THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE GRAND CANYONorThe Mystery of Bright Angel Gulch

byFrank Gee Patchin

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS I. Westward Ho! II. A View of the Promised Land III. Tenderfeet Show Their Skill IV. A Night in the Crater V. Tad Lend a Helping Hand VI. A Sight that Thrilled VII. On the Rim of Eternity VIII. The City in the Skies IX. Chunky Wants to go Home X. Escape is Wholly Cut Off XI. A Trying time XII. Braving the Roaring Colorado XIII. A Battle Mightily Waged XIV. The Dogs Pick up a Trail XV. The Mystery of the Rifle XVI. A New Way to Hunt Lions XVII. The Whirlwind Ball of YellowXVIII. The Unwilling Guest Departs XIX. The Fat Boy Does a Ghost Dance XX. In the Home of the Havasupais XXI. Chunky Gets a Turkish Bath XXII. A Magical CureXXIII. Stacy as an Indian Fighter XXIV. Conclusion

CHAPTER I

WESTWARD, HO!

"Ow, Wow, Wow, Wow! Y-E-O-W!"

Tad Butler, who was industriously chopping wood at the rear of thewoodshed of his home, finished the tough, knotted stick before lookingup. 

The almost unearthly chorus of yells behind him had not even startledthe boy or caused him to cease his efforts until he had completed whathe had set out to do. This finished, Tad turned a smiling face to thethree brown-faced young men who were regarding him solemnly. 

"Haven't you fellows anything to do?" demanded Tad. 

"Yes, but we have graduated from the woodpile, " replied Ned Rector. 

"I got my diploma the first time I ever tried it, " added Chunky Brown, otherwise and more properly known as Stacy Brown. "Cut a slice of mybig toe off. They gave me my diploma right away. You fellows are tooslow. "

"Come in the house, won't you? Mother'll be glad to see you, " urged Tad. 

"Surely we will, " agreed Walter Perkins. "That's what we came overto do. "

"Oh, it is, eh?"

"Didn't think we came over to help you chop wood, did you?" demandedChunky indignantly. 

"Knowing you as I do, I hadn't any such idea, " laughed Tad. "Butcome in. "

The boys filed in through the wood house, reaching the sitting room byway of the kitchen. Tad's mother gave them a smiling welcome, risingto extend a warm, friendly hand to each. 

"Sit down, Mrs. Butler, " urged Walter. 

"Yes, we will come to you, " added Ned. 

"We haven't lost the use of our legs yet, Mrs. Butler, " declared thefat Chunky, growing very red in the face as he noted the disapprovingglances directed at him by his companions. 

"I hope you won't mind Chunky, Mrs. Butler, " said Ned apologetically. "You know he has lived among savages lately, and-----"

"Yes, ma'am, Ned and I have been constant companions for---how longhas it been, boys?"

"Shut up!" hissed Ned Rector in the fat boy's ear. "I'll whale you whenwe get outside, if you make any more such breaks. "

"Never mind, boys; Stacy and myself are very old, old friends, " laughedMrs. Butler. 

"Yes, ma'am, about a hundred years old, more or less. Oh, I beg yourpardon. I didn't mean it just that way, " stammered Chunky, coloringagain and fumbling his cap awkwardly. 

"Now you have said it, " groaned Walter. 

"Go way back in the corner out of sight and sit down before I startsomething, " commanded Ned. "You must excuse us, Mrs. Butler. It isas Chunky has said. We are all savages---some of us more so thanothers, some less. "

"It is unnecessary to make apologies. You are just a lot of healthyyoung men, full of life and spirits. " Mrs. Butler patted Tadaffectionately on the head. "Tad knows what I think of you all andhow appreciative we both are over what Mr. Perkins has done for us. Now that I have had a little money left me, I am glad that Tad is ableto spend more time with you in the open. I presume you will soon bethinking of another trip. "

"We're always thinking of that, Mrs. Butler, " interrupted Ned. "Andwe couldn't think of a trip without thinking of Tad. A trip withoutTad would be like---like-----"

"A dog's tail wagging down the street without the dog, " interjected thesolemn voice of Chunky Brown from his new headquarters. 

"I move we throw Chunky out in the wood house, " exploded Ned. "Willyou excuse us while we get rid of the encumbrance, Mrs. Butler?"

"Sit down and make your peace. I know you boys have some things totalk over. I can see it in your faces. Go on with your conference. I'll bring you some lemonade in a few moments, " said Mrs. Butler, asshe left the room. 

"Well, fellows, is this just a friendly call or have you reallysomething in mind?" asked Tad after all had seated themselves. 

"I'm the only one with a mind that will hold anything. And I've gotplenty in it, too, " piped Chunky. 

Ned Rector sighed helplessly. The other boys grinned, passing handsacross their faces that Stacy might not observe their amusement. 

"We want to pow-wow with you, " said Walter. 

"That means you've something ahead---another trip?"

"Yes, we're going to the-----" began young Brown. 

"Silence! Children should be seen, but not heard, " commanded Ned. 

Chunky promptly hitched his chair out, joining the circle. 

"I'm seen, " he nodded, with a grimace. 

"Then see that you're not heard. Some things not even a Pony Rider boycan stand. You're one of them. "

"Yes, I'm a Pony Rider, " answered Chunky, misapplying Ned Rector'swithering remark. 

"Another trip, eh?"

"That's it, Tad. Walt's father has planned it out for us. And whatdo you think?"

"Yes, what d'ye think? He's going-----"

"Look here, Chunky, are you telling this or am I?" demanded Ned angrily. 

"You're trying to, but you're making an awful mess of the whole business. Better let me tell it. I know how and you don't. "

"Give Ned a chance, can't you, Chunky?" rebuked Tad, frowning. 

"All right, I'll give him a chance, of course, if you say so. I alwayshave to take a back seat for everybody. I'm nothing but just aroly-poly fat boy, handy to draw water, pitch and strike camp, gatherfirewood, wash the dishes, cook the meals, save the lives of mycompanions when they get into scrapes, and-----"

This was too much for the gravity of the Pony Rider Boys. They burstout into a hearty laugh, which served to put all in good humor again. Chunky, having relieved his mind, now settled down in his chair tolisten. 

"Now, Ned, proceed, " said Tad. 

"Well, Mr. Perkins thinks it would be fine for us to visit the GrandCanyon. "

"Of the Colorado?"

"Yes. "

"Tad knows more'n the rest of you. You didn't know where the place was. Walt thought it was some kind of a gun that they shot off at sunrise, or-----"

No one gave any heed to Chunky's further interruption this time. 

"The Grand Canyon of the Colorado?" repeated Tad, his eyes sparkling. "Isn't that fine? Do you know, I have always wanted to go there, butI hardly thought we should get that far away from home again. But whatplans has Mr. Perkins made?"

"Well, he has been writing to arrange for guides and so forth. He knowsa good man at Flagstaff with whom Mr. Perkins hunted a few years ago. What did he say the name was, Walt?"

"Nance. Jim Nance, one of the best men in that part of the country. Everybody knows Jim Nance. "

"I don't, " declared Chunky, suddenly coming to life again. 

"There are a lot of other things you don't know, " retorted Ned Rectorwitheringly. 

"If there are you can't teach them to me, " returned Stacy promptly. 

"As I was saying when _that_ interrupted me, Mr. Perkins wrote to thisman, Nance, and engaged him for June first, to remain with us as longas we require his services. "

"Does Mr. Perkins think we had better take our ponies with us?"

"No. "

"Then we shall have to buy others. I hardly think I can afford thatoutlay, " said Tad, with a shake of the head. 

"That is all arranged, Tad, " interrupted Walter. "Father has directedMr. Nance to get five good horses or ponies. "

"Then Professor Zepplin is to accompany us?"

"Yes. "

"Poor Professor! His troubles certainly are not over yet, " laughed Tad. "We must try not to annoy him so much this trip. We are older now andought to use better judgment. "

"That's what I've been telling Ned, " spoke up Stacy. "He's old enoughto-----"

"To---what?" demanded Ned. 

Chunky quailed under the threatening gaze of Ned Rector. He mumbledsome unintelligible words, settled back in his chair and made himselfas inconspicuous as possible. 

"Pooh! Professor Zepplin enjoys our pranks as much as do we ourselves. He just makes believe that he doesn't. He's a boy himself. "

"But an overgrown one, " muttered Stacy under his breath. 

"Where do we meet the Professor?" asked Tad. 

"How about it, Walt?" asked Ned, turning to young Perkins. 

"I don't think father mentioned that. "

"We shall probably pick him up on the way out, " nodded Tad. 

"Well, what do you think of it?" demanded Ned. 

"Fine, fine!"

"You don't seem very enthusiastic about it. "

"Don't I? Well, I am. Has Mr. Perkins decided when we are to start?"

"Yes, in about two weeks. "

"I don't know. I am afraid that is too soon for me. I don't even knowthat I shall be able to go, " said Tad Butler. 

"Why not?"

"Well, we may not be able to afford it. "

"Pshaw! Your mother just said you might go, or words to that effect. Of course you'll go. If you didn't, I wouldn't go, and my father wouldbe disappointed. He knows what these trips have done for me. Rememberwhat a tender plant I was when we went out in the Rockies that time?"

"Ye---yes, " piped Stacy. "He was a pale lily of the valley. Now Walt'sa regular daisy. "

Young Perkins laughed good-naturedly. He was not easily irritated now, whereas, before beginning to live in the open, the least littleannoyance would set his nerves on edge. 

Mrs. Butler came in at this juncture, carrying a pitcher of lemonadeand four glasses on a tray. The Pony Riders rose instinctively, standing while Mrs. Butler poured the lemonade. 

"Oh, I forgot the cookies, didn't I?" she cried. 

"Yes, we couldn't get along without the cookies, " nodded Chunky. 

"Now don't let your eyes get bigger'n your stomach, " warned Ned. "Remember, we are in polite society now. "

"I hope you won't forget yourself either, " retorted Stacy. "I'llstand beside you. If you start to make a break I'll tread on yourtoes and-----"

"Try it!" hissed Ned Rector in the fat boy's ear. The entrance ofMrs. Butler with a plate heaped with ginger cookies drove all otherthoughts from the minds of the boys. "Mrs. Butler, " began Ned, clearing his throat, "we---we thank you; from the bottom of ourhearts we thank you---don't we, Stacy?"

"Well, I---I guess so. I can tell better after I've tried the cookies. I know the lemonade's all right. "

"How do you know?" demanded three voices at once. 

"Why, I tasted of it, " admitted Chunky. 

"As I was saying, Mrs. Butler, we-----"

"Never mind thanking me, Ned. I will take your appreciation forgranted. "

"Thank you, " answered Stacy, looking longingly at the plate of cookies. 

"Now help yourselves. Don't wait, boys, " urged Tad's mother, givingthe boys a friendly smile before turning to leave the room. 

"Ah, Mrs. Butler. One moment, please, " said Ned. 

"Yes. What is it?"

"We---ah-----"

"Oh, let me say it. You don't know how to talk in public, " exclaimedChunky. "Mrs. Butler, we, the Pony Rider Boys, rough riders, Indianfighters and general, all-around stars of both plain and mountain, arethinking-----"

Ned thrust Chunky gently aside. Had it not been for Mrs. Butler'spresence Ned undoubtedly would have used more force. 

Tad sat down grinning broadly. He knew that his mother enjoyed thisgood-natured badinage fully as much as the boys did. 

Ned rapped on the table with his knuckles. 

"Order, please, gentlemen!"

"That's I, " chuckled Stacy, slipping into a chair. 

"Laying all trimmings aside, Mrs. Butler, we have come to speak withyou first, after which we'll have something to say to your son. "

Mrs. Butler sat down in the chair that Tad had placed for her. 

"Very good. I shall be glad to hear what you have to say, Ned. "

"The fact is---as I was about to say when interrupted by theirresponsible person at my left-----"

"I beg pardon. _I'm_ at your left, " remarked Walter. 

"He doesn't know which is his left and which is his right, " jeeredChunky. "He's usually left, though. "

"I refer to the person who was sitting at my left at the time I beganspeaking. I had no intention of casting any aspersion on Mr. WalterPerkins. As I was about to say, we are planning another trip, Mrs. Butler. "

"Where away this time, Ned?"

"To the Grand Canyon-----"

"With the accent on the _yon_, " added Stacy. 

"The Grand Canyon of the Colorado?"

"Yes, ma'am. Mr. Perkins has arranged it for us. Everything is fixed. Professor Zepplin is going along and-----"

"That will be fine, indeed, " glowed Tad's mother. 

"Yes, we think so, and we're glad to know that you do. Tad didn't knowwhether you would approve of the proposed trip or not. Weare---ahem---delighted to learn that you do approve of it and that youare willing that Tad should go. "

"Oh, but I haven't said so, " laughed Mrs. Butler. 

"Of course she hasn't. You see how little one can depend upon what NedRector says, " interjected Stacy. 

Ned gave him a warning look. 

"I should say that you approve of his going. Of course we couldn'tthink of taking this trip without Tad. I don't believe Mr. Perkinswould let Walt go if Tad weren't along. You see, Tad's a handy manto have around. I know Chunky's people never would trust him to gowithout Tad to look after him. You see, Chunky's such an irresponsiblemortal-----"

"Oh, I don't know, " interrupted the fat boy. 

"One never knows what he's going to do next. He needs some one towatch him constantly. We think it is the fault of his bringing up. "

"Or the company I've been keeping, " finished Chunky. 

"At any rate, we need Tad with us. "

"Then I shall have to say 'yes, '" replied Mrs. Butler, nodding andsmiling. "Of course Tad may go. I am glad, indeed, that he has suchsplendid opportunities. "

"But, mother, I ought to be at work, " protested Tad. "It is time Iwere doing something. Besides, I think you need me at home. "

"Never mind, Tad. When you have finished with these trips you willbe all the better for them. You will have erected a foundation ofhealth that will last you all your life. Furthermore, you will havegained many things by the experience, When you get at the real seriouspurpose of your life, you will accomplish what you set yourself to do, with better results. "

"That---that's what I say, " began Chunky. "Haven't I always toldyou-----"

"Stacy is wise beyond his years, " smiled Mrs. Butler. "When he isgrown up I look for him to be a very clever young man. "

The eyes of the boys still twinkled merrily, for Chunky, unable toguess whether he were being teased, was still scowling somewhat. However, he kept still for the time being. 

"Yes, Tad may go with you, " continued Mrs. Butler. "You start---when?"

"In about two weeks, " Walter replied. "Father said he would call todiscuss the matter with you. "

"I shall be glad of that, " nodded Mrs. Butler. "I shall want to talkover the business part of the trip. "

Then the youngsters fell to discussing the articles of outfit theywould need. On this head their past experience stood them in goodstead. 

"Now, I presume, I have said all that I can say, " added Mrs. Butler, rising. "I will leave you, for I would be of very little use to youin choosing clothing and equipment. "

Before she could escape from the room, however, Tad had risen andreached her. Without exhibiting a twinge of embarrassment before theother young men, Tad held and kissed her, then escorted her to thedoor. Walter and Ned smiled their approval. Chunky said nothing, but sat blinking solemnly---the best possible proof of his approbation. 

All of the readers of this series know these young men well. Theywere first introduced to Tad and his chums in the opening volume, "_The Pony Rider Boys In The Rockies_. " Then were told all the detailsof how the boys became Pony Riders, and of the way they put theirplans through successfully. Readers of that volume well recall theexciting experiences and hair-breadth escapes of the youngsters, theirhunts for big game and all the joys of living close to Nature. Theirbattle with the claim jumpers is still fresh in the minds of all readers. 

We next met our young friends in the second volume, "_The Pony RiderBoys In Texas_. " It was on these south-western grazing plains thatthe lads took part in a big cattle drive across the state. This newtaste of cowboy life furnished the boys with more excitement than theyhad ever dreamed could be crowded into so few weeks. It proved to beone long round of joyous life in the saddle, yet it was the sort ofjoy that is bound up in hard work. Tad's great work in saving a largepart of the herd will still be fresh in the mind of the reader. Howthe lads won the liking of even the roughest cowboys was alsostirringly told. 

From Texas, as our readers know, the Pony Riders went north, and theirnext doings are interestingly chronicled in "_The Pony Rider Boys InMontana_. " Here the boys had the great experience of going over theold Custer trail, and here it was that Tad and his companions becameinvolved in a "war" between the sheep and the cattle men. How Tad andhis chums soon found themselves almost in the position of the gristbetween the millstones will be instantly recalled. Tad's adventureswith the Blackfeet Indians formed not the least interesting portion ofthe story. It was a rare picture of ranch and Indian life of thepresent day that our readers found in the third volume of this series. 

Perhaps the strangest experiences, as most of our readers will agree, were those described in "_The Pony Rider Boys In The Ozarks_. " In thiswild part of the country the Pony Rider Boys had a medley ofadventures---they met with robbers, were lost in the great mountainforests, and unexpectedly became involved in an accident in a greatmine. The final discovery of the strange secret of the mountains wasthe climax of that wonderful saddle journey. 

From the wooded Ozarks to the stifling alkali deserts of Nevada wasa long jump, but the lads made it. All of our readers remember therousing description of adventures that were set forth in "_The PonyRider Boys In The Alkali_. " This trip through the grim desert withits scanty vegetation and scarcity of water proved to be a journeythat fully demonstrated the enduring qualities of these sturdy youngmen. The life, far away from all connection with civilization, wasone of constant privation and well-nigh innumerable perils. Themeeting with the crazed hermit of this wild waste formed one of themost thrilling incidents. The whole vast alkali plain presented amaze the solving of which taxed to the utmost the ingenuity of theyoung men. However, they bore themselves with credit, and came outwith a greater reputation than ever for judgment, courage andendurance. 

Our next meeting with these lads, who were fast becoming veterans ofthe saddle, was in the sixth volume, "_The Pony Rider Boys in NewMexico_. " Here, again, the lads ran upon Indian "signs" andexperiences, not the least of which was their chance to be present atthe weird fire dance of the Apaches. The race with the prairie fire, the wonderful discoveries made in the former homes of the cave-dwellers, and the defence of the lost treasure in the home of the ancient PuebloIndians are all matters well remembered by our readers. 

Now another journey, to the scene of one of Nature's greatest wonders, the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, was absorbing the thought of TadButler and his young friends. 

"The question is, what'll we take with us?" asked Ned Rector. 

"Yes, that's one of the things about which we wanted to talk with you, "spoke up Walter Perkins. "You always think of things that none of therest of us remembers. "

"Oh, I don't know. You're all pretty good planners. In the first place, you know you want to travel light. "

"We aren't likely to travel any other way, " scoffed Chunky. "Whateverwe do, though, let's not travel light on food. I can stand almostanything but food---I mean without food---I mean-----"

"I don't believe you know what you do mean, " jeered Ned. "Well, whatabout it, Tad?"

"As I was saying, we should travel light. Of course, we must take ourown equipment---saddles, quirts, spurs, chaps, lasso, guns, canteen, slicker and all that sort of thing. I suppose the guide will arrangefor the pack train equipment. "

"I'll speak to father about that, " said Walter. "I don't know just whatarrangements he has made with the guide. "

"We can no doubt get what ammunition we need after we get to Flagstaff, if that is to be our railway destination. Folks usually have ammunitionin that country, " added Tad, with a faint smile. "Our uniforms orclothes we know about. We shall no doubt need some good tough boots formountain climbing-----"

"Do we have to climb mountains?" demanded Stacy. 

"Climb up and fall down, " answered Walt. 

"Oh, dear me, dear me! It'll be the death of me, I know, " wailed thefat boy. "I'd rather ride---up. I can get down all right, but-----"

"Yes, you certainly can get down, " laughed Ned. 

"Then we shall want quite a lot of soft, strong rope, about quarter-inchManila. I don't think of anything else. We ought to be able to pick upwhatever else we need after we get out there------"

"I guess that's all, fellows, isn't it?" asked Ned. 

"All but the shouting, " answered Stacy. 

"You are well able to do that. You'd better practise up on thosefavorite exclamations of yours---"

"What are they?"

"Y-e-o-w and W-o-w!"

"Who-o-o-p-e-e!" answered Chunky in a shrill, high-pitched voice. 

Ned Rector clapped a hand over the fat boy's mouth with a resoundingsmack. Chunky was jerked backward, his head striking the chair with abump that was audible all over the room. 

"You stop that business. Do you forget where you are? That's allright out in the wilds, but not in civilized society, " declared Ned. 

"Whe---where's the civilized society? Don't you do that to me again, or I'll-----"

"Chunky's all right. Let him alone, Ned. Mother doesn't care howmuch noise we make in here. In fact, she'd think something was wrongwith us if we didn't make a big racket. Chunky, if you are so fullof steam you might go out and finish the woodpile for me. I've gotto cut that wood this afternoon. "

"No, thank you. I'm willing to hunt for the colored man in thewoodpile, but I'm a goat if I'll chop the wood. Why, I'd lose myreputation in Chillicothe if I were seen doing such a common thingas that. "

"No, that would be impossible, " answered Ned sarcastically. 

"Eh? Impossible?" questioned Stacy. 

"Oh, yes, yes, yes. I'll write it down for you so you'll understandit and-----"

"He means that you can't lose what you don't possess, " explained Walter. 

Chunky grunted his disgust, but made no reply. The boys then fell todiscussing the proposed trip. Tad got out his atlas and together theypored over the map of Arizona. After some time at this task, Chunkypulled a much soiled railway map from his pocket. This gave them amore detailed plan of the Grand Canyon. 

"You see, I have to show you. When it comes to doing things StacyBrown's the one on whom you all have to fall back. "

"You are almost human at times, Stacy. I'm free to admit that, "laughed Tad. "Yes, this is just what we want. "

Chunky inflated his chest, and, with hands clasped behind his back, walked to the window and gazed out into the street, nodding patronizinglynow and then to persons passing who had bowed to him. In his ownestimation, Stacy was the most important person in Chillcothe. So confident was he of this that several persons in the communityhad come almost to believe it themselves. Chunky, by his dignifiedand important bearing, had hopes of converting others to this samebelief. As for his three companions---well, a journey without StacyBrown would be a tame and uneventful journey at best. 

The greater part of the afternoon was devoted to making plans for thecoming trip, each having his suggestions to make or his criticism tooffer of the suggestions of others. Though the arguments of the PonyRiders at times became quite heated, the friendship they held for eachother was never really strained. They were bound together by tiesthat would endure for many years to come. 

Each day thereafter, during their stay at home, they met forconsultation, and when two weeks later they had assembled at therailroad station in Chillicothe, clad in their khaki suits, sombreros, each with a red bandanna handkerchief tied carelessly about his neck, they presented an imposing appearance and were the centre of a greatcrowd of admiring boys and smiling grown-ups. There were many excitingexperiences ahead of the Pony Rider Boys as well as a series ofjourneys that would linger in memory the rest of their lives. 

CHAPTER II

A VIEW OF THE PROMISED LAND

For nearly three days the Pony Rider Boys had been taking their easein a Pullman sleeping car, making great inroads on the food served inthe dining car. 

It had been a happy journey. The boys were full of anticipation ofwhat was before them. At intervals during the day they would studytheir maps and enter into long discussions with Professor Zepplin, the grizzled, stern-looking man who in so many other journeys hadbeen their guardian and faithful companion. The Professor had joinedthem at St. Louis, where the real journey had commenced. 

All that day they had been racing over baked deserts, a cloud of dustsifting into the car and making life miserable for the more tenderpassengers, though the hardy Pony Riders gave no heed to such trivialdiscomforts as heat and dust. They were used to that sort of thing. Furthermore, they expected, ere many more days had passed, to be treatedto discomforts that were real. 

Suddenly the train dashed from the baked desert into a green forest. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees in an instant. Everyonedrew a long breath, faces were pressed against windows and expressionsof delight were heard in many parts of the sleeper. 

They had entered a forest of tall pines, so tall that the lads wereobliged to crane their necks to see the tops. 

"This is the beginning of the beginning, " announced Professor Zepplinsomewhat enigmatically. "This is the forest primeval. "

"I don't know, " replied Chunky, peering through a car window. "Itstrikes me that we've left the evil behind and got into the real thing. "

"What is it, Professor?" asked Tad Butler. 

"As I have said, it is a primeval forest. This great woodland stretchesaway from the very base of the San Francisco mountains southward for adistance of nearly two hundred miles. We are taking a short cut throughit and should reach Flagstaff in about an hour from now. "

"Hurrah! We're going to see the Flagstaff in an hour, " cried Stacy, his face wreathed in smiles. 

"A further fact, which is no doubt unknown to you, is that this enormousforest covers an area of over ten thousand square miles, and containssix million, four hundred thousand acres. "

The boys uttered exclamations of amazement and wonder. 

