 
 "I don't know." 
 
 "Neither do I. "Wish I had a shirt I'll 
 spoil my complexion clear down to my waist. 
 Besides, I'm not fit to be seen." 
 
 "You're lucky to be alive," growled TacL 
 "I'm going to get out of this." 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "Listen, and you'll know. I'm going to get 
 on the pony; then, as soon as I'm in the saddle, 
 you jump up behind me and we'll start back 
 to camp." 
 
 "Not — not through that fire?" protested 
 Stacy. 
 
 "No; I don't dare try it. I'm afraid we'd 
 get lost in the smoke and perhaps get burned 
 as well. We'll ride out some distance, then 
 turn to the left and try to go around the burned 
 district *' 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 143 
 
 "What if the Indians chase us?" 
 
 "I don't believe they will. They'll hardly 
 dare do that. And, besides, these may be 
 friendly Indians.' ' 
 
 "Huh!" grunted Stacy. "They look it." 
 
 Tad got up boldly, and without even looking 
 toward the silent red men, began fussing about 
 his saddle, cinching the girths, and straighten- 
 ing the saddle. His last act before mounting 
 was to see that the coils of his lariat were in 
 order. 
 
 "All right," announced the lad, vaulting into 
 the saddle. 
 
 Stacy scrambled up behind him without loss 
 of time, and they rode out into the open, the fat 
 boy peering apprehensively over his compan- 
 ion's shoulder. 
 
 "You keep watch of them, Chunky, but dont 
 let them see you doing it, I won't look at them 
 at all. We don't want them to think we're 
 afraid." 
 
 Stacy fidgeted. 
 
 "You bet I'll watch 'em. Wish I had my 
 rifle." 
 
 "I don't." 
 
 "Huh!" 
 
 "You have distinguished yourself quite 
 enough with that rifle as it is. We don't want 
 #ny more of your fancy shooting." 
 
144 THE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 "There they go," warned Stacy. 
 
 "I see them." Tad had been cautiously ob- 
 serving the horsemen out of the corners of his 
 eyes. "Moving in the same direction we are* 
 I don't like the looks of it. Still, if they don't 
 get any nearer we may be thankful." 
 
 The pony carrying the boys was walking 
 easily, and the mounts of the Indians were do- 
 ing the same. 
 
 "Jog a little," suggested Stacy. 
 
 "That's a good idea. It will tell us quickly 
 whether they are trying to keep up with us," 
 
 He touched the pony lightly with his spurs. 
 The little animal switched its tail, for its sides 
 were tender, and started off. 
 
 "There they go, Tad ! Jogging the same gait 
 as ours!" 
 
 Tad's face took on the stubborn look it al- 
 ways wore when he had determined upon a cer- 
 tain course of action. 
 
 "I'll beat them yet, even if there are only two 
 of them. I wish there weren't two of us on this 
 Hag." 
 
 "I'll get off and walk," suggested Stacy. 
 
 "You'll do nothing of the sort. That would 
 be a nice thing to do, wouldn't it? They'd 
 round you up quicker 'n they could a lame 
 burro." 
 
 "Say, Tad." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO, 145 
 
 ♦'What?" 
 
 «p V e got an idea.''* 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "You know that sage hen we hadt n 
 
 "Yes, what's that got to do with our present 
 predicament?" 
 
 "I was -wondering why; there aren't any sage 
 roosters?" 
 
 "You'll be a sage rooster, with your head ofl^ 
 first thing you know," snapped Tad in disgust 
 " Can't you be serious for a minute! Don't yoil 
 see we are in a fix?" . 
 
 "Uh-huh!" 
 
 "There, that fellow is trying to head us ofif. w 
 
 One of the Indians had shot away from hifr 
 Companion, running obliquely toward the point 
 ifco which Tad was headed. 
 
 The red man had gotten quite a start before 
 the boys caught the significance of his manceu* 
 yre. 
 
 Tad dug in the spurs. 
 
 r At that instant the fat boy's hands had been 
 removed from Tad, to whose body they had been 
 Clinging. 
 
 The pony leaped forward, and Stacy slid 
 Over its rump, hitting the ground with a jolt 
 (that jarred him. 
 
 "Wow!" howled Stacy. 
 
 Tad, instantly divining what had tappene^ 
 
146 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 pulted up sharply, wheeled and raced back to 
 Where hie companion was still complaining 
 loudly and rubbing his body. 
 
 "Get up!" roared Tad, leaning over and 
 grasping Stacy by the hair of his head. 
 
 The fat boy was jerked sharply to his feet. 
 
 **Quick! Quick, climb up here!" 
 
 With the help of his companion, the lad 
 •CramMed up behind Tad again, muttering and 
 robbing himself. 
 
 By this time the leading horseman had wholly 
 outdistanced them, and his pony was now loping 
 along easily, while the second Indian appeared 
 to be riding directly toward them, at right angles 
 to the direction in which they were traveling. 
 
 All at once the two Indians began riding about 
 Che boys in a circle, uttering short little "yips," 
 Intended to terrify the lads, but not loud enough 
 to be heard any great distance away. 
 
 "Hang on! We're going to ride for keeps 
 now!" warned Tad. 
 
 The fat boy threw both arms about his com- 
 panion's waist as the pony let out into a swift 
 run. At first Tad thought he had gotten safely 
 (tat of the circle, only to discover that they had 
 Beaded him again. 
 
 The circle was narrowing, and the Indians 
 were gradually drawing in on them. 
 
 Btacy's eyes were growing larger every min- 
 
""•^s* /* 
 
 
 
 
 
 Jkas 
 
 'Hang On! We're Going to Ride fo* Keeps Nowt" 
 
 1*7 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 149 
 
 nte, perhaps more from astonishment than from 
 fear. Then, too, he could not but admire the 
 riding of their pursuers. Even the blankets of 
 the Indians appeared not to be disturbed in the 
 least by their rapid riding, the horsemen sitting 
 a little sideways on the ponies' backs, the reins 
 bunched loosely in their left hands. 
 
 "They've got us, Tad." 
 
 "They shan't get us!" retorted Tad stub- 
 bornly. "If they don't use their guns — and I 
 don't believe they will — we'll beat them yet." 
 
 If Stacy was doubtful he did not say so. 
 
 "If they get close to us, you be ready to let 
 go of me when I give the word," cautioned Tad. 
 
 "What for? What you going to do?" 
 
 "I don't know yet. That depends upon cir- 
 cumstances. I'm not going to let them have it 
 all their own way while I've got a pony under 
 me. We may get help any minute, too, so the 
 longer we can put off a clash the better it will 
 be for us." 
 
 "Who you mean — Santa Claus?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "They're closing in now," said Stacy. 
 
 "Take your hands away from my waist." 
 
 "But I'll fall off, Tad." 
 
 "Slip one hand through under my belt and 
 take hold of the cantle with the other. Sit as 
 low as you can so as not to get in my way." 
 
150 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 Stacy obeyed bis companion's directions with- 
 out furtber comment, but be was all curiosity 
 to know wbat was going to happen next. 
 
 The Indians were drawing nearer every sec- 
 ond now. The boys could see the expressions 
 on their evil faces, intensified by the streaks of 
 yellow and red paint. 
 
 "They look as though they'd stuck their beads 
 in a paint pail," was Chunky 's muttered com- 
 ment. 
 
 The blankets fell away from the racing sav- 
 ages, flapped on the rumps of the bobbing pon- 
 ies for a few seconds and then slipped to the 
 ground. 
 
 A rifle was reposing in each man's holster, as 
 Tad observed instantly. He was thankful to 
 note that the guns were not in the hands of the 
 Indians. 
 
 The lad's right hand had dropped carelessly 
 to the saddle horn, the fingers cautiously gath- 
 ering in the coils of the lariat that bung there. 
 The red men did not appear to have observed 
 his act. 
 
 "Lie low!" commanded Tad, scarcely above a 
 whisper. 
 
 Stacy settled down slowly so as not to attract 
 attention. 
 
 One horseman shot directly across Tad's 
 course, striking the lad's pony full in the face 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 151 
 
 as he did do, and causing the animal to brace 
 himself so suddenly as to nearly unseat both 
 boys. 
 
 Tad's rope was in the air in a twinkling. 
 
 A warning shout from the second Indian, who 
 was just to the rear of them, came too late. The 
 rope shot true to its mark and the first savage, 
 with back half-turned, had failed to observe it 
 coming. 
 
 The great loop dropped over his head. The 
 pony braced itself and Tad took a quick turn 
 of the rope about the pommel of his saddle. 
 
 The result was instantaneous. The Indian was 
 catapulted from his saddle with arms pinioned 
 to his side. 
 
 "Ye-ow!" howled Chunky, unable to restrain 
 his enthusiasm. 
 
 Tad did not even hear him. 
 
 "Look out! Here comes the other oner' 
 warned the fat boy. 
 
 But Tad was too busily engaged in keeping 
 the line taut about the roped Indian. The fel- 
 low was struggling on the ground, fighting to 
 free himself, while the boy with the rope was 
 manoeuvring his pony in a series of lightning- 
 like movements that made the fat boy's head 
 swim. 
 
 "Take care of him, Chunky! I can't,'* 
 gasped Tad. 
 
152 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 Stacy's eyes took on a belligerent expression 
 as the second savage bore down upon them, with 
 knees gripped tightly against the side of his 
 pony, half raising himself above the animal's 
 back, reins dropped on the pony's neck. The 
 Indian was guiding his mount by the pressure of 
 legs and knees alone. 
 
 The angry redskin was making futile attempts 
 to get into a position where he might grab the 
 active Tad. He did not seem to take into ac- 
 count the cringing figure behind the boy who 
 had roped the other Indian. 
 
 All at once, at the opportune moment, his 
 pony forging ahead, the Indian's hand shot out. 
 The red, bony fingers were closing upon Tad 
 Butler's right shoulder, when all at once some- 
 thing happened. 
 
 The cringing fat boy rose. The right hand 
 that had been clinging to the cantle was launched 
 out. His body, thrown forward at the same 
 time, lent the blow added force. 
 
