The Pony Rider Boys in the Ozarks | Page 3

ground, not forgetting the saddle which he carefully avoided, but narrowly missing falling over it a second time.
By the time he had crossed to his former position, the intruder had done likewise. Professor Zepplin dodged behind a tree.
By this time the scientist was beginning to feel a little worried. He could not understand what the other fellow's object might be. If it were robbery, the fellow certainly would desire to get away as quickly as possible, rather than remain when he knew that efforts were being made to capture him. If not plunder, what could be his purpose?
With suddenly formed determination, Professor Zepplin strode out from his hiding place, starting for the other side on a run.
The other man did the same, and the only result of the move was that their positions were exchanged.
Once more the Professor decided to try strategy and see if he could not come up behind his opponent.
At the same moment the visitor apparently decided to resort to the same tactics. They went in opposite directions, however, to carry out their purpose, and when each arrived at the place it was to find that the other was opposite him again.
The Professor's bare feet were in a sad state by this time, his pajamas were torn and his hands were worn tender from using them for feet when running along on all fours. At the same time his temper was wearing to a point of dangerous thinness. It was likely to break down the slender barrier that held it at almost any time.
Suddenly he realized that the intruder had been silent for some minutes, and the Professor decided that it was time he ceased thinking over his own troubles and paid more attention to what the other man was doing.
"Now, I wonder what he is up to," growled the scientist. "I believe he has given me the slip and gotten away. Here I've been dreaming for minutes. I'll slip some myself and see if I can't surprise him if he's there yet."
Once again he started across the camp ground, without resorting to any of his former tactics, other than to proceed with extreme caution, covering the intervening space with long, careful strides.
Reaching the rock, he paused to listen, but could hear nothing.
Gun ready for instant use, Professor Zepplin dashed around the corner of the rock, running plump into the arms of the fellow whom he had been so successfully dodging for the past twenty minutes.
So startled was the scientist that he dropped his revolver, throwing both arms about his antagonist. He was surprised at the slenderness of the fellow, though he quickly discovered that what the other lacked in bulk he easily made up for by his lithe, supple body and muscular arms.
Almost before Professor Zepplin had collected his wits sufficiently to make any sort of defense he found himself lying flat on his back, with his opponent sitting on top of him, both wrists pinioned to the ground in an iron grip.
There seemed to the Professor something strangely familiar about the figure that was holding him down so firmly, but he did not try to analyze the impression. He had other things to think of at that moment.
"I'll wait a second until he lets up ever so little, then, with my superior weight, I ought to be able to throw him--"
"I've got you this time. What do you mean by prowling about our camp at this time of the--"
"Wha--what--who--who--" exclaimed the Professor.
"What!" fairly shouted the other. "Who--who are you?"
"I'm Professor Zepplin. Who are you?"
"Oh, shucks! I'm Tad Butler," answered the boy, hastily releasing his prisoner, and, more crestfallen than he would have cared to admit, assisting the Professor to his feet.
"What do you mean, you young rascal?" demanded the Professor, grasping the boy by the shoulders and shaking him vigorously. "I say, what do you mean by playing such pranks on me as this? Why, I might have shot you. I--"
"You are wrong, Professor; I have not intentionally played pranks on you--"
"Yes you have--yes you have," fumed the Professor.
"I might accuse you of doing the same thing to me, only I know you didn't get up in the middle of the night to play hide and seek with a boy--"
"Then what does this mean? Answer me instantly!"
"I can do so easily. The fact is, I heard somebody prowling around. The slight noise awakened me--"
"I should think it might," snarled Professor Zepplin.
"And, without waiting to dress, I slipped out--"
"And led me a nice chase. Look at me. There isn't a spot on my body that isn't black and blue. And to think I've been running around here in my bare feet trying to catch you--"
"You haven't entirely. You were chasing the same thing that I was," answered Tad thoughtfully.
"What's that? What's that you say?"
"I mean that