Part 16 (1/2)

”What, sit here while a band of bandits are perhaps murdering Lieutenant Withem? I can't do that. You stay here, Professor. We will take care of ourselves. Don't worry about us. Chunky, you'd better stay here with the professor. You haven't got sand enough to---”

”What, me stay here?” shouted the fat boy, starting for his own mount.

”I guess you don't know what kind of a man I am. Come on, fellows.

Whoop!”

Stacy leaped into his saddle. Ned Rector and Walter Perkins already had taken to their saddles. The professor saw that it was useless to try to stop the boys. He groaned aloud. But Professor Zepplin was very active for his years. Ere the enthusiastic Pony Riders had started to gallop away the professor had made a flying leap into his saddle and a few seconds later was pounding down the canyon, along the West Fork, in the wake of the racing Pony Rider Boys.

”There they are!” cried Tad, as bursting out on the plain they saw vicious flashes of light, accompanied by the cras.h.i.+ng of guns.

CHAPTER IX

SHOWING GOOD GENERALs.h.i.+P

Rifles had been jerked from saddle boots as the boys swung to the left, sweeping down over the plain. Tad a.s.sumed the leaders.h.i.+p of the party, as he usually did in emergencies.

”All hold your fire until I give the word. Keep your heads. Don't get excited!” wanted the lad.

”That is good judgment. But try to keep out of the fire,” shouted the professor.

Ned Rector laughed.

”We might better have stayed at the camp if that is all we are going to do,” he answered.

Tad saw that several men were riding around in a circle shooting at a fleeing horseman whose rifle spoke often and spitefully. The lad knew that the solitary horseman was the Ranger lieutenant.

”The cowards---to attack one man that way!” gritted the boy. ”Now, fellows,” he called, slacking up slightly, ”I want you, when I say go, to yell like mad. Whoop it up for all you're worth. Then when I say fire, every man shake out his rifle, but shoot high. We don't want to hit anybody unless we have to. We'll make those fellows think the whole troop of Rangers is turned loose on them. Understand?”

”Good! Excellent head work, Tad. I'm proud of you. But I do hope none of you gets. .h.i.t.”

”If you are afraid, drop back to the rear, Professor,” suggested Stacy, whereat chuckles were heard from the others.

The bandits had not discovered the advancing hors.e.m.e.n in the darkness, though had they been less interested in seeking to kill Lieutenant Withem they might have observed the little band that was now sweeping down on them.

”Now! Whoop it up, fellows!” Tad raised his voice to an exultant shout.

Chunky's piercing voice punctured the atmosphere in a blood-curdling shout, a wild warwhoop.

”Yip! Yip! Hiyi! Hiyi! Kyaw! Kyeeaw! Yip! Yip!”

Despite the seriousness of the situation and the real desperateness of their position the Pony Rider Boys laughed so that they were unable to yell for a full minute. Then they let go their voices, to which the professor added his own. But his voice was almost wholly lost in the blood-curdling shouts of his young charges.

”Ready---Chunky, aim at the moon or you'll be puncturing some of us.

Now fire!”

A volley of shots followed Tad's command. Five rifles crashed out, but their leaden missiles went high, followed by another series of wild yells, whoops and scattering shots.

About this time the Border Bandits discovered the oncoming party of hors.e.m.e.n. All at once they turned their rifles on the Pony Rider Boys.