 Chunky 's fist came into violent contact with 
 the Indian's jaw. Mr. Redman disappeared 
 from the back of his pony so quickly that, for a 
 second, Stacy could scarcely believe his eyes. 
 
 "Y-e-o-w! W-o-w!" howled the fat boy. 
 "Beat it for the tall grass, Tad!" 
 
 A quick glance behind him, revealed the true 
 state of affairs to Tad Butler. He dug in the 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 153 
 
 Spurs, clinging to the lariat for a few feet, then 
 suddenly releasing it, as the pony leaped away 
 under the stinging pressure of the spurs. 
 
 "Duck! Duck! They're going to shoot I" 
 shouted Tad. 
 
 CHAPTER XV; 
 
 HIT BY A DRY STORM 
 
 T 
 
 *«>"TpHERE it goes! Lower, Chunky!" 
 
 A rifle had crashed somewhere to the 
 left of them. 
 
 Stacy's curiosity getting the better of him, 
 he had twisted his body around, and was peering 
 back; but he was bobbing up and down so fast 
 that he found it difficult to fix his eyes on any 
 one point long enough to distinguish what that 
 object was. 
 
 * 'Look ! Look ! ' ' he cried, when in a long rise 
 of the pony his eyes had caught something 
 definite. 
 
 The roped Indian was running for his pony, 
 which he caught, leaping to its back and dash- 
 ing away madly. 
 
 "Hold up! Hold up! There's something 
 doing," shouted the fat boy. 
 
 Tad swerved a little, turning to his left 
 Rifles were banging, and the dust was spurting 
 up under the feet of the savage's racing pony. 
 
154 THE PONY KIDEK BOYS 
 
 By this time, the second Indian had recovered 
 from the blow that Stacy had landed on his jaw, 
 and he too was in his saddle in a twinkling, tear- 
 ing madly cross the plain. 
 
 Stacy Brown uttered a series of wild whoops 
 and yells. He knew their assailants were run- 
 ning and that some one was shooting at the In- 
 dians, but who it was the fat boy could only 
 guess. 
 
 Two ponies suddenly dashed out from the low- 
 lying smoke cloud. One of their riders was 
 swinging his sombrero and cheering; the other 
 was firing his rifle after the fleeing savages. 
 
 4 'Hooray, it's Santa Claus," howled Stacy, 
 fairly beside himself with excitement. Even 
 Tad caught something of his companion's 
 spirit of enthusiasm. He swung his hand and 
 started galloping toward the two horsemen. 
 
 " Shoot 'em! Kill 'em!" howled Chunky. 
 
 But Santa Claus merely shook his head, and 
 after refilling the magazine of his rifle slipped it 
 into the holster. 
 
 "It would only make trouble and probably 
 cause an uprising if I did. They know I could 
 have winged them both had I wanted to,*? hq 
 grinned. "Well, you boys are a sight." 
 
 "I — I lost my shirt," interjected Stacy. 
 
 "And I suppose you fell in," chuckled Ned. 
 
 "No; I fell off." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 153 
 
 "We're lucky to be alive/ ' laughed Tad. 
 
 "You are that. I see now that ProfessoB 
 Zepplin was right when he said you could take 
 care of yourself. Never saw anything quite so 
 slick as the way you roped that redskin " 
 
 "And — and I punched the other one," glowed 
 Chunky. 
 
 "Did you see us?" questioned Tad. 
 
 "Yes, we saw the whole proceeding. But yon 
 were so mixed up that we couldn't fire without 
 danger of hitting one of you boys. Wonder 
 what those Apaches think struck them," 
 laughed the guide. "How did you get through 
 the fire?" 
 
 Tail explained briefly, at the same time ac- 
 counting for the loss of Stacy's shirt. 
 
 "I bet that the fellow with the canary-wing 
 face has a sore jaw," bubbled Stacy. 
 
 "No doubt of it, Master Stacy. I didn't sup- 
 pose you had such a punch as that You're a 
 good Indian fighter," 
 
 "Always was," answered the fat boy, swell- 
 ing with importance. 
 
 "Come, we'll have to hurry back. It will be 
 dark before we reach camp, as it is, and the Pro- 
 fessor will be worrying about you." 
 
 They turned about, and, heading across the 
 burned area, started for camp. Fitful blazes 
 were springing up here and there, but all danger 
 
156 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 had, by this time, passed, though the smoke still 
 hung heavy and the odor of burned vegetation 
 smote the nostrils unpleasantly. 
 
 Stacy sniffed the air suspiciously. 
 
 "Tastes like a drug store fire I smelled once 
 in Chillicothe, " he averred. 
 
 "I haven't made up my mind, yet, how that 
 fire started, Mr. Kringle," wondered Tad. 
 
 "I have," replied the guide tersely. 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "It was set afire!" 
 
 "By whom?" 
 
 "By one of those savages, or by somebody 
 who was with them. They must have been 
 watching you all the time. Did you recognize 
 either of them as the fellow you knocked down 
 the other night?" 
 
 "No; I don't think I would know the Indian. 
 The light was too uncertain at the fire dance, 
 and then again, all Indians look alike to me." 
 
 "It was a narrow escape." 
 
 "Do you think they'll come back again?" 
 questioned Ned. 
 
 "I doubt it. They won't if they recognized 
 ime. They know me. They've done business 
 with me before." 
 
 Professor Zepplin and Walter were overjoyed 
 when at last the party rode into camp and they 
 learned that both boys were safe. The lads 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 15? 
 
 were obliged to go all over their experiences 
 again for the benefit of the Professor and Wal- 
 ter. 
 
 "It's getting worse and worse," decided the 
 Professor helplessly. "I don't know where all 
 this is going to end. I thought when we got a 
 new guide — but what's the use? Do you think 
 we had better start to-night, Mr. Kringle?" 
 
 "No. There is no necessity." 
 
 "What am I going to do for a pony?" asked 
 Chunky. 
 
 "You can ride one of mine. I always take 
 two when on a long journey," replied the guide. 
 
 Chunky 's first act after reaching camp, was 
 to provide himself with a shirt. After donning 
 it, he announced that he had an appetite and 
 wanted to know when they were going to have 
 supper. 
 
 "Why, you had supper hours ago," scoffed 
 Ned. "Want another one already?" 
 
 "That wasn't supper, that was four o'clock 
 tea. Indian fighters must have real food." 
 
 "Stop teasing. We'll give the 'ittle baby his 
 milk," returned Ned. 
 
 That night Kris Kringle remained on guard 
 himself. He would not trust the guardianship 
 of the camp to any of the boys, for he fully ex- 
 pected that they would receive a visit from one 
 Or more of the Indians, though he did not tell 
 
158 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 the others bo. But nothing occurred to disturb 
 the camp, and the boys, despite their trying ex- 
 periences, slept soundly, awakening in the 
 morning fresh and active, ready and anxious for 
 any further adventures. 
 
 The party set out shortly after sunrise, and 
 traveled all day across the uneven plains, across 
 short mountain ranges, through deep gorges 
 and rugged foothills. 
 
 Crossing an open space the guide espied a 
 bottle glistening in the sunlight. 
 
 "There's a bottle/' pointed the guide. "Want 
 ft?" 
 
 Stacy glanced at it indifferently. 
 
 "What do I want of a bottle?" 
 
 "Then I'll take it," decided the guide, dis- 
 mounting and stowing the abandoned piece of 
 glass in his saddle bags. 
 
 "Bottles are good for only two things." 
 
 "And what are they, Master Stacy?" ques- 
 tioned the Professor. 
 
 "To keep things in and to shoot at," replied 
 the fat boy, wisely. 
 
 Everybody laughed at that. 
 
 "I guess that embodies everything you can 
 say about bottles," smiled the Professor. "Your 
 logic, at times, young man, is unassailable." 
 
 Chunky nodded. He had a faint idea of what 
 Professor Zepplin meant. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 159 
 
 Late that afternoon the travelers came upon 
 a shack in the foothills, where an old rancher, 
 a hermit, lived when not tending his little flock 
 of sheep, most of which. Kris Kringle said, the 
 old man had stolen from droves that came up 
 over the trail going north. 
 
 He was an interesting old character, this 
 hermit, and the boys decided that they would 
 like to make camp and have him take supper 
 with them. This the Professor and the guide 
 readily agreed to, for everyone was hot and 
 dusty and the bronchos were nervous and ill- 
 natured. 
 
 The boys found the old rancher talkative 
 enough on all subjects save himself. When 
 Chunky asked him where he came from, and 
 what for, the old man's face flushed angrily. 
 
 At the first opportunity the guide took the 
 fat boy aside for some fatherly advice. 
 
 "In this country it isn't good policy to be too 
 curious about a man's family affairs. He's 
 likely to resent it in a way you won't like. Most 
 fellows out here have reasons for being out of 
 the world, beyond what's apparent on the 
 surface." 
 
 Chunky heeded the advice and asked no more 
 personal questions for the next hour, though he 
 did forget himself before the evening was ended. 
 
 "You seem to be having pretty dry weather 
 
160 THE PONY KIDEK BOYS 
 
 down here/' said the Professor, by way of start- 
 ing the old man to talking. 
 
 "Yep. Haven't had any rain in this belt fer 
 the last two years." 
 
 "Two years!" exclaimed the boys. 
 
 "Yep. Had a few light dews, but that's all," 
 replied the hermit. 
 
 "Looks to me as if yon were going to get some 
 to-night," announced Tad. 
 
 "Reckon not." 
 
 "Then I'm no judge of weather." 
 
 Even as Tad spoke there was a low muttering 
 of thunder, and the far lightning flashed pale 
 and green, and rose on the long horizon to the 
 southwest. 
 
 Kris Kringle heard the far away growl. 
 Springing up, he began staking down the tents. 
 
 "That's a good idea. We lost our whole out- 
 fit on our last trip. Think they'll stand a 
 blow?" 
 
