The Pony Rider Boys in the Rockies | Page 7

a pony."
The boys gazed into each other's eyes.
"Good for you," breathed Ned. "You are the right sort, even if you are
weak. I always said you were. But did your father say he would get Tad
a pony?"
"Well, not exactly. He wanted to know how I thought Tad could take
care of a pony when he got it--said the boy would have no place to keep
it, nothing to feed it on----"
"Yes, that's so."
"But, I told him Tad might stable his pony with Jo-Jo in our barn."
"Sure thing. That's fine. Did he agree?"
"He said for me to bring Tad in to see him."
"But you did not?"
"No; I haven't had a chance. I'm going to try to get him to stop on the
way back, if he will. All three of us will stop off at the bank Father
usually stays late on Saturdays to go over the books all by himself----"
Further conversation was interrupted by the return of Tad. Acting upon
a knowing look from Walter, Ned maintained a discreet silence on the
subject. And, if Tad's keen glance, which searched their faces, as he
clambered aboard the grocery wagon, gave him the slightest inkling as
to what they had been discussing, he made no effort further to gratify
his curiosity.

"What are you going to do when you get back, Tad?" asked Walter by
way of directing the conversation to the subject of which he was at that
moment so full.
"Going back to the store. Why?"
"Oh, nothing much. Father wanted you to step in some time this
afternoon," answered Walter as carelessly as he could.
"What for?"
"He wishes to talk with you about something. You can stop off as we
go by. It will take only a few minutes of your time."
Tad shook his head emphatically. Nothing could deter him from doing
what he considered was his full duty to his employer.
"Then I shall go over to the store with you myself and see Mr.
Langdon," announced Walter firmly. After that, the conversation
drifted into a discussion of the respective merits of the two ponies that
Ned and Walter were riding.
Arriving at the store, Walter dismounted, and, tossing the reins to Ned,
ran up the steps into the store, while Tad began methodically to haul
the market baskets from the wagon, piling them together on the
sidewalk.
In a moment Walter came hurrying out.
"It's all right," he called from the top step. "Mr. Langdon says hitch
your horse here, while you go over with me to see father."
"Very well," replied Tad, as, with evident reluctance, he followed his
friend to the hank, half a block up the street.
Mr. Perkins greeted his young guest with marked courtesy.
"Walter delayed telling me of your heroic conduct in saving his life
until last night, Thaddeus. I am sorry. But, according to the old saying,

'it is never too late to mend.' Therefore, I want to thank you now."
Mr. Perkins grasped the lad's hands in a firm grip, while Tad, hiding his
embarrassment as best he could, gazed with steady eyes into the face of
the banker.
"I'm sorry he told you, sir. I just pulled him out -- that was all."
The banker laughed.
"Yes, fortunately that was all. But there surely would have been more if
you had not, Walter would have drowned. How you managed to get
him out, without both of you going down, is more than I can
understand."
"He dived in and swam out with me," Walter informed him.
"Quite so. And you wished my son to say nothing about it?" added the
banker with a twinkle in his eyes, not wholly lost on the boy who was
standing so rigidly before him, steeling himself to the most trying
ordeal he ever had experienced.
"I did, sir."
"Walter respected your wishes in the matter. But something came up
last evening that induced him to make a clean breast of the whole affair.
And I am very glad he did so."
"Yes, sir."
"Walter tells me you are a great lover of animals, especially horses."
"I am more fond of them, sir, than of anything else in the world, save
my mother," answered the boy, his eyes growing bright.
"And he also has told me about this new club of which I most heartily
approve. It will be an excellent thing for Walter. But of course you will
not he able to go out with the boys, not having a pony of your own."

"No, sir," answered Tad in a firm voice.
"I take it you would be very happy to be able to join them on their
outings?"
"Indeed I should, Mr. Perkins."
"Well," glowed the banker, "at Walter's suggestion