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Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali

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<h3> CHAPTER V </h3> <h4> STALKING BIG GAME BY MOONLIGHT </h4> The tension of the moment was relieved by a merry laugh from Mrs. McClure and her friends, in which Ned Rector joined spontaneously. The situation was too funny for even his offended dignity to resist. The result was an invitation for the entire party to dine with Mrs. McClure and her friends that evening. Ned Rector accepted on the spot, much to the disgust of his companions, who felt a diffidence about meeting the ladies after the exhibition in the store. However, after they had properly clothed themselves they felt better, and the evening passed at the home of Mrs. McClure's friends was one of the most enjoyable they experienced. At sunrise next morning the Pony Rider Boys were once more on the desert, bubbling over with spirits and anticipation. "I've got another invitation for you boys," announced Tom Parry after they had halted for the midday rest. "I hope we'll have some clothes on when it comes off, then," growled Ned. "It won't make much difference whether you have or not, so far as this invitation is concerned." "What is the invitation?" asked Professor Zepplin. "Bud Thomas and the other cowboys are hunting wild horses for market, you know?" replied the guide. "Wild horses?" marveled Walter. "Yes." "I didn't know there were any about here," said Tad. "It is estimated that there are all of a hundred thousand wild horses in the different ranges of this state," replied the guide. "You haven't told us yet what the invitation is," reminded Stacy. "You haven't given me a chance," laughed Tom. "Well, the invitation is to join in a wild horse hunt." "Hooray!" shouted the lads. "Very interesting," agreed the Professor. "And lively, too," added the guide. "The boys took quite a fancy to you young gentlemen after the roping trick, and said if you would join in a hunt, you'd get all the fun that was coming to you." Tad grinned at the recollection of their first meeting with the wild horse hunters. "Whe—when do we join them?" asked Chunky enthusiastically. "It will be a week or more yet before we reach that part of the desert where the hunts take place—that is, if we have good luck. But if we have any more such experiences as we have just passed through we shall not get there this summer," laughed the guide. By sunset, that day, the town of Eureka had disappeared behind the copper colored hills, and the Pony Rider Boys were again merely tiny specks on the great Nevada Desert. They pitched the new white tents for the first time that night, having made camp earlier than usual because they were not accustomed to working with the new outfit. No one knew where to find anything, which furnished the lads with plenty of amusement. Ned and Tom Parry cooked the supper over a sage brush fire. They had brought a few cans of milk with them, but after sampling it all hands declared their preference for the condensed brand of which they had purchased a liberal supply. The fresh milk procured in Eureka was strong with the sage brush taste, as was almost everything else in that barren country. The ponies refused the sage brush for their evening meal, having had a supply of real fodder back in town, so they were staked out near a growth of sage that they might browse on during the night should they decide that they were hungry enough. "Well, I wonder what will happen to-night," said Tad, as they finished the evening meal. "Let us hope that it will be nothing more serious than pleasant dreams," smiled Professor Zepplin. "That means you, Chunky," nodded Ned. "You are not to have the nightmare to-night, remember." "And you look out for your tootsie-wootsies," retorted Chunky. "We shall have to take a long ride to-morrow," announced the guide. "Why to-morrow?" asked Ned. "It is all of twenty miles to the next water hole, or where the next water hole should be. One cannot depend upon anything in this country." "Haven't we enough water with us?" asked the Professor. "Enough to last us through to-morrow—that's all. We shall have to get water at night; so, if we have no interruptions during the night, we shall make another early start." "Stacy, see to it that you do not lose your trousers this time. We don't wish to be disgraced by you again to-morrow," warned Ned. Stacy merely grimaced, making no reply. He knew that he had not been the one to get the worst of it, and so did his companions. He was quite satisfied with the punishment that had been meted out to Ned Rector. All hands turned in shortly after dark. They were tired after the long day's ride in the broiling sun. Besides, they had not yet made up the sleep they lost two nights before when the "twister" invaded their camp and wrecked it. The boys had been asleep only a short time, however, before the entire camp was startled by a long, thrilling wail. All the Pony Riders were wide awake in an instant, listening for a repetition of the sound. It came a moment later. "K-i-i-o-o-o-o! K-i-i-o-o-o-o! K-i-i-o-o-o-k-i!" The boys leaped from their tents. The sound plainly come from some wild animal, but what, they did not