 "I guess they will when I get through with 
 them. Have we any more stakes in camp?" 
 
 "There should be some in the kit." 
 
 Tad searched until he found several more 
 stakes, and with these and the emergency ropes, 
 they made the tents secure. 
 
 By the time they had done so, the heavens 
 had grown black and menacing. They could see 
 the storm sweeping down on them. It was a 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 161 
 
 magnificent sight, and the lads were so lost in 
 observing its grandeur that they forgot to feel 
 any alarm. 
 
 A cloud of dust accompanied the advance 
 guard of the storm. 
 
 "Beckon there ain't any rain in them clouds, " 
 commented the old man. "There's plenty of 
 the other thing, though." 
 
 "What's the other thing?" questioned 
 Chunky. 
 
 "Lightning." 
 
 Even as he spoke a bolt descended right in 
 the center of the camp, tearing a hole in the 
 earth and hurling a cloud of dirt and dust many 
 feet up into the air. 
 
 The force of the explosion knocked some of 
 the party flat. 
 
 Chunky picked himself up and carefully 
 brushed his clothes; then, solemnly walked out 
 and sat down on the spot where the lightning 
 had struck. 
 
 "Here, here! What are you doing out there!" 
 demanded the guide. 
 
 "Sitting on the lightning." 
 
 "You come in here! And quick, at that! 3 ' 
 
 "Huh! Guess I know what I'm doing. 
 Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. 
 I'm » 
 
 By this time Kris Kringle had the fat boy 
 
162 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 by the collar, hustling him to the protection of 
 one of the tents. 
 
 No sooner had they reached it than a crash 
 that seemed as if it had split the earth wide 
 open descended upon them. Balls of fire shot 
 off in every direction. One went right through 
 the tent where they were huddled, hurling the 
 Pony Eider Boys in a heap. 
 
 They scrambled up calling to each other ner- 
 Tously. 
 
 The shock had extinguished the lantern that 
 hung in the tent. The guide relighted it, and, 
 stepping outside to see what had happened, 
 pointed to the place where Chunky had been 
 sitting but a few minutes before. 
 
 The bolt had struck in the identical spot where 
 the previous one had landed. 
 
 "Now, young man, there's an object lesson 
 for you," Mr. Kringle said, with a grim smile. 
 
 "And there's another!" replied Chunky, 
 pointing to the outside of the tent. 
 
 There lay the old rancher, whose absence they 
 had not noted. He had been in the tent with 
 them when they last saw him and how he had 
 gotten out there none knew. The rancher had 
 been stripped of every vestige of clothing by the 
 freaky lightning. 
 
 "He's dead," crooned Stacy solemnly. 
 
 "Get water, quick 1 He's been struck by 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 163 
 
 lightning !" commanded the guide, making sys- 
 tematic efforts to bring the old man back to 
 consciousness. 
 
 Stacy ran for the water-bags. 
 
 "I am afraid it is useless, Mr. Kringle," 
 warned the Professor, failing to find a pulse. 
 The boys were standing about fanning the vic- 
 tim, having one by one dumped the contents of 
 their canteens in his face. 
 
 Stacy returned with a water-bag after a 
 little. 
 
 "I— I — I've got an idea," he exploded, as with 
 eyes wide open he attempted to tell them some- 
 thing. 
 
 "Keep still. We've got something else to do 
 besides listening to your foolishness," chided 
 Ned. 
 
 "Chunky, we're trying to save this man's life. 
 Give me that bag," commanded Tad. 
 
 The two older men were working desperately 
 on the patient Stacy stood around, fidgeting 
 a little, but making no further attempt to en- 
 lighten them as to what his new idea was. 
 
 Afer a time the rancher began to show signs 
 of recovering. He gasped a few times then 
 opened his eyes. 
 
 "What kicked me?" he asked, with a half- 
 grin. 
 
 They could all afford to laugh now, and they 
 
164 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 did. The rancher refnsed their offer of clothes^ 
 saying he had another suit in his shack. 
 
 "That's twice the stuff has knocked me out. 
 Next time it'll git me for keeps," he said. 
 
 '"Does it strike here very often?" questioned 
 the Professor. 
 
 "Alius." 
 
 ' i Then, there must be some mineral substance 
 in the soil." 
 
 "No, ain't nothing like that. Jest contrari- 
 ness that's all. Hit my shack once, and 'cause 
 'twas raining, bored holes in the roof so the place 
 got all wet inside." , 
 
 "But it isn't raining now. Doesn't it usu- 
 ally rain when you have a thunder storm here?" 
 asked the Professor. 
 
 "No. Ain't had no rain in nigh onto two 
 year, ' ' the hermit reiterated. 
 
 "You'd better go and put on some clothes," 
 suggested Kris Kringle. 
 
 "Guess that's right." 
 
 The old man seemed to have forgotten his 
 condition. The others had wrapped a blanket 
 around him, which seemed to satisfy his demand 
 for clothes. Gathering up the blanket he 
 strolled leisurely toward his cabin, undisturbed 
 by his recent experience. 
 
 "Nothing like getting used to it," chucklecl 
 Stacy. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 165 
 
 "Hello, now we'll hear what your new idea 
 is, Chunky ?" jeered Ned. 
 
 "Yes, what is it?" urged Tad. 
 
 " Nothing much." 
 
 "Never is," cut in Walter Perkins, a little 
 maliciously. 
 
 "I — I got an idea the ponies tried to kick holes 
 in the lightning." 
 
 Everybody laughed loudly. They could well 
 afford to laugh, now that the danger had passed. 
 
 "What makes you think that!" asked the 
 guide, eyeing him sharply. 
 
 " 'Cause they're dead!'* 
 
 "What ! ' ' shouted the boys. 
 
 All hands dashed from the tent, Stacy regard- 
 ing them with soulful eyes, after which he sur- 
 reptitiously slipped a biscuit into his pocket and 
 strolled out after them. 
 
 CHAPTEK XVI 
 
 CHUNKY *S NEW IDEA 
 
 THEEE of the ponies, they found, had been 
 knocked down and so severely shocked 
 that they were only just beginning to 
 regain consciousness. 
 
 "Why didn't you tell us?" demanded Ned, 
 turning on Stacy savagely. 
 
166 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 * ' You wouldn 'i let me. Maybe next time I've 
 got an idea ? you'll stop and listen." 
 
 Kris Kringle ? s face wore a broad grin. 
 
 "Master Stacy is rigbt. He tried hard 
 enough to tell ns," he said. 
 
 Chunky was humming blithely as the party set 
 out next morning. He was pretty well satis- 
 fied with himself, for had he not been through 
 a prairie fire, knocked a savage Apache off his 
 horse, saved himself and his companions, be- 
 sides having just escaped from being struck by 
 lightning ? Stacy swelled out his chest and held 
 his chin a little bit higher than usual. 
 
 " Chunky 's got a swelled head," said Ned, 
 nodding in the direction of the fat boy. 
 
 "Swelled chest, you mean," laughed Walter. 
 "Nobody has a better right. Chunky isn't half 
 as big a fool as he'd have everybody believe. 
 When we think we are having lots of fun with 
 him he's really having sport with lis. And 
 those Indians — say, Ned, do you think they will 
 bother us any more ? ' ' 
 
 "Ask Chunky," retorted Ned. "He's the 
 oracle of the party." 
 
 "I will," answered Walter, motioning for 
 Stacy to join them, which the latter did leis- 
 urely. "We want to know if you think we've 
 seen the last of the Apaches? Will they bother 
 us any morel" 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 167 
 
 The fat boy consulted the sky thoughtfully. 
 
 "I think there's some of them around now, 1 ' 
 he replied. 
 
 "What*" 
 
 Stacy nodded wisely. 
 
 "Santa Claus ought to have shot them." 
 
 "Why, you cold-blooded savage!" scoffed 
 Ned. "The idea!" 
 
 "You'll see. I'd have done it, myself, if I'd 
 had my gun," declared Stacy bravely. 
 
 "Good thing for you that your gun was in 
 camp, instead of in your holster." 
 
 "Yes; I'd have lost the gun when the pony 
 went down. Poor pony! Say, Walt," he mur- 
 mured, leaning over toward his companion. 
 
 "Well, out with it!" 
 
 "This pony of Santa Claus 's can jump further 
 than a kangaroo." 
 
 "Ever see a kangaroo jump 1 ?" sneered Ned. 
 
 "No; but I've seen you try to. I'll show you, 
 Walt, when we get a chance to go out and have 
 a contest." 
 
 "That would be good sport, wouldn't it, 
 Ned?" 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "A jumping contest!" 
 
 "If we didn't break our necks." 
 
 "Can't break a Pony Rider Boy's neck. 
 They're too tough," laughed Walter, to which 
 
168 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 sentiment, Stacy Brown agreed with a series of 
 emphatic nods. 
 
 "Say, Tad," called Walter, "what do you say 
 to our jumping our ponies some time to-day V 
 
 Tad grinned appreciatively. 
 
 "If the stock isn't too tired when we make 
 camp, I think it would be great fun. We haven "t 
 had any real jumping contests in a long time." 
 
 "Wish we had our stallions here, Tad." 
 
 "They're better off at home, Chunky. Alto- 
 gether too valuable horses for this kind of work. 
 I'll speak to the guide." 
 
 "Well, what is it, young man?" smiled Kris 
 Kringle. 
 
 "If you can find a level place for our camp 
 we want to have a contest this afternoon. Pro- 
 fessor, will you join us?" 
 
 "What kind of a contest?" 
 
 "Jumping." 
 
 "No, thank you." 
 
 "We will camp in the foothills of the Black 
 range. You will find plenty of level ground 
 there for your purpose, ' ' said the guide. 
 
 In order that they might have more time for 
 their games, an early halt was called. The first 
 work was to pitch the camp, the ponies being 
 allowed to graze and rest in the meantime, after 
 which the lads started out on a broad, open 
 plain for their sport. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 169^ 
 
 Their shouts of merriment drifted back to the 
 camp where Kris Kringle and Professor Zepplin 
 were setting things to rights and preparing an 
 early supper, the sun still being some hours 
 high. 
 
