The Pony Rider Boys in the Ozarks | Page 4

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 somebody was here--somebody who had no business to be
here."
"You mean--"
"Yes, I mean that after I had been out here a few moments I distinctly
heard two men. One of them, it appears, was yourself. Who the other
was I don't know. He evidently got away. As I couldn't follow both of
them, I chose you. You seemed to be the easiest one to catch. I was
right, wasn't I?" laughed the boy, at the thought of the game they had
been playing with each other.
"Somebody else here? I knew it, I knew it," exclaimed the Professor.
"When I first came out you were sound asleep. I must have awakened
you when I fell over the saddle out there. Who left that thing there for
me to nearly break my neck on?" he demanded angrily.
"I guess it must be Chunky's saddle."
"Of course. I'll talk to him in the morning. I'm going to bed. I'll catch
my death of cold."
CHAPTER II
A PACK MULE GOES OVER A CLIFF
Next morning the boys, assisted by Eagle-eye, had prepared the
breakfast by the time the Professor had awakened. They took keen
satisfaction in calling him for breakfast. Ordinarily they slept so late
that the Professor had to turn them out by physical force.
"Anybody'd think you'd been keeping late hours, Professor," laughed
Ned Rector.

"Perhaps I have," answered the scientist good naturedly. "But if so, I
am not the only one of this party who has."
That the Professor's words held some meaning unknown to them the
boys were fully aware. Tad had said nothing of his experiences of the
previous night, so they did not think to turn to him for an explanation.
"I might as well tell you, young gentlemen, that there was some one
prowling about this camp after we all were asleep last night--"
"What!" cried the Pony Riders in sudden surprise.
"Yes, that is true. Thaddeus and myself chased him around for nearly
half an hour, but--"
All eyes were now turned on Tad, who was bending over his plate that
they might not observe the grin that was spreading over his face despite
the lad's effort to keep it down.
"O Tad, tell us all about it," urged Walter Perkins. "What was he, a
bold robber or what?"
"I guess he must have been an 'Or What,'" suggested Stacy Brown
wisely.
"Don't mind him. He's dreaming still. It's only his appetite that's here at
the table. The rest of him is in bed asleep," jeered Ned Rector, with
such a funny grimace that the boys laughed.
"Yes," answered Tad, looking up, "we ran around here in our pajamas
until we found each other. Then we gave it up and went to bed."
"But who was it?" insisted Walter.
"It was an--"
"Now, never mind, Chunky. You are supposed to be asleep,"
admonished Ned, with a superior wave of his hand.

"I cannot say as to that," answered Tad. "I really don't think it
amounted to so very much. Probably some prowler curious to know
what sort of camp he had stumbled upon. I didn't lose any sleep over it
after I got back to bed."
"Neither did Chunky," laughed Ned.
"Did you?" asked the fat boy sharply, turning the laugh on Ned.
"You remember what we were told in Springfield," said Walter.
"What was that?" asked the Professor.
"That a band of robbers had been causing considerable excitement in
the Ozarks for several months past."
"Yes, you are right. I had forgotten that," nodded Professor Zepplin.
"Stealing horses and other things."
"Yes."
"But it's all nonsense to think they would bother us," objected Ned.
"We haven't anything that they would want."
"No, nor do we want them," replied Walter, with emphasis. "I guess we
had better sleep on our rifles to-night."
"That will hardly be necessary," smiled the Professor.
"How about Eagle-eye?" asked Ned. "Didn't he hear anything?"
"Eagle-eye was away last night."
"Oh, yes, that's so. I had forgotten that."
"It might be a good idea to tell him about it," suggested Tad, glancing
over at the Professor.
Professor Zepplin nodded his head.

"Eagle-eye, will you come here, please?" called Tad.
The Shawnee, who had been pottering about the camp-fire, strode over
to them with his