"If you'd said ten acres, I'd understand you better, " replied Stacy. "I never could think in such big figures. I'm like a rich fellow inour town, who doesn't know what money is above a certain sum. "

"Well, what about it?" demanded Tad. 

"Up to fifty dollars, he knows how much it is, but for anything abovethat it's a check, " finished Chunky, looking about him expectantly. 

No one laughed. 

"Speaking of checks, " said Ned Rector after an interval of silence, "didyou bring along that snaffle bit, Tad?"

"What snaffle bit?"

"The one we were going to put on Stacy Brown to hold him in check?"

A series of groans greeted Ned's words. Chunky grumbled something aboutmaking a checker board of Ned's face if he didn't watch out, afterwhich the Professor turned the rising tide into other and saferchannels by continuing his lecture on the great Arizona forest. 

As the train dashed on the Pony Riders were greeted with occasionalviews of a mountain differing from anything they ever had seen. Onepeak especially attracted their attention. Its blackened sides, andits summit bathed in a warm glow of yellow sunshine, gave it a moststriking appearance. 

"What is it, Professor?" asked Tad, with an inquiring gaze and nodtoward the mountain. 

"Sunset Mountain, " answered Professor Zepplin. "You should havediscovered that. "

"But it isn't sunset, " objected Walter. 

"It is always sunset there. The effect is always a sunset effect. "

"In the night, too!" questioned Chunky. 

"No, it's moonset then, " scoffed Rector. 

"In the same direction you will observe the others of the San Franciscomountains. However, we shall have more of this later on. For thepresent you would do well to gather up Your belongings, for we shallbe at our journey's end in a few minutes. "

This announcement caused the boys to spring up, reaching to the racksabove for such of their luggage as had been stowed there. All wasbustle for the next twenty minutes. Then the train drew into thestation, the cars covered with the dust of the desert, changing thedark brown of their paint to a dirty gray. 

The boys found that they had arrived at a typical western town, atree-surrounded, mountain-shadowed, breeze-blown place set like a gemin a frame of green and gold, nestling, it seemed, at the very baseof the towering peaks of the San Francisco mountains, whose threerough volcanic peaks stood silent sentinel over the little communityclustered at their base. 

The railroad track lined one side of the main street, while businessblocks and public houses were ranged on the opposite side. Here thegarb of the Pony Riders failed to attract the same attention that ithad done further east. There were many others on the station platformwhose clothes and general get-up were similar to those of the boys. 

But as they descended from the sleeping car, their arms full of theirbelongings, each carrying a rifle in a case, they caught sight of aman who instantly claimed their attention. He was fully sixty yearsold, standing straight as a tree and wearing a soft black felt hat, a white shirt and a wing collar. From his chin, extend almost backto the ears, there stood a growth of white bristling whiskers. As hetilted his head backward in an apparent effort to stand still moreerect, the whiskers stood out almost at right angles, giving him amost ferocious appearance. 

Tad felt a tug at his sleeve. He turned to find the big eyes of ChunkyBrown gazing up into his face. 

"Is that the Wild Man of the Canyon?" whispered Stacy. 

"I don't know. He looks as if he might be a Senator, or-----"

"Any of you boys know where we can find Jim Nance?" interrupted theProfessor. 

"I reckon we do, " drawled a cowboy. 

"Well?" urged the Professor somewhat irritably. 

"Wal?" answered the cowboy. 

"Will you please tell us where we may find him, pardner?" spoke up Tad, observing how the land lay and wishing to head off friction. 

"I reckon that's him, " answered the cowboy, pointing to the straight, athletic figure of the old man. 

Tad grinned at Chunky. 

"That's our guide, Bub. "

"He looks fierce enough to be a man eater. "

"I'm afraid of him, " whispered Stacy. "He's mysterious looking, too;like the Canyon. "

Professor Zepplin strode up to the old man. 

"Mr. Nance, I believe. "

"Y-a-a-s, " drawled the old man. 

The Professor introduced himself, then one by one called the boys upand presented them, the old man gazing keenly with twinkling, searchingeyes into the face of each one presented to him. Chunky said "ouch"when Nance squeezed his hand, then backed off. 

"This is Mr. Nance, the gentleman who is to be our guide, " announcedProfessor Zepplin. 

"We're all glad to see you, Mr. Nance, " chorused the Pony Riders. 

"Ain't all tenderfeet, eh?" quizzed the guide. 

"No, not exactly. They have been out for some time. They are prettywell used to roughing it, " declared the Professor. 

"Good idea. They'll think they haven't before they get through withthe old Grand. "

"How about our ponies?" asked Tad. "Have you engaged them?"

"You pick 'em out. I'll take yon to corral after you've had yourdinner. "

All hands walked across the street to a hotel, where they sat down tothe first satisfying meal they had eaten since leaving home. 

"This beats the spirit meals we've been having on board the train, "announced Stacy, his eyes roving longingly over the heaped up dishes. 

"Don't lick your chops, " cautioned Ned. "There are some polite folkshere, as you can see. 

"What's that you said about spirit meals?" quizzed the guide after theyhad gotten started with their dinner. 

"The kind a fellow I knew used to make for his men on the farm, "answered Stacy promptly. 

"Tell us about it. I never heard you mention it, " urged Tad. 

"He fed his men mostly on spirit soup. Ever hear of spirit soup?"

"I never did. Any of you boys ever hear of spirit soup?"

The Pony Riders shook their heads. They were not particularly interestedin Chunky's narration. Ned frowned and went on with his dinner. 

"Well, this fellow used to make it. He had barrels of the stuff, and-----"

"How is the chuck made?" demanded Jim Nance. 

"I'll tell you. To make spirit soup you catch a snipe. Then you starvehim to death. Understand?"

Nance nodded. 

"After you've starved him to death you hang him up on the sunny sideof the house till he becomes a shadow. A shadow, you understand?Well, after he's become a shadow you let the shadow drop into abarrel of rainwater. The result is spirit soup. Serve a teaspoonfula day as directed, " added Stacy, coming to a sudden stop as Ned trodon his toes with a savage heel. 

Jim Nance's whiskers stood out, the ends trembling as if from theagitation of their owner, causing Chunky to shrink within himself. 

"Very unseemly, young man, " rebuked the Professor. 

"It seems so, " muttered Walter under his breath; then all handslaughed heartily. 

The meal being finished, Nance ordered a three-seated buckboardbrought around. Into this the whole outfit piled until the bottomof the vehicle bent almost to the ground. 

"Will it hold?" questioned the Professor apprehensively. 

"I reckon it will if it doesn't break. We'll let the fat boy walk ifwe've got too big a load, " Nance added, with a twinkle. 

"No, I'll ride, sir, " spoke up Stacy promptly. "I'm very delicate andI'm not allowed to walk, because-----"

"How far is it out to the corral, Mr. Nance?" questioned Tad. 

"'Bout a mile as the hawk flies. We'll be there in a jiffy. "

It appeared that all arrangements had been made by Mr. Perkins for thestock, through a bank in Flagstaff, where he had deposited funds tocover the purchase of stock and stores for the trip through the Canyon. This the Professor understood. There remained little for the boys todo except for each to pick out the pony be fancied. 

They looked over the mustangs in the corral, asking the owner aboutthis and that one. 

"I'll take that one, " said Chunky, indicating a mild-eyed pinto thatstood apparently half asleep. 

The owner of the herd of mustangs smiled. 

"Kind and sound, isn't he?" questioned the fat boy. 

"Oh, he's sound all right. "

"Do you know how to handle a pinto, boy?" questioned Nance. 

"Do I? Of course I do. Haven't I been riding the toughest critterson the ranges of the Rockies for years and years? Don't I know how torope anything that ambles on four legs? Well, I guess! Gimme thatrope. I'll show you how to fetch a sleepy pinto out of his dreams. "

The black that Chunky coveted seemed, at that moment, to have openedhis eyes ever so little, then permitted the eyelids to droop. It wasnot a good sign as Tad viewed it, and the Pony Rider was an excellenthorseman. 

"Better be careful, Chunky, " he warned. "Shan't I rope him for you?"

"I guess not. If I can't rope him I'd like to see you do it. "

"Sail in. You know best, " answered Tad, with a grin, winking at Nedand the Professor. Jim Nance appeared to take only a passive interestin the matter. He might have his say later provided his advice wereneeded. 

Chunky ran his rope through his hands, then grasping the hondo, strodeboldly into the corral. 

"I reckon it's time we were climbing the fence, " announced Tad. 

"I reckon it is, " agreed the guide, vaulting to the top rail, whichaction was followed by the other two boys, only the owner of the herdand Professor Zepplin remaining inside the corral with Stacy. 

Suddenly Stacy let go the loop of his lariat. It dropped over the headof the sleepy pinto. The pinto, at the touch of the rope, sprang intosudden life. Then things began to happen in that corral. Stacy Brownwas the center of the happenings. 

CHAPTER III

TENDERFEET SHOW THEIR SKILL

"Woof!" exclaimed Ned Rector. 

"Oh!" cried Walter Perkins. 

"Good boy! Hang on!" shouted Tad encouragingly. 

It is doubtful whether Stacy heard either the words of warning or thoseof encouragement from Tad, for at that moment Stacy's feet were up inthe air. The pinto had leaped forward like a shot the instant it feltthe touch of the rope. Of course Chunky, who had clung to the rope, went along at the same rate of speed. 

A great cloud of dust rose from the corral. The mustang was dartinghere and there, bucking, squealing and kicking. In a moment most ofthe other mustangs were doing likewise. The owner of the herd, callingto the Professor, darted out, leaving one bar of the fence down. Professor Zepplin, becoming confused, missed his way and found himselfpenned into one corner at the far side, almost the center of a circleof kicking mustangs. 

Tad saw the danger of their companion almost at once. The lad leapeddown, and darting among the kicking animals, made his way toward theProfessor just as Stacy's mustang leaped the bars. Stacy's toescaught the top rail, retarding his progress for the briefest partof a second, then he shot out into the air after the racing mustang. 

"Leggo!" roared the boys. 

"Let go!" shouted the guide. "The little fool! Doesn't he know enoughto come in out of the wet?"

"You'll find he doesn't, sir. Your troubles have only just begun. You'll be demanding an increase of wages before you have followedStacy Brown for a full twenty-four hours, " prophesied Ned. 

In the meantime Tad had reached the Professor, regardless of theflying hoofs about him. With his rope the boy drove the animals offjust in time. Somehow they seemed to have taken it into their headsthat the Professor was responsible for their having been disturbedand they were opening their hoof batteries upon him. They gave waybefore the resolute young Pony Rider almost at once. They recognizedthat this slender young plainsman and mountaineer was unafraid. 

The Professor was weak in the knees by the time he had been led out. 

"I didn't know you were in there, " apologized Nance. 

"Where's Stacy?" was the Professor's first question. 

"He's gone by the air line, " answered Walter. 

While all this had been taking place Chunky had continued in his madflight for a short distance. He had a long hold on the rope by whichthe mustang was hauling him. The wary beast, espying a tree whoselimbs hung low, changed his course and darted under the lowest ofthe limbs. Its intention was plain to those who knew the habits ofthese gentle beasts. The mustang intended to "wipe" the Pony Riderboy free of the line. 

Just before reaching the low-hanging limb the pinto darted to oneside, then to the other after an almost imperceptible halt. Theresult was the rope was drawn under the low limb. A quick leap onthe part of the mustang, that exhibited almost human intelligence bythis manoeuvre, caused Chunky to do a picturesque flop over the limb, falling flat on his back on the other side. This brought the mustangto a quick stop, for the rope had taken a firm hitch around the limb. 

The sudden jolt and stoppage of his progress threw the mustang on hisnose, where he poised for a few seconds, then he too toppled over onhis back. 

The owner of the herd was screaming with, merriment, Jim Nance wasslapping his sides as he ran, while the Professor was making for thefat boy with long strides. 

Tad reached Stacy first. The fat boy lay blinking, looking up at him. Stacy's clothes were pretty well torn, though his body did not seemto be harmed beyond the loss of considerable skin. 

"Let me have that rope, " commanded Tad. 

"N-n-no you don't. "

"Let me have that rope, I tell you. I'll attend to the pinto for you. "

"Here, give it to me, " ordered Jim Nance, reaching for the rope whichTad Butler had taken. 

"I can handle him, Mr. Nance. "

The "handling" was not easy. Tad was hauled over the best part of anacre of ground ere he succeeded finally in getting an opportunity tocast his own rope. When, however, he did make the cast, the ropecaught the pinto by a hind foot, sending the stubborn little beast tothe ground. Then Tad was jerked this way and that as the animalsought to kick the foot free. 

"Grab the neck rope some of you, " he cried. 

Nance was the first to obey the command. It was the work of but amoment temporarily to subdue the pinto. 

"Take him back. We don't want the critter, " ordered the guide. 

"I---I want him, " declared Stacy, limping up to the former sleepybeast. 

"I'll break him so I guess Stacy can ride him, " said Tad. "Ned, willyou fetch my saddle and bridle? I can't let go here just yet. Hasthis fellow ever been ridden?" demanded the boy, looking up at the owner. 

"I reckon he has, but not much. "

"Why did you let Brown rope the pinto, then?"

"He said he wanted him. "

"Let him up, " directed Tad. The mustang had another spell, but erehe had finished his bucking Tad had skillfully thrown the saddle onand made fast the saddle girth at the risk of his own life. Next camethe bridle, which was not so easily put in place. It was secured atlast, after which the lad stepped back to wipe the perspiration fromhis face and forehead. Dark spots on his khaki blouse showed wherethe sweat had come through the tough cloth. 

"Now I'll ride him, " Butler announced. 

For the next quarter of an hour there followed an exhibition that wonthe admiration of all who saw it. All the bucking and kicking thatthe pinto could do failed to unseat Tad Butler. When finally he rodeback to the group, Mr. Mustang's head was held straight out. Once morethe sleepy look had come into his eyes, but it was not the same craftylook that had been there before. He was conquered, at least for thetime being. 

"Now, Chunky, you may try him. "

"What do you think of that for riding?" demanded Stacy, turning tothe guide. 

"Oh, he'll ride one of these days, " answered the guide. 

"I believe you're a grouch, " snorted the fat boy, as he swung into thesaddle, quickly thrusting his toes into the stirrups, expecting to bebucked up into the air. 

But nothing of the sort followed. The mustang was as meek as could be. Stacy rode the animal up and down the field until satisfied that thepinto was thoroughly broken. Stacy was an object of interest to all. He was a very much banged-up gentleman, nor was Tad so very far behindhim in that respect. 

Young Butler chose for his mount a mustang with a white face. AlreadyTad had decided to call him Silver Face. The two very quickly cameto an understanding, after a lively but brief rustle about the enclosure. After this Tad roped out the pintos for the others of his party. Thisdone, the boys took their mustangs out into the field, where they triedthem out. The spectators were then treated to an exhibition of realriding, though the Pony Riders were not doing this for the sake ofshowing off. They wanted to try their mounts out thoroughly beforedeciding to keep those they had chosen. 

At last they decided that the stock could stand as picked out, withthe exception of Walter Perkins's mustang, which went lame shortlyafter the boy had started off with him. 

"I guess we are all right now, " announced Tad, riding up to where theProfessor and Jim Nance were standing. "Has either of you anysuggestions to offer?"

"Hain't got no suggestions to offer to the likes of you, " grumbled theguide. "Where'd you learn to ride like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. It came natural, I guess, " replied Tad simply. "Theothers ride as well as I do. "

"Then we'll be moving. I reckon you are figgering on gitting startedto-day?"

"Yes, we might as well be on our way as soon as you are ready, Mr. Nance, " agreed the Professor. 

"How about the pack train?" asked Tad. 

"The mules are all ready, " answered the guide. 

The lads rode their new horses back to Flagstaff. None cared to ridein the buckboard long as there was a horse to ride. Even the Professorthought he would feel at home in the saddle once more. Nance observedthat though Professor Zepplin was not the equal of the Pony Riders onhorseback, yet he was a good man in the saddle. Nance was observingthem all. He knew they would be together for some weeks and it waswell to understand the peculiarities of each one of the party at theearliest possible moment. 

Reaching town the party found that the entire equipment for the packtrain had been gotten in readiness. There remained but to pack themules and they would be ready for their start. This was done with awill, and about two o'clock in the afternoon the outfit set off overthe stage road, headed for the Grand Canyon. 

It was a happy party, full of song and jest and joy for that which wasbefore them. The way led through the Coconino Park. Some three milesout they halted at the edge of a dry lake basin, in the centre of whichwas a great gaping hole. The Professor pointed to it inquiringly. 

"There was a lake here up to a few years ago, " explained Jim. "Bottomfell out and the water fell in. Ain't no bottom to it now at all"

"Then---then the water must have leaked out on the other side of theworld, " stammered Chunky, his eyes big with wonder. 

"I reckon it must have soused a heathen Chinee, " answered Nance, witha grin. 

"Pity it didn't fall out the other way and souse a few guides, eh?"questioned the fat boy, with a good-natured grimace at which Nancelaughed inwardly, his shaking whiskers being the only evidence ofany emotion whatever. 

"Up there is Walnut Canyon, " explained Jim. "Cliff dwellers lived upthere some time ago. "

"Yes, we met some of them down south, " nodded Chunky. 

"You mean we saw where they once lived long, long ago, " correctedProfessor Zepplin. 

"Yes, we saw where they lived, " agreed Stacy. 

The way led on through a forest of pines, the trail underfoot being oflava, as hard and smooth as a road could be. They were graduallydrawing nearer to Sunset Mountain. After a time they turned off tothe right, heading straight for the mountain. 

Tad rode back to the Professor to find out where they were going. 

"I thought you boys might like to explore the mountain. You will findsome things there well worth scientific consideration. "

"Yes, sir; that will be fine. "

"You know the mountain was once a great volcano. "

"How long ago?" interrupted Stacy. 

"A few million years or so. "

"Mr. Nance must have been a boy in short trousers then, " returned Stacyquizzically. The guide's whiskers bristled and stood out straight. 

The road by this time had lost its hardness. The ponies' hoofs sankdeep into the cinders, making progress slow for the party. Theymanaged to get to the base of the mountain, but the mustangs werepretty well fagged. The animals were turned out for the night afterhaving been hobbled so that they could not stray far away. 

"Now each of you will have to carry a pack, " announced the guide. "I will tell you what to take. "

"Why, where are we going?" asked Tad. 

"We are going to spend the night in the crater of the extinct volcano, "said the Professor. "Will not that be a strange experience?"

"Hurrah for the crater!" shouted the boys. 

"Speaking of volcanoes, I wish you wouldn't open your mouth so wide, Ned. It makes me dizzy. I'm afraid I'll fall in, " growled Chunky. 

CHAPTER IV

A NIGHT IN THE CRATER

"What, climb that mountain?" demanded Stacy. 

"Surely. You are not afraid of a mountain, are you?" demanded Tad. 

"I'm not afraid of---of anything, but I'm delicate, I tell yau. "

"Just the same, you'll pack about fifty pounds up the side of that hill, "jeered Ned Rector. 

The pack mules had not yet come up with their driver. The partyforeseeing this, had brought such articles as would be needed for thenight. Taking their blankets and their rifles, together with food andwood for a fire, they began the slow, and what proved to be painful, ascent of Sunset Mountain. 

A lava field stretched directly in front of them, barring the way. Itsforbidding surface had been riven by the elements until it was a perfectchaos of black tumult. By the time the Pony Rider Boys had gotten overthis rough stretch, they were ready to sit down and rest. Nance wouldnot permit them to do so. He said they would have barely time to reachthe crater before dark, as it was, and that they must make the bestspeed possible. No one grumbled except Stacy, but it was observed thathe plodded along with the others, a few paces to the rear. 

The Professor now and then would point to holes in the lava to showwhere explosions had taken place, bulging the lava around the edge andhurling huge rocks to a considerable distance. As they climbed themountain proper they found that Sunset, too, had engaged in some gunneryin those far-away ages, as was shown by many lava bombs lying aboutthe base. 

The route up the mountain side was over a cider-buried lava flow, thefine cinders under foot soon making progress almost a torture. Tad wasthe first to stand on his head as his feet went out from under him. Stacy, in a fit of uproarious laughter, did the next stunt, that ofliterally standing on his right ear. Chunky tried to shout and gothis mouth full of cinders. 

"I'm going back, " howled the fat boy. "I didn't come up here to climbslumbering volcanoes. "

"I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll carry you, Stacy, " said Tad, smilingand nodding toward the cinder-blackened face of his companion. 

"You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it. "

"I guess I can walk. I'm not quite so big a baby as that. "

"I thought so. Have your fun. If you get into trouble you know yourfriend, Tad Butler, is always on the job. "

"You bet I do. But this is an awful climb. "

It was all of that. One step upward often meant a slide of several shortsteps backward. The Professor's face was red, and unuttered words wereupon his lips. Jim Nance was grinning broadly, his whiskers bobbing upand down as he stumbled up the side of Old Sunset. 

"I reckon the tenderfeet will get enough of it before they get to theCanyon, " chuckled the guide. 

"Say, Mr. Nance, we don't want to Mister you all the time. What shallwe call you for short?" asked Tad Butler. 

"Anything you want. "

"What d'ye say if we call you Whiskers?" called Stacy. 

"Stacy!" rebuked the Professor sternly. 

"Oh, let the little tenderfoot rant. He's harmless. Call me Whiskers, if it does ye any good. "

"I'm no tenderfoot, " protested Chunky. 

"Nor be I all whiskers, " returned the guide, whereat Chunky's faceturned red. 

"I guess we'll call you Dad, for you'll have to be our dad for some timeto come, " decided Tad. 

"That'll be all right, providing it suits the fat little tenderfoot. "

Stacy did not reply to this. He was having too much trouble to keepright side up just then to give heed to anything else. 

"Go zig-zag. You'll never get to the top this way, " called Tad. "Youknow how a switchback railroad works? Well, go as nearly like aswitch-back as possible. "

"That's a good idea, " agreed Dad. "You'll get there quicker, as theyoung gentleman says. "

Tad looked at his companions, grinning broadly. As they got nearer tothe top the color of the cinders changed from black to a brick red. They began to understand why the peak of Sunset always presented sucha rosy appearance. It was due to the tint of the cinders that had beenthrown from the mouth of the volcano ages ago. 

"We have now entered the region of perpetual sunset, " announced theProfessor. 

Chunky took advantage of the brief halt to sit down. He slid backseveral feet on the treacherous footing. 

Still further up the mountain took on a rich yellow color, but near therim it was almost white. It was a wonderful effect and caused thePony Riders to gaze in awe. But darkness was approaching rapidly. Theguide ordered them to be on the way, because he desired to reach the rimof the crater while they still were able to see. What his reasons werethe boys did not know. They took for granted that Dad knew his business, which Dad did. He had spent many years in this rough country and knewit well. The Grand Canyon was his home. He lived in it the greaterpart of the year. When winter came, Dad, with his mustang, his cattleand equipment would descend into the Grand Canyon far from snow andbitter cold into a land of perpetual summer, where, beside the roaringColorado, he would spend the winter alone with his beloved Canyon. 

Dad's was a strange nature. He understood the moods of the great gashin the plateau; he seemed literally to be able to translate themysterious moans and whispers of the wind as it swirled between therocky walls and went shrieking up the painted sides of the gulches. 

But of all this the boys knew nothing as yet. It was all to be revealedto them later. 

"You'll have a look over the country tomorrow, " said Dad. 

"Where is the Canyon?" asked Tad, eager for a view of the wonderful spot. 

"You'll get a glimpse of it in the morning. You'll know the place whenyou get to it. Here we be at the top. There's the hole. "

Chunky peered into the crater rather timidly. 

"How do you get down?" he asked. 

"Slide, " answered Ned. 

"I can do that, but what's at the bottom?"

"The same thing. Cinders and lava, " answered Tad. "What would youexpect to find in a volcano?"

"I'd never expect to find Stacy Brown in one, and I'm not sure that I'mgoing to. "

"All hands follow me. There's no danger, " called the guide, shoulderinghis pack and leaping and sliding down the sharp incline. He wasfollowed by the boys with shouts of glee. They went tumbling head overheels, laughing, whooping, letting off their excess steam. TheProfessor's grim face relaxed in a smile; Dad's eyes twinkled. 

"We'll take it out of them by and by, " he confided to the Professor. 

"You don't know them, " answered Professor Zepplin. "Better men thanyou or I have tried it. Remember, they are young. We are old men. Of course, it is different with you. You are hardened to the work, still I think they could tire both of us out. "

"We'll see about that. "

"Whoop-e-e!" came the voice of Tad Butler far below them. "I'm at thebottom. Any wild animals down here, Dad?"