 ' 'That's a great bunch of boys, Professor." 
 
 ?■ Great for getting into difficulties. ,, 
 
 "And for getting out of them." 
 
 "I'll put them against any other four lads 
 in the world for hunting out trouble," laughed 
 the Professor. 
 
 The result of the afternoon's s^ort was a total 
 of several spills and numerous black and bliie 
 spots on the bodies of the Pony Rider Boys. 
 Stacy Brown on Kris Kringle 's pony, carried 
 off the honors, having taken a higher jump than 
 did any of his companions. Then Stacy did it 
 again, after the others had tried — and failed to 
 equal the record. 
 
 The games being finished, Tad and Walter 
 rode off to get a closer view of some peculiar 
 rock formations that they had discovered in the 
 high distance, while Ned and Chunky started 
 slowly for the camp. 
 
 The table had been set out in front of the tents 
 when the fat boy and his companion came in 
 sight of the camp. 
 
 "Whew! but I'm hungry!" announced Stacy 
 Brown. 
 
170 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "But you didn't think of it until you saw tho 
 table set, did you?" 
 
 "It wasn't the table, it was the shaking up I 
 got back there that made me feel full of empti- 
 ness." 
 
 "Huh!" 
 
 "I've got an idea, Ned." 
 
 "For goodness' sake, keep it to yourself, then. 
 "When you have an idea it spells trouble fo» 
 everybody else around you." 
 
 "Bet you I can." 
 
 "Can what?" snorted Ned. 
 
 * ' Bet you I can jump the dinner table and yon 
 can't." 
 
 "Bet you can't." 
 
 "Bet I can, and without even knocking a fly 
 off the milk pitcher." 
 
 "Go on, you! You try it first, and, if you 
 don't make it, you lose. I don't have to try it 
 it if I don't want to," agreed Ned, with rare 
 prudence. 
 
 Chunky was fairly hugging himself with glee, 
 but he took good care that Ned Rector did not 
 observe his satisfaction. 
 
 "If you don't you're a tenderfoot," taunted 
 Stacy. 
 
 "I'll show you who's the tenderfoot. You go 
 ahead and bolt the dinner, table and all, if you 
 dare. Now, then!" 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 171 
 
 Stacy gathered up his reins. There was mid- 
 chief in his eyes, which were fixed on the table* 
 neatly set for the evening meal. 
 
 "You start right after me. They'll be sur- 
 prised to see a procession of ponies going ovei 
 the table, won't they?" 
 
 " Somebody '11 be surprised. May not be the 
 Professor and Santa Claus, though, M growled 
 Ned. 
 
 Stacy had his own ideas on this question, but 
 he did not confide them to his companion. 
 
 The fat boy clucked to his pony, and the little 
 animal started off. As they moved along, 
 Stacy used the persuasive spurs resulting in a 
 sudden burst of speed. 
 
 "Come on!" he shouted. 
 
 He heard Ned 's pony pursuing him. 
 
 "Hi-yi-yi-y-e-o-w!" howled the shrill voice of 
 the fat boy. 
 
 Professor Zepplin and Kris Kringle were sit- 
 ting at opposite ends of the table, with elbows 
 leaning on it, engaged in earnest conversation. 
 There had been so much yelling out on the plain 
 ever since the boys left camp that the older men 
 gave no heed to this new shout — did not even 
 turn their eyes in the direction whence Stacy 
 Brown and his pony were sweeping down on 
 them at break-neck speed. 
 
 Suddenly the two men started back with a 
 
172 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 sudden exclamation, as a shadow fell athwart 
 the table and a dark form hurled itself through 
 Ihe air, while a shrill, "w-h-o-o-p-e-e!" sounded 
 right over their heads. 
 
 The fat boy cleared the table without so much 
 irs disturbing the fly to which he had referred 
 when making the arrangement. 
 
 Kris Kringle's face wore an expansive grin 
 as he discovered the cause of the interruption. 
 But, Professor Zepplin's face reflected no such 
 emotion. He was angry. He started to rise, 
 when a second shadow fell across the table. 
 
 Ned Rector, not to be outdone by his fat little 
 Friend, pursed his lips tightly, driving his 
 Ibroncho at the dinner table and pressing in the 
 (Spurs so hard, that the pony grunted with anger. 
 
 Up went the broncho in a graceful curving 
 leap. 
 
 But the pony or its rider had not calculated 
 the distance properly. Both rear hoofs went 
 through the table, whisking it off the ground 
 from before the astonished eyes of Professor 
 Eepplin and Kris Kringle. 
 
 Both men drew back so violently that they top- 
 pled over backwards. 
 
 'Mid the crashing of dishes and the sound of 
 [breaking wood, the dinner table shot up into 
 the air, while the pony ploughed the ground with 
 Its nose. 
 
Up Went the Broncho in a Graceful, Curving Leap. 
 173 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 175 
 
 Ned Rector struck the ground some distance 
 further on; he slid on his face for several feet 
 skinning his nose, and filling mouth, eyes and 
 nose with dirt. 
 
 Then dishes and pieces of table began to rain 
 down on them in a perfect shower. A can of 
 condensed milk emptied itself on the head of 
 Professor Zepplin, while a hot biscuit lodged 
 inside the collar of Santa Claus's shirt. 
 
 "Wow! Oh, wow!" howled the fat boy, fall- 
 ing off his pony in the excess of hi3 merriment 
 and rolling on the ground. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 IN THE HOME OF THE CAVE DWELLEBS 
 
 NED EECTOR sat up just in time to meet 
 the wreck of the descending table. 
 Down he went again with Stacy's howls 
 ringing in his ears. 
 
 A firm hand jerked Rector free of the debris 
 as Kris Kringle laughing heartily hauled Ned to 
 Ms feet. At the same moment Professor Zepp- 
 lin had laid more violent hands on the fat boy, 
 whom he shook until Stacy 's howls lost much of 
 their mirth. About this time Tad and Walter 
 rode in, having hurried along upon hearing the 
 disturbance in camp. 
 
176 THE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 "Stacy Brown, are you responsible for this?'* 
 demanded the Professor sternly. 
 
 "I'm more to blame than he is," interposed 
 Ned. 
 
 "No, I — I had an idea," chuckled Stacy, 
 threatening to break out into another howl of 
 mirth. 
 
 "Next time you have one, then, you will be 
 good enough to let me know. We will tie you 
 up until the impulse to make trouble has 
 passed." 
 
 Tad and Walter could not resist a shout of 
 laughter. Kris Kringle was not slow to follow 
 the example set by them, and all at once Profes- 
 sor Zepplin forgot his dignity, sitting right 
 down amid the wreck and laughing immoder- 
 ately. 
 
 Ned washed his face, and when, upon facing 
 them, he exhibited a peeled nose and a black 
 eye, the merriment was renewed again. 
 
 Supper was a success, in spite of the fact 
 that many of their dishes were utterly ruined, as 
 well as seme of the provisions. But the lads 
 gathered up the pieces and made the best of a 
 bad job. Fortunately they carried another fold- 
 ing table that they had had made for their trip, 
 and this was soon spread and a fresh meal pre- 
 pared. 
 
 "Well, have you two been getting into diffi- 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 177 
 
 culties also!" questioned the Professor, after 
 they sat down to supper. 
 
 "No; we've been exploring, Walter and I,*' 
 answered Tad. 
 
 " Exploring V 9 
 
 "Yes. We discovered something that I should 
 like to know more about." 
 
 "What is that?" asked Kris Exingle, looking 
 up interestedly. 
 
 "We were over yonder, close to the mono*- 
 tains, which are straight up and down, and half 
 way to the top, we saw three or four queerly- 
 shaped rocks that looked like houses or huts, 
 Did you ever see them, Mr. Kringle?" 
 
 "No; but I think I know what you mean. 
 They must be some of the cave dwellings of tha 
 ancient Pueblos, or perhaps as far back as thj9 
 Toltecs. They built their homes in caves on 
 the steep rocks for better protection against 
 their enemies." 
 
 "And nobody ever discovered these before t*' 
 questioned Walter. ' * How queer ! ' ' 
 
 "Perhaps these dwellings, if such they arO| 
 have been seen by many a traveler, none of 
 whom had interest enough in the matter to in- 
 vestigate, Then again, they may have been 
 fully explored. There's not much in this pait 
 of the country that prospectors have not looked 
 over." 
 
m WBB PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "May we explore these caves, Professor!** 
 asked Tad. 
 
 ft Please let us! " urged Walter. 
 
 "I see no objection if Mr. Kringle will be re- 
 sponsible for you. I rather think I'll look into 
 {hem myself. I'll confess the idea interests met 
 Are they easy to get at?" 
 
 "I'm afraid not," answered Tad. 
 
 "Santa Claus will show us the way," inter- 
 rupted Stacy enthusiastically. 
 
 He was frowned down by the Professor. 
 
 rt Why not start now?" urged Tad. 
 
 Hie guide consulted the sun. 
 
 "We might. It lacks all of three hours to 
 dark." 
 
 There was much enthusiasm in camp. The 
 Idea that they were to visit some unexplored 
 (Saves, dwellings of an ancient people, filled the 
 lads with pleasant expectancy. 
 
 Before starting, Mr. Kringle sorted out some 
 Strong manila rope and several tent stakes all 
 Ojf which he did up into two bundles. Then he 
 filled the magazine of his rifle, throwing this 
 Over his shoulder. 
 
 "What's that for?" questioned Ned. 
 
 "The gun?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Can't tell what we may run into in a cave, 
 fon know." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 179 
 
 After a final look at the camp all hands set 
 out for the place indicated by Tad. It was only] 
 a short distance, so they decided to walk. 
 
 Reaching the base of the mountain they gazed 
 up. 
 
 "Yes, those are cave dwellings," declared 
 Kris Kringle. "And they are still closed. 
 Probably they haven't been opened in two hun- 
 dred years.' ' 
 
 "I'd hate to live there and have to go. home 
 in a dark night," mused Chunky. 
 
