The Pony Rider Boys in New Mexico | Page 9

boys were to descend was much more precipitous
than the one they had come up by, but offered no very great difficulties
for two nimble boys. Proceeding with infinite caution, they gained the
ground without a mishap.
"We'll walk straight on in this direction, until we get out of sight; then
we can turn to the left and hurry to the camp."
Stacy nodded. As he 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?"
"I-- I don't know. I'll 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 fleeing 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 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 Indians would follow them
there. To do so, the boys 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 TRAIL OF JUAN
"Look 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 Professor 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 Mexican.
"We're down here! Look out for the Indians!" warned Tad in a loud
voice.
"You're crazy!" jeered Ned. "Come out of 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, but 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 companions.
"What does this mean?" demanded the Professor.
"Hurry! We must get out of this. It's Indians!"
"They-- they wanted to scalp us," interjected Stacy.
"But you runned away, eh? Brave man!" chuckled Ned.
"Indians! There are no Indians here.
"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 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, moving
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 mischief, 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 attention to them if we discover any