know. "Wha—what is it? A lion?" stammered Stacy. "I—I don't know," answered Walter. "Do you, Tad?" "I certainly do not. It's no lion, though. There are none here?" "Maybe it's a pack of wolves," suggested Ned. "There must be a lot of them to make such a howling as that." "D-d-d-d-do you thi—thi—think they're going to attack us?" stammered Stacy. "How do we know?" snorted Ned. Neither the Professor nor the guide having made their appearance, the boys took for granted that the two men were asleep. Such was the case so far as the Professor was concerned, but Tom Parry was lying on his bed awake, a quiet smile on his face. "Are you sure it's a wild animal, Tad?" whispered Walter. "Of course. What else could it be?" "Then I'll tell you what let's do." "What?" demanded Ned. "Let's get our rifles and crawl up to the top of that knoll yonder, where the sound seems to come from——" "And take a shot at them," finished Ned. "Good idea. What do you say, Tad?" "I guess there will be no harm in it," decided the lad, considering the question for a minute. They had moved away from the tents so that the sound of their voices should not arouse the sleeping men there. "Two guns will be enough. We're not so liable to hit each other if only two of us have them." "Who is going to shoot?" demanded Walter. "What's the matter with Ned and Chunky?" That suited all concerned. "You'd better hurry. The animals have stopped howling," advised Tad. Ned and Stacy ran lightly to their tents, returning quickly with their rifles. Stacy bore the handsome telescope rifle that he had won in a pony race during their exciting trip through the Ozark Mountains. Even in the moonlight one could see a long distance with the aid of the telescope on the gun's barrel. "See the brutes?" asked Stacy, with bated breath. "No, nor hear them, either," answered Walter. "I'll tell you what we'd better do," suggested Tad. "Yes," answered Ned anxiously. "We'll crawl along in the shadow to the south. I think the prowlers are up there on the ridge to the west. If they are, they'll be watching the camp-fire. Maybe they have smelled us and run away by this time, even if they didn't hear us talking." "Keep still, everybody," warned Ned. The boys stole along as silently as shadows. After moving some ten rods to the south, Tad motioned for them to turn west, which they did. No sooner had they changed their course, however, than Chunky with a loud "Ouch!" plunged headlong, his rifle falling several feet ahead of him. With frightful howls he began hugging one foot, rocking back and forth in great pain. "What's the matter?" snapped Ned Rector. "My foot! My foot!" "What about it——" "I—I don't know. I——" Tad grabbed the boy by the collar, jerking him clear of the place. The first thought that came to him was that Stacy had been bitten by a snake, though Tad did not even know whether or not there were snakes on the desert. "Nice chance we'll have to shoot anything," growled Ned in disgust. "Stop that wailing." "It hurts, it hurts——" "Keep still. I'll find out what the trouble is," warned Tad, dropping down and examining his companion's injured foot. "Ouch!" exploded Chunky, jerking his foot away. "If you want me to help you, you'll have to be quiet." Butler pressed gently on the bottom of the injured foot with the fingers of one hand, the other holding Chunky's ankle in a firm grip. "Humph!" grunted Tad. "He's stepped on a cactus bush with his bare foot. It's full of prickers. Hold still and I'll pick them out." "Guess there's no use to keep still any longer. Those animals probably have run away before this," complained Ned. "K-i-i-o-o-o-o-! K-i-i-o-o-o-o! K-i-i-o-o-o-k-i!" "S-h-h-h!" warned Tad. "They're there yet. Shall I take your rifle, Chunky? You probably don't feel much like tramping up the hill in your bare feet." "No!" exploded the fat boy. "I guess if there's any shooting to be done, Stacy Brown can do it, even if he's only got one foot to hop along on." Scrambling to his feet, Stacy recovered his rifle. He had forgotten all about his injured foot now. Cautiously the boys crawled up to the top of the rise of ground. "Sit down, everybody," directed Tad. "We ought to be able to see them from here." Not a thing save clumps of sage brush met peering eyes of the Pony Rider Boys. "Lay the barrel of your gun over my shoulder and look through the telescope," directed Tad softly. Pointing the gun to the southward, Stacy rested it on his companion's shoulder, placing an eye to the peep hole. The lads fairly held their breath for a minute. "I see him! I see him!" whispered Stacy in an excited tone. "What is it?" demanded Ned. "Where?" "I don't know. I guess it's a wolf." "How many?" asked Walter, crawling up to him. "See only one." "Take your time, Chunky," cautioned Tad in a low voice. "Draw a careful bead on the fellow and let him have it." "Over your shoulder?" "Sure. You never'll hit him without a rest." Once more they held their breath. At last Stacy exerted a gentle pressure on the trigger. There followed a flash and a roar. "O-u-u-c-h!" yelled the fat boy. The end of the telescope had kicked him violently in the eye as the gun went off. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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