 "Yes, how did they get to their houses?" 
 wondered the other boys. 
 
 "The question is, how are we going to get 
 near enough to explore them? How shall we get 
 up there, Mr. Guide?" asked the Professor. 
 
 "We'll find a way. We shall have to climb 
 the mountain, first." 
 
 All hands began clambering up the rocks. To 
 do so they were obliged to follow along the base 
 of the mountain for some distance before thejs 
 found a place that they could climb. 
 
 Reaching the top, the guide examined their 
 surroundings carefully. 
 
 "See those little projections of rock slanting 
 down toward the shelf?" he asked. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well, in the old days they probably felled a 
 tree so it would fall on them. The occupants 
 
180 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 of the cave probably cut steps in the tree trunk 
 over which to travel up and down. The tree 
 has rotted away many years since." 
 
 "And we can't get down, then?" 
 
 "We'll find a way, Master Walter. I thought 
 I should be able to make a rope ladder that 
 would work, but I see it is not practicable." 
 
 "How shall we do it?" 
 
 "Try the old way, I guess, Master Tad." 
 
 "What's that?" 
 
 "The tree." 
 
 "But there are no trees near here?" 
 
 "Yes, there are, a few rods back. We are all 
 strong and I guess we shall be able to make a 
 pretty fair pair of steps." 
 
 Kris Kringle had brought an axe with him. 
 With this he cut some long, straight poles 
 which, he explained, were intended for pike 
 poles such as woodsmen use to roll logs. This 
 done, he began industriously chopping at the 
 tree after deciding upon the exact position in 
 which he desired it to fall. 
 
 "It won't reach," declared Chunky, who, 
 with hands in pockets, legs spread wide apart, 
 stood looking up at the flaring top of the great 
 tree. 
 
 The guide stopped chopping long enough to 
 squint at the fat boy. 
 
 "It'll reach you all right, if you stay where 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 181 
 
 you are," he said, then resumed his vigorous 
 blows. 
 
 Stacy promptly took the hint and moved a 
 safe distance away. 
 
 "Get from under !" shouted the guide finally. 
 One more blow would send the tree crashing 
 downward. 
 
 All hands scrambled for safety. One power- 
 ful blow from the axe, and with a crashing and 
 rending, the great tree began its descent. 
 When it struck the onlookers fully expected to 
 see it broken into many pieces, but the bushy 
 top, hitting the rocks first, broke the blow, and 
 the body of the tree settled down gently with- 
 out even breaking its bark. 
 
 "Fine! Hurrah !" shouted the boys. 
 
 "It won't reach to the edge. Going to pull it 
 over?" questioned Stacy. 
 
 "Not exactly, but we're going to get it there. 
 Perhaps we shall not have it in place in time 
 to explore the caves to-night, but we shall be 
 ready to do so early in the morning. It took 
 our friends longer to do this job, two hundred 
 years or more ago, than it will take us. We 
 have better tools to work with. ' ' 
 
 "And better bosses," suggested Stacy. 
 
 Some little time was consumed in chopping 
 the tree loose from its stump, after which the 
 guide worked the pike poles uuder the trunk at 
 
182 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 intervals near the base. The others watched 
 these operations with interest. 
 
 "Now here is where yon yonng gentlemen will 
 have a chance to show how strong you are. Each 
 one grab a pike pole," Kringle directed. 
 
 "Shan't I go hold the top down!" asked 
 Stacy. 
 
 "You just grab a pike pole and get busy," 
 laughed Mr. Kringle. 
 
 "Can't get out of work quite so easy as you 
 thought," scoffed Ned. "This is where we 
 make you earn your supper." 
 
 "I don't have to earn it. Had it already." 1 
 
 "There are other meals coming," smiled the 
 Professor. 
 
 "Now, heo — he!" 
 
 All raised on the pike poles at the same time 
 with the result that the tree was forced down 
 the gentle incline several feet. This was re- 
 peated again and again, the boys pausing to 
 cheer after every lift. 
 
 The tree being now perilously near the edge 
 of the cliff Kris Kringle called a halt. Next he 
 fastened a rope around the top and another 
 around the base, taking a turn around a rock 
 with each. One boy was placed on each rope, 
 the others at the pike poles, while the guide 
 stood at the edge giving directions. 
 
 The tree trunk gently slipped over under his 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 183 
 
 guidance and a few minutes later rested on the 
 projecting rocks, that were just high enough to 
 hold it in place. 
 
 "Wouldn't take much to send it over, but I 
 guess it will be perfectly safe," he mused. 
 
 "May we go down now?" cried the boys. 
 
 "No; I'll make some steps first." 
 
 He did so with the axe, chopping out scoop- 
 shaped places for steps, until finally he had 
 reached the rock in front of the cave dwellings. 
 
 The tree lay at an easy slope, its bushy top 
 partly resting on the ledge, the latter being 
 some eight feet deep by ten feet wide. 
 
 Running up the log Mr. Kringle made another 
 rope fast at the top, throwing the free end over. 
 
 "Hold on to the rope while you are going 
 down and you'll be in no danger of falling," 
 he warned. * 
 
 The boys scrambled down the tree like so 
 many squirrels, the Professor following some- 
 what more cautiously. 
 
 The explorers found themselves not more 
 than twenty fee!: from the ground. 
 
 "Not much of a door yard. Where's the 
 garden?" wondered Stacy, looking about him 
 curiously. 
 
 The entrance to the cave dwelling was 
 blocked by a huge boulder, that completely filled 
 the opening. How it had been gotten there 
 
184 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 none could say. The only possible explanation 
 was that the boulder had been found on the 
 shelf and applied to the purpose of protecting 
 the cave dwellers' home. 
 
 "Now we're here, we can't get in," grumbled 
 Ned. 
 
 "Nothing is impossible," answered Kris 
 Kr ingle. 
 
 "Except one thing." 
 
 "What's that, Master Ned?" 
 
 "To hammer the least little bit of sense into 
 the head of my friend, Chunky Brown." 
 
 "You don't have to, that's why," retorted 
 Stacy quickly. "It has all the sense it'll hold, 
 now." 
 
 "I guess that will be about all for you, Ned," 
 laughed Walter. "At least, Chunky didn't foul 
 the dinner table when he jumped it." 
 
 The guide, in the meantime, was experiment- 
 ing with the boulder, inserting a pike pole here 
 and there in an effort to move the big stone. 
 It remained in place as solidly as if it had grown 
 there. 
 
 "There's some trick about the thing, I know, 
 but what it is gets me. Better stand back, all 
 of you, in case it comes out all of a sudden," Mr. 
 Kringle warned them. 
 
 All at once the boulder did eome out, and it 
 kept on coming. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 185 
 
 "Look out?" bellowed the guide.. 
 
 "Low bridge!" howled Stacy, hopping to one 
 side and crouching against the rocks.. 
 
 The guide had sprung nimbly to one side as 
 welL The big rock had popped out like a pea 
 from a pod. Instead of stopping, however, it 
 continued to roll on toward the edge. 
 
 "Hug the rocks! She's going down!" 
 shouted the guide. 
 
 Go down it did, with a crash that seemed to 
 shake the mountain. Boiling to the edge of the 
 shelf, it had toppled over, taking a large strip 
 of shelving rock with it. 
 
 "Wow!" howled Chunky. 
 
 The other boys uttered no sound, though 
 their faces were a little more pale than usual. 
 
 Kris Kringle stepped to the edge, peering 
 over. 
 
 "No one will get that up here again, right 
 away," he said. 
 
 "The cave, the cave!" shouted Walter. 
 
 Everyone turned, gazing half in awe at the 
 dark opening that the removal of the stone had 
 revealed — an opening that had been closed for 
 probably more than two centuries. 
 
186 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 D 
 
 CHAPTER XVni 
 
 FACING TEE ENEMY 's GUNS 
 
 f ' | *\ we go in?'* asked the Professor. 
 
 "Wait, I'll get some light inside 
 first," answered the prudent guide. 
 "Can't tell whether we shall want to go in or 
 not." 
 
 He built up a small fire within, then called to 
 the others that they might enter. They crowded 
 in hastily, finding themselves in a fairly large 
 chamber, at the far end of which was a sort of 
 natural alcove in the rocks. 
 
 The remnants of a fire still lay at one side, 
 where the last meal of the ancient dweller had 
 probably been cooked. Several crude looking 
 utensils lay about, together with a number of 
 pieces of ancient pottery. 
 
 "This is, indeed, a rare find!" exclaimed the 
 Professor, carrying the precious jars out into 
 the light for closer examination. 
 
 Chunky, about that time, pounced upon an 
 object which proved to be a copper hatchet 
 
 "Hurray for George Washington!" he 
 shouted, brandishing the crude tool. "The man 
 who never told " 
 
 "We've heard that before," objected Ned. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 181 
 
 ''Give us something new, Chunky, if you've got 
 to talk." 
 
 The Professor came in, searching for other 
 curios just as Stacy went out to examine his 
 "little axe," as he was pleased to call it. He 
 tried the edge of it on the ledge to find out if 
 the stone would dull it, but it did not. 
 
 "I'll use that to cut nails and wire with when 
 I get back home, ' ' decided the boy. ' ' Guess I '11 
 chop my name in the side of the mountain here." 
 Stacy proceeded to do so, the others being too 
 much engrossed in their explorations to know or 
 care what he was about. He succeeded very 
 well, both in making letters on the wall and in 
 putting several nicks in the edge of his new- 
 found hatchet. 
 
 He was thus engaged when all at once some- 
 thing struck the axe hurling it from his hand. 
 At the same instant a rifle crashed off some- 
 where below and to the southeast of him. 
 
 "Ouch!" exclaimed the fat boy holding his 
 hand. "Wonder who did that?" His mind 
 had not coupled the shot with the blow on the 
 hatchet. 
 
 Bang! 
 
 A bullet flattened itself close to his head, 
 against the rock. 
 
