The Pony Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers

The Pony Rider Boys with the
Texas Rangers
by Frank Gee
Patchin

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Rangers
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Title: The Pony Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers
Author: Frank Gee Patchin
Release Date: July 22, 2004 [EBook #12980]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PONY
RIDER BOYS / TEXAS RANGERS ***

Produced by Jim Ludwig

The Pony Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers or On the Trail of the
Border Bandits
By Frank Gee Patchin

CONTENTS
CHAPTERS
I. Excitement on the West Fork II. A Mysterious Attack III. In a Bad
Man's Power IV. Tad Butler Makes a Discovery V. When the Tables
Were Turned VI. The Camp in an Uproar VII. Receiving a Late Visitor
VIII. A Much-Wanted Desperado IX. Showing Good Generalship X.
The Pony Rider Boys Initiated XI. Bag-Baiting the 'Possums XII.
Insects Win the Battle XIII. An Inquisitive Visitor XIV. When the Air
Grew Chill XV. Making a Starting Discovery XVI. Joining Out With
the Rangers XVII. Fun on the Mountain Trails XVIII. One Hiss Too
Many XIX. Surrounding the Enemy XX. Learning Some Fancy Shots
XXI. A Hole in the Mountain XXII. The Cave of the Bandits XXIII. In
a Perilous Position XXIV. Conclusion
CHAPTER I
EXCITEMENT ON THE WEST FORK
Leaving the main branch of Delaware Creek, a broad, sluggish stream
that slowly made its way toward the muddy Pecos River, a party of
horsemen turned up the west branch.
Horses and men alike were wearied, dusty, perspiring and sleepy under
the glare of a midsummer Texas sun. Little had been said for some time.
None felt like talking. For hours they had been working south by west,
urged on by the green of the foliage that they could see a short distance
ahead. At least it had seemed a short distance for the last five hours, but
the green trees now appeared to be just as far away as when the party
had first sighted them early in the morning.

At the head of the line rode a grizzled, stern-faced man, sitting on his
pony very stiff and erect. Just behind him was a young man, slender,
fair haired and smiling, despite the discomfort his red face showed him
to be suffering. Still back of them rode three other young men, the last
in the line being a disconsolate fat figure of a boy who slouched from
side to side in his saddle, each lurch threatening to precipitate him to
the ground. The boy's pony was dragging along with nose close to the
earth, the bridle rein slipping lower and lower over the animal's neck.
The fat boy was plainly asleep. He had been slumbering in the saddle
for more than an hour, and occasional mutterings indicated that he was
dreaming.
"Professor, don't you think we had better make camp and take a rest?"
asked the first boy in the line, addressing the grizzled leader.
Professor Zepplin cast a critical glance down the line of jaded horses
and riders, a faint smile twitching the corners of his mouth.
"All tired out, eh, Tad?" he questioned.
"Yes, I'll confess that I am for once. Of course I can stand it as long as
the next one, but there's no use in wearing out the stock," answered Tad
Butler. "Chunky's asleep. Ned and Walter will be in a few minutes
more."
"Very good; call a halt. We will ride into the bushes over there on the
other side of the stream. The water cannot be deep. Some hot coffee
will wake us all up."
"Hoo---oo!" cried Tad, interrupting the professor. "Wake up, fellows,
and make camp!"
"Wha---what's up?" demanded Ned Rector, straightening in his saddle.
"Nothing's up, except ourselves, and we'll all be down in a minute.
We're going to ford the stream and make camp on the other side."
"Is this the Guadalupe range?" asked Walter Perkins sleepily.

"This is the loop all right, but not the Guadalupe," laughed Rector.
"Hullo, Chunky's in the Land of Nod."
"Wake him up, Ned," nodded Tad.
"Not much. Let him wake himself up."
"His pony has gone to sleep, too," added Walter.
"Yes, they are a couple of sleepy heads, Tad."
As the lads turned to gaze at the fat boy, they could not repress a shout
of laughter. Stacy Brown's pony now stood the picture of dejection, its
nose clear to the ground. Chunky had settled in his saddle until it
seemed that the boy