"Only one at present. There'll be three more in a minute. "

"Six, you mean, " laughed Tad. 

The others had soon joined him. 

"How far are we from the surface?" asked Walter. 

"About five hundred feet down. We're in the bowels of the mountain forsure, kid, " answered the guide. 

"That's pretty tough on the mountain. I'm afraid it will have a badcase of indigestion, " laughed Tad. 

"You needn't be. It has swallowed tougher mouthfuls than you are, "returned the guide, ever ready with an answer. 

"Dad's able to give as good as you send, " laughed Ned. 

"That's good. All the better for us, " nodded Tad. "What about somelight?"

"Unload the wood from your packs. This is where you are glad you didpack some stuff. "

In a few minutes a fire was blazing, lighting up the interior of thecrater. The boys found themselves in a circular opening of almostterrifying roughness and something like a quarter of a mile across. Here, in ages past, the forces of Nature had been at work with fearfulearnestness. Weird shadows, mysterious shapes, somewhat resemblingmoving figures, were thrown by the flickering blaze of the camp fire. While the boys were exploring the crater Dad was busy getting thesupper ready, talking with Professor Zepplin as he worked. 

The voices of the boys echoed from side to side of the crater, soundingstrange and unreal. The call to supper put an end to their explorations. They sat down with keen edges to their appetites. It was their firstmeal in the open on this journey. All were in high spirits. 

"I think we should agree upon our work for the future, " declared theProfessor. 

"Work?" exclaimed Chunky, opening wide his big eyes. 

"Yes. It is not going to be all play during this trip. "

"We are willing to do our share, " answered Ned. 

"Yes, of course we are, " chorused Walt and Stacy, though there was noenthusiasm in the fat boy's tone. 

"I am of the opinion that you boys should take turns in cooking themeals, say one boy to cook for an entire day, another to take the jobon the following day. "

"I'll cook my own, " declared the guide. "No tenderfoot experimentsin my chuck. "

"They know how to cook, Mr. Nance, " explained the Professor. 

"All right; they may cook for you, " said the guide, with a note offinality in his tone. He glanced up at the sky, held out his hand andshook his head. Tad observed the movement. 

"What is it?" asked the boy. 

"It's going to snow, " said Dad. 

Tad laughed, glancing at his companions. 

"What, snow in June?" questioned Stacy. 

"You must remember that you are a good many thousand feet up, " theProfessor informed him. 

"Up? I thought I was down in a crater. "

"You are both up and down, " spoke up Tad. 

"Yes, I'm usually up and down, first standing on my feet then on myhead, " retorted Stacy. "How are we going to sleep?"

"Same as usual. Pick out your beds, then roll up in your blankets, "directed Dad. "You are used to it, eh?"

"Well, " drawled Chunky, "I've slept in a good many different kinds ofbeds, but this is the first time I ever slept in a lava bed. "

True to Dad's prophecy, the snow came within half an hour. 

"Better turn in before the beds get too wet, " advised Dad. 

All hands turned in. Sleep did not come to the boys as readily as usual. They had been sleeping in real beds too long. After a time the snowchanged to rain in the warmth of the crater. Chunky got up disgustedly. 

"I'm tired of sleeping in the bath tub, " he declared. "Think I'll moveinto the hall bedroom. "

Chuckles were heard from beneath other blankets, while Stacy, grumblingand growling, fussed about until he found a place that appeared to beto his liking. 

"When you get through changing beds perhaps you will give us a chanceto go to sleep, " called the guide. 

Stacy's voice died away to an indistinct murmur. Soon after that quietsettled over the dark hole in the mountain. The rain came down harderthan ever, but by this time the Pony Rider Boys were asleep. Theyneither heard nor felt the water, though every one was drenched to theskin. 

Toward morning Tad woke up with a start. He thought something hadstartled him. Just then an unearthly yell woke the echoes of thecrater. Yell upon yell followed for the next few seconds, each yellseeming to be further away than the preceding one, and finally dyingout altogether. 

"It's Chunky!" shouted Tad, kicking himself free of his blankets andleaping up. "Some thing's happened to Chunky!"

CHAPTER V

TAD LENDS HELPING HAND

"What is it? What is it?" cried the other boys, getting free of theirblankets and in the confusion rolling and kicking about in the cinders. 

"What is it?" shouted the Professor, very much excited. 

Ned, dragging his blanket after him, had started to run about, notknowing which way to turn nor what had occurred. In the meantime theguide and Tad had started in the direction from which the yells hadseemed to come. 

"It was this way, " shouted Tad. 

Ned headed them off running toward the west edge of the crater. All atonce a new note sounded. With an unearthly howl Ned Rector disappeared. They heard his voice growing fainter, too, just as Stacy's had done. 

"They've fallen in!" cried Tad. 

"Everybody stand still!" commanded Dad. 

Recognizing that he was right, the others obeyed, with the exception ofTad Butler, who crept cautiously forward, feeling his way with the toesof his boots, that he too might not share the fate of his two companions. 

Dad, from somewhere about his person, produced a bundle of sticks whichhe lighted. He was prepared for just such an emergency. A flickeringlight pierced the deep shadows, just enough to show the party that twoof their number had disappeared. 

"There is the place, " cried Tad. "It's a hole in the ground. They'vefallen in. "

"Chunky's always falling in, " laughed Walter half hysterically. 

With his rope in hand, Tad sprang forward. 

"Light this way, please, " called Butler. "Hello, down there!" he cried, peering into the hole in the ground. 

"Hello!" came back a faint answer from Ned Rector. "Get us out quick. "

"What happened?"

"I don't know. Chunky fell in and I fell on him. "

"Is he hurt?"

"I don't know. I guess I knocked the wind out of him. "

"How far down are you?" demanded Dad peering in, holding his torch low, exposing a hole about six feet square at the top, widening out as itextended downward. 

"I---I don't know. It felt like a mile when I came down. Hurry. ThinkI want to stay here all night?"

"If Stacy isn't able to help himself, tie the rope around his waist andwe will haul him up, " directed Tad. 

"Serve him right to leave him here, " retorted Ned. 

"All right, we will leave you both there, if you feel that way, " answeredNance grimly. 

"He doesn't mean it, " said Tad. "Ned must have his joke, no matter howserious the situation may be. " Tad lowered his rope, loop first. "Well, how about it?" he called. 

"I've made it fast. Haul away. " Chunky was something of a heavy weight. It required the combined efforts of those at the top to haul him out. Dragging Stacy to the surface, Tad dropped beside the fat boy, givinghim a shake and peering anxiously into his eyes, shouting, "Stacy!Stacy!"

Chunky opened one eye and winked knowingly at Tad. 

"Oh, you rascal! You've made us pull until we are out of breath. Why'dyou make a dead weight of yourself?"

"Is---is he all right?" inquired Professor Zepplin anxiously. 

"He hasn't been hurt-----"

"Yes, I have. I'm all bunged up---I'm all shot to pieces. The---themountain blew up and-----"

"Well, are you fellows going to leave me down here all the rest of thenight?" demanded the far-away voice of Ned Rector. 

"Yes, you stay there. You're out of the wet, " answered Stacy. 

"That's a fine way to talk after I have saved your life almost at theexpense of my own. "

"Pshaw! Saved my life! You nearly knocked it all out of me when youfell on top of me. "

"Here comes the rope, Ned, " called Tad. "If you can help us a littleyou will make the haul easier for us. "

"I'll use my feet. "

"Better take a hitch around your waist in case you should slip, " advisedButler. 

Ned did so, and by bracing his feet against the side of the rock he wasable to aid them not a little in their efforts to haul him to thesurface. Ned fixed Stacy with stern eye. 

"Were you bluffing all the time?" he demanded. 

"Was I bluffing? Think a fellow would need to bluff when a big chumplike you fell in on him? I thought the mountain had caved in on me, butit was something softer than a mountain, I guess, " added Stacymaliciously. 

"What did happen?" demanded Ned, gazing at the hole wonderingly. 

"It's one of those thin crusts, " announced the guide, examining thebroken place in the lava with critical eyes, in which occupation theProfessor joined. 

"Yes, it was pretty crusty, " muttered Chunky. 

"You see, sir, this occurs occasionally, " nodded the guide, looking upat the grizzled face of Professor Zepplin. "One never knows in thiscountry when the crust is going to give way and let him down. I guessthe rain must have weakened the ground. "

"And I fell in again, " growled Stacy. 

"You were bound to fall in sooner or later, " answered Tad. "Perhaps itis just as well that you fell in a soft place. "

"A soft place?" shouted Stacy. "If you think so, just take a drop inthere yourself. "

"I thought it was the softest thing I ever fell on, " grinned Rector, whereupon the laugh was on Stacy. 

There was no more sleep in the camp in the crater of Sunset Peak thatnight. Nor was there fire to warm the campers. They walked aboutuntil daylight. That morning they made a breakfast on cold biscuitand snowballs at the rim of the crater. But as the sun came out theyfelt well repaid for all that they had passed through on the previousnight. Such a vista of wonderful peaks as lay before them none of thePony Riders ever had gazed upon. 

To the west lay the San Francisco Peaks, those ever-present landmarksof northern Arizona. To the south the boys looked off over a vast areaof forest and hills, while to the east in the foreground were groupedmany superb cinder cones, similar to the one on which they werestanding, though not nearly so high. Lava beds, rugged and barren, reached out like fingers to the edge of the plateau as if reaching forthe far-away painted desert. 

"Where is the Canyon?" asked Tad in a low voice. 

"Yonder, " said Dad, pointing to the north over an unbroken stretch offorest. There in the dim distance lay the walls of the Grand Canyon, the stupendous expanse of the ramparts of the Canyon stretching as faras the eye could see. 

"How far away are they?" asked Tad. 

"More than forty miles, " answered Dad. "You wait till we get to theedge. You can't tell anything about those buttes now. "

"What is a butte---how did they happen to be called that?" asked Walter. 

"A butte is a butte, " answered the guide. 

"A butte is a bump on the landscape, " interjected Stacy. 

"A butte is a mound of earth or stone worn away by erosion, " answeredthe Professor, with an assurance that forbade any one to question thecorrectness of his statement. 

"Yes, sir, " murmured the Pony Rider Boys. "A wart on the hand of fairNature, as it were, " added Chunky under his breath. 

"Come, we must be on our way, " urged Dad. "We want to make half thedistance to the Canyon before night. I reckon the pack train will havegone on. We'll have to live on what we have in our saddle bags tillwe catch up with the train, which I reckon we'll do hard onto noon. "

No great effort was required to descend Sunset Mountain. It was onelong slide and roll. The boys screamed with delight as they saw thedignified Professor coasting and taking headers down the cinder-coveredmountain. 

By this time the clothes of the explorers had become well dried out inthe hot sun. When they reached the camp they found that the pack trainhad long since broken camp and gone on. 

"Where are the ponies?" cried Walter, looking about. 

"I'll get them, " answered Dad, circling the camp a few times to pick upthe trail. 

It will be remembered that the animals had been hobbled on the previousafternoon and turned loose to graze. Dad found the trail and was offon it running with head bent, reminding the boys of the actions of ahound. While he was away Tad cooked breakfast, made coffee and theothers showed their appreciation of his efforts by eating all that wasplaced before them and calling loudly for more. Dad returned about anhour later, riding Silver Face, driving the other mustangs before him. When the boys saw the stock coming in they shouted with merriment. Themustangs had been hobbled by tying their fore feet together. This madeit necessary for the animals to hop like kangaroos. The boys named themthe kangaroos right then and there. 

Tad had some hot coffee ready for Nance by the time Dad got back. Theguide forgot that he had declared against eating or drinking anythingcooked by the Pony Rider Boys. He did full justice to Tad's cooking, while the rest of the boys stood around watching the guide eat, offeringsuggestions and remarks. Dad took it all good-naturedly. He would haveplenty of opportunities to get back at them. Dad was something of ajoker himself, though this fact was suspected only by Tad Butler, whohad noted the constantly recurring twinkle in the eyes of the guide. 

"We shall hear from Dad one of these days, " was Butler's mentalconclusion. "All right, we deserve all we get and more, I guess. "

Shortly afterwards the party was in the saddle, setting out for theirforty-mile ride in high spirits. They hoped to reach their destinationearly on the following morning. Some of the way was dusty and hot, though the greater part of it was shaded by the giant pines. 

They caught up with the pack train shortly before noon, as Nance hadsaid they would. A halt was made and a real meal cooked while themustangs were watered and permitted to graze at the ends of theirropes. The meal being finished, saddle bags were stocked as the partywould not see the pack train again until some time on the following day. Then the journey was resumed again. 

The Pony Rider Boys were full of anticipation for what they would seewhen they reached the Canyon. Dad was in a hurry, too. He couldhardly wait until he came in sight of his beloved Canyon. But even withall their expectations the lads had no idea of the wonderful sight instore for them when they should first set eyes on this greatest ofNature's wonders. 

That night they took supper under the tall trees, and after a sleep ofsome three hours, were roughly awakened by the guide, who soon had themstarted on their way again. 

CHAPTER VI

A SIGHT THAT THRILLED

"We'll make camp here for a time, I reckon, " announced Dad about twoo'clock in the morning. 

"I thought we were going on to the Canyon, " said Tad. 

"We shall see it in the morning, " answered the guide somewhat evasively. "You boys turn in now, and get some sleep, for you will want to haveyour eyes wide open in the morning. But let me give you a tip: Don'tyou go roaming around in the dark here. "

"Why---why not?" demanded Stacy Brown. 

"Oh, nothing much, only we're likely to lose your valuable company ifyou try it. You have a habit of falling in, I am told. You'll fall infor keeps if you go moseying about in this vicinity. "

"Where are we?" asked Butler. 

"'Bout half a mile from the El Tovar, " answered Nance. "Now you fellowsturn in. Stake down the pintos. Isn't safe to let them roam around ontwo legs. "

Tad understood. He knew from the words of Nance that they weresomewhere in the vicinity of the great gash in the earth that theyhad come so far to see. But he was content to wait until the morrowfor the great sight that was before them. 

The sun was an hour high before they felt the heavy hand of Jim Nanceon their shoulders shaking them awake. The odor of steaming coffeeand frying bacon was in the air. 

"What---sunrise?" cried Tad, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. 

"And breakfast?" added Ned. 

"Real food?" piped Stacy Brown. 

"Where do we wash?" questioned Walter. 

"You will have to take a sun bath, " answered the guide with a twinkle. "There isn't any water near this place. We will find water for thestock later in the morning. "

"But where is the Canyon?" wondered Tad. 

"You're at it. "

"I don't see anything that looks like a canyon, " scoffed Ned. 

"No, this is a level plateau, " returned Tad. "However, I guess Dadknows what he is talking about. I for one am more interested in whatI smell just now than anything else. "

Chunky sniffed the air. 

"Well, it will take more than a smell to satisfy me this morning, "declared Chunky, wrinkling his nose. 

"This is my day to cook, " called Tad. "Why didn't you let me get thebreakfast, Mr. Nance?"

"I'm doing the cooking this morning. I've had a long walk and feelfine, so I decided to be the cook, the wrangler and the whole outfitthis morning. How do you feel, boys?"

"Fine!" chorused the Pony Riders. "But we thought we should see theCanyon when we woke up this morning. "

A quizzical smile twitched the corners of Dad's mouth. Tad saw thatthe guide had something of a surprise for them. The lad asked nofurther questions. 

Breakfast finished, the boys cleared away the dishes, packing everythingas if for a continuation of their journey, which they fully expectedto make. 

A slight rise of ground lay a few rods ahead of them. Tad startedto stroll that way. He halted as a party of men and women were seenapproaching from the direction of El Tovar, where the hotel was located. 

"Now, gentlemen, you may walk along, " nodded the guide, smiling broadly. 

"Which way?" asked the Professor. 

"Follow the crowd you see there. "

They saw the party step up to the rise, then a woman's scream smote theirears. Tad, thinking something had occurred, dashed forward. 

He reached the level plateau on the rise, where his companions saw himhalt suddenly, throwing both arms above his head. 

The boys started on a run, followed by the professor, who by this timewas a little excited. 

Then all at once the glorious panorama burst upon them. There at theirvery feet lay the Grand Canyon. Below them lay the wonder of the world, and more than five thousand feet down, like a slender silver thread, rippled the Colorado. 

The first sight of the Canyon affects different persons differently. Itoverwhelmed the Pony Rider Boys, leaving them speechless. They shrankback as they gazed into the awful chasm at their feet and into whichthey might have plunged had the hour been earlier, for it had burstupon them almost with the suddenness of the crack of a rifle. 

They had thought to see mountains. There were none. What they saw wasreally a break in the level plateau. From where they stood they lookedalmost straight down into the abyss for something more than a mile. Gazing straight ahead they saw to the other side of the chasm twelvemiles away. To the right and to the left their gaze reached more thantwenty miles in each direction. 

This great space was filled with gigantic architectural constructions, with amphitheaters, gorges, precipices, walls of masonry, fortresses, terraced up to the level of the eyes, temples, mountain high, allbrilliant with horizontal lines of color---streaks of hues from a fewfeet to a thousand feet in width, mottled here and there with all thecolors of the rainbow. 

Such coloring, such harmony of tints the Pony Rider Boys never had gazedon before. It seemed to them as if they themselves were standing inmidair looking down upon a new and wonderful world. There was neitherlaughter nor jest upon the lips of these brown-faced, hardy boys now. 

Professor Zepplin slowly took off his hat in homage to what was thereat his feet. He wiped the perspiration from his forehead. A glanceat Tad Butler showed tear drops glistening on his cheeks. He wastrembling. Never before had a more profound emotion taken hold of him. Ned Rector and Walter Perkins's faces wore expressions of fear. Noother moment in the lives of the four boys had been like this. 

Dad's face shone as with a reflected light from the Canyon that heloved so well, and that had been his almost constant companion formore than thirty years; whose moods he knew almost as well as his own, and whose every smile or frown had its meaning for him. 

The travelers each forgot that there was any other human being thanhimself present. They were drawn sharply to the fact that therewere others present, when one of the little party of sight-seers thathad come over from the hotel picked up a rock, the weight of which wasalmost too much for him. 

The lads watched him with fascinated eyes. The man swung the rock backand forth a few times, then hurled it over the edge. The Pony RiderBoys waited, actually holding their breath, to catch the report whenthe rock should strike the bottom. 

No report came. It requires some little time for a rock to fall a mile, and when it does land it is doubtful if those at the other end of themile would hear the report. 

The faces of the Pony Riders actually paled. This was indeed the nextthing to a bottomless pit. Walter Perkins recalled afterwards that hishead had spun dizzily, Ned that he was too frightened to move a muscle. 

Suddenly the silence was broken by a shout that was really an agonizedyell. The voice was Stacy Brown's. 

"Hold me! Somebody hold me!" he screamed

The others glanced at him with disapproving eyes. Could nothing impressChunky? The fat boy had begun to move forward toward the edge, bothhands extended in front of him as to ward off something. 

"Hold me! I'm going to jump! Oh, won't somebody hold me?"

Even then only one in that little party appeared to understand. Theywere paralyzed with amazement and unable to move a muscle. The one whodid see and understand was Tad Butler. Chunky was giving way to anirresistible impulse. He was at that instant being drawn toward theterrible abyss. 

CHAPTER VII

ON THE RIM OF ETERNITY

Tad caught his breath sharply. He, too, for the instant seemed unableto move. Then all at once he sprang forward, throwing himself upon thefat boy, both going to earth together, locked in a tight embrace. 

"Leggo! Leggo!" shrieked Stacy. 

The fat boy fought desperately. He had appealed for help; now herefused to accept it. He was possessed with a maddened desire to throwhimself into the mile-deep chasm. It was all Tad Butler could do atthe moment to keep from being rolled to the rim himself. 

Dad, suddenly discovering the situation, ran at full speed toward thestruggling boys. 

"Grab his legs. I will look out for his shoulders, " gasped Tad, sittingdown on Chunky's face for a brief respite. 

"I'll handle him, " said the guide quietly. "They get taken that waysometimes when they first look into the hole. "

By this time the others, having shaken off the spell, started to movetoward the scene of the brief conflict. Dad waved them back; then, with Tad holding up the fat boy's shoulders, Dad with Chunky's feet inhand, the two carried him back some distance, where they laid him onthe ground. Stacy did not move. His face was ghastly. 

"I think he has fainted---fainted away, " stammered Tad. 

"Let him alone. He'll be all right in a few minutes, " directed theguide. 

"What made him do that?" wondered Tad, turning large eyes on Nance. 

"He jest couldn't help it. I told you you'd see something, but I didn'tthink Fatty would be taken quite so hard. You go back. "

"No, I'll wait. You perhaps had better look after the others, Ned orthe Professor might be taken the same way, " answered Tad, with a faintsmile. 

Nance hurried back. After a time Chunky opened his eyes. He sat up, looking dazed then he reached a feeble hand toward Tad. 

"I'd 'a' gone sure, Tad, " he said weakly. 

"Nonsense!"

"I would, sure. "

"Come back and look at it. "

"Not for a million, I wouldn't. "

"Oh, pooh! Don't be a baby. Come back, I tell you. You've got to getover that fright. We shall have to be around this canyon for some time. If you haven't any nerve, why-----"

"Nerve? Nerve?" queried Stacy, rousing himself suddenly. "Talk aboutnerve! Don't you think it takes nerve for a fellow to start in to jumpoff a rock a mile high? Well, I guess it does. Don't you talk to meabout nerve. "

"There come the others. "

The Professor, the guide and the other boys walked slowly up to them atthis juncture. Chunky expected that Ned would make fun of him. Ned didnothing of the sort. Both Ned and Walter were solemn and their faceswere drawn. They sighed as if they had just awakened from a deep sleep. 

"What do you think of it, Professor?" asked Tad, looking up. 

"Words fail me. "

"I must have another look, " announced Butler. 

He walked straight to the edge of the rim, then lying flat on hisstomach, head out over the chasm, he gazed down into the terrible abyss. 

Jim Nance nodded approvingly. 

"He's going to love it just the same as I do. " The old man's heartwarmed toward Tad Butler in that moment, when Tad, all alone, sought acloser acquaintance with the mystery of the great gash. After a timethe others walked back, Dad taking Chunky by the nape of the neck. Perhaps it was the method of approach, or else Chunky, having had hisfright, had been cured. At least this time he felt no fear. He waslost in wonder. 

"Buck up now!" urged the guide. 

"I am bucked. Leggo my neck. I won't make a fool of myself this time, I promise you. "

"You can't blame him, " said Tad, rising from his perilous position andwalking calmly back to them. "I nearly got them myself. "

"Got what?" demanded Stacy. 

"The jiggers. "

"That's it. That describes it. "

Professor Zepplin, who had informed himself before starting out, nowturned suddenly upon them. 

"He's going to give us a lecture. Listen, " whispered Tad. 

"Young gentlemen, you have, perhaps, little idea of the vastness of thatupon which you are now gazing. "

"We know it is the biggest thing in the world, Professor, " said Ned. 

"Imagine, if you can, " continued the Professor, without heeding theinterruption, "that this amphitheatre is a real theatre. Allowingtwice as much room as is given for the seat of each person in the mostcomfortable theatre in the world, and you could seat here an audienceof two hundred and fifty millions of people. These would all be in theboxes on this side. "

The boys opened their eyes at the magnitude of the figures. 

"An orchestra of one hundred million pieces and a chorus of a hundredand fifty million voices could be placed comfortably on the oppositeside. Can you conceive of such a scene? What do you think of it?"

"I---I think, " stammered Chunky, "that I'd like to be in the box officeof that show---holding on to the ticket money. "

Without appearing to have heard Stacy Brown's flippant reply, ProfessorZepplin began again. 

"Now that you are about to explore this fairy land it is well that yoube informed in advance as to what it is. The river which you see downthere is the Colorado. As perhaps some of you, who have studied yourgeography seriously, may know, the river is formed in southern Utah bythe confluence of the Green and Grand, intersecting the north-westerncorner of Arizona it becomes the eastern boundary of Nevada andCalifornia, flowing southward until it reaches the Gulf of California. "

"Yes, sir, " said the boys politely, filling in a brief pause. 

"That river drains a territory of some three hundred thousand squaremiles, and from its source is two thousand miles long. This gorge isslightly more than two hundred miles long. Am I correct in myfigures, Mr. Nance?" demanded the Professor, turning to Dad, a"contradict-me-at-your-peril" expression on his face. 

"I reckon you are, sir. "

"The river has a winding way-----"

"That's the way with rivers, " muttered Chunky to himself. 

