The Pony Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers | Page 6

I'll bear the scar for life. I-----"
"It is my opinion that we are in a dangerous position," declared the
professor, getting up and glancing about him apprehensively.
"We were. We are all right here for a little while," replied Tad. "But we
shall have to seek other quarters, I am afraid, and that without delay."
"Surely, it must be a mistake," protested the professor. "Some one must
have been shooting at us under a misapprehension that we were another
party."
"It doesn't make any difference what their motive is, sir," answered Tad.
"The fact remains that some one is trying to get us and we must look
lively or they will pink one or more of us. Get up, Stacy! You are all
right. Lead your pony in here while I take an observation."
Tad mounted his own horse and galloped along at the base of the rocks,
well shielded from any one who might be hiding further back in the
mountains. The Pony Rider Boy's mind was working rapidly. He was
forming a plan of campaign. He was inclined to agree with the theory
of Professor Zepplin. Still, theories would not help them at this critical
moment. They must protect themselves and at once if they expected to
get out alive. One course was plainly open to them. They could mount
their ponies and ride out over the plains at a gallop and perhaps escape.
However, this plan was rather risky. Besides, Tad did not like the idea
of running away.
"No, we've got to do something else," he declared out loud. "I have it!"
The boy brought his pony up standing and gazed off over the plain to a

point about a quarter of a mile beyond, where the plain rolled into a
hollow, a "hog hollow" as it was called down there.
Butler galloped back to where his companions were standing anxiously
awaiting him.
"We are wasting time, Tad," cried the professor as the lad rode up. "It
is my opinion that we had better ride into that canyon there and make
camp in some secluded spot where we shall not be easily found."
"I am afraid that won't help us any, Professor," said Tad. "How could
we expect to hide ourselves in there so completely that a mountaineer
would not find us? No, sir, it is my opinion that our only safety lies out
there in the open, at least for the rest of the afternoon and the night."
"What, ride out there to be shot up again?" demanded Stacy. "No, sir,
not for Stacy Brown! I've been shot up once. I don't propose to make a
bull's-eye of myself again."
"Stacy is right, boys. It would be foolishness to follow such a course
and---"
"Wait till you hear my plan, sir," urged Butler.
"We will hear it. Proceed."
"Out yonder about a quarter of a mile from the base of the rocks is a
depression in the plain. If we can reach it we shall be safe---"
"Yes, if we can reach it," repeated Ned.
"In doing so we should be shot in all probability," objected Professor
Zepplin.
"I think not, sir."
"Explain what you mean?"
"From the position occupied by the man or men when they fired at us

out there, I am sure they could not see us were we to follow the course I
went out on just now. If you will ride down to the edge of the foothills
with me and wait there, I will gallop out and prove my theory."
"What do you mean?" questioned the professor.
"I will see if I can draw their fire," answered Tad.
Professor Zepplin shook his head.
"Too risky!"
"It certainly is risky to stay here. Listen, sir. If that man wants to get us
he surely will be creeping down on our position before long. We are in
greater peril here, where we can't see anything on one side of us, than
we would be out there where we have an unobstructed view on all sides.
My plan is to make camp out in the hollow; then we will place a guard
over the camp, keeping a sharp watch all through the night. By morning
we'll be able to find out what is in the wind."
"I won't move a step," declared Stacy stubbornly.
"You will do whatever seems best to the rest of us," answered the
professor sternly. Then, after a moment's thought, he added, "I am
inclined, upon second thought, to agree with Tad. We will try the plan."
"Good. Follow me. Get that pony, Chunky. I told you once before to
catch him. We'll be in a fine mess if you lose your mount."
"I'd rather lose my mount than to lose my precious life," answered the
fat boy surlily.