 With a howl, the lad threw himself down on 
 the ledge. 
 
188 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 At that instant Kris Kringle sprang to the 
 opening of the cave. 
 
 "What does this mean?" he snapped. 
 
 "I don't know. Somebody knocked the axe 
 out of my hand then shot at me." 
 
 The guide discovered the trouble right there. 
 A bullet snipped his hat from his head; and, 
 striking the ceiling of the cave-home, dropped 
 to the floor with a dull clatter. 
 
 Kris Kringle ducked with amazing quickness. 
 Crawling back into the cave, he reached for 
 his own rifle and then sought the opening, tak- 
 ing good care not to expose himself to the fire 
 of the unseen enemy. 
 
 Stacy, on his part, had lost no time in get- 
 ting to a place of safety inside, though he was 
 prudent enough to crawl instead of getting up 
 and walking in. ' ' 
 
 "What does this mean! It can't be possible 
 that anyone is deliberately shooting at us?" 
 questioned Professor Zepplin in undisguised 
 amazement. 
 
 "If you doubt it step outside," suggested 
 Kris Kringle. "Master Stacy and myself know 
 what they tried to do, don't we, lad?" 
 
 "We do." 
 
 The fat boy again swelled with importance. 
 
 "Look out you don't swell up so big you'll 
 break your harness," warned Ned. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 189 
 
 "Better break it than have it shot off," mum- 
 bled Stacy. 
 
 "Who can it be?" 
 
 "I can't say, Professor." 
 
 "It's our friends from the fire dance," was 
 Tad's expressed conviction. 
 
 "Told you they'd be here," nodded Chunky. 
 "Why don't you shoot at them?" 
 
 ' ' Going to, in a minute. Got to find out where 
 they are first." 
 
 Now the lads were excited in earnest. Some 
 one was shooting at them, and the guide was 
 going to fire back. This was more than they 
 had expected when they visited the home of the 
 cave-dwellers. 
 
 "Let me take a crack at 'em," begged Chunky. 
 "I owe 'em one." 
 
 "Master Stacy, you will do nothing of the 
 sort," reproved the Professor sternly. "The 
 idea!" 
 
 "No; if there's any shooting to be done I'll 
 do it," announced Kris Kringle. 
 
 "And Santa Claus isn't shooting with any toy 
 gun, this time," chuckled Chunky. 
 
 "Can you see the camp, to know if anyone is 
 there!" 
 
 "Yes, but only part of it, Professor. I wish 
 you would all get over into the right hand cor- 
 ner there and lie flat on the floor. I'm going to 
 
190 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 try to draw their fire so that I can locate them. 
 Can't afford to waste ammunition until we are 
 reasonably sure where our mark is." 
 
 The others quickly got into the position indi- 
 cated. 
 
 Placing his hat on one of the pike poles, 
 Kringle slowly pushed it outside. 
 
 There was no result. The ruse failed to 
 draw the enemy's fire. 
 
 "Oh, they've gone. We're a lot of babies," 
 jeered Ned, jumping up and starting for the 
 opening. 
 
 Kris Kringle gave him a push with the butt 
 of the rifle. 
 
 * ' Want to get shot full of holes ? W T ait ! I '11 
 show you." 
 
 The guide sprang up, showing himself out on 
 the ledge for one brief instant then throwing 
 himself flat. 
 
 A sharp "ping" against the rocks, followed 
 by a heavy report, told the story. The guide 
 had been not a second too soon in getting out 
 of harm's way, for the bullet would have gone 
 right through him had he remained standing. 
 
 Quick as a flash Kringle 's rifle leaped to his 
 shoulder, and he fired. He had taken quick aim 
 at a puff of smoke off toward the camp. 
 
 Not content with one shot he raked the 
 bushes all about where the puff of smoke had 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 191 
 
 been seen, emptying the magazine of the rifle 
 in a few seconds. 
 
 Stacy Brown was fairly dancing with glee. 
 
 "Did you hit anything?" asked the boys 
 breathlessly. 
 
 "Of course, I hit something; but whether I 
 winged an Indian or not, I don't know. If I 
 did, he probably is not seriously wounded. 
 You'll hear a redskin yell when he's hit bad." 
 
 "That one I punched didn't. He was hit 
 hard," volunteered Stacy. 
 
 "He didn't have time," grinned Tad. "You 
 were too quick for him." 
 
 "Look out! There comes a volley!" warned 
 Mr. Kringle. 
 
 The boys, led by the Professor tumbled into 
 the corner in a heap, while the lead pattered in 
 through the opening, rattling with great force 
 like a handful of pebbles. 
 
 "They're getting in a hurry," averred the 
 Professor. 
 
 "It's growing dark. They want to finish U3 
 before then, so we can't play any tricks on them 
 after that. But, if they only knew it, and they 
 probably do, they've got us beautifully trapped. 
 One man below and another at the other end of 
 our tree would be able to keep us here till the 
 springs run dry. If there's only two of them 
 there, as I suspect is the case, they may not want 
 
192 THE PONT EIDER BOYS 
 
 to separate. We'll see, the minute it gets dark 
 enough so that we can move about without be- 
 ing observed." 
 
 Some of the sage brush that Kris Kringle had 
 brought down to light up the cave lay outside 
 on the ledge. Using one of the poles, he cau- 
 tiously raked the stuff inside, heaping it up not 
 far from the entrance. 
 
 "What you doing that for?' 7 questioned 
 Stacy, unable to conceal his curiosity. 
 
 "You'll see, by-and-by, when we get ready to 
 do something else. You don't think I'm going 
 to stay here all night, do you?" 
 
 There was no further firing on either side, 
 though Mr. Kringle showed himself boldly 
 several times. 
 
 Finally Tad tried it, and was greeted with 
 h shot the instant he appeared in the opening. 
 
 "Must be me they're after," he suggested, 
 with a forced grin, falling flat on the ledge, and 
 wriggling back into the cave. 
 
 The twilight was upon them now. The guide 
 had been able to see the flash of the rifle below 
 him, and had taken a quick shot at it when the 
 enemy attempted to wing Tad Butler. Kringle 
 had no means of knowing whether his shot had 
 been effective or not. 
 
 "I'm going to try something else in a few 
 minutes, now," the guide told the Professor and 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 193 
 
 the boys, "and I hope you all will do just as I 
 tell you. ' ' 
 
 "You may depend upon our doing exactly 
 that," answered the Professor. 
 
 "I am going to crawl out of here. The rest 
 of you remain here until I call to you to come 
 out, no matter if it is until morning. After I 
 have been gone about ten minutes, light a match 
 and toss it into the heap of sage there, but watch 
 out that you don 't get into the light. Throw the 
 match. You're liable to be shot if you show 
 yourselves." 
 
 "Why should we make a fire and thus make 
 targets of ourselves?" protested Ned. 
 
 "That is to cover Mr. Kringle's retreat," 
 Tad informed them. 
 
 "Exactly. Master Tad, you may come along 
 with me if you wish. " 
 
 Tad jumped at the offer. 
 
 "But not a sound. Ask me no questions. 
 Follow a rod or so behind me, and walk low 
 down all the time. If you make a mistake it 
 may result seriously for you and your friends. 
 And, another thing." 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 "Should there be any shooting, throw your- 
 self on the ground. You will not b© as likely 
 to be hit there." 
 
 "I'll obey orders, sir." 
 
194 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "I know it." 
 
 "When do we start?" 
 
 "I guess we can do so now, as safely as at 
 any time. The rascals will not be likely to be 
 on the mountain just yet, because it is not dark 
 enough. Yes; we'll go now." 
 
 Tad waited until Kris Kringle had crawled 
 from the cave, then lay down on his stomach 
 and wriggled out on the ledge. 
 
 There were no signs of the enemy and the 
 camp-fire of the Pony Rider Boys glowed dimly 
 down below. Tad, peering off into the gloom, 
 for the moon had not yet risen, thought he saw 
 a figure flit by the fire. He could not be sure, 
 however. He wished he might tell the guide of 
 his fancied discovery; but, remembering the in- 
 junction for absolute silence, he said nothing. 
 
 By this time, Tad's arms were about the log. 
 From the slight vibration he knew that Kris 
 Kringle was somewhere between himself and the 
 top, yet not a sound did the guide make. Tad 
 made no more, and they would have been keen 
 ears, indeed, that could have detected our 
 friends' presence by sound alone. 
 
 When the lad finally reached the top a hand 
 was laid on his shoulder. The touch gave him 
 a violent start in spite of his steady nerves. 
 
 "You're all right," whispered the voice of 
 Kris Kringle. "You'd make a good Indian. I 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 195 
 
 want to explain something that I didn't wish the 
 others to hear. ' ' 
 
 4 'Yes?" whispered Tad. 
 
 "I have only one shell left in my rifle. That 'a 
 why I wanted you to go along. If, by any 
 chance, the rascals should get me, you lie low. 
 They'll make for the cave, as they know, by this 
 time, that there is only one rifle in the party. 
 The minute they do, should such an emergency 
 arise, slide for the camp and get your gun. 
 You'll know what to do with it. It'll be a ease 
 of saving the lives of your companions if it 
 comes to that." 
 
 "I understand," answered Tad bravely, and 
 without a quaver in his voice, 
 
 "Mind you, I don't think for a minute that it 
 will happen. I can handle these fellows if I 
 get the lay of the land. Keep close enough to 
 hear me." 
 
 "That's not so easy." 
 
 "No; but you'll know. "When I stop you do 
 the same." 
 
196 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 OUTWITTING THE BEDSKINS 
 
 RIS KRINGLE moved away without an\ 
 other word. His abrupt departure was 
 the signal for the Pony Rider boy to 
 start, which he did instantly. 
 
 In a few minutes Tad was skulking along the 
 top of the mountain, when he ran into the guide 
 
 again. 
 Just then the report of a rifle sounded down 
 
 below them. m 
 
 "Are they shooting at us?" whispered lad. 
 "No; the boys have lighted the fire in the 
 
 cave Our friends down below took a pot shot 
 
 at the blaze. Hope they didn't hit anybody." 
 "Chunky would be the only one to get m the 
 
 way, and I imagine the others would hold him 
 
 back." 
 