"Millions of years have been consumed in the building of this greatCanyon. In that time ten thousand feet of non-conformable strata havebeen deposited, elevated, tilted, and washed away; the depression ofthe Canyon Surface serving for the depositing of Devonian, LowerCarboniferous, Upper Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous; the formation of the vast eocene lake and its totaldisappearance; the opening of the earth's crust and the venting fromits angry stomach the foul lavas---the mind reels and whirls and growsdizzy-----"

"So do I, " almost shouted Chunky, toppling over in a heap. "Quit it!You make me sea sick-----"

"I am amazed, " bristled the Professor. "I am positively amazed thata young gentleman---"

"It was the whirling, reeling suggestion that made his head swim, Ithink, Professor, " explained Tad, by way of helping out the fat boy. 

The lecture was not continued from that point just then. The Professorpostponed the rest of his recital until a more opportune time. 

"Will you go down to-day, or will you wait?" asked the guide. 

"I think we shall find quite enough here on the edge of the rim tooccupy our minds for the rest of the day, Nance, " returned the Professor. 

The boys agreed to this. They did not feel as if they ever would wantto leave the view that fascinated and held them so enthralled. That daythey journeyed over to the hotel for dinner. The guests at the quainthotel were much interested in the Pony Rider Boys, and late in theafternoon quite a crowd came over to visit Camp Grand, as the lads hadnamed their camp after the pack train had arrived and the tents werepitched. 

There were four tents all pitched in a row facing the Canyon, the tentsin a straight line. In front the American flag was planted, the campfire burning about midway of the line and in front, so that at nightit would light up the entire company street. 

They cooked their own supper, Tad attending to this. But the boys weretoo full of the wonderful things they had seen that day to feel theirusual keen-edged appetite. 

The dishes put away, the Professor having become deeply absorbed in anargument with some gentlemen from the hotel regarding the "processesof deposition and subsidence of the uplift, " Tad slipped away, leavinghis chums listening to the conversation. Dad was also listening inopen-mouthed wonder that any human being could use such long words aswere being passed back and forth without choking to death. He was, however, so absorbed in the conversation that he did not at the momentnote Butler's departure. Tad passed out of sight in the direction ofthe Canyon. 

After a few moments had passed, Dad stirred the fire, then he toostrolled off toward the rim. Tad, fearless, regardless of the peril tohimself, was lying flat on his stomach gazing down over the rim, listening to the mysterious voices of the Canyon. 

"I don't want you to be here, boy, " said the guide gently. 

Though he had approached silently, without revealing his presence, Tadnever moved nor started, the tone was so gentle, and then again theboy's mind was full of other things. 

"Why don't you want me here, Mr. Nance?" Dad squatted down on the veryedge of the rim, both feet banging over, one arm thrown lightly overTad's shoulders. 

"You might fall. "

"What about yourself? You might fall, too. You are in more danger thanam I. "

"Dad is not afraid. The Canyon is his home---"

"You mean you live here?"

"The greater part of the year. "

"Where?"

"Some day I will show you. It is far, far down in my beloved Canyon, where the foot of the white man seldom strays. Have you heard thestrange voices of Dad's friend?"

"Yes, Dad, I have heard. I hear them now. "

Both fell silent. The far away roar of the turbulent waters of theColorado was borne to their listening ears. There were other sounds, too, mysterious sounds that came like distant moans, rising and falling, with here and there one that sounded like a sob. 

"The spirit of the Canyon is sad to-night, " murmured Dad. 

"Why, Dad, that was the wind sighing through the Canyon. "

"Yes, I know, but back of it all there is life, there is the very spiritof life. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel it deep down insideof me. I think you do, too. "

"Yes, Dad, I do. "

"I know you do. It's a living thing to me, kid, as it will be to youafter you know their voices better and they come to know you. Allthose people, " with a sweeping gesture toward the hotel where music andsong were heard, "miss it all. What they see is a great spectacle. Tosee the Grand Canyon is to feel it in your heart. Seeing it in anyother way is not seeing it at all. "

"And do you live down there alone?"

"Yes. Why not?"

"I should think you would long for human companionship. "

"What, with my beloved Canyon to keep me company? No, I am neverlonely, " added Jim Nance simply. "I shall live and die there---I hope, and I'll be buried down there somewhere There are riches down there too. Gold---much gold-----"

"Why don't you go after it-----"

Dad shook his head. 

"It would be like robbing a friend. No, you may take the gold if youcan find it, but Dad, never. See, the moon is up. Look!"

It was a new scene that Tad gazed upon. Vishnu Temple, the mostwonderful piece of architecture in the Canyon, had turned to moltensilver. This with Newberry Terrace, Solomon's Throne, Shinto Templeand other lesser ones stood out like some wonderful Oriental city. 

All at once the quiet of the beautiful scene was disturbed by a bowlthat was plainly the voice of Stacy Brown. Stacy, his big eyes missinglittle that had been going on about him, had after a time stolen awayafter Tad and the guide. His curiosity had been aroused by theirdeparture and still more by the time they had been gone. Chunkydetermined to go out and investigate for himself. 

He had picked his way cautiously toward the Canyon when he haltedsuddenly, his eyes growing large at what he saw. 

"Yeow! Look!" cried the fat boy. 

Both Jim Nance and Tad sprang up. Those in the camp heard the shout andran toward the rim, fearing that some harm had befallen Stacy. 

CHAPTER VIII

THE CITY IN THE SKIES

"What has happened now?" cried Tad, running forward. 

"Look, look!"

Tad and the guide turned at the same instant gazing off across theCanyon. At first Tad saw nothing more than he had already seen. 

"I---I don't-----"

"It's up there in the skies. Don't you see?" almost shouted Stacy, pointing. 

"What is it? What is it?" shouted the others from the camp, coming upon a run. 

Then Tad saw. High up in the skies, as plainly outlined as if it werenot more than a mile away, was reflected a city. Evidently it was anEastern city, for there were towers, domes and minarets, the mostwonderful sight he had ever gazed upon. 

"A---a mirage!"

"Yes, " said Dad. "We see them here some times, but not often. Myfriends down there are showing you many things this night. Yes theynever do that unless they are pleased. The spirit of the Canyon iswell pleased. I was sure it would be. "

By this time the others had arrived. All were uttering exclamationsof amazement, only Tad and Dad being silent and thoughtful. Forseveral minutes the reflection hung suspended in the sky, then afilmy mist was drawn before it like a curtain. 

"Show's over, " announced Chunky. "That billion orchestra will now playthe overture backwards. "

"Most remarkable thing I've ever seen, " announced the Professor, whereupon he entered into a long scientific discussion on mirages withthe gentlemen from the hotel. 

Tad and the guide followed them slowly back to camp. The conversationsoon became general. Dad was drawn into it, but he spoke no more aboutthe things he and Butler had talked of out on the rim of the Canyon, literally hanging between heaven and earth. 

"Well, what about to-morrow, Mr. Nance?" questioned the Professor, afterthe visitors had left them. 

"I reckoned we'd go down Bright Angel Trail, " answered the guide. 

"Do we take the pack train with us?"

Nance shook his head. 

"Too hard a trail. Besides we can't get anywhere with the mules on thattrail. We've got to come back up here. "

"Aren't we going into the Canyon to stay?" asked Walter. 

"Yes. We'll either go down Bass Trail or Grand View. We can get thepack mules down those trails, but on the Bright Angel we'll have toleave the pintos before we get to the bottom and climb down. "

"Any Indians down there?" asked Ned. 

"Sure, there are Indians. "

"What's that, Indians?" demanded Stacy, alive with quick interest. 

"Yes. There's a Havasupai camp down in Cataract Canyon, then thereare always some Navajos gunning about to make trouble for themselvesand everybody else. The Apaches used to come down here, too, but wedon't see them very often except when the Havasus give a peace danceor there's something out of the ordinary going on. "

"And do---do we see them?"

"See the Indians? Of course you'll see them. "

"Are they bad?" asked the fat boy innocently. 

"All Indians are bad. However, the Havasus won't bother you if youtreat them right. Don't play any of your funny, sudden tricks on themor they might resent it. They're a peaceable lot when they're letalone. "

"One of the gentlemen who were here this evening told me the Navajos, quite a party of them, had made a camp down near Bright Angel Gulch, if you know where that is, " spoke up Professor Zepplin. 

Dad pricked up his ears at this. 

"Then they aren't here for any good. The agent will be after them ifthey don't watch out. I'll have a look at those bucks and see whatrascality they're up to now, " said Nance. 

"Any chance of a row?" questioned Ned. 

"No, no row. Leastwise not for us. Your Uncle Sam will look afterthose gentlemen if they get gay. But they won't. It will be somecrooked little trick under cover---taking the deer or something ofthe sort. "

"Will we get any chance to shoot deer?" asked Walter. 

"You will not unless you are willing to be arrested. It's a closedseason from now till winter. I saw a herd of antelope off near RedButte this afternoon. "

"You must have eyes like a hawk, " declared Stacy, with emphasis. 

"Eyes were made to see with, " answered Nance shortly. 

"And ears to hear, and feet to foot with, and-----"

"Young men, it is time you were in bed. I presume Mr. Nance will bewanting to make an early start in the morning, " said the Professor. 

"If we are to get back the same day we'll have to start about daybreak. It's a hard trail to pack. You'll be ready to stretch your legs whenwe get back to-morrow night. "

The boys were not ready to use those same legs when they were turnedout at daybreak. There was some grumbling, but not much as they got upand made ready their hurried breakfast. In the meantime Nance hadgotten together such provisions as he thought they would need. Thesehe had packed in the saddle bags so as to distribute the weight. Shortlyafter breakfast they made a start, Dad going first, Tad following closebehind. 

The first two miles of the Bright Angel Trail was a sort of Jacob'sladder, zigzagging at an unrelenting pitch. Most of the way the boyshad to dig their knees into the sides of their mounts to preventslipping over the animals' necks. 

"This is mountain climbing backwards, " jeered Stacy. 

"I don't know, but I guess I like it the other way, " decided Walter, looking down a dizzy slope. 

"I hope my pony doesn't stumble, " answered Ned. 

"You won't know much about it if he does, " called Tad over his shoulder. 

"Never mind. We'll borrow an Indian basket to bring you home, "laughed Stacy in a comforting voice. 

The trail was the roughest and the most perilous they had ever essayed. The ponies were obliged to pick their way over rocks, around sharp, narrow corners, where the slightest misstep would send horse and ridercrashing to the rocks hundreds of feet below. But to the credit of thePony Rider Boys it may be said that not one of them lost his head foran instant. 

"How did this trail ever get such a name?" asked Tad of the guide. 

"Yes, I don't see any signs of angels hereabouts, " agreed Chunky. 

"You never will unless you mend your ways, " flung back Nance. 

"Oh, I don't know. There are others. "

"On the government maps this is called Cameron Trail, but it is bestknown by its original name, Bright Angel, named after Bright Angel creekwhich flows down the Canyon. "

"Where is Bright Angel Canyon?" asked Tad. 

"That's where the wild red men are hanging out, " said Stacy. 

"That's some distance from here. We shan't see it until some dayslater, " replied the guide. "This, in days long ago, was a HavasupaiIndian trail. You see those things that look like ditches?"

"Yes. "

"Those were their irrigating canals. They knew how to irrigate a longtime before we understood its advantages. Their canals conveyed largevolumes of water from springs to the Indian Gardens beyond here. Yonderis what is known as the Battleship Iowa, " said the guide, pointing tothe left to a majestic pile of red sandstone that capped the red wall ofthe Canyon. 

"Don't shoot, " cried Stacy, ducking. 

"You'll be shooting down into the Colorado, " warned Nance. "You'dbetter watch out. "

The rock indicated did very much resemble a battleship. The boysmarveled at it. Then a little further on they came upon a sandstoneplateau from which they could look down into the Indian Garden, another plateau rich with foliage, green grass and a riot of flowers. It was like looking into a bit of the tropics. 

"Here is the worst piece of trail we have yet found, " called Nance. "Go carefully, " he directed when they reached the "blue lime. " For thenext few minutes, until they had passed over this most dangerous portion, little was said. The riders were too busy watching out for their ownsafety, the Professor, examining the different strata of rocks that soappeal to the geologist. He was entranced with what he beheld abouthim. Professor Zepplin had no time in which to enjoy being nervous. 

From there on to the Garden they rode more at ease in the "Boulder Bed, "where lay large blocks of rock of many shapes and sizes that had rolledfrom some upper strata. Small shrubs and plants grew on every hand, many-hued lizards and inquisitive swifts darted across the trail, actingas if they resented the intrusion. 

Chunky regarded the lizards with disapproving eyes. But his thoughtswere interrupted by the voice of the guide pointing out the Temple ofIsis that looks down six thousand feet into the dark depths of theinner abyss, surrounded by innumerable smaller buttes. The wonderfulcolorings of the rocks did not suffer by closer inspection; in fact, the colors appeared to be even brighter than when viewed from the rima few thousand feet above them. 

Indian Garden was a delight. They wanted to tarry there, but wereallowed to do so only long enough to permit horses and riders torefresh themselves with the cold water that trickled down through thecanals from the springs far above. 

Reaching the end of Angel Plateau they gazed down a sheer descent oftwelve hundred feet into the black depths of the inner gorge, whereflowed the Colorado with a sullen roar that now was borne plainly totheir ears. 

"It sounds as I have heard the rapids at Niagara do, " declared Chunkysomewhat ambiguously. 

"All off!" called the guide. 

"What's off?" demanded Chunky. 

"Dismount. "

"Is this as far as we go?" questioned Tad. 

"It is as far as we go on the pintos. We have to climb down the restof the way, and it's a climb for your life. "

The boys gazed down the wall to the river gorge. The prospect did notlook very inviting. 

"I guess maybe I'd better stay here and mind the 'tangs', " suggestedStacy, a remark that brought smiles to the faces of the other boys. 

"No, you'd be falling off if we left you here, " declared Dad. "You'llgo along with us. "

Before starting on the final thousand feet of the descent the trappingswere removed from the horses, after which the animals were staked downso that they might not in a moment of forgetfulness fall over the walland be dashed to pieces on the rocks below. 

Dad got out his climbing ropes, the boys watching the preparations withkeen interest. 

"Are you going down, Professor?" asked Tad smilingly. 

"Certainly I am going down. I for one have no intention of remainingto watch the stock, " with a grim glance in Chunky's direction. Chunkysaw fit to ignore the fling at him. He was gazing off across the chasmat the Temple of Isis, which at that moment absorbed his full attention. 

"Now I guess we are ready, " announced the guide finally. "I will gofirst. In places it will be necessary to cling to the rope. Don'tlet go. Then, in case you stumble, you won't get the nasty fall thatyou otherwise would be likely to get. "

Away up, just below the Indian Garden, they picked up the slender trailthat led on down to the roaring river. They had never had quite such aclimb, either up or down. 

Every time they looked down they saw a possible fall upon rough, blade-like granite edges. 

"We'd be sausage meat if we landed on those, " declared Chunky. 

"You are likely to go through the machine if you don't pay closerattention to your business, " answered Dad. 

Carefully, cautiously, laboriously they lowered themselves one by oneover the steep and slippery rocks, down, down for hundreds of feet untilthey stood on the ragged edge of nowhere, a direct drop of severalhundred feet more before them. 

The guide knew a trail further on, so they crept along the smooth wallof the Canyon with scarcely room to plant their feet. A misstep meantdeath. 

"Three hundred feet and we shall be there, " came the encouraging voiceof the guide. "Half an hour more. "

"I could make it half a minute if I wanted to, " said Stacy. "But Idon't want to. I feel it my duty to stay and look after my friends. "

"Yes, your friends need you, " answered Ned sarcastically. "If theyhadn't I never should have pulled you out of the hole in the crater. "

"I was just wondering how Chunky could resist the temptation offalling in here. He'll never have a better opportunity for making aclean job of said Walter. 

"He has explained why, " replied Tad. "We need him. Of course we do. We need him every hour-----"

"And a half, " added Ned. 

The roar of the river became louder as they descended. Now they wereobliged to raise their voices to make themselves heard. The Professorwas toiling and sweating, but making no complaint of the hardships. He was plucky, as game as any of those hardy boys for whom he was thecompanion, and they knew it. 

"Hold on here!" cried Stacy, halting. 

All turned to see what was wrong. 

"I want to know---I want to know before I take another step. "

"Well, what do you want to know?" demanded Tad. 

"If it's all this trouble to climb down, I want to know how in the nameof Bright Angel Trail we're ever going to be able to climb up again!"

"Fall up, of course, " flung back the guide. "You said this wasmountain climbing backwards. It'll be that way going back, " chuckledthe guide. 

"And I so delicate!" muttered the lad, gazing up the hundreds of feetof almost sheer precipice. But ere the Pony Rider Boys scaled thoserocks again they would pass through some experiences that were far frompleasurable ones. 

CHAPTER IX

CHUNKY WANTS TO GO HOME

Instead of a half hour, as had been prophesied, a full hour elapsedbefore they reached the bottom of the trail that was practically no trailat all. Tad was sure that the guide couldn't find his way back over thesame ground, or rather rock, to save his life, for the boy could findnothing that looked as if the foot of man had ever trodden upon itbefore. He doubted if any one had been over that particular trail fromthe Garden on. 

As a matter of fact, Dad had led them into new fields. But at last theystood upon the surer foundation of the bottom of the chasm. 

"Anyone needs to be a mountain goat to take that journey, " said Tad, witha laugh. 

"No, a bird would be better, " piped Stacy. 

"I'd rather be a bug, then I wouldn't have to climb, " spoke up Walter. 

"Hurrah! Walt's said something, " shouted Ned. 

By this time Nance and the Professor had walked along, climbing overboulders, great blocks of stone that had tumbled from the walls above, making their way to the edge of the river. 

The others followed, talking together at the tops of their voices, laughing and joking. They felt relieved that the terrible climb hadcome to an end. As they approached the river, their voices died away. It was a sublime but terrifying spectacle that the Pony Rider Boys gazedupon. 

"This is more wonderful than Niagara, " finally announced the Professor. "The rapids of the Niagara River would be lost in this turbid stream. "

Great knife-like rocks projected from the flood. When the water struckthese sharp edges it was cleanly cut, spurting up into the air likegeysers, sending a rainbow spray for many yards on either side. 

What puzzled the lads more than all else were the great leaping wavesthat rose without apparent cause from spaces of comparatively calmwater. These upturning waves, the guide explained, were the terror ofexplorers who sought to get through the Canyon in boats. 

"Has any one ever accomplished it?" asked Tad. 

"Yes; that intrepid explorer, Major J. W. Powell, made the trip in theyear 1869, one of the most thrilling voyages that man ever took. Severalof his men were lost; two who managed to escape below here were killedby the Indians. "

"I think I should like to try it, " said Tad thoughtfully. 

"You won't, if I have anything to say about the matter, " replied Dadshortly. 

"No one would imagine, to gaze down on this stream from the rim, thatit was such a lively stretch of water, " remarked the boy. "It doesn'tseem possible. "

"Yes, if they had some of this water up on the plateau it would beworth almost its weight in gold, " declared Nance. "Water is whatArizona needs and what it has precious little of. Speaking of thedanger of the river, " continued Nance, "it isn't wholly the water, butthe traveling boulders. "

"Traveling boulders!" exclaimed the boys. 

"Yes. Boulders weighing perhaps a score or more of tons are rolledover and over down the river by the tremendous power of the water, almost with the force and speed of projectiles. Now and again theywill run against snags. The water dashing along behind them issuddenly checked under the surface. The result is a great up-wave, such as you have already observed. They are just as likely to godownward or sideways as upward. You never know. "

"Then that is the explanation of the cause of those up-waves?" askedthe Professor. 

"That's the way we figure it out. But we may be wrong. Take an oldman's advice and don't monkey with the river. "

"I thought you said Dad's beloved Canyon would not hurt him, " said Tadteasingly. 

"Dad's Canyon won't. The river isn't Dad's The river is a demon. Theriver would scream with delight were it to get Dad in its cruelclutches, " answered the old man thoughtfully, his bristling whiskersdrooping to his chest. "Are you boys hungry?"

The boys were. So Dad sought out a comfortable place where they mightsit down, a shelf some twenty feet above the edge of the river, whencethey could see the turbulent stream for a short distance both ways. Itwas a wonder to them where all the water came from. The Professorcalled attention to his former statement that the river drained somethree hundred thousand miles of territory. This explanation made thematter clearer to them. 

Coffee was made, the ever-ready bacon quickly fried and there in thevery heart of the Grand Canyon they ate their midday meal. Neverbefore had they sat down to a meal amid such tremendous forces. 

The meal having been finished and Dad having stretched himself out ona rock after his dinner, the boys strolled off along the river, exploring the various crevices. 

"Isn't there gold down here?" asked Tad, returning to the shelf. 

Dad sat up, stroking his whiskers thoughtfully. 

"I reckon you would find tons of it in the pockets of the river if shewere to run dry, " was the amazing reply. 

"But, " protested Tad, "is there no way to get it?"

"Not that man knows of. The Almighty, who made the whole business here, is the only one who is engineer enough to get that gold. No, sir, don'thave any dreams about getting that gold. It isn't for man, at least notyet. Maybe He to whom it belongs is saving it for some other age, forfolks who need it more than we do. "

"Nobody ever will need it more than we do, " interposed Stacy. "Why, justthink, I could buy a whole stable full of horses with what I could getout of one of those pockets. "

"Maybe I'll show you where you can pan a little of the yellow out, beforeyou finish your trip. "

Later in the day the guide decided that it was time to start for thesurface again. But the boys begged to be allowed to remain in theCanyon over night. It was an experience that they felt sure would beworth while. For a wonder, Professor Zepplin sided with them in thisrequest. 

"Well, I'll go up and water the stock, then if you want to stay here, why, all right, " decided Dad. 

"I will go with you, " said Tad. 

"Professor, I'll leave the rest of the boys in your charge. Don't letthem monkey with the river. I don't want to lose anybody this trip. Fall in there, and you'll bring up in the Pacific Ocean---what's leftof you will. Nothing ever'll stop you till you've hit the SandwichIslands or some other heathen country. "

The boys promised and so did the Professor, and both men knew the ladswould keep their word, for by this time they held that stream inwholesome respect. 

Chunky, after the guide and Tad had left, perched himself on the pointof a rock where he lifted up his voice in "Where the Silvery ColoradoWends Its Way, " Ned Rector occupying his time by shying rocks at thesinger, but Chunky finished his song and had gotten half way through ita second time before one of Ned's missiles reached him. That put anend to the song and brought on a rough and tumble fight in which Nedand Stacy were the sole participants. Chunky, of course, got the worstof it. The two combatants locked arms and strolled away down the riverbank after Chunky had been sufficiently punished for trying to sing. 

Night in the canyon was an experience. The roaring of the river whichno longer could be seen was almost terrifying. Then, too, a strangeweird moaning sounded all about them. Dad, who had returned, explainedthat it was supposed to be the wind. He confided to Tad that it wasthe spirit of the Canyon uttering its warning. 

"Warning of what?"

"I don't know. Maybe a storm. But you can believe something's goingto come off, kid, " answered Nance with emphasis. 

Something did come off. Tad and Nance had fetched the blankets of theparty back with them, together with two large bundles of wood for thecamp fire, which materials they had let down from point to point at theend of their ropes. Tad had learned always to carry his lasso at hisbelt. It was the most useful part of his equipment. He had gottenthe other boys into the habit of doing the same. Rifles had been leftin the camp above, as they were a burden in climbing down the rocks. But all hands carried their heavy revolvers. 

A very comfortable camping place was located Under an overhanging shelfof rock, the camp fire just outside lighting up the chamber in a mostcheerful manner. There after supper the party sat listening to Dad'sstories of the Canyon during some of his thirty years' experience withit. 

The wind was plainly rising. It drew the flames of the fire first inone direction, then in another. Nance regarded the signs questioningly. After a little he got up and strolled out to the edge of the roaringriver. Tad and Chunky followed him. 

"We are going to have a storm, " said Dad. 

"A heavy one?" asked Tad. 

"A regular hummer!"

"Rain?"

"Everything. The whole thing. I'm sorry now that we didn't go back upthe trail, but maybe we'd never got up before we were caught. However, we're pretty safe down here, unless-----"

"Unless what?" piped Chunky. 

"Unless we get wet, " answered Nance, though Tad knew that was not whatwas in the guide's mind. 

Just as they were turning back to the camp there came an explosion thatseemed as if the walls of the Canyon had been rent in twain. Chunkyuttered a yell and leaped straight up into the air. Tad took firm holdof the fat boy's arm. 

"Don't be a fool. That was thunder and lightning. The lightning strucksomewhere in the Canyon. Isn't that it, Dad?"

