The Pony Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers; Or, On the Trail of the Border Bandits

close!" c

coming from?"

ven't had time to l

t from the foothills. A bullet threw up a little cloud of dust just to one side of

e out of his mouth, the sombrero was shot from his hand and went spinning out to the rear. Professor Ze

und. It was observed that there was blood on the fat boy's left cheek, but his

" demanded Tad

kil

t's only a f

t?" stammered

y with considerable spirit for a man who had been the ma

was quickly washed from his cheek. It was then seen that a bu

y, had hurried up to them, and down on hi

tered. "Bad busine

es it mean?"

Stacy Brown. "Oh, I knew we should be in this war sooner or later

been trying to shoot

nky. "They did more th

nd on my countenance?

ark on my face. I'll b

-

s position," declared the professor, gettin

le," replied Tad. "But we shall have to seek oth

fessor. "Some one must have been shooting at us u

that some one is trying to get us and we must look lively or they will pink one or more of

an 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.

his pony up standing and gazed off over the plain to a point about a quarter of a mile

re his companions were stan

"It is my opinion that we had better ride into that canyon there and

s in there so completely that a mountaineer would not find us? No, sir, it is my opinion that ou

cy. "No, sir, not for Stacy Brown! I've been shot up onc

would be foolishness to

ear my plan, sir

hear it.

he base of the rocks is a depression in the

an reach it,"

be shot in all probabil

pp

nk not

what yo

y could not see us were we to follow the course I went out on just now. If you will ride dow

an?" questioned

can draw their fi

epplin shoo

ris

il 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

step," declared

ofessor sternly. Then, after a moment's thought, he added, "I am inc

told you once before to catch him. We'll

n to lose my precious life,"

not looked for anything quite so lively as this. It was not the first time the Pony Rider Boys had smelled

holding his handkerchief to the wound a

"You're not going to show

ther I'm showing,"

ered Butler. "

e glances up to their tops. He was not wholly satisfied that they were out of range o

ere he previously had halted. "Don't shout, but when I wave my hand

do. Deep down in his heart the Pony Rider Boy expected every second to hear a bullet scream over his head

. Professor Zepplin started out at once, followed by the others of his party, Stacy this time well up toward the front of the line. F

out incident, the party reaching the hollow

r, "that, whoever our enemy may be, he ha

ook hi

t see us, but he will be on hand before long. I'm going back there be

going?" demande

couting

y such foolhardy busine

in st

't dare go any farther--we simply cannot go into the mountains knowing there is

do you pro

beyond finding

uble. I'm the only one who has had any experience thu

f taking you with

if I see you comin

him along,"

he Professor being willing,"

at Tad to see whether the la

, I'm will

ut it, P

into the mountains I w

to your taking furthe

not hold me to

nded Professor

yond the edge of

s it you are pla

is that is shooting at us

be the Germans attacking us, do you

ssor shoo

see how necessary it is for some one

y share already. It is high time some one else got a move on. Firs

ou have your way. See to it that you are back here in a

er than that please don't worry. You know we might not be able to get away. If we ge

we take o

s here. We don't want t

volvers. That wil

now you have a level head or I should not permit y

r. Come on, Ned; we mus

to leave the ca

after first having taken the rifle from the sa

der," directed Butler, after leaping into his saddle

d taken upon himself a serious piece of work, one that might be the death of both. Still, he was nothi

Rector, for Ned was brave and resourceful, a

tains without incident. There

hat your plan

r ponies. I don't want to go back to the point where we first started to make camp. That is the place w

Tad at a slow trot along the base of the foothills. The bo