 "Come this way; we'll go down by a differ- 
 ent trail. The redskins are watching the fire m 
 the cave, but they may be keeping an eye on 
 the trail at the same time." 
 
 Silently the man and the boy took their way 
 along the rough, uneven path, slowly working 
 down into the valley. They soon reached this, 
 £or the range was low there. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 197 
 
 Beaching the foothills, the two scouts once 
 more fell into single file, Tad Butler to the rear. 
 He knew that the guide 's rifle ahead of him was 
 ready for instant use, and at any second now 
 Tad expected to see the flash of a gun. 
 
 The lad was not afraid, but he was all a-quiver 
 with excitement. This stalking an enemy in the 
 dark, not knowing at what minute that enemy 
 might make the attack, was not the same as a 
 stand-up fight in broad daylight. Tad won- 
 dered why the guide had not permitted the rest 
 of the party to escape while they had the op- 
 portunity. He did not know that Kris Kringle 
 fully expected an ambush, nor that two would 
 stand a better chance to get through and out- 
 wit the savages than would half a dozen of them. 
 
 The pair had approached nearly to the camp, 
 for which the guide was heading, when suddenly 
 a hand was laid on the boy's arm in a firm grip. 
 Tad knew the guide had seen or heard some- 
 thing. 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "There!" 
 
 In the faint light of the camp-fire the lad, 
 gazing where Kris Kringle had pointed, was 
 astonished to see a figure seated at their table. 
 From his motions it was evident that the in- 
 truder was stowing away the stolen food at a 
 great rate. 
 
198 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "Is that one of them?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "He'll have indigestion, the way he's eating. 
 Hope he doesn't swallow the dishes, too." 
 
 "I'm going to find the other one. Yon crawl 
 as close to the camp as you can with safety. If 
 you hear a disturbance, dive for the tents the 
 instant that fellow starts. He'll move if he 
 hears any noise. Get a gun and hurry to me, 
 but be quiet about it." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Remember your instructions. I may be able 
 to handle both of them, but if I don't get the 
 missing one at the first crack I shan't be able 
 to take care of them both. You'll have to help 
 me. Got the nerve?" 
 
 '■'I'm not afraid," whispered the boy steadily. 
 "And I've got some muscle as well." 
 
 "That's evident I'm off now." 
 
 Tad was left alone. This time he could feel 
 the guide's movements, as the latter slipped 
 away on the soft earth. But in a moment all 
 sound was lost 
 
 "I think I'll crawl up nearer, so as to be 
 handy if anything occurs," decided the lad, 
 creeping along on all fours. He could not 
 see the light in the camp now, but he rea- 
 soned that the man at the table was sitting with 
 Ms back to it, as near as Tad could judge of 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 199 
 
 direction in the dark. The Indian seemed not to 
 fear a surprise. 
 
 " That's what comes from overconfidence," 
 grinned the lad. 
 
 "I wish I had something to defend myself 
 with," he added after a pause. 
 
 Tad had no sooner expressed his wish, than 
 his fingers closed over some object on the 
 ground. He grasped it with about the same 
 hopefulness that a dying man will grasp at a 
 straw. 
 
 What he had found was a heavy tent stake, 
 one that Kris Kringle had dropped from his 
 bundle on the way to the cliff dweller's home. 
 
 The lad breathed a prayer of thankfulness and 
 crept on with renewed courage. 
 
 He proceded as far as he dared; then, lay 
 still, listening for the noise of the expected con- 
 flict between the guide and the other red man. 
 
 It came. The sound was like thit of a body 
 falling heavily. 
 
 Once more the Indian at the table turned his 
 head, listening inquiringly. He made a half 
 motion to rise, glanced at the table, then sat 
 down again and began to eat. 
 
 "His appetite has overcome his judgment," 
 grinned Tad. The lad could hear the faint sound 
 of conflict somewhere to the rear of him. He 
 was getting uneasy and began to fidget. 
 
200 THE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 All at once the red man sprang up, whirled, 
 and ran directly for the place where Tad lay 
 flattened on the ground. 
 
 The boy was up like a flash. The Indian 
 stopped, knife unsheathed, ready for battle. 
 Almost instantly Tad brought the tent stake 
 down on the wrist of the hand that held the 
 knife. The knife dropped to the ground and 
 the Indian sprang at the slender boy. 
 
 Tad Butler, though strong and hard and wiry, 
 was no match for the powerful Indian, even 
 with a half-crippled wrist. So, though he 
 fought valiantly, he was thrown so heavily to 
 the ground that everything grew black. 
 
 "When Tad awakened he saw dimly a figure 
 bending over him. Quickly, the boy's arms 
 went up and encircled the neck of the man 
 kneeling beside him. 
 
 * ' Here, here ! "What 's the matter with you ? ' * 
 gasped a muffled voice. 
 
 "Kris Kringle!" stammered Tad. "I 
 thought you were the Indian," he apologized. 
 
 "If it had been, there 'd have been no need 
 for my interference, ' ' chuckled the man. ' ' You 
 have a choking grip, boy." 
 
 "Where is the fellow?" 
 
 "Over there, bound hand and foot, with his 
 companion, whom I got before I heard the 
 scuffle you were having with your fellow." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 201 
 
 "111 call the others," and with the words 
 Tad ran to the base of the cliff and shouted 
 for his companions. 
 
 Half an honr later the party gathered about 
 the camp fire. Here they discussed the events 
 of the evening. They decided to put the In- 
 dians on their ponies, to which they would be 
 tied, with hands free and with provisions 
 enough to last until they should reach their 
 reservation in the northern part of the state. 
 
 This was done. Then, after transferring 
 their ammunition to his own kit, the guide re- 
 stored their rifles to the Indians and sent them 
 from the camp. 
 
 "To-morrow we'll be on our way in peace," 
 said the guide when the Indians disappeared 
 from sight. 
 
 A week later the party reached the hamlet of 
 La Luz in the foothills of the Sacramento Moun- 
 tains. They arrived on the eve of some sort of 
 "fiesta" and found the village gayly decorated. 
 Having obtained permission, they made camp 
 in the yard of a little abode church on the main 
 street of the village, then set forth to learn 
 about the gayeties of the morrow. 
 
 The feast, they learned, was to be celebrated 
 with games and horsemanship. 
 
 "Do you think they'll let us take part?" 
 asked Tad of their guide. 
 
202 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 "111 see. I think it can be arranged." 
 
 Early the next morning the visitors began 
 coming to town. These men and boys — ranch- 
 men, Mexicans, Indians, halfbreeds — made up 
 a picturesque crowd to the Pony Rider Boys. 
 
 The morning was given over to racing, rop- 
 ing, gambling, and other sports at which the 
 boys were content to be onlookers. But in the 
 afternoon was a tilting bout, open to all comers, 
 that interested Tad Butler, their guide having 
 entered him in this. 
 
 The tilting ring, suspended from the top of 
 an arch, was about an inch in diameter. The 
 horseman who could impale it on his tilting peg 
 and carry the ring away the greatest number 
 of times, each contestant having five chances, 
 would win the prize, a pair of silver spurs, 
 which would be presented by a dark-eyed 
 senorita, the proclaimed beauty of the town. 
 
 When Tad saw the size of the ring and real- 
 ized that he had never seen such a contest, he 
 felt dubious as to the outcome. But of the ten 
 contestants, Tad's place was eighth, so he could 
 watch how the others set about their task. 
 "When his turn came he took the pole, or "peg" 
 as they called it, which had been lent to him, 
 and rode full tilt at the arch. "When within a 
 few feet of it he caught the sparkle of the ring. 
 His pole, fully eight feet long, went up, and, 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 203 
 
 putting spurs to his pony, he galloped through 
 the arch. His peg struck the edge of the ring, 
 which swayed back and forth. 
 
 "Rest the peg lightly against your side," 
 advised a kindly-looking man, as Tad rode back 
 for another attempt. 
 
 Five of the contestants had put the point of 
 the peg through the ring, carrying it away. 
 
 On Tad Butler 's second attempt he drove his 
 pony forward at a speed the desert ponies could 
 not equal. As he approached the arch he tilted 
 the peg slightly and drove it through the center 
 of the ring, tearing it from its slender fasten- 
 ing and carrying it away. 
 
 All but Tad and one man finally dropped out. 
 Each of these had had four chances and three 
 strikes. 
 
 "If neither scores in his turn," announced 
 the scorer, "both will be ruled out and others 
 will compete for the prize." 
 
 The man, a Mexican, rode and lost. 
 
 Then Tad. Just as the boy approached the 
 arch, some one yelled and a sombrero was 
 hurled, striking the lad across the eyes. Of 
 course, he lost; but he brought his pony to a 
 standstill as soon as he could, displaying no ill- 
 will, though believing that the act had been 
 malicious. The crowd, though, howled its dis- 
 approval. 
 
204 JTHE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 "The boy is entitled to another chance," de- 
 clared the scorer. To this the Mexican ob- 
 jected loudly. 
 
 "As my opponent objects and as we all wish 
 to prevent hard feeling, why not give him an- 
 other chance too? If he wins I shall be satis- 
 fied." 
 
 A shout of approval greeted this suggestion 
 of Tad's and it was agreed upon. But again 
 the Mexican lost. 
 
 Tad was not interfered with, and again the 
 point of his peg went through the ring. With- 
 out halting his pony, he rode on, cut a circle, 
 and raced back at a gallop, pulling up before 
 the stand where the senorita stood. 
 
 Holding the ring aloft on his peg, Tad made 
 the pretty senorita a sweeping bow. Amid the 
 applause of the spectators, she handed the hand- 
 some spurs to him, smiling boldly into his eyes, 
 for Tad Butler was a good-looking youth. But 
 Tad, thoughts on the spurs, did not heed the 
 inviting smile. 
 
 Back in their camp by the adobe church, the 
 boys examined the spurs carefully. 
 