Nance nodded. 

"It's always doing that. It's been plugging away at Dad's Canyon formillions of years, but the Canyon is doing business at the same oldstand. I hope those pintos are all right up there, " added the guideanxiously. 

"Mebby they're struck, " suggested Stacy. 

"Mebby they are, " replied Nance. "Come, we'll be getting back unlessyou want to get wet. "

A dash of rain followed almost instantly upon the words. The threestarted at a trot for the camp. They found the Professor and his twocompanions anxiously awaiting their return. 

"That was a severe bolt, " said the Professor. 

"Always sounds louder down here, you know, " replied Dad. "Echoes. "

"Yes, I understand. "

"Is---is it going to rain?" questioned Walter. 

"No, it's going to pour, " returned Chunky. "You'll need your rubberboots before long. "

"Move that camp fire in further, " directed Nance. "It'll be drowned outin a minute. "

This was attended with some difficulty, but in a few minutes they hadthe fire burning brightly under the ledge. Then the rain began. Itseemed to be a cloudburst instead of a rain. Lightning was almostincessant, the reports like the bombardment of a thousand batteries ofartillery, even the rocks trembling and quaking. Chunky's face grewpale. 

"Say, I want to go home, " he cried. 

"Trot right along. There's nothing to stop ye, " answered the guidesarcastically. 

"Afraid?" questioned Ned jeeringly. 

"No, I'm not afraid. Just scared stiff, that's all, " retorted the fatboy. 

The shelf of rock that sheltered them had now become the base of aminiature Niagara Falls. The water was pouring over it in tons, makinga roaring sound that made that of the river seem faint and far away. 

Jim Nance was plainly worried. Tad Butler saw this and so did theProfessor, but neither mentioned the fact. Their location was nolonger dry. The spray from the waterfall had drenched them to theskin. No one complained. They were too used to hardships. 

All at once there came a report louder and different from the others, followed by a crashing, a thundering, a quaking of the rocks beneaththeir feet, that sent the blood from the face of every man in theparty. Even Dad's face grayed ever so little. 

The next second each one was thrown violently to the ground. A soundwas in their ears as if the universe had blown up. 

"We're killed!" howled Chunky. 

"Help, help!" yelled Walter Perkins. 

"What---what is it?" roared the Professor. 

"We're struck!" shouted Tad. 

"Lie still. Hug the wall!" bellowed the stentorian voice of Jim Nance, who himself had crept closer to the Canyon wall and lay hugging ittightly. 

The deafening, terrifying reports continued. One corner of the ledgeover their heads split off, sending a volley of stones showering overthem, leaving the faces of some of the party flecked with blood wherethe jagged particles had cut into their flesh. 

It was a terrible moment for the Pony Rider Boys. 

CHAPTER X

ESCAPE IS WHOLLY CUT OFF

Not one could collect his thoughts sufficiently to reason out what hadtaken place. The guide, however, had known from the first. He fearedthat his charges would be killed, but there was nothing more that hecould do. 

The bombarding continued, some explosions sounding near at hand, othersfurther down or up the Canyon, but each of sufficient force to sendshivers up and down the spines of the Pony Rider Boys. They never hadexperienced anything approaching this. 

"I'm going to stand up, " declared Tad, rising to his feet. "I won'tbe killed any quicker standing than lying down. Besides, I don't liketo shirk. "

"Stand up if you want to, but keep close to the wall, " ordered Dad, himself rising to his feet. 

One by one the boys got up, Professor Zepplin following the example ofthe guide. They had to shout in speaking in order to make themselvesheard above the bombardment, the roaring of the river and the cataractover their heads. 

"What is going on up there?" shouted Tad. 

"Mountain falling in!"

"I knew it! I knew it!" yelled Chunky. "I knew something would falldown as soon as I got here. "

No one laughed. The situation was too serious for laughter. 

"Is it a land or a rock slide?" questioned Tad further. 

"Both, " shouted Nance. "Mostly boulders. "

The rain has loosened them and they are raining down on us. We're luckywe had this shelf to get under. "

"From the present outlook I am afraid the shelf isn't going to protectus much longer, " said Tad. 

"Keep close to the wall and you will be all right. It won't break offshort up to the wall. I've seen rock slides, but never anything quitelike this. You see, the spirit of the Canyon was right, " nodded Nance. 

"Spirits? What spirits?" demanded Chunky. "Is this place haunted?Don't tell me it is. Haven't I got enough to worry me already withoutbeing chased by ghosts?

"Chased by goats?" shouted the Professor. 

"Who said anything about goats?" retorted Stacy. "I said g-h-o-s-t-s, spooks, spookees or spookors or whatever you've a mind to call them. "

"Oh, I hope you are not losing your mind, Stacy. "

"Might as well lose my mind as to lose my life. Mind wouldn't be anyuse to me after I was dead, would it?"

"The storm is dying out, " called Ned. 

Tad started to step from under the shelf, Nance grasped and hauled himback. Just then a great boulder, weighing many tons, struck the rockjust above their heads, then bounded off into the river, which itstruck with a mighty splash. The contact with the rocks sent off ashower of sparks, a perfect rain of them. 

"I---I guess I need a guardian, " said the lad rather weakly. 

"Yes, you probably would have been killed by the smaller pieces thatbroke off, " answered Nance. "Be content to stay where you are. "

"How long have we got to stay cooped up in this half cave?" demandedStacy. 

"All night, maybe, " answered Dad. 

"Good night!" said the fat boy, Slipping down until he had assumed asitting posture. He lay down and was asleep in a short time. Stacywoke with a start when another giant rock smote the wall just abovetheir cave, exploding into thousands of pieces from the violent contact. 

"Stop that noise! How do you suppose a fellow's going to sleepwhen-----"

Stacy struggled slowly to his feet when he saw the drawn faces of hiscompanions. 

"Was that another of them?" he asked hesitatingly. 

"Yes, " answered Tad, with a nod. "It is grand, but terrible. "

"I don't see anything grand about it. I guess I won't lie down again. I never can sleep any more after being awakened from my first nap, "declared the fat boy. 

No one slept for the rest of the night. The bombardment continued atintervals all through the black, terrifying night. The Colorado, intowhich billions of gallons of water had been dumped, was rising rapidly, an angry, threatening flood. 

"Is there any danger of the river overflowing on us?" asked ProfessorZepplin. 

"No. No single night's rain would do it. The rain is pretty nearlyended now, as you can see for yourself. But there's no telling how longthose fellows will continue to roll down. I've seen the same thingbefore, but this is the worst, " declared Dad. 

"All on account of the Pony Rider Boys, " piped Stacy. "Miss Natureis determined to give us our money's worth in experience. I've hadmine already. She can't quit any too soon to suit me. "

After a time the guide crept out, his ears keyed sharply to catchwarning sounds from above. Nance had been out but a moment when hedarted back under the protecting ledge. He was just in time. A giantboulder struck the earth right in front of their place of refuge. Fromthat moment on no one ventured out. About an hour before daylight, thestorm having lulled, the failing boulders coming down with lessfrequency, all hands sank down on their wet blankets one by one, anddropped off to sleep. 

When they awakened the day had dawned. The sun was glowing on the peaksof Pluto Pyramid and the Algonkin Terraces far above them on the oppositeside of the gorge. Tad Butler was the first to open his eyes thatmorning. He sprang up with a shout. 

"Sleepy heads! Turn out!"

Dad was on his feet with a bound. Then came the Professor, Ned andWalter in the order named, with Stacy Brown limping along painfully atthe rear. 

"How do you feel this fine morning?" glowed Tad, nodding at Stacy. 

"I? Oh, I'm all bunged up. How's the weather?"

"Nature is smiling, " answered Tad. 

"All right. As long as she doesn't grin, I won't kick. If she grinsI'm blest if I'll stand for it. "

"Whose turn is it to get breakfast?" questioned Ned. 

"What little there is to get I will attend to, " said Tad. "We are longon experience but short on food. "

Still, breakfast was a cheerful meal, even though all were still wet, their muscles stiffened from sleeping in puddles, from which they wereobliged to dip the water for their coffee. They enjoyed the meal justas much as if it had been a banquet, however. 

Dad's face did not reflect the general joy that was apparent on thefaces of the others. Tad observed this, but made no comment. FinallyStacy Brown discovered something of the sort, too. 

"Dad, you've got a grouch on this lovely morning, " said Stacy. 

"No, I never have a grouch. "

"Your whiskers are rising. I thought you had. "

"I'd rather have my whiskers standing out some of the time than to havemy tongue hanging out all of the time, " replied the guide witheringly. 

"I guess that will be about all for you, Chunky, " jeered Ned. 

"Do we start as soon as we have finished here?" asked the Professor ofNance. 

"We do not, " was the brief reply. 

"May I ask why not?"

"Because we can't start. "

"Can't?" wondered Professor Zepplin. 

Tad saw that something was wrong. What that something was he had notthe remotest idea. 

"No, we won't go up Bright Angel Trail to-day. "

"Why not? Why won't we?" piped Stacy. 

"Because there isn't any Bright Angel Trail to go up, " returned theguide grimly. "The bad place in the trail was all torn out by theripping boulders last night. Nothing short of a bird could make itsway over that stretch of trail now. "

"Then what are we going to do?" cried the Professor. 

"Do? We're going to stay here. Escape is for the present wholly cutoff-----"

"Can't we climb up a trail lower down?" asked Ned. 

"Ain't no trail this side of the wall by the river, and the river isjust as bad as the wall. I reckon we'll stay here for a time at least. "

The Pony Rider Boys looked at each other solemnly. Theirs was, indeed, a serious predicament, much more so than they realized. 

CHAPTER XI

A TRYING TIME

For a moment following the announcement no one spoke. 

The Professor gazed straight into the stern face of the guide, whosewhiskers were still drooping. 

"We are prisoners here? Is that it, Nance?" stammered Professor Zepplin. 

"That's about it, I reckon. The trail's busted. There ain't no otherway to get out that I know of and I reckon I know these canyons prettywell. "

"Then what shall we do?"

"Well, I reckon we'll wait till somebody misses us and comes downafter us. "

"Oh, well, they will do that this morning. Of course they will missus, " declared the Professor, as if the matter were entirely settled. 

The expression on Dad's face plainly showed that he was not quite soconfident as was the Professor. There was one factor that ProfessorZepplin had not taken into consideration. Food! There was barelyenough left for a meal for one person. Dad surmised this, so he askedTad just how much food they had left. 

"Our supply, " said Tad, "consists of three biscuit, one orange and twolemons. "

The boys groaned. 

"I'll take the biscuit. You can have the rest, " was Chunky's liberaloffer. "How about it?"

"You will get a lemon handed to you at twelve o'clock noon to-day, "jeered Ned Rector. 

"Then I'll pass it along to the one who needs it the most, " retortedStacy quickly. 

"The question is, " said the Professor, "is there nothing that we can doto attract the attention of others?"

"I have been thinking of that, " answered Nance. "I wish now that we hadbrought our rifles. "

"Why?"

"To shoot and attract attention of whoever may be on the rim. "

"We might shoot our revolvers, " suggested Tad. 

"We will do that. It is doubtful if the reports can be heard above, andeven then I am doubtful about any of the tenderfeet understanding whatthe shots mean. About our only hope is that some one who knows willcome down the trail. They won't go further than the Gardens, butfinding our mustangs there a mountaineer would understand. "

"Shall I take a shot?" asked Walter. 

"Yes. "

Walter fired five shots into the river. After an interval Chunky letgo five more. This continued until each had fired a round of fiveshots. After each round they listened for an answering shot fromabove, but none came. Thus matters continued until noon, when theremaining food was distributed among the party. 

"This is worse than nothing, " cried Chunky. "This excites my appetite. If you see me frothing at the mouth don't think I've got a dog bite. That's my appetite fighting with my stomach. I'll bet my gun that theappetite wins too. "

The day wore away slowly. Tad made frequent trips down the river asfar as he could get before being stopped by a great wall of rock thatrose abruptly for nearly a thousand feet above him. He gazed up thisglittering expanse of rock until his neck ached, then he went back tocamp. An idea was working in Tad's mind, but it was as yet undeveloped. 

At intervals the shots were tried again, though no reply followed. Nightcame on. Before dark Dad had gathered some driftwood that he found increvices of the rocks. The wood was almost bone dry and a crackling, cheerful fire was soon burning. 

"If we only had something to eat now, we'd be all right, " said Waltermournfully. 

"You want something to eat?" questioned Chunky. 

"I should say I do. "

"Oh, well, that's easily fixed. "

Stacy stepped over to a rock, made a motion as if ringing a telephonebell, then listened. 

"Hello! hello! Is that the hotel, El Tovar Hotel? Very well; thisis Brown. Brown! Yes. Well, we want you to send out dinner for six. Six! Can't you understand plain English? Yes, six. Oh, well, Ithink we'll have some porter house steak smothered in onions. Smothered!We'll have some corn cakes and honey, some--some---um---some bakedpotatoes, about four quarts of strawberries. And by the way, got anyapple pie? Yes? Well, you might send down a half dozen pies and-----"

Chunky got no further. With a howl, Ned Rector, Tad Butler and WalterPerkins made a concerted rush for him. 

Ned fell upon the unfortunate fat boy first. Stacy went down in a heapwith Ned jamming his head into the dirt that had been washed up by theriver at flood time. A moment more and Ned was at the bottom of theheap with Stacy, the other two boys having piled on top. 

"Here, here!" shouted the Professor. 

"Let 'em scrap, " grinned Dad. "They'll forget they're hungry. "

They did. After the heap had been unpiled, the boys got up, theirclothes considerably the worse for the conflict, their faces red, butsmiling and their spirits considerably higher. 

"You'll get worse than that if you tantalize us in that way again, "warned Tad. "We can stand for your harmless jokes, but this iscruel-----"

"---ty to animals, " finished Chunky. 

"What you'll get will make you sure of that. "

"Come over here and get warm, Brown, " called the guide. 

"Oh, he's warmed sufficiently, " laughed Tad. "We have attended to that. He won't get chills to-night, I promise you. "

Breathing hard, their eyes glowing, the boys squatted down around thecamp fire. No sooner had they done so than a thrilling roar soundedoff somewhere in a canyon to their right, the roar echoing from rockto rock, from canyon to canyon, dying away in the far distance. 

"For goodness' sake, what is that?" gasped Stacy. 

"Mountain lion, " answered the guide shortly. 

"Can---can he get here?" stammered Walter. 

"He can if he wants to. "

"I---I hope he changes his mind if he does want to, " breathed Stacy. 

"I wish we had our rifles, " muttered Ned. 

"What for?" demanded Dad. 

"To shoot lions, of course. "

"Humph!"

"Couldn't we have a lion hunt while we are out here?" asked Tadenthusiastically. 

"You could if the lion didn't hunt you. "

"Wouldn't that be great, fellows?" cried Tad. "The Pony Rider Boys aslion hunters. "

"Great, " chorused the boys. "When shall it be?" added Ned. 

"It won't be till after we get out of this hole, " declared Dad. "Andfrom present indications, that won't be to-night. "

"Tell us something about the lions, " urged Walter. "Are they ugly?"

"Well, they ain't exactly household pets, " answered the guide, witha faint smile. 

"Is it permitted to hunt them?" interjected the Professor. 

"Yes, there's no law against it. The lions kill the deer and thegovernment is glad to be rid of the lions. But you won't get enoughof them to cause a flurry in the lion market. "

"No, there's more probability of there being a panic in the Pony Ridermarket, " chuckled Tad. 

"I'm not afraid, " cried Stacy. 

"No, Chunky isn't afraid, " jeered Ned. "He doesn't want to go homewhen the marbles roll down from the mountain! Oh, no, he isn't afraid!He's just looking for dangerous sport. "

Their repartee was interrupted by another roar, louder than the first. But though they listened for a long time there was no repetition of thedisturbing roar of the king of the canyons. 

Soon after that the lads went to bed. Tonight they slept soundly, forthey had had little sleep the previous night, as the reader knows. When they awakened on the following morning the conditions had notchanged. They were still prisoners in the Grand Canyon not far fromthe foot of Bright Angel Trail. All hands awoke to the consciousnessthat unless something were done, and at once, they would find themselvesface to face with starvation. It was not a cheerful prospect. 

There was no breakfast that morning, though Chunky, who had pickedup a cast-away piece of orange peel, was munching it with greatsatisfaction, rolling his eyes from one to the other of his companions. 

"Don't. You might excite your appetite again, " warned Ned. 

Tad, who had been out for another exploring tour along the river, hadreturned, walking briskly. 

"Well, did you find a trail?" demanded Chunky. 

"No, but I have found a way out of this hole, " answered Tad, withemphasis. 

"What?" exclaimed Dad, whirling on him almost savagely. 

"Yes, I have found a way. I'm going to carry out a plan and I promisethat with good luck I'll get you all out of here safely. I shall needsome help, but the thing can be done, I know. "

"What is your plan?" asked the Professor. 

"I'll tell you, " said Tad. "But don't interrupt me, please, until Ihave finished. "

CHAPTER XII

BRAVING THE ROARING COLORADO

The Pony Riders drew closer, Dad leaned against the rocky wall of theCanyon, while the Professor peered anxiously into the lad's face. 

"I'll bet it's a crazy plan, " muttered Stacy. 

"We will hear what you have to say and decide upon its feasibilityafterwards, " announced the Professor. 

"Mr. Nance, if a man were below the horseshoe down the Canyon there, hewould be able to make his way over to the Bright Angel Trail, wouldhe not?"

"Yes. A fellow who knew how to climb among the rocks could make it. "

"He could get right over on our own trail, could he not?"

"Sure! But what good would that do us?"

"Couldn't he let down ropes and get us out?"

"I reckon he could at that. "

"You don't think we are going to be discovered here until perhaps it istoo late, do you, Mr. Nance?"

"We always have hopes. There being nothing we can do, the only thingfor us is to sit down and hope. "

"And starve? No, thank you. Not for mine!"

"Nor mine. It's time we men did something, " declared Stacy pompously. 

"As I have had occasion to remark before, children should be seen andnot heard, " asserted Ned Rector. 

"Kindly be quiet. We are listening to Master Tad, " rebuked theProfessor. "Go ahead, Tad. "

"There isn't much to say, except that I propose to get on the otherside of the horseshoe and climb back over the rocks to our trail. If Iam fortunate enough to get there the rest will be easy and I'll haveyou up in a short time. How about it, Dad?" asked the boy lightly, as if his proposal were nothing out of the ordinary. 

Dad took a few steps forward. 

"How do ye propose to get across that stretch of water there to reachthe other side of the horseshoe?"

"Swim it, of course. "

The guide laughed harshly. 

"Swim it? Why, kid a boat wouldn't live in that boiling pot for twominutes. What could a mere man hope to do against that demon?"

"It is my opinion that a man would do better for a few moments againstthe water than a boat would. I think I can do it. "

"No, if anybody does that kind of a trick it will be Jim Nance. "

"Do you swim?"

"Like a chunk of marble. Living on the plains all a fellow's lifedoesn't usually make a swimmer of him. "

"I thought so. That makes me all the more determined to do this thing. "

"Somebody hold me or I'll be doing it myself, " cried Chunky. 

No one paid any attention to the fat boy's remark. 

"I can't permit it, Tad, " said the Professor, with an emphatic shake ofthe head. "No, you could never make it. It would be suicide. "

"I'm going to try it, " insisted the Pony Rider. 

"You most certainly are not. "

"But there is little danger. Don't you see I should be floating downwith the current. Almost before I knew it I should be on the otherside of the horseshoe there. Besides you would have hold of the rope. "

"Rope?" demanded Dad. 

"Yes, of course. "

"Where are you going to get ropes? They're all up there on themountainside. "

"We still have our lassoes. "

"Explain. I don't understand, " urged Professor Zepplin. 

"It is my plan to tie the lassoes together. We have six of them. Thatwill make nearly two hundred feet. One or two of you can take hold ofthe free end of the rope, the other end being about my waist. In caseI should be carried away from the shore, why all you have to do willbe to haul me back. Isn't that a simple proposition?"

"It's a crazy one, " nodded the Professor. 

"Come to think it over, I believe it could be done, " reflected Nance. "If I could swim at all I'd do it myself, but I'd drown inside ofthirty seconds after I stepped a foot in the water. Why, I nearlydrown every time I wash for breakfast. "

Stacy was about to make a remark, but checked himself. It was evidentlynot a seemly remark. It must have been more than ordinarily flippantto have caused Chunky to restrain himself. 

"I move we let Tad try it, Professor, " proposed Ned. 

"I don't approve of it at all. No, sir, I most emphatically do not. "

"But surely, Professor, there can be no danger in it at all. It isvery simple, " urged young Butler. 

Tad knew better. It was not a simple thing to do. It was distinctly aperilous, if not a foolhardy feat. Nance knew this, too, but he hadgrown to feel a great confidence in Tad Butler. He believed that ifanyone could brave those swirling waters and come out alive, that onewas Tad Butler. But it was a desperate chance. Still, with the ropetied around the lad's waist, it was as the boy had said, they couldhaul him back quickly. 

"Professor, I am in favor of letting him try it if he is a goodswimmer, " announced the guide. 

"Pshaw, you couldn't drown Tad, " declared Ned. 

"No, you couldn't drown Tad, " echoed Chunky. "Not any more than youcould drown me. "

"Perhaps you would like to try it yourself?" grinned Nance. 

"Yes, I can hardly hold myself. I am afraid every minute that I'll jumpright into that raging flood there and strike out for the other side ofthe horseshoe, " returned Stacy, striking a diving attitude. 

They laughed, but as quickly sobered. Tad was already at work makingfirm splices in the two ropes that he held in his hand. 

"Pass over your ropes, boys. We have no time to lose. The river isgetting higher every minute now, and there's no telling what conditionit will be in an hour from now. "

The others passed over their ropes, some willingly enough, others withreluctance. Tad spliced them together, tested each knot with all hisstrength and nodded his approval. 

"I guess they will hold now, " he said, stripping off his coat afterhaving thrown his hat aside and tossed off his cartridge belt andrevolver. 

"Walt, you take care of those things for me, please, and in case I getyou folks out, fetch them up with you. "

Walter Perkins nodded as he picked up the belongings of his chum. 

"Mr. Nance, " said Tad, "I think you and Ned are the strongest, so I'llask you two to take hold of the rope when I get started. If you needhelp the Professor will lend a hand. "

Professor Zepplin shook his head. He did not approve of this at all. However, it seemed their only hope. Tad started for the lower end ofthe walled-in enclosure, the others following him. The lad made therope fast around his waist, twisting it about so that the knot was onthe small of his back. Thus the rope would not interfere with hisswimming. He then uncoiled the rope, stretching it along the ground tomake sure that there were no kinks in it. 

"There, everything appears to be in working order. Don't you envy memy fine swim, boys?" Tad laughed cheerfully. 

"Yes, we do, " chorused the boys. 

It must not be thought that Tad Butler did not fully realize the perilinto which he was so willingly going. He knew there was a big chanceagainst his ever making his goal, but he was willing to take the slenderremaining chance that he might make it. 

"All ready, " he said coolly. 

Dad and Ned took hold of the rope. 

"Don't hold on to it at all unless I shout to you to do so. I must beleft free. Let me be the judge if I am to be hauled back or not. "

With a final glance behind, to see that all was in readiness, Tadstepped to the edge of the water. Chunky pressed up close to him. 

"Is there any last request that you want me to make to relatives orfriends, Tad?" asked the fat boy solemnly. 

"Tell them to be good to my Chunky, for he's such a tender plant thathe will perish unless he has the most loving care. Here I go!"

With a wave of his hand, Tad plunged into the swirling waters. Thoughhis plunge was seen, the sound of it was borne down by the thunderousroar of the river. As Butler vanished it was as though he had gone tohis instant doom. 

Instinctively the two men holding the rope tightened their grip, beginning to haul in. But Tad's head showed and they eased off again. 

Just a few moments more, and Tad was seized by the waters and hurled upinto the air. 

"He jumps like a bass, " chuckled Chunky. 

"Quit that talk!" ordered Ned sharply. "Poor Tad, we've let him go toa hopeless death!"

All watched Tad breathlessly---whenever they could see him. More oftenthe boy was invisible to those on land. 

A strong swimmer, and an intelligent one, Tad had more than found hismatch in these angry, cruel waters. Though the current was in thedirection that he wanted to go, the eddies seemed bent on dragging himout to the middle of the stream, where he must be most helpless of all. 

Tad was fighting with all the strength that remained to him when anup-wave met him, caught him and hurled him back fully ten feet. Butlernow found his feet entangled in the rope. 

