The Pony Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers | Page 2

chin exposed.
By this time Professor Zepplin had driven his own pony into the creek, the others following, where the horses drank greedily. Stacy and his mount were still on the bank, too sound asleep to think of either water or food.
"Stacy!" shouted the professor.
"Oh let him sleep," begged the boys.
"Too bad to disturb his infantile slumbers," jeered Ned Rector.
"But he will fall off."
"It wouldn't be the first time," laughed Tad. "Gid-ap!"
The ponies climbed the opposite bank, the tired Pony Riders throwing themselves off and quickly stripping the equipment from their mounts. They then led the animals farther into the bushes, where the ponies were tethered until they should be wanted again.
Chunky still slumbered on.
In the meantime Tad was carrying water from the creek, while the other two boys were starting a fire on the bank, the smoke from which was already curling up lazily into the still, hot air. But not much of a meal was cooked. It was too hot to eat or to cook. The boys sat down to their little meal, almost choking with laughter every time they glanced across the stream toward the sleeping pony and its sleeping rider.
"Most remarkable," nodded the professor. "Surely the smell of food ought to awaken him if nothing else does."
"He's just as much of a sleeper as he is an eater, Professor," declared Rector.
"That would be impossible," objected Tad. "As an eater he is a champion, as a sleeper he is just above the average. You're the champion sleeper of this outfit, Ned."
"It's too hot to resent your unseemly remarks, Tad. I'll take that matter up when we get to the mountains. By the way, how much farther is it to the mountains?"
"Just as far as it was this morning. How about it, Professor?"
"We ought to reach them this afternoon. According to my understanding, we were a little more than forty miles from them this morning. Since then we have gone a good twentyfive miles."
"Then we will camp there to-night?" questioned Walter.
"Yes, I hope so."
"What are we going to do about Chunky?" demanded Walter.
All eyes were directed toward the sleeping fat boy and his slumbering pony. The latter was now beginning to show some signs of life. It had lifted one foot, then another, until it had taken two steps toward the creek. But the rider was as soundly asleep as before. Nothing seemed to disturb Chunky when he was having a nap.
"He will fall off. Wake him up!" commanded the professor.
"Oh, please don't bother him. We want to see what he will do," begged Walter.
"I think you will see, all right," chuckled Tad. "You will see what you shall see, and---"
"There he goes!"
The pony had taken three or four more steps toward the stream. Now its eyes were partly open. It saw the rest of the party on the other side of the creek.
The cool water completed the awakening process for the horse. It drank freely then started for the other side, Chunky still sleeping. All at once the pony stepped into a deep hole in the creek. The animal went down on its nose with a mighty splash. Stacy shot over the disappearing head, then boy and pony vanished under the waters of Delaware Creek while the others of the party bowled with delight.
"Oh, wow!" howled Stacy, coming to the surface and making for shore with mighty splashes, coughs and chokings. "Oh, wow!"
Walter ran down to the water's edge, lending the unfortunate fat boy a helping hand. The pony in the meantime had clambered up the bank and was trotting off to join its fellows.
"What---what---who did that?" demanded Stacy belligerently.
"Did what?" replied Ned.
"Who threw me in?"
"I reckon you threw yourself in," answered Tad.
"I didn't."
"The pony did it for you. Don't be a goose," commanded Ned.
"Yes, you went to sleep. You've been asleep for the last ten miles or so," nodded Butler.
"I'm all wet," wailed Stacy.
"You will be dry in a few moments in this hot sun," interposed the professor.
"I don't want to be dry."
"Then jump in again," suggested Butler. "Anyhow, you've missed your dinner."
"I---I've---what?"
"Missed your dinner."
Chunky's gaze wandered from the camp fire to the dishes and provisions that already were being packed preparatory to moving on.
"I want my dinner," he wailed.
"Dinner is finished, young man," replied the professor severely. "You should be on hand when meals are being served. There is no second table in this outfit, except for good and sufficient reasons."
"My reasons are good. I---I fell in, I did. And---say, why didn't you fellows wake me up?" demanded the fat boy, a sudden suspicion entering his mind. He began to understand that a trick had been played upon him. "What'd you let me sleep for?"
"Because you were sleepy," answered Ned Rector solemnly.
"That's a mean trick. I wouldn't play that on a horse," answered Stacy indignantly.
"But you