 "You're in luck, Tad," said Walter Perkins. 
 "These are beauties." 
 
 "I could have had 'em myself if I'd entered," 
 drawled Stacy Brown. "Tad wouldn't have 
 had a chance." 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 205 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 "fnf-^AD, I saw that fellow Lasar that we 
 heard plotting on the train — you re- 
 member? — get off the stage a while 
 ago." 
 
 Tad was not impressed by Stacy's news. 
 Tk3 matter was vague in his mind. Moreover, 
 he was excited by seeing a man introducing him- 
 self to Professor Zepplin and Mr. Kringle. 
 
 "Say, Chunky, let's go over there. That's 
 the man who told me how to handle my peg and 
 made it possible for me to win those spurs." 
 
 The two boys went over to the camp fire. 
 
 "This is Tad Butler, Mr. Marquand. Mr. 
 James Marquand of Albuquerque, Tad. This 
 is another of our Pony Rider Boys, Stacy 
 Brown," said the professor, introducing the 
 boys. 
 
 "Marquand!" Both boys were excited. 
 
 "Good work you did this afternoon, Butler." 
 
 "It was your advice that made it possible 
 for me to win the spurs," was Tad's reply. 
 
 After a little talk Tad found the opportunity 
 to say to Mr. Marquand: 
 
 "Stacy and I have something to tell you, Mr. 
 
206 THE PONY EIDEE BOYS 
 
 Marquand. If it's all the same to you, we'd 
 like to go to your hotel room where well not 
 be overheard. " 
 
 Mr. Marquand looked surprised, but agreed 
 readily and cordially, and, after telling Pro- 
 fessor Zepplin where they were going, the three 
 left the camp together. 
 
 "Now, boys," said the man after closing the 
 door to his notel room. 
 
 "Do you know a man by the name of Bob 
 Lasar?" asked Tad, who was to be spokesman. 
 
 "Yes. He and Joe Comstock are associated 
 with me in a business venture." 
 
 "In your search for treasure, isn't it?" 
 
 James Marquand started and eyed the boys 
 sharply. 
 
 "What of Lasar?" was all he asked. 
 
 Tad Butler told what they had heard the two 
 men say on the train and added the information 
 that Stacy had seen Lasar that day in La Luz. 
 
 1 1 Come, boys. Let 's get back to your camp. * ' 
 
 Marquand 's tone was quiet, and the two lads 
 accompanied him to the camp, wondering. 
 Their wonder turned to excitement when Mr. 
 Marquand, having interviewed the professor 
 and the guide, asked the four boys if their party 
 would accompany him on a treasure hunt. The 
 hunt would take them about two days' journey 
 distant to the ruins of an old Pueblo house. 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 207 
 
 "I'm pretty sure of my tier of houses; but 
 some of these adobe houses are six or seven 
 stories high, and we may find it difficult to find 
 the treasure after we reach the place." 
 
 "Do Lasar and Comstock know where the 
 place is?" asked Stacy Brown. 
 
 "No. I was to give them the details to-night. 
 Tad, if you '11 go back, with me so I may have a 
 witness, I'll have it out with them at once. 
 They're to come to my room this evening." 
 
 At first Lasar and Comstock simulated sur- 
 prise when Mr. Marquand told them he would 
 have no more to do with them. Then they be- 
 came angry and abusive in their language. 
 Finally Lasar jerked out a pistol. 
 
 Tad sprang forward and struck up the fel- 
 low's arm. There was a deafening report, but 
 the bullet buried itself in the ceiling. 
 
 Tad, knowing there were other cartridges in 
 the chamber, hung to the man 's arm, and though 
 the pistol was discharged, no aim could be 
 taken. Fighting fiercely, Tad finally gave the 
 man's wrist a knock that sent the weapon to 
 the floor. Meanwhile, Marquand, after a strug- 
 gle, had disarmed Comstock. 
 
 The noise of the scuffle brought the angry 
 proprietor to the room. Just as he bolted 
 through the door, Lasar and Comstock leaped 
 through a window and ran. 
 
208 THE PONY EIDER BOYS 
 
 " What's the meaning of this?" snapped the 
 proprietor. 
 
 "Attempted murder! Get out of here!" 
 
 Marquand was too angry to say more, so 
 Tad explained, and at length soothed the owner 
 of the place, helped by the fact that Marquand, 
 having cooled down, paid liberally for the dam- 
 age that had been done. Then man and boy 
 left the hotel and went to the camp in the 
 churchyard. They were careful to keep to the 
 shadows on their way, as it was more than 
 likely that either Lasar or his partner would 
 shoot at them if they caught sight of them. 
 
 It was three days after the fight in the hotel 
 room, and the party had moved on to the 
 Guadalupes. 
 
 "The moon will be here in a moment." 
 
 "What did the Pueblo chief say, Mr. Mar- 
 quand?" 
 
 " 'When the full moon has come and shoots 
 its first arrow over the crests of the Guadalupes 
 it points the way to the treasure of my ancient 
 people,' " quoted Mr. Marquand. "I got near 
 enough to results to make me believe I have the 
 right tier of houses. Now I hope to find the 
 treasure, though we may have to search." 
 
 "Wish the moon would rise now so we could 
 begin the search," said Stacy wistfully. 
 
 "We'll eat supper, Chunky, and put in our 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 209 
 
 time that way. Won't that do as well?" 
 laughed Ned Eector. 
 
 "I'll say it will!" agreed Stacy. 
 
 Just before the moon would arise all crowded 
 into a cool upper chamber in a tier of houses. 
 .The tradition had been handed down by word 
 of mouth in one of the Indian tribes, and if 
 there were a treasure, no human eyes had seen 
 it for many generations. The heavy wooden 
 door was closed and all was darkness within. 
 
 "Better leave the door open," grumbled 
 Stacy. f "No ray of moonlight can pierce into 
 this place." 
 
 But just at that moment a slender shaft of 
 light pierced the blackness. Evidently, there 
 was some crack in the walls of the cave that 
 permitted the light to penetrate for a moment. 
 The ray lay across the chamber, ending abruptly 
 on the adobe floor three feet from' the wall. 
 
 Mr. Marquand sprang forward and hastily 
 scratched a cross at the spot where the ray of 
 light stopped. None too soon was this done. 
 The light disappeared, and Ned murmured : 
 
 "We've followed the silver trail to its end." 
 
 "Perhaps," said Marquand, as he lighted a 
 lantern and got out the tools they had brought. 
 
 First the door was barred with a heavy piece 
 of timber, then Marquand and the boys set to 
 work with a will to dig. 
 
210 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 It was arduous work, and the boys were becom- 
 ing discouraged. Digging at the spot where 
 the silver ray had ended, they found nothing. 
 
 "The Indians knew astronomy only by see- 
 ing, not as mathematicians. Dig further away," 
 advised the professor. 
 
 This was done, and at last a great shout went 
 up. The digging had disclosed a short stair- 
 way, built of the same material of which the 
 house had been constructed. 
 
 But disappointment awaited them after they 
 were in the lower chamber. No treasure could 
 be found. Hope arose again, however, when 
 Professor Zepplin discovered another flight of 
 eteps. Down these they hurried. Then excite- 
 ment reigned. 
 
 "Give me the maul!" shouted Marquand. 
 
 After a fierce bout of pounding and prying, 
 an iron chest was forced from the floor of this 
 chamber and the cover broken open. 
 
 "Look!" yelled Stacy. "Nuggets of gold! 
 Silver ! Old Spanish coins — I guess that's what 
 they are," he added doubtfully. 
 
 "Let's count it," said Ned Rector gleefully. 
 
 "Better get it out and to a bank as soon as 
 possible," advised Kris Kringle. 
 
 "If we can," said Professor Zepplin. ""We 
 jnay have been followed. Have you a legal 
 claim to this, Mr. Marquand?" 
 
IN NEW MEXICO 211 
 
 "Yes. I bought up a hundred acres about 
 here and have the deeds already recorded." 
 
 The guide went up first and cautiously opened 
 the door. The professor was right. They had 
 been followed, for a fusillade of shots greeted 
 the opening of the heavy door. 
 
 "Those fellows can starve us out if we stay 
 here, and we can't get away through the front," 
 said Tad. ' ' But I think I could get through that 
 hole up there — none of you men could get 
 through — then, with that rope yonder, I could 
 let myself down and go for help." 
 
 Eeluctantly, the men consented. Otherwise 
 it would be attack or starvation. Tad gone* 
 hours of anxious waiting passed. Occasionally, 
 Mr, Kringle or Mr. Marquand would shoot 
 from the door, to be answered by a volley from 
 the besiegers. Those inside did not dare use 
 up their ammunition, yet they wished to keep 
 the besiegers from approaching too close. 
 
 It was two in the morning when numerous! 
 shots were heard. Then came answering shots, 
 but the bullets were not trained on the adobe 
 house. After this it was not long before the 
 besiegers, completely surrounded by a sheriff's 
 posse, were all in custody. Among them was 
 the Mexican whom Tad had defeated in tilting 
 at the ring, as well as Lasar and Comstock. 
 
 The besieged got away with the treasure, Mr, 
 
212 THE PONY RIDER BOYS 
 
 Marquand going with it to the nearest bank 
 with the posse as a guard while the Pony Rider 
 Boys returned to their camp, Tad Butler the 
 hero of the occasion. 
 
 When the treasure was counted it amounted 
 to about sixty thousand dollars. Though they 
 protested, the boys and Mr. Kringle and Pro- 
 fessor Zepplin were each forced by Mr. Mar- 
 quand to accept a check for two thousand dol- 
 lars. 
 
 A week after the finding of the treasure the 
 boys were back in Chillicothe. 
 
 "The end of a silver trail," said Tad Butler, 
 as they alighted from the train in their home 
 town. 
 
 "What happened to the boys later can be read 
 of in "The Pony Rider Boys or the ..Grand 
 Canyon; or, The Mystery of Bright Angel 
 Gulch." 
 
 THE END