"He's having a fearful battle!" gasped Walter, whose face had gonedeathly pale. 

Professor Zepplin nodded, unable to speak. By a triumph of strength, backed by his cool head and keen judgment, Tad brought himself out ofthis dangerous pocket of water, only to meet others. His strengthseemed to be failing now. 

"Haul him back!" ordered the Professor hoarsely. "Haul him back!"

They tried, but at that moment the rope parted---sawed in two over asharp edge of rock!

CHAPTER XIII

A BATTLE MIGHTILY WAGED

The land end of the rope fell limp in the hands of Jim Nance and NedRector. 

"It's gone---gone!" wailed Ned. 

"That settles him, " answered the guide in a hopeless tone. 

"Oh, he's lost, he's lost!" cried Walter. "Can no one do anything?"

Chunky, with sudden determination, threw off his coat, and started on arun for the river. Dodging the Professor's outstretched hands, Chunkysprang into the water. 

With a roar Dad hurled the rope toward the fat boy. The guide had notime in which to fashion a loop, but he had thrown the rope doubled. Fortunately the coil caught Chunky's right foot and the lad was hauledback feet first, choking, half drowned, his head being dragged underwater despite his struggles to get free. 

The instant they hauled him to the bank the Professor seized the ladand began shaking him. 

"Leggo! Lemme go, I tell you. I'm going after Tad!"

Stacy Brown was terribly in earnest this time. He was fighting madbecause they had pulled him back from what would have been sure deathto him. They had never given Stacy credit for such pluck, and Ned andWalter gazed at him with new interest in their eyes. It was necessaryto hold the fat boy. He was still struggling, determined to go toTad's rescue. 

In the meantime their attention had been drawn from Tad for the moment. When they looked again they failed to find him. 

"There he is, " shouted Ned, as the boy was seen to rise from the waterand plunge head foremost into it again. Tad did not appear to befighting now. 

"He's helpless! He's hurt!" cried the Professor. 

"I reckon that's about the end of the lad, " answered Nance in a lowtone. "There's nothing we can do but to wait. "

"I see him again!" shouted Walter. 

They could see the lad being tumbled this way and that, hurled firstaway from the shore, then on toward it. Nance was regarding thebuffeted Pony Rider keenly. He saw that Tad was really nearing theshore, but that he was helpless. 

"What has happened to him?" demanded the Professor hoarsely. "Is hedrowned?"

"It's my opinion that he has been banged against a rock and knockedout. I can't tell what'll be the end of it, but it looks mighty bad. There he goes, high and dry!" fairly screamed Dad, while his whiskerstilted upwards at a sharp angle. 

Tad had been hurled clear of the water, hurled to the dry rocks on whichhe had been flung as if the river wanted no more of him. The watchersbegan to shout. They danced about almost beside themselves with anxiety. No one could go to Tad's assistance, if, indeed, he were not beyondassistance. 

A full twenty minutes of this nerve-racking anxiety had passed when Dadthought he saw a movement of Tad's form. A few moments later the boywas seen to struggle to a sitting posture, where he sat for a shorttime, both hands supporting his head. 

Such a yell as the Pony Rider Boys uttered might have been heard clearup on the rim of the Grand Canyon had there been any one there to hearit. Dad danced a wild hornpipe, the Professor strode up and down, first thrusting his hands into his pockets, then withdrawing and wavingthem above his head. Stacy had settled down on the rocks with thetears streaming down his cheeks. Stacy wasn't joking now. Thisemotion was real. 

They began to shout out Tad's name. It was plain that he heard them, for he waved a listless hand then returned to his former position. 

"That boy is all iron, " breathed the admiring guide. 

The noise of the river was so great that they could not ask him if hewere hurt seriously. But Tad answered the question himself a fewminutes later by getting up. He stood for a moment swaying as if hewould fall over again, then staggered to the wall, against which heleaned, still holding his head. 

"He must have got an awful wallop, " declared Dad. 

Shortly after that Tad appeared to have recovered somewhat, for he wasseen to be gazing up over the rocks, apparently trying to choose aroute for himself. 

"How can he ever make that dizzy climb in his condition?" groaned theProfessor. 

"We'll see. I think he can do anything, " returned Nance. 

Tad walked back and forth a few times, exercising his muscles, thenturned toward the rocks which he began to climb. He proceeded slowlyand with great caution, evidently realizing the peril of his undertaking, but taking no greater chances than he was obliged to do. 

Little by little he worked his way upward, Now and then halting, clingingto the rocks for support while he rested. After a time he looked downat his companions. Nance waved a hand, signaling Tad to turn to theright. Tad saw and understood the signal and acted accordingly. 

Once he stood up and gazed off over the rugged peaks, sharp knife-likeedges and sheer wails before him. There seemed not sufficient footholdfor a bird where he was standing, and though a thousand feet above theriver, he seemed not to feel the height at all nor to be in the leastdizzy. 

It was dangerous work, exhausting work; but oh! what self-reliance, whatpluck and levelheadedness was Tad Butler displaying. Had he neveraccomplished anything worth while in his life, those who saw him nowcould but admire the lad's wonderful courage. 

They hung upon his movements, scarcely breathing at all, as little bylittle the lad crept along, now swinging by his hands from one ledgeto another, now creeping around a sharp bend on hand and knees, nowhanging with nothing more secure than thin air underneath him, with faceflattened against a rock, resting. It was a sight to thrill and tomake even strong men shiver. 

For a long time Tad disappeared from view. The watchers did not knowwhere he had gone, but Nance explained that he had crept around theopposite side of the butte where he had last been seen, hoping todiscover better going there, which Jim was of the opinion he would find. 

This proved to be the case when after what seemed an interminable time, the Pony Rider once more appeared, creeping steadily on toward thetrail above the broken spot. 

This went on for the greater part of two hours. 

"He's safe. Thank God!" cried the guide. 

The Pony Rider Boys whooped. 

"You stay here!" directed the guide. Nance began clambering up therocky trail to a point from which he would be able to talk to the boy. Arriving at this spot, Dad waited. At last Tad appeared, dragginghimself along. 

"Good boy! Fine boy! Dad's Canyon is proud of you, boy!"

Tad sank down, shaking his head, breathing hard, as the guide couldsee, even at that distance. After a time Tad recovered his windsufficiently to be able to talk. 

"What happened to you?" called Dad. 

"I got a bump. I don't really know what did occur. The ropes are allwashed away, Dad. I don't know how I'm going to help you up here nowthat I have got up. Aren't there any vines of which I could make aladder?"

"Nary a vine that'll make a seventy-five-foot ladder. "

"Then there is only one thing for me to do. "

"What's that?"

"Hurry to the rim and get ropes. "

"I reckon you'll have to do that, kid, if you think you're able. Areyou much knocked out?"

"I'm all right. Tell them not to worry. I may be gone some time, butI shall be back. "

"Good luck! I wish I could help you. "

"I don't need help now. There is no further danger. Are my friendsdown there hungry?"

"Stacy Brown is thinking of nibbling rocks. "

Tad laughed, then began climbing up the trail. Nance, watching himnarrowly, saw that the boy was very weary, being scarcely able to draghimself along. After a time Tad passed out of sight up what was leftof Bright Angel Trail. Nance, with a sigh, turned to begin retracinghis steps down to the Pony Rider Boys' party. 

"Well, he made it, didn't he?" cried Ned. "We have been watching himall the time. "

"There's a real man, " answered the guide, with an emphatic nod. "Pitythere aren't more like him. "

"There is one like him, " spoke up Chunky. 

"Who?"

"Little me, " answered the fat boy, tapping his chest modestly. 

"That's so; Chunky did jump into the raging flood, " said Walter. "Wemustn't forget that he acted the part of a brave man while we werestanding there shivering and almost gasping for breath. "

"Brave?" drawled Ned sarcastically. 

"Ned Rector, you know you were scared stiff, " retorted Walter. 

"Well, I'll be honest with you, I was. Who wouldn't have been? Eventhe Professor's mustache changed color for the moment. "

The afternoon passed. It was now growing dark, for the night came onearly down there in the Canyon. On the tops of the peaks the loweringsun was lighting up the red sandstone, making it appear like a greatflame on the polished walls. 

"Isn't it time Tad were getting back?" asked the Professor anxiously. 

"Well, it's a long, hard climb, you know. All of seven miles the wayone has to go. That makes fourteen miles up and back, and they're realmiles, as you know. "

"I hope nothing has happened to the boy. "

"Leave it to him. He knows how to take care of himself. "

No one thought of lying down to sleep. In the first place, all weretoo hungry. Then, again, at any moment Tad might return. Midnightarrived. Suddenly Nance held up his hands for silence. 

"Whoo-oo!"

It was a long-drawn, far-away call. 

"That's Tad, " said Nance. "We'd better gather up our belongings andget up to the break in the trail. "

The guide answered the call by a similar "whoo-oo, " after which allbegan climbing cautiously. In the darkness it was dangerous business, but a torch held in the hands of Jim Nance aided them materially. Farup on the side of the Canyon they could see three flickering points oflight. 

"It's the kid. He's got somebody with him. I thought he'd do that. He's a wise one, " chuckled the guide. 

The climb was made in safety. The party ar rived at the base at last, the boys shouting joyously as they saw Tad waving a torch at them. Atleast they supposed it was Tad. 

"What do you think about waiting until daylight for the climb?" shoutedButler. 

"I'll see what they say, " answered Nance. "What about it, gentlemen?"

"I think it perhaps would be safer. " This from the Professor. 

"What, spend another night in this hole?" demanded Stacy. "No, sirree. "

"Please let us go on up, Professor, " begged Walter. 

"Yes, we don't want to stay down here. We can climb at night as wellas in daylight, " urged Chunky. 

"What have you got, ropes?" called Nance. 

"I've brought down some rope ladders, which I have spliced-----"

"I hope you've done a better job on the splicing than you did on yourown rope when you sailed across the horseshoe bend, " shouted Stacy. "If you haven't, I refuse to trust my precious life to your old rope. "

"Too bad about your precious life, " laughed Ned. "Well, Professor, what do you say?"

"Is it safe, Nance?"

"As safe now as at any other time. "

"All right. "

"Let down your ladder, " called the guide. "Be sure that it is wellsecured. How many have you with you?"

"Three men, if that is what you mean. "

"Very good. "

The rope ladder was let down. Those below were just able to reach itwith their hands. It came within less than a foot of being too short. 

"Who is going up first?" asked the guide. 

"The Professor, of course, " replied Chunky magnanimously. 

"That is very thoughtful of you, Stacy, " smiled Professor Zepplin. 

"Yes, you are the heaviest. If the rope doesn't break with you, it'ssafe for the rest of us, " answered Chunky, whereat there was a generallaugh. 

"Very good, young man. I will accommodate you, " announced the Professorgrimly, grasping the rope and pulling himself up with the assistance ofNance and the boys. 

The rope swayed dizzily. 

"Hold it there!" shouted the Professor. 

Nance had already grasped the end of the ladder and was holding to itwith his full weight. After a long time a shout from above told themthat Professor Zepplin had arrived safely at the top. Walter went upnext, then Chunky and Ned, followed finally by Jim Nance himself aftertheir belongings had been hauled to the top. 

Professor Zepplin embraced Tad immediately upon reaching the trailabove. The boys joked Butler about being such a poor swimmer. Aboutthat time they discovered that Tad had a gash nearly four inches longon his head where he had come in contact with the sharp edge of a rockin the river. Tad had lost much blood and was still weak and pale fromhis terrific experiences. Nance wrung Tad Butler's hand until Tadwinced. 

"Ain't a man in the whole Grand who could have done what you did, youngster, " declared Dad enthusiastically. 

"The question is, did you fetch down anything to eat?" demanded Chunky. 

"Yes, of course I did. "

"Where is it? Lead me to it, " shouted the fat boy. 

"I left the stuff up at the Garden, where the mustangs are. We will goup there, the Professor and Mr. Nance approving. "

The Professor and Mr. Nance most certainly did approve of the suggestion, for both were very hungry. The men who had come down with Tad led theway with their torches. It was a long, hard climb, the use of the ropesbeing found necessary here and there for convenience and to save time. Tad had had none of these conveniences when he went up. How he hadmade the trip so easily as he appeared to make it set the boys towondering. 

Baskets of food were found at the Garden. The party did full justiceto the edibles, then, acting on the suggestion of Nance, they rolledup in their blankets and went to sleep. First, however, ProfessorZepplin had examined the wound in Tad's head. He found it a scalpwound. The Professor washed and dressed the wound, after which Tadwent to bed. 

On the following morning they mounted their mustangs and started slowlyfor the rim, where they arrived some time after noon. The Pony RiderBoys instantly went into camp near the hotel, for it had been decidedto take a full day's rest before starting out on the long trip. Thistime they were to take their pack train with them and cut off fromcivilization for the coming few weeks, they would live in the Canyon, foraging for what food they were unable to carry with them. 

The guests at the hotel, after hearing of Tad Butler's bravery, triedto make a hero of the lad, but Tad would have none of it. He grew redin the face every time anyone suggested that he had done anything outof the ordinary. And deep down in his heart the lad did not believethat he had. Professor Zepplin, however, called a surgeon, who tookfive stitches in the scalp wound. 

On the following morning camp was struck and the party started out forBright Angel Gulch and Cataract Canyon, in both of which places someinteresting as well as exciting experiences awaited them. Nance hadbrought three of his hunting dogs with him in case any game were started. 

The boys were looking forward to shooting a lion, though, there beingno snow on the ground, it would be difficult for the dogs to strikeand follow a trail. How well they succeeded we shall see. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE DOGS PICK UP A TRAIL

The man in charge of the pack train having deserted them before thetravelers got back from the rim, Dad picked up a half breed whom theboys named Chow, because he was always chewing. If not food, Chow wasforever munching on a leaf or a twig or a stick. His jaws were everat work until the boys were working their own jaws out of pure sympathy. 

The march was taken up to Bass Trail, which they reached about noon ofthe second day and started down. No unusual incident occurred duringthis journey. They found the trail in good condition, and though steepand precipitous in places, it gave the Pony Rider Boys no worry. Afterhaving experienced the perils of the other trail, this one seemed tame. 

From Bass Trail they worked their way down and across into Bright AngelGulch, where they made camp and awaited the arrival of Chow and themules with their tents and provisions. 

Chow arrived late the same day. Tents were pitched and settled. It wasdecided for the present to make this point their base of supplies. Whenon short journeys they would travel light, carrying such equipment aswas absolutely necessary, and no more. 

This gulch was far from the beaten track of the ordinary explorer, avast but attractive gash in the plateau. In spots there was verdure, and, where the water courses reached in, stretches of grass with hereand there patches of gramma grass, grease wood and creosote plants witha profusion of flowers, mostly red, in harmony with the prevailingcolor of the rocks that towered high above them. At this point thewalls of the Canyon reached nearly seven thousand feet up into the air. 

Down there on the levels the sun glared fiercely at midday, but alongtoward night refreshing breezes drifted through the Canyon, making theevenings cool and delightful. But there were drawbacks. There weresnakes and insects in this almost tropical lower land. The boys werenot greatly disturbed over these things. By this time they were prettyfamiliar with insects and reptiles, for it will be remembered that theyhad spent much time in the wilder places of their native country. 

For the first twenty-four hours of their stay in "Camp Butler, " as theyhad named their base in honor of Tad himself, they did little more thanmake short excursions out into the adjoining canyons. The Professorembraced the opportunity to indulge in some scientific researches intothe geology of the Canyon, on which in the evening he was wont to dwellat length in language that none of the boys understood. But theylistened patiently, for they were very fond of this grizzled oldtraveler who had now been their companion for so long. 

The third night the dogs appeared restless. They lay at the end oftheir leashes growling and whipping their tails angrily. 

"What is the matter with the dogs?" demanded Tad Butler. 

"I think they must have fleas, " decided Chunky wisely. 

"No, it isn't fleas, " said Dad, who had been observing them for thepast few minutes. "It's my opinion that there's game hereabouts. "

"Deer?" questioned Ned. 

"No. More likely it's something that is after the deer. "

"Lions?" asked Tad. 

"I reckon. "

"Have you seen any signs of them?"

"What you might call a sign, " Nance nodded. "I found, up in MysticCanyon this afternoon, all that was left of a deer. The lions hadkilled it and stripped all the best flesh from the deer. So it's plainenough that the cats are hanging around. I thought we'd come up withsome of them down here. "

"Wow for the king of beasts!" shouted Chunky, throwing up his sombrero. 

"Nothing like a king, " retorted Jim Nance. "The mountain lion isn'tin any class with African lions. The lion hereabouts is only a partas big. A king---this mountain lion of ours? You'd better call thebeast a dirty savage, and be satisfied with that. "

"But we're going to go after some of them, aren't we?" asked Ned. 

"Surely, " nodded Nance. 

"When?" pressed Walter. 

"Is it safe?" the more prudent Professor Zepplin wanted to know. 

"Safe?" repeated Jim Nance. "Well, when it comes to that, nothing downin this country can be called exactly safe. All sorts of trouble canbe had around here for the asking. But I reckon that these younggentlemen will know pretty well how to keep themselves reasonablysafe---all except Mr. Brown, who'll bear some watching. "

Even long after they had turned in that night the boys kept on talkingabout the coming hunts of the next few days. They fairly dreamed lions. In the morning the hunt was the first thing they thought of as they ranto wash up for breakfast. In the near distance could be heard thebaying of hounds, for Dad's dogs were no longer chained up. 

"I let the dogs loose, " Nance explained, noting the eager, questioningglances. "The dogs have got track of something. Hustle your breakfasts!We'll get away with speed. "

Breakfast was disposed of in a hurry that morning. Then the boyshustled to get ready for the day's sport. When, a few minutes later, they set off on their ponies, with rifles thrust in saddle boots, revolvers bristling from their belts, ropes looped over the pommels oftheir saddles, the Pony Rider Boys presented quite a warlike appearance. 

"If you were half as fierce as you look I'd run, " declared Dad, witha grin. 

"Which way do we go?" questioned the Professor. 

"We'll all hike up into the Mystic Canyon. There we'll spread out, eachman for himself. One of us can't help but fall to the trail of a beastif he is careful. "

After reaching the Mystic they heard the dogs in a canyon some distanceaway. Ned and Walter were sent off to the left, Tad to the north, whilethe rest remained in the Mystic Canyon to wait there, where the chaseshould lead at some time during the day. 

"Three shots are a signal to come in, or to come to the fellow whoshoots, " announced the guide. "Look out for yourselves. "

Silence soon settled down over Mystic Canyon. Chunky was disappointedthat he had not been assigned to go out with one of his companions, hefound time hanging heavily on his hands with Nance and the Professor, but he uttered no complaint. 

The Professor and guide had dismounted from their ponies and were seatedon a rock busily engaged in conversation. Chunky, after glancing atthem narrowly, shouldered his rifle and strolled off, leaving his ponytethered to a sapling. 

He walked further than he had intended, making his way to a rise ofground about a quarter of a mile away, with the hope that he mightcatch a glimpse of some of his companions. Once on the rise, which wasquite heavily wooded, he seemed to hear the hounds much more plainlythan before. It seemed to Stacy that they were approaching from theother side, opposite to that which the rest were watching. He glanceddown into the canyon, but could see neither of the two older men. 

"Most exciting chase I've ever been in, " muttered the fat boy in disgust, throwing himself down on the ground with rifle across his knees. "Lions! I don't believe there are any lions in the whole country. Dad's been having dreams. It's my private opinion that Dad's got animagination that works over time once in a while. I think-----"

The words died on the fat boy's lips. His eyes grew wide, the pupilsnarrowed, the whites giving the appearance of small inverted saucers. 

Stacy scarcely breathed. 

There, slinking across an open space on the rise, its tail swishing itsears laid flat on its cruel, cat-like head, was a tawny, lithe creature. 

Stacy Brown recognized the object at once. It was a mountain lion, alarge one. It seemed to Chunky that he never had seen a beast as largein all his life. The lion was alternately listening to the baying ofthe hounds and peering about for a suitable tree in which to hide itself. 

Stacy acted like a man in a trance. Without any clear idea as to whathe was doing, he rose slowly to his feet. At that instant the liondiscovered him. It crouched down, its eyes like sparks of fire, scintillating and snapping. 

All at once Stacy threw his gun to his shoulder and pulled the trigger. At least he thought he did. But no report came. 

A yellow flash, a swish and the beast had leaped clear of the rise anddisappeared even more suddenly than he had come. 

"Wha---wha-----" gasped Chunky. Then he made a discovery. 

Chunky was holding the rifle by the barrel with the muzzle against hisshoulder, having aimed the butt at the crouching lion. Chunky had hada severe attack of "buck fever. "

With a wild yell that woke the echoes and sent Jim Nance and ProfessorZepplin tearing through the bushes, Stacy dashed down the steep slope, forgetting to take his rifle with him in his hurried descent. 

He met the two men running toward him. 

"What is it? What's happened?" shouted the Professor. 

"I saw him! I saw him!" yelled Stacy, almost frantic with excitement. 

Nance grabbed the boy by the shoulder, shaking him roughly. 

"Speak up. What did you see?"

"I su---su---saw a lu---lu---lion, I di---did. "

"Where?" demanded Nance. 

"Up there. "

Chunky's eyes were full of excitement. 

"Why didn't you shoot him?"

"I---I tried to, but the gu---gun wouldn't go off. I---I had it wrongend to. "

Dad relaxed his grip on the fat boy's arm and sat down heavily. 

"Of all the tarnal idiots---of all! Professor, if we don't tie that boyto a tree he'll be killing us all with his fool ways. Why, you baby, you ain't fit to carry a pop-gun. By the way, where is your gun?"

"I---I guess, I lost it up---up there, " stammered Stacy. 

Dad started for the top of the rise in long strides, Chunky gazing afterhim in a dazed sort of way. 

"I---I guess I did make a fool of myself, didn't I, Professor?" hemourned. 

"I am inclined to think you did---several different varieties of them, "answered Professor Zepplin in a tone of disgust. 

CHAPTER XV

THE MYSTERY OF THE RIFLE

"I can't help it, I saw a lion, anyway, " muttered the fat boy. 

"Come up here!" It was Dad's voice calling to them. "Where's thatrifle?"

"I---I dropped it, I told you. "

"Where did you drop it?"

"Right there. "

"Show me. "

Stacy climbed to the top of the rise and stepped confidently over towhere he had let go the rifle before rushing down after having triedto shoot the lion. He actually stooped over to pick up the gun, soconfident was he as to its location. Then a puzzled expression appearedon Stacy's face. 

"Oh, it's there, is it?"

"Why---I---I------- Say, you're trying to play a joke on me. "

"I rather think you've played it on yourself, " jeered the guide. "Wheredid you leave it?"

"Right there, I tell you. "

"Sure you didn't throw it over in the bushes down the other side?"

"I guess I know what I did with it, " retorted Chunky indignantly. 

"Well, it isn't here. " Dad was somewhat puzzled by this time. He sawthat Stacy was very confident of having left the gun at that particularplace, but it could not be found. 

"Maybe somebody's stolen it, " suggested the boy. 

"Nonsense! Who is there here to steal it, in the first place? In thesecond, how could any one slip in here at the right moment and getaway with your rifle?"

"You have no---no idea what has become of it---no theory?" asked theProfessor. 

"Not the least little bit, " replied the guide. 

"Most remarkable---most remarkable, " muttered Professor Zepplin. "Icannot understand it. "

"We'll look around a bit, " announced Dad. 

The three men searched everywhere, even going all the way down to thebase of the rise on either side, but nowhere did they find the slightesttrace of the missing rifle. After they had returned to the summit, Dad, a new idea in mind, went over the rocks and the ground again in searchof footprints. The only footprints observable were those of their ownparty. There was more in the mystery than Dad could fathom. 

"Well, this gets me, " declared the guide, wiping the perspiration fromhis forehead. "This certainly does. "

"Is---is my rifle lost?" wailed Chunky. 

"I reckon you'll never see that pretty bit of firearms again, " grinnedJim. 

"But it must be here, " insisted Stacy. 

"But it isn't. Fortunately we have plenty of guns with us. You can getanother when we go back to camp. "

"Yes, but this one is mine-----"

"Was yours, " corrected Nance. 

"It is mine, and I'm going to have it before I leave this miserable oldhole, " declared the boy. 

"I hope you find it. I'd like to know how the thing ever got away inthat mysterious manner. "

"Maybe the lion took it. "

"Mebby he did. Funny I hadn't thought of that, " answered Nance gravely. Then both he and the Professor burst into a shout of laughter. 

They made their way slowly back to the point where they were to meetthe others of the party. Chunky, now being without a rifle, was wellcontent to remain with the guide and the Professor. 

While all this was going on Tad and Walter were picking their way overthe rough ridges, through narrow canyons, riding their ponies where anovice would hardly have dared to walk. The ponies seemed to take tothe work naturally. Not a single misstep was made by either of them. They, too, could hear the dogs, but the latter were far away most ofthe time, even though, for all the riders knew, they might have beenjust the other side of the rocky wall along which the two boys weretraveling. 

They kept on in this way until late in the afternoon, when they stoppedand dismounted, deciding that they would have a bite to eat. 

"It doesn't look as if we were going to have any luck, does it, Tad?"asked Walter in a disappointed tone. 

"No, it doesn't. But one never can tell. In hunting game you know itcomes upon one suddenly. You have to be ever on the alert. We knowthat the dogs have been on the trail of something. "

"Perhaps deer, " suggested Walter. 

"Yes, it is possible, though I don't know whether those dogs will traildeer or not. You know they may be trained to hunt lions. I didn'thear Mr. Nance say. "

They were munching biscuit and eating oranges as they rested, whichmust have tasted good to them. The temperature was going down withthe day, though the light was strong in the canyon where they werestanding. Above them the jagged, broken cliffs rose tier on tier untilthey seemed to disappear far up in the fleecy clouds that were driftinglazily over the Canyon. 

All at once Silver Face, Tad's pony, exhibited signs of restlessness, which seemed to be quickly communicated to the other animal. The pintosstamped, shook their heads and snorted. 

"Whoa! What's wrong with you fellows?" demanded Tad, eyeing the ponieskeenly. "Smell something, eh?"

"Maybe they smell oats, " suggested Walter. 

"I guess not. They are a long way from oats at the present moment. "

Tad paused abruptly. A pebble had rattled down the rocky wall andbounded off some yards to the front of them. Silver Face started andwould have bounded away had not a firm hand been at that instant laidon the bridle rein. 

To one unaccustomed to the mountains the incident might have passedunnoticed. By this time Tad Butler was a pretty keen woodsman as wellas plainsman. He had learned to take notice of everything. Even themost trivial signs hold a meaning all their own for the man whohabitually lives close to Nature. 

The lad glanced sharply at the rocks. 

"See anything?" asked Walter. 

"No. "

"What did you think you heard?"

"I didn't hear anything but that pebble. The horses smelled something, though. "

While he was speaking the lad's glances were traveling slowly over therocks above. All at once he paused. 

"Don't stir, Walt. Look up. "

"Where?"

"In line with that cloud that looks like a dragon. Then lower yourglance slowly. I think you will see something worth while. "

It was a full moment before Walter Perkins discovered that to whichhis attention had been called. 

"It's a cat, " breathed Walt, almost in awe. 

"Yes, that's a lion. He is evidently hiding up there, where he has goneto get away from the dogs. We will walk away a bit as if we wereleaving. Then we'll tether the horses securely. Don't act as if yousaw the beast. I know now what was the matter with the mustangs. Theyscented that beast up there. "

The ponies were quickly secured, after which the boys crouched in thebrush and sought out the lion again. He was still in the same place, but was now standing erect, head toward them, well raised as if in alistening attitude. 

"My, isn't he a fine one!" whispered Walt. Walter Perkins was notsuffering from the same complaint that Chunky had caught when he firstsaw his lion over in the other canyon, an offshoot from the BrightAngel Canyon, and where he had lost his rifle so mysteriously. 

"Take careful aim; then, when he turns his side toward us, let himhave it, " directed Tad. 

"Oh, no, you discovered him. He is your game. You shoot, Tad. "

Butler shook his head. 

"I want you to shoot. I have already killed a cougar. This is yourchance to distinguish yourself. "

Walter's eyes sparkled. He raised his rifle, leveling it through thecrotch of a small tree. 

"Wait till he turns, " whispered Tad, fingering his own rifle anxiously. He could hardly resist the temptation to take a shot at the animalwhere it stood facing them far up the side of the canyon wall. 

"Now!" Tad's tone was calm, steady and low. 

Walter's rifle barked. 

"You've hit him!" yelled Tad. "Look out! He's up again!" warned theboy. 

The beast had not been killed by the shot. He had been bowled over, dropping down to a lower crag, where he sprang to his feet and with aroar of rage bounded up the mountainside. 

"Shoot! Shoot!" cried Butler. 

But Walter did not even raise his rifle. A sudden fit of trembling hadtaken possession of him. His was the "buck fever" in another form. 

Bang!

Butler had let go a quick shot. 

A roar followed the shot. 

"Bang!"

"There, I guess that settled him, " decided Tad Butler, lowering hisrifle. 

"I---I should say it did, " gasped Walter. 

The tawny beast was throwing himself this way and that, the boysmeanwhile watching him anxiously. 

"I'm afraid he's going to stick up there, " cried Walter, dancing aboutshouting excitedly. 

"No, he isn't. There he comes. "

"Hurray!"

"Duck!"

Tad grabbed his companion, jerking the latter back and running with him. They were just at the spot where the ponies had been tethered, when aheavy body struck the ground not far from where they had been standing. Silver Face leaped right up into the air, then settled back on hishaunches in an attempt to break the hitching rope. 

Tad struck the animal against the flank with the flat of his hand, whereat the mustang bounded to his feet. 

"Whoa, you silly old animal!" cried Tad. "Look out, Walt, don't gettoo near that lion. You may lose some of your clothes if he shouldn'thappen to be dead. I'll be there in a moment, as soon as I can getthese horses quieted down. "

In a moment Tad was running toward his companion. 

"Is he settled?"

"I don't know. His---his eyes are open, " stammered Walter, standing offa safe distance from the prostrate beast. 

Tad poked the animal with the muzzle of his rifle. 

"Yes, he's a dead one. One less brute to make war on the deer. Won'told Dad be surprised when we trail into camp with this big game?"exulted the Pony Rider boy. 

"Yes, but---but how are we going to get the fellow there?" wonderedWalter. 

"Get him there? Well, I guess we'll do it somehow. I'll tell youwhat, I'll take him over the saddle in front of me. That's the idea. You bring out Silver Face and we'll see how he feels about it. Iwouldn't be surprised if he raised a row. "

Silver Face did object most emphatically. The instant the pony camein sight of the dead lion he sat down on his haunches. Tad urged andthreatened, but not another inch would the pinto budge. 

"I guess I know how to fix you, " gritted the boy. 

He was on the back of the sitting mustang, his feet in the stirrups, before the pony realized what had happened. A reasonably sharp rowel, pressed into the pinto's side, brought him a good two feet clear ofthe ground. 

Then began a lively battle between the boy and the horse. 

"Don't let him tread on the beast, " shouted Walter. 

"N-n-no danger of that, " stammered Tad. It was a lively battle whileit lasted, but Silver Face realized, as he had never done before, thathe had met his master. After some twenty minutes of fight, in whichthe pinto made numerous futile attempts to climb the sheer side ofthe canyon at the imminent danger of toppling over backwards andcrushing his master, the brute gave up. 

"Now you hold him while I load on the beast, " directed Tad, riding up. 

This called for more disturbance. Silver Face fought against takinga lion on his back. He drew the line at that. Just the same, afteranother lively scrimmage, Mr. Lion was loaded on, but no sooner hadTad swung into the saddle than he swung out again. He hadn't eventime to get his toes in the stirrups before he was flying through theair, head first. Walter had difficulty in determining which was boyand which was lion. The lion struck the ground first, Tad landing ontop of him. 

With rare presence of mind, Walter had seized the pinto and was havinga lively set-to with the beast, with the odds in favor of Silver Face, when Tad sprang up and ran to his companion's assistance. 

Tad's temper was up. The way he grilled Silver Face that animalperhaps never forgot. Not that Tad abused his mount. He never wouldbe guilty of abusing a horse. He was too fond of horseflesh to dosuch a thing, but he knew how to punish an animal in other and moreeffective ways. Silver Face was punished. 

"Now, my fine fellow, let's see who's boss here!" laughed Tad. "Holdhim while I put aboard the baggage, Walt. "

The pony submitted to the ordeal a second time. This time there wasno bucking, and shortly afterwards the lads started for theircompanions bearing the trophy of their hunt with them. 

CHAPTER XVI

A NEW WAY TO HUNT LIONS

Long before they reached the meeting point they heard the long-drawn"Woohoo!" of Jim Nance calling them in. They were the only onesout at that time. Tad set up a series of answering "woos-hoos" thatcaused Silver Face to wiggle his ears disapprovingly, as if this weresome new method of torture invented for his special benefit. 

As they got in sight of the rest of the party, the boys set up a shout. Their companions, about that time, discovered that Tad was carryingsomething before him on the pony. Chunky and Ned started on a run tomeet Tad and Walter. How Chunky did yell when he discovered what thatsomething was. 

"They've got a cat! They've got a cat!" he howled, dancing about andswinging his arms. "I tell you, they've got a cat!"

Tad rode into camp smiling, flinging the lion to the ground, whichcaused Tad's pony to perform once more. 

"Who shot him?" cried the Professor, fully as excited as the boys. 

"This is a partnership cat, " laughed Tad. "We both have some bulletsin him. How many did you fellows get?"

"Well, I had one, but he got away, " answered Stacy, his face soberinginstantly. "And---and he carried off my rifle too. "

"What's that?" demanded Tad. 

Chunky explained briefly. But he had little opportunity to talk. Dad, who had been examining the dead lion, straightened up and looked at Tad. 

"Good job, boys. It's a dandy. Must weigh nigh onto three hundredpounds. Have much of a tussle with him?"

"Not any. He was dead when he got down to us. "

"Very fine specimen, " decided the Professor, examining the dead beastfrom a respectable distance. "You lads are to be congratulated. "

"Say, I'm going with you to-morrow, " cried Stacy. "These folks don'tknow how to hunt lions. "

"Do you?" demanded Nance witheringly. 

Stacy colored violently. 

"At least I know how to stalk them, " he answered. "If I lose my gun inthe excitement that doesn't mean that I'm not a natural born lionchaser. Anybody can shoot a lion, but everybody can't sit still andcharm the lion right up to him. "

They admitted that the fat boy was right in this assertion. Chunkyhad done all of that. Upon their return to camp, Walter and Tad hadasked numerous questions about the loss of the gun. There was littleadditional information that either Stacy or the two men could givethem. The gun had most mysteriously disappeared, that was all. Nancewas more puzzled than any of the others and he groped in vain for anexplanation of the mystery, but no satisfactory explanation suggesteditself to his mind. 

After supper the guide cut some meat from the cat and fed it to theweary dogs, who had not succeeded in treeing a single lion, though theyhad come near doing so several times. But they had sent the catsflying for cover, which had given Chunky and the other two boysopportunity to use their guns, though Stacy Brown, in his excitement, had failed to take advantage of the opportunity offered to him. 

It was decided that the hunt should be taken up again on the followingmorning. Nance said Stacy might go with Tad this time, Nance takingcharge of the other three boys. This was satisfactory to Chunkyand Tad. 

The morning found the camp awake at an early hour. Chunky and Tad setoff together, the former having been equipped with a rifle from theextra supply carried by the party, the guide having administered asarcastic suggestion that Chunky tie the rifle to his back so that hewould not lose this one. 

Chunky made appropriate reply, after which they rode away. The earlypart of the day was devoid of success. They did not even hear thebay of a hound all the forenoon. Tad took their quest coolly, undisturbed. He had already gotten one lion and could well afford notto get one this time. It was different with Stacy. He was anxiousto distinguish himself, to make amends for his blunders of theprevious day. 

About an hour after they had eaten their lunch they heard the boundsfor the first time. Tad listened intently for a few minutes. 

"I think they are coming this way, Chunky. "

"If they do, you give me the first shot. I've simply got to meetanother cat. "

"You shall have it, providing you are on the job and ready. These catsdon't wait around for a fellow to get ready to shoot, as you have nodoubt observed. "

"Don't remind me of disagreeable things, please, " growled Stacy. "I'vehad my chance and I lost it. Next time I see a cat I'm going to killhim on the spot. Wait; I'm going to take an observation. "

"Don't go far, " warned Tad. 

"No, I won't. Just want to have a look at the landscape, " flung backStacy, hurrying away, while Tad stretched out for a little rest, wellsatisfied to have Stacy do the moving about until there was somethingreal to be done, when Tad would be on hand on the jump. 

Stacy had not taken his gun. In fact, he wholly forgot to do so, notthinking for an instant that he would have opportunity to use it. Thiswas where the fat boy made another serious mistake. A hunter shouldnever be beyond reaching distance of his gun when out on the trailfor game. It is a mistake that has cost some men their lives, othersthe loss of much coveted game. 

Choosing a low, bushy pinyon tree as best suited to the purposes of alazy climber, Stacy climbed it, grunting and grumbling unintelligibly. He had hopes that he might discover something worth while, somethingthat would distinguish him from his fellows on that particular day. 

"I feel as if something were going to happen, " he confided to the tree, seating himself in a crotch formed by a limb extending out from themain body of the tree, then parting the foliage for a better view. "It's funny how a fellow feels about these things some times. Hello, there, I actually believe those are deer running yonder. Or maybethey're cows, " added Stacy. "Anyhow I couldn't shoot them, whicheverthey are, so I won't get excited over them. "

Chunky fixed his eyes on the opposite side of the tree a little abovewhere he was perched. 

"I thought I saw something move there. Hello, I hear the hounds again. They've surely gotten on track of something. And-----"

Once more the fat boy paused. He saw something yellow lying along alimb of the tree, something at first sight that he took to be a snake. But he knew of no snakes that had fur on their bodies. The round, furrything that he thought might be a snake at first now began whipping upand down on the limb, curling at its end, twisting, performing strangeantics. 

What could it mean? Stacy parted the foliage a little more, then onceagain, as had been the case on the previous day, his eyes opened wide. 

He saw now what was at the other end of the snake-like appendage. Andseeing he understood that he was in a predicament. But Chunky's voicefailed him. 

There on the opposite limb of the tree, less than ten feet away, crouched the biggest mountain lion Stacy Brown ever had seen. Andit grew larger with the seconds. The beast was working its tail, itswhiskers bristled, its eyes shone like points of steel. It seemed asif the beast were trying to decide whether to attack the boy withinsuch easy reach or to leap to the ground and flee. The deep baying ofthe dogs in the distance evidently decided the cat against the latterplan. Then, too, perhaps the howls that Chunky now emitted hadsomething to do with the former question. 

Tad Butler, stretched out on the ground, found himself standing boltupright as if he had been propelled to that position by a spring. Themost unearthly howls he had ever heard broke upon the mountain stillness. 

"Wow! Ow-wow-wow! Tad! Help, help, help! Quick!"

Tad was off like a shot himself, not even pausing to snatch up his gunwhich lay so near at hand. And how he did run!

"Where, Chunky? Where are you? Shout quick!"

"Wow! Ow-wow-wow!" was the only answer Stacy Brown could make, but thesound of his voice unerringly guided Tad to the location. But Stacycould not be found. 

"In the name of-----"

"Wow! Ow-wow-wow!" howled the agonized voice of the fat boy from thebranches of the pinyon tree. 

Tad peered up between the branches. He saw Stacy looking down upon himwith panic stricken gaze. 

"For the love of goodness, what's the matter, Stacy? You nearlyfrightened me to death. "

"Look out!" The words, shouted at the top of the fat boy's voice, wereso thrilling that Tad leaped back instinctively. 

"See here, don't make a fool of me, too. What's the matter with you?Come down out of that. "

"I can't. He'll get me. "

"What will get you? Nothing will get you, you ninny!"

"The lion will get me. "

"Have you gone raving mad on the subject of lions?" jeered Butler. 

"Look, if you don't believe me. He's up here. He's trying to get abite out of me. Shoot him, as you love me, Tad; shoot and shootstraight or I'm a dead one. "

For the first time since his arrival on the scene Tad began to realizethat Stacy was not having fun with him. Something really was up thattree---something besides a Pony Rider boy. 

"You don't mean to tell me there's a cat up there-----"

"Yes, yes! He's over there on the other side. Shoot, shoot!"

"I haven't my gun with me. "

The fat boy groaned helplessly. 

"I'm a dead one! Nothing can save me. Tell them I died like a man;tell them I never uttered a squeal. "

Tad had sprung around to the side of the pinyon tree indicated by Chunky. Up there on a bushy limb, clear of the heavier foliage, lay a sleek, but ugly looking cat, swishing its tail angrily. First, its glanceswould shoot over to Stacy Brown, then down to Tad Butler. The lion, as Tad decided on the spot, had gone into the tree to hide from thedogs as had the one that had been shot on the canyon wall the previousafternoon. This time the proposition was a different one. Both boyswere in dire peril, as Tad well knew. At any second the cat mightspring, either at him or at Stacy. And neither boy had a gun inhis hands. 

Tad's mind worked with lightning-like rapidity. It was a time for quickthinking if one expected to save one's skin from being torn by thoseneedle-like claws. Butler thought of a plan. He did not know whetherthere were one chance in a million of the plan working. He wanted thatlion a great deal more than the lion wanted him. He was going to takea desperate chance. An older and more experienced man might not havecared to try what Tad Butler was about to attempt. 

The Pony Rider boy's hand slipped down to the lasso hanging from hisbelt. He was thankful that he had that. The lasso was always thereexcept when he was in the saddle, when it was usually looped over thepommel. 

"Chunky, yell! Make all the noise you can. "

"I am. Wow-ow-wow. Y-e-o-w wow!"

"That's right, keep it up. Don't stop. Make faces at him, make believeyou're going to jump at-----"

"Say, anybody would think this were a game of croquet and that I wastrying to make the other fellow miss the wicket. Don't you think-----"

"I'm trying to get you to attract his attention-----"

"I don't want to attract his attention. I want the beast to look theother way, " wailed the fat boy. "I want to get out of here. "

"Well, why haven't you?"

"I dassent. "

While carrying on this conversation with his chum, Tad was watching thecat narrowly. The animal was showing signs of greater excitement now. The boy decided that the beast was preparing to jump one way oranother---which way was a matter of some concern to both boys at thatparticular instant. 

The cat took two long paces in Stacy's direction. Stacy emitted themost blood-curdling yell Tad had ever heard. It served Butler's verypurpose. The beast halted with one hind foot poised in the air, glaringat Stacy, who was howling more lustily than ever. 

Swish!

Tad's lariat shot through the air. His aim was true, his hand steadyand cool. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE WHIRLWIND BALL OF YELLOW

When the startled cat felt the touch of the raw-hide rope against itsleg it made a tremendous leap straight ahead. 

"Too late!" clicked Tad. "That loop is taut on you now!"

"M-m-murder! Look out!" bellowed Stacy. 

For the cat's leap had carried it straight at the fat boy. In fact onesharp set of claws raked the lad from shoulder to waist, though withoutmore than breaking the skin. 

That blow settled Stacy. 

"I'm dead---ripped to pieces!" he yelled. 

Without waiting to jump from the tree, Stacy simply fell. Over andover on the ground he rolled until he was a dozen yards away from thetree. 

"If you're dead, " Tad grinned, "get up and come over here, and tell meabout it. "

Stacy slowly rose to his feet. He was badly shaken, covered with dirtand with some blood showing through the rents in his clothes. 

"Nothing but my presence of mind and my speed saved me, anyway, "Chunky grumbled ruefully. 

All in a twinkling that whirling yellow ball shot out of the tree, striking the ground before Tad Butler could draw the rope taut. However, the rope still hung over a limb. How the dirt flew! Tadrealized that swift action must come ere the beast should make a leapat them. 

Stacy started away, but Butler's sharp tone halted him. 

"Chunky!" Tad panted. 

"What?"

"Get hold of this rope with me. Shake yourself. What ails you? Haveyou got a streak of yellow in you?"

"I can thrash the fellow who says I have?" roared the fat boy, springingto his feet. 

"That's the way to talk. Come, hurry---get hold here! He's too muchfor me and he's going to get away from me if you don't lend a hand. "

"Wh-what do you want me to do?"

"Grab hold of this rope, I tell you. "

Chunky did so, but keeping a wary eye on the rolling, tumbling, spittingyellow ball, which was a full grown mountain lion, and an ugly brute. The king of the canyons, however, was in a most humiliating positionfor a king of any sort. He had been roped by his left hind foot, theother end of the rope being in the hands of the intrepid Pony Rider boy, Thaddeus Butler. Tad knew well that he had a good thing and he proposedto hang on as long as there was an ounce of strength left in his body. By this time Stacy had gotten a grip on the rope. 

"Now pull steadily until I tell you to stop. "

Slowly, digging his claws into the dirt, biting at the rope that heldhim fast, the cat was drawn toward the pinyon tree despite all hisstruggles. Tad's object was to pull the beast off its feet, in whichposition it would be unable to do very much damage. 

Perhaps the cat realized something of this, for all of a sudden itsprang to the base of the tree and with a roar landed up among thelower limbs. 

Ere the beast even felt the touch of the tree limb under its feet, thebrave Chunky was several rods away peering from behind a rock, howlinglike a Comanche Indian. 

Tad, too, had made some lively moves. The instant he saw that the catwas going to jump he took a quick twist about the tree, shortening therope until it was taut. He made a quick knot, then leaped back out ofthe way. But none too soon. The cat pounced on the spot where he hadbeen standing, narrowly missing the boy. But the rope was free of thelimb of the tree over which it had been first drawn. The beast wasfree to gambol about as far as the rope would permit. 

The boy's mind was still working rapidly. 

"Run to the guns, Chunky. Shoot and keep shooting until you attractthe attention of the rest of the party. We've got to have help. Wenever shall be able to handle him ourselves, and I want to save him. "

Stacy hesitated. 

"Run, I tell you!" shouted Butler. "Don't stand there like a statue. Go!"

Chunky jumped as if he had been hit, and ran limping toward the placewhere they had left their weapons and their mustangs. He found both, though Chunky was too excited to notice the ponies at all. Alreadythey were restless, having scented the mountain lion. 

Snatching up his own rifle, Stacy fired six shots in rapid succession. Then grabbing the other gun, he let six more go, but continued snappingthe firing pin on the empty chamber after all the cartridges had beenexploded, before he realized that he was not shooting at all. Stacyin trying to reload fumbled and made a mess of it, spilling a lot ofshells on the ground, most of which he was unable to find again. 

"We got him! We got him!" the fat boy kept chuckling to himself. "Wecertainly have done it this time. "

Finally he got one gun loaded, and had fired it off six times when heheard Tad Butler's "Whoo-e-e-e-e. "

Chunky hurried back to his companion. 

"They've answered, " called Tad. 

In the meantime the latter had been having a lively time. He knew thatwere he to give the least possible chance the beast would bite therope off and escape even if he did no worse. It was to prevent thisthat the boy exerted all his ingenuity and effort. This consisted ofwhoops and howls, throwing rocks at the animal, dodging in now and thento whack the lion with a piece from a limb that had been broken downby the cat in its thrashing above. 

The dust was flying. At times it seemed as if the lion must have gottenthe hardy Pony Rider boy. At such times the lithe, active form of TadButler could be seen leaping from the cloud of dust while the beastfollowed with savage lunges to the end of its rope. It seemedimpossible to tire out either boy or cat. 

It was this condition of affairs that Stacy Brown came upon on hisreturn. He stood gazing at the scene, fascinated. 

"Look out, Tad! He'll get you!" shouted the boy. 

"Get in here and give him a poke in the ribs, " cried Butler. 

"Not for a million dollars, badly as I need money, " returned the fatboy. "What do you take me for, an animal trainer?"

"Then I'll have to keep on doing it till Mr. Nance gets here to helpme. This is the greatest thing we've ever done, old boy!"

"Yes, it'll be a great thing when the brute hands you one from thosegarden rakes of his. Get away and I'll shoot him, " directed Stacy, swinging his rifle into position. 

"Put that gun down!" thundered Tad. "You'll be winging me next thingyou do. Put it down, I say!"

Stacy grumblingly obeyed. Meanwhile the gymnastic exercise continuedwith unabated vigor. There was not an instant's pause. The mountainlion was busier perhaps than it ever had been in its life. It wasbattling for its life, too, and it knew it. 

Once Tad was raked from head to foot by a vicious claw, but the PonyRider boy merely laughed. His endurance, too, was most remark able. Stacy would hardly get within gun-shot of the beast, always standingnear a tree convenient for climbing. Tad was not saying much now. Hewas rather too busy for conversation. At last the report of a riflewas heard not far away. 

"Answer them. It's the gang, " called Tad. Chunky fired a shot intothe air, following it with four others. It was only a short timebefore Jim Nance with Professor Zepplin and the two other boys camedashing up, shouting to know where Tad and Chunky were. They sawChunky first, on guard with his rifle as if holding off an enemy. 

"What's the trouble?" cried Nance. 

"We've got him! We've got him!" yelled Stacy. 

About that time Nance discovered the swirling cloud of dust, from whichat intervals emerged a yellow ball. The guide caught the significanceof the scene at a single glance. 

"It's a cat, " howled Ned. "Let me shoot him. "

"Put away your guns. I guess we know how to catch lions in a scientificmanner, " declared Stacy. 

"They've roped the cat, " snapped the guide. "Beats anything I everheard of. " He was off his mustang instantly and running toward Tad. "Keep him busy, keep him busy, boy. I'll fix him for you in a minute. "

"I don't want you to kill him. "

"I'm not going to. We've got to stretch him. "

Tad did not know what stretching meant in this particular instance, buthe was soon to learn. Nance got off to one side of the busy scene, thendirected Tad to ease up a bit. The boy did so. He saw that Dad, too, was planning to use his lariat, though the boy had no idea in what way. The cat instantly sat down and began tearing at its bonds. All at onceNance's rope shot through the air. It caught the lion fairly aroundthe neck. 

For a few moments the air was full of streaks of yellow. The cat wasnow fast at both ends. The neck hold was the worse of the two, for itchoked the beast and soon tired him out. 

"Now stretch him, " directed the guide. 

"How do you mean?"

"Take a single hitch about the tree with your rope, so that we canstraighten him out. "

This Tad did, while Nance performed a similar service on his own line, being careful not to choke the lion to death. During this latter partof the proceeding the party that had up to that time held off, nowapproached. 

"Will he bite?" asked Walter. 

"Stick your finger in his mouth and see?" jeered Chunky. "He canscratch, too. But we got him, didn't we? We're the original liontamers from the wild and woolly West. "

"Come, who is going to tie those claws together, Stacy?" demanded theguide. 

"Do what?"

"Tie the cat's feet together. "

"Let the Professor do it. He hasn't done anything yet on this trip. Besides, I've got to stand here ready to shoot if the lion gets away. If it weren't for that I'd tie his feet. "

"Here, you tie his feet, then. I'll handle the gun, " volunteered Ned, stepping forward. 

Chunky drew back. 

"If some one will hold my end of the line I'll attend to that littlematter, " said Tad. 

"I guess it's time I did something around here, " interjected Ned. "What do you want me to do, Mr. Nance?"

"Take your rope, watch your opportunity and rope the forward legs. After that is done have somebody hold the rope while you tie the feetsecurely together. "

Ned roped the feet without further question, then handing the line toWalter Perkins, he calmly tied together the feet of the snarling, spitting beast. The same was done with the hind feet, though thelatter proved to be much more dangerous than the forward feet. Butthe mouth of the animal was still free. He could bite and he did makedesperate efforts to get at his captors. They took good care thathe did not reach them. Chunky suggested that they pull the cat'steeth, so he couldn't bite. Tad wanted to know if they couldn'tput a muzzle on. 

"The question is what are you going to do with him, now that you havehim?" demanded the Professor. 

"That's the first sane word that's been spoken since we arrived here, "grinned Nance. 

"We are going to take him back to camp, of course, " declared Tad. 

"Of course we are. Don't you understand, we're going to take him backto camp, " affirmed Stacy. 

"What's your plan, Butler?" asked Nance. 

"If you leave it to me, I'll show you. "

"Go ahead. "

Tad cut a long, tough sapling. This, after some effort, he managed topass through the loop made by the bound legs of the lion. This strungthe beast on the pole. 

"Now, we'll fasten the two ends to two ponies, " decided the lad. 

Silver Face and Walter's pony having been broken in on the previousday, these two were chosen to carry the prize. They did not object, and in a short time the procession started off for camp, with the lion, back down, strung on the pole between two ponies, snarling, spitting, roaring out his resentment, while Chunky, leading the way, wassinging at the top of his voice:

_"Tad Butler is the man; he goes to all the shows, he sticks hishead in the lion's mouth and tells you all he knows. Who-o-o-pe-e-e!"_

CHAPTER XVIII

THE UNWILLING GUEST DEPARTS

Jim Nance didn't say much, but from the way he looked at Tad Butler, a quizzical smile playing about the corners of his mouth, it was plainthat he was filled with admiration for the young Pony Rider who couldtake a lion practically single-handed. 

As yet the story of the capture had not been told. Their prize mustfirst be taken care of. This part of the affair Nance looked afterpersonally. He found a few strands of wire in his kit and with thesehe made a collar and a wire leader that led out to where the toughlariat began. To this the lion was fastened, his forefeet left bound, the hind feet being liberated In this condition he was tied to a treein the camp in Bright Angel Gulch. 

Chunky was not sure that he liked the arrangement. He was wonderingwhether lions were gifted with the proverbial memory of elephants. If so, and if the big cat should get loose in the night, Chunky knewwhat would happen to himself. The boy determined to sleep with oneeye open, his rifle beside his bed. He would die fighting bravely forhis life. He was determined upon that. 

Around the camp fire a jolly party of boys gathered that night aftersupper, their merry conversation interrupted occasionally by a snarlingand growling from the captive. 

"Now, young gentlemen, we are anxious to hear the story of the capture, "said the Professor. 

"Oh, it was nothing, " answered Stacy airily. "It was nothing for us. Shooting cats is too tame for such hunters as Tad and me. We just sawhim up a tree---that is, I saw him, and-----"

"Where were you?" interrupted Nance. 

"I was up the same tree, " answered Stacy. 

"I'll bet the cat treed him, " shouted Ned Rector. "How about it, Tad?"

"Chunky's telling the story. Let him tell it in his own way. "

"I'll tell you about it, fellows. I was up a tree looking for lions. I found one. He was sitting in the same tree with me. He was lickinghis chops. You see, he wanted a slice of me, I'm so tender and sodelicious-----"

"So is a rhinoceros, " interjected Ned. 

"If the gentleman will wait until I have finished he may have the floorto himself. Well, that's about all. I yelled for Tad. He camerunning, and he roped the cat. "

"Then what did you do?" questioned Walter. 

"Oh, I fell out of the tree. Look at this!" shouted Stacy as soon ashe was able to make himself heard above the laughter, pointing to hisripped clothes. "That's where the beast made a pass at me. I'm wounded, I am; wounded in a hand-to-hand conflict with the king of the canyon. How would that read in the Chillicothe 'Gazette' I'm going to dash offsomething after this fashion to send them: 'Stacy Brown, ourdistinguished fellow citizen, globe-trotter, hunter of big game andnature lover, was seriously wounded last week in the Grand Canyon ofArizona-----'"

"In what part of your anatomy is the Grand Canyon located?" questionedNed Rector. "I rise for information. "

"The Grand Canyon is where the Pony Rider Boys store their food, "returned Stacy quickly. "Where did I leave off?"

"You were lost in the Canyon, " reminded Walter. 

"Oh, yes. 'Was seriously wounded in the Grand Canyon in a desperatebattle with the largest lion ever caught in the mountains. Assistedby Thaddeus Butler, also of Chillicothe, Mr. Brown succeeded incapturing the lion alive, after his bloodstained garments had beennearly stripped from his person. '"

"The lion's bloodstained garments?" inquired Walter mildly. 

"No, mine, of course. 'Mr. Brown, it is said, will recover from hiswounds, though he will bear the scars of the conflict the rest of hislife. ' Ahem! I guess that will hold the boys on our block for atime, " finished Chunky, swelling out his chest. "Yes, that'll makethem prisoners for life, " agreed Ned Rector. 

"I think I shall have to edit that account before it goes to the paper, "declared Professor Zepplin. 

"How can you edit it when you didn't see the affair?" demanded Chunky. 

"Editors are not supposed to see beyond the point of the pencil theyare using, " answered Ned. "But they know the failings of the fellowswho do the writing. "

"What do you know about it? You never were an editor, " scoffed Stacy. 

"No, but I'd like to be for about an hour after your article reachedthe 'Gazette' office. "

"How about giving that cat something to eat, Mr. Nance?" asked Tad, thuschanging the subject. 

The guide shook his head. 

"He wouldn't eat; at least not for a while. "

"What do lions eat?" asked Walter. 

"That one tried to eat me, " replied Stacy. "I don't like the look inhis eye at all. It says, just as plain as if it were printed, 'I'd liketo have you served up _a-la-mode_. '"

At this juncture, Jim Nance walked over; with a burning brand in hand, to look at the cat's fastenings. The lion jumped at him. Jim pokedthe firebrand into the animal's face, which sent the cat back thefull length of his tether. After examining the fastenings carefully, Nance pronounced them so secure that the beast would not get away. 

The ponies had been tethered some distance from where the prize wastied, the dogs being placed with the ponies so that they might not bedisturbed by the captive during the night and thus keep the camp awakewith their barks and growls. 

After a time all hands went to bed, crawling into their blankets, where they were soon fast asleep. Late in the night Nance sat up. He thought he had heard the lion growl. Stepping to the door of thetent he listened. Not a sound could be heard save the mysteriouswhisperings of the Canyon. Jim went back to bed, not to awaken untilthe sun was up on the following morning. 

Tad Butler, hearing the guide rise after daylight, turned out at thesame time. Tad stepped outside, his first thought being for thecaptive. The Pony Rider boy's eyes grew large as he gazed at the treewhere the cat had been left the evening before. There was no lion there. 

"Hey, Mr. Nance, did you move the cat?"

"No. Why?"

"He isn't where we left him last night. "

"What?" Nance was out on the jump. "Sure as you're alive he's gone. Now doesn't that beat all?"

Tad had hurried over to the place where he stood gloomily surveyingthe scene. 

"I wonder where the rope and wire are?"

"That's so. He must have carried the whole business with him. "

"How could he? How could he have untied the wire from the tree? Thereis something peculiar about this affair, Dad. "

Whatever Dad's opinion might have been, he did not express it at themoment. Instead he got down on all fours, examining the groundcarefully, going over every inch of it for several rods about the scene. 

"Well this does git me, " he declared, standing up, scratching his headreflectively. 

By that time the rest of the party had come out. 

"The lion's gone, " shouted Tad. 

"What, my lion got away?" wailed Chunky. "And he didn't take a chunkout of me to carry away with him?"

"I had no idea we could hold him. Of course he gnawed the rope intwo, " nodded the Professor. 

"He didn't get loose of his own accord, sir, " replied the guide. 

"Then you don't mean to tell me that some person or persons liberatedhim?"

"I don't mean to tell you anything, because I don't know anything aboutit. I never was so befuddled in my life. I'm dead-beat, Professor. "

Tad was gloomy. He had hoped to take the lion home with them, havingalready planned where he would keep the beast until the town, which hethought of presenting it to, had prepared a place for the gift. Now hishopes had been dashed. He had no idea that they would be able to getanother lion. It was not so easy as all that. But how had the beastgotten away? There was a mystery about it fully as perplexing as hadbeen the loss of Stacy's rifle. Tad was beginning to think, with Dad, that mysterious forces were, indeed, at work in the Grand Canyon. 

While he was brooding over the problem, Chunky, emulating the movementsof the guide, was down on hands and knees, examining the ground. 

"Find any footprints?" called Ned in a jeering voice. 

Stacy did not reply. His brow was wrinkled; his face wore a wiseexpression. 

"Look out that you don't get bitten, " warned Walter mischievously. 

"By what?" demanded Stacy, glancing up. 

"Footprints, " answered Ned. 

"Could any person have gotten in here and let the cat go without ourhaving heard him, Mr. Nance?" asked Tad Butler. 

"I reckon he couldn't. "

"Did you hear anything in the night, Nance?" questioned the Professor. 

"Come to think of it, I did get up once. I heard the cat growling, orthought I did, but after I had looked out and seen nothing, nor heardanything, I went back to bed again and didn't know anything more tillsun-up. I guess I'm pretty slow. I'm getting old for a certainty. "

"No; there is something peculiar, something very strange about thisaffair, Professor, " spoke up Tad. 

"Due wholly to natural causes, " declared the Professor. 

"No, I reckon you're wrong there, Professor, " said Nance. "I'd haveunderstood natural causes. It's the unnatural causes that gets afellow. "

"I've spotted it, I've spotted it! I know who freed the lion!"howled Stacy. 

All hands rushed to him. 

"Who, what, how, where, when?" demanded five voices at once. 

"Yes, sir, I've found it. That lion-----"

"Don't joke, " rebuked the Professor. 

"I'm not joking. I know what I'm talking about. That cat was let goby a one-legged Indian. Now maybe you won't say I'm not a natural bornsleuth, " exclaimed the fat boy proudly. 

CHAPTER XIX

THE FAT BOY DOES A GHOST DANCE

"A one-legged Indian?" chorused the lads. 

"He's crazy, " grumbled Dad. "He has cat on the brain. "

"That's better than having nothing but hair on the brain, " retortedStacy witheringly. 

"How do you know a one-legged Indian has been here?" questioned Tad, seeing that Chunky was in earnest. 

"Look here, " said the boy, pointing to a moccasin print in the softturf at that point. "There's the right foot. Where's the left? Whythere wasn't any left, of course. He had only one foot. "

"Then he must have carried a crutch, " laughed Ned. "Look for the crutchmark and then you'll have the mystery solved. "

Jim Nance chuckled. Stacy regarded the guide with disapproving eyes. 

"Tell me so I can laugh too, " begged Chunky soberly. 

"Why, you poor little tenderfoot, don't you know how that one track gotthere?"

Chunky shook his head. 

"Well, that cowardly half breed that you call Chow was crossing therocks here when the cat made a pass at him. Chow made a long leap. One foot struck there, the other about ten feet the other side. Hehadn't time to put the second foot down else the cat would have gothim. A one-legged Indian! Oh, help!"

"Haw-haw-haw!" mocked Stacy, striding away disgustedly while the shoutsof his companions were ringing in his burning ears. 

But the mystery was unsolved. Tad did not believe it ever would be, though he never ceased puzzling over it for a moment. That day no onegot a lion, though on the second day following Ned Rector shot a smallcat. Tad did not try to shoot. He wandered with Chunky all over thepeaks and through the Canyon in that vicinity trying to rope more lions. 

"You let that job out, " ordered the guide finally. "Don't you knowyou're monkeying with fire? First thing you know you won't knowanything. One of these times a cat'll put you to sleep for a year ofSundays. "

"I guess you are right. Not that I am afraid, but there is no sensein taking such long chances. I'll drop it. I ought to be pretty wellsatisfied with what I have done. "

Tad kept his word. He made no further attempts to rope mountain lions. In the succeeding few days three more cats were shot. It was on thenight of the fourth day after the escape of the captive that atsomething very exciting occurred in Camp Butler. 

The camp was silent, all its occupants sound asleep, when suddenly theywere brought bounding from their cots by frightful howls and yells offear. The howls came from the tent of Stacy Brown. Stacy himselffollowed, leaping out into what they called the company street, dancingup and down, still howling at the top of his voice. Clad in pajamas, the fat boy was unconsciously giving a clever imitation of an Indianghost dance. 

Professor Zepplin was the first to reach the fat boy. He gave Chunkya violent shaking, while Nance was darting about the camp to see thatall was right. He saw nothing unusual. 

"What is the meaning of this, young man?" demanded the Professor. 

"I seen it, I seen it, " howled Stacy. 

"What did you see?"

"A ghost! I seen a ghost!"

"You mean you 'saw' a ghost, not you 'seen', " corrected the Professor. 

"I tell you I _seen_ a ghost. I guess if you'd seen a ghost youwouldn't stop to choose words. You'd just howl like a lunatic in yourown natural language-----"

Dad hastily threw more wood on the dying camp fire. 

"I guess you had a nightmare, " suggested Tad. 

"It wasn't a mare, it was a man, " persisted Stacy. 

"He's crazy. Pity he doesn't catch sleeping sickness, " scoffed Ned. 

"Tell us what you did see, " urged the Professor in a milder tone. 

"I---I was sleeping in---in there when all at once I woke up-----"

"You thought you did, perhaps, " nodded Walter. 

"I didn't think anything of the sort. I know I did. Maybe I'd heardsomething. Well, I woke up and there---and there-----" Chunky's eyesgrew big, he stared wildly across the camp fire as if the terrifyingscene were once more before him. "I woke up. "

"You have told us that before, " reminded Dad, who had joined the group. 

"I woke up-----"

"That makes four times you woke up, " laughed Ned. "You must, indeed, have had a restless night. "

"I woke up-----"

"What again?"

"You wouldn't laugh if you'd seen what I saw" retorted the fat boy, withserious face. "There, right at the entrance of the tent, was a ghost!"

"What kind of a ghost?" asked Dad. 

"Just a ghost-ghost. It was all white and shiny and---br-r-r-r!"shivered the boy. "It grinning. I could see right through it!"

"You must be an X-ray machine, " declared Tad, chuckling. 

"It didn't need anything of that sort. He was so shimmery that youcould see right through him. "

"What became of the spook? Did he fly up?" asked the guide. 

"No, the spook just spooked, " replied Stacy. 

"How do you mean?" questioned Professor Zepplin. 

"He thawed out like a snowball, just melted away when I yelled. "

"Very thrilling, very thrilling. Most remarkable. A matter forscientific investigation, " muttered the Professor, but whether hewere in earnest or not the boys could not gather from his expressionlesscountenance. 

"What did Chunky have for supper?" asked Walter. 

"What didn't he have?" scoffed the guide. "We have to eat fast or wewouldn't get enough to keep up our strength. "

"I guess I don't get any more than my share, " retorted Stacy. "I haveto work for that, too. "

"Well, I'm going to bed, " announced Ned Rector. "You fellows may situp here and tell ghost stories all the rest of the night if you wantto. It's me for the feathers. "

"You're right, Ned, " agreed Tad. "We are a lot of silly boys to beso upset over a fellow who has had a crazy nightmare. Professor, don'tyou think you ought to give Stacy some medicine?"

"Yes, give him something to make him sleep, " chuckled Walter. 

The boy was interrupted by a roar from Ned Rector's tent. Ned wasshouting angrily. He burst out into the circle of light shed bythe camp fire, waving his hands above his head. 

"They've got mine, they've got mine!" he yelled, dancing about witha very good imitation of the ghost dance so recently executed by thefat boy. 

"Got what?" demanded Dad sternly, striding forward. 

"Somebody's stolen my rifle. The spook's robbed me. It's gone andall my cartridges and my revolver and-----"

The camp was in an uproar instantly. Chunky was nodding withsatisfaction. 

"It wasn't stolen. The spook just spooked it, that's all, " hedeclared convincingly. 

"But you must be in error, Ned, " cried the Professor. 

"I'm not. It's gone. I left it beside my bed. It isn't there now. I tell you somebody's been in this camp and robbed me!"

A sudden silence settled over the camp. The boys looked into eachother's faces questioningly. Was this another mystery of the BrightAngel Gulch? They could not understand. 

"Mebby the kid did see a ghost after all, " muttered the guide. 

"The kid did. And I guess the kid ought to know, " returned Stacypompously. 

CHAPTER XX

IN THE HOME OF THE HAVASUPAIS

An investigation showed that Ned Rector was right in his assertion. His rifle had been taken, likewise his revolver and his cartridges. It lent color to Stacy's statement that he had seen something, but noone believed that that something had been a ghost, unless perhaps theguide believed it, for having lived close to Nature so long, he mightbe a superstitious person. 

There was little sleep in the camp of the Pony Rider Boys for the restof the night. They were too fully absorbed in discussing the eventsof the evening and the mysteries that seemed to surround them. First, Stacy had lost his rifle, the captive lion had mysteriously disappeared, and now another member of their party had lost his rifle and revolver. Dad directed the boys not to move about at all. He hoped to find atrail in the morning, a trail that would give him a clue in caseprowlers had been in the camp. 

A search in the morning failed to develop anything of the sort. Notthe slightest trace of a stranger having visited the camp was discovered. They gave up---the mystery was too much for them. 

That day Nance decided to move on. Their camp was to remain at the sameplace, but the half breed was directed to sleep by day and to stay onguard during the night. Jim proposed to take his charges into thewonderful Cataract Canyon, where they would pay a visit to the villageof the Havasupai Indians. 

This appealed to the Pony Riders. They had seen no Indians sincecoming to the Grand Canyon. They did not know that there were Indiansranging through that rugged territory, red men who were as familiarwith the movements of the Pony Rider Boys as were the boys themselves. 

They arrived at the Cataract Canyon on the morning of the second day, having visited another part of Bright Angel Gulch for a day en route. 

At the entrance to the beautiful canyon the guide paused to tell themsomething about it. 

"I will tell you, " he said, "how the Havasupais came to select thiscanyon for their home. When the several bands of red men, whoafterwards became the great tribes of the south-west, left theirsacred Canyon---mat-aw-we'-dit-ta---by direction of theirMoses---Ka-that-ka-na'-ve---to find new homes, the Havasupai familyjourneyed eastward on the trail taken by the Navajos and the Hopi. One night they camped in this canyon. Early the next day they tookup their burdens to continue on their journey. But as they werestarting a little papoose began to cry. The Kohot of the family, believing this to be a warning from the Great Spirit, decided toremain in the canyon. 

"They found this fertile valley, containing about five hundred acres oflevel land. They called the place Ha-va-sua, meaning 'Blue Water, ' andafter a time they themselves were known, as Havasupai---'Dwellers By theBlue water'. They have been here ever since. "

"Most interesting, most interesting, " breathed the Professor. "But howcomes it that this level stretch of fertile land is found in this rugged, rocky canyon, Nance?"

"That's easily answered. During hundreds of years the river hasdeposited vast quantities of marl at the upper ends of this valley. Thusfour great dams have been built up forming barriers across the canyon. These dams have quite largely filled up, leaving level stretches of landof great richness. "

"Do they work the land?" asked Tad. 

"In a primitive way, they do, probably following the methods theylearned from the cliff dwellers, who occupied the crude dwellings youhave seen all along these walls in the canyons here. "

The Cataract Canyon proved to be the most interesting of all that theboys had seen for variety and beauty. The Havasu River, foaming intorrents over Supai and Navajos Falls, fifty and seventy-five feet high, respectively, they found gliding through a narrow canyon for half amile, in a valley matted with masses of trees, vines and ferns, thedelicate green of whose foliage contrasted wonderfully with the deadgray walls of the deep, dark canyon at that point. 

For some three miles below this the Pony Riders followed thesmoothly-gliding stream through a canyon whose straight up and downwalls of gray limestone seemed to meet overhead in the blue of the sky. Below they seemed to be in the tropics. During that first day in theCataract they saw another wonder, that of the filmy clouds settling downand forming a roof over the Canyon. It was a marvelous sight beforewhich the Pony Rider Boys were lost in wonder. 

The Bridal Veil Falls they thought the most beautiful wonder of itskind they had ever seen. Here they saw the crystal waters dashing inclouds of spray through masses of ferns, moss and trees, one hundredand seventy-five feet perpendicularly into a seething pool below. 

Their delight was in the innumerable caves found along the Canyon. Inthese were to be seen flowers fashioned out of the limestone, possessing wonderful colors, scintillating in the light of the torches, reds that glowed like points of fire, stalactites that glistened likethe long, pointed icicles they had seen hanging from the eaves oftheir homes in Chillicothe. They discovered lace-work in most delicatetints, masses and masses of coral and festoons of stone sponges in allthe caves they visited. There were little caves leading from largercaves, caves within caves, caves below caves, a perfect riot of cavesand labyrinths all filled with these marvelous specimens of limestone. 

"I think I would be content to live here always, " breathed Tad afterthey had finished their explorations of the caves and passed on into aperfect jungle of tropical growth on their way to Ko-ho-ni-no, thecanyon home of the Havasupais. 

"You'd never be lonesome here, " smiled Nance. 

"Why don't you live down here, then?" asked Ned. 

"Perhaps I don't live so far from here, after all, " rejoined the guide. 

"Do they have ghosts in this canyon?" asked Chunky apprehensively. 

"Full of them!"

"Br-r-r!" shivered the fat boy. 

"A wonderful place for scientific research, " mused the Professor. 

"Why don't you stay in Bright Angel for a while and study ghosts?"suggested Stacy. 

"I decline to be drawn into so trivial a discussion, " answered ProfessorZepplin severely. 

"You wouldn't think it was trivial were you to see one of those things. "

"Perhaps the Professor, too, has overloaded his stomach some time beforegoing to bed, " spoke up Tad Butler. 

"You are mistaken, young man. I never make a glutton of myself, " wasthe grim retort. 

"Now will you be good, Tad Butler?" chuckled Walter Perkins. 

"Yes, I have nothing more to say, " answered Tad, with a hearty laugh. 

"We are getting down on the level now, " the guide informed them. 

Halