The Pony Rider Boys in the Grand Canyon | Page 9

permitted the eyelids to droop. It
was not a good sign as Tad viewed it, and the Pony Rider was an
excellent horseman.
"Better be careful, Chunky," he warned. "Shan't I rope him for you?"
"I guess not. If I can't rope him I'd like to see you do it."
"Sail in. You know best," answered Tad, with a grin, winking at Ned
and the Professor. Jim Nance appeared to take only a passive interest in
the matter. He might have his say later provided his advice were
needed.
Chunky ran his rope through his hands, then grasping the hondo, strode
boldly into the corral.

"I reckon it's time we were climbing the fence," announced Tad.
"I reckon it is," agreed the guide, vaulting to the top rail, which action
was followed by the other two boys, only the owner of the herd and
Professor Zepplin remaining inside the corral with Stacy.
Suddenly Stacy let go the loop of his lariat. It dropped over the head of
the sleepy pinto. The pinto, at the touch of the rope, sprang into sudden
life. Then things began to happen in that corral. Stacy Brown was the
center of the happenings.
CHAPTER III
TENDERFEET SHOW THEIR SKILL
"Woof!" exclaimed Ned Rector.
"Oh!" cried Walter Perkins.
"Good boy! Hang on!" shouted Tad encouragingly.
It is doubtful whether Stacy heard either the words of warning or those
of encouragement from Tad, for at that moment Stacy's feet were up in
the air. The pinto had leaped forward like a shot the instant it felt the
touch of the rope. Of course Chunky, who had clung to the rope, went
along at the same rate of speed.
A great cloud of dust rose from the corral. The mustang was darting
here and there, bucking, squealing and kicking. In a moment most of
the other mustangs were doing likewise. The owner of the herd, calling
to the Professor, darted out, leaving one bar of the fence down.
Professor Zepplin, becoming confused, missed his way and found
himself penned into one corner at the far side, almost the center of a
circle of kicking mustangs.
Tad saw the danger of their companion almost at once. The lad leaped
down, and darting among the kicking animals, made his way toward
the Professor just as Stacy's mustang leaped the bars. Stacy's toes

caught the top rail, retarding his progress for the briefest part of a
second, then he shot out into the air after the racing mustang.
"Leggo!" roared the boys.
"Let go!" shouted the guide. "The little fool! Doesn't he know enough
to come in out of the wet?"
"You'll find he doesn't, sir. Your troubles have only just begun. You'll
be demanding an increase of wages before you have followed Stacy
Brown for a full twenty-four hours," prophesied Ned.
In the meantime Tad had reached the Professor, regardless of the flying
hoofs about him. With his rope the boy drove the animals off just in
time. Somehow they seemed to have taken it into their heads that the
Professor was responsible for their having been disturbed and they
were opening their hoof batteries upon him. They gave way before the
resolute young Pony Rider almost at once. They recognized that this
slender young plainsman and mountaineer was unafraid.
The Professor was weak in the knees by the time he had been led out.
"I didn't know you were in there," apologized Nance.
"Where's Stacy?" was the Professor's first question.
"He's gone by the air line," answered Walter.
While all this had been taking place Chunky had continued in his mad
flight for a short distance. He had a long hold on the rope by which the
mustang was hauling him. The wary beast, espying a tree whose limbs
hung low, changed his course and darted under the lowest of the limbs.
Its intention was plain to those who knew the habits of these gentle
beasts. The mustang intended to "wipe" the Pony Rider boy free of the
line.
Just before reaching the low-hanging limb the pinto darted to one side,
then to the other after an almost imperceptible halt. The result was the

rope was drawn under the low limb. A quick leap on the part of the
mustang, that exhibited almost human intelligence by this manoeuvre,
caused Chunky to do a picturesque flop over the limb, falling flat on his
back on the other side. This brought the mustang to a quick stop, for the
rope had taken a firm hitch around the limb.
The sudden jolt and stoppage of his progress threw the mustang on his
nose, where he poised for a few seconds, then he too toppled over on
his back.
The owner of the herd was screaming with, merriment, Jim Nance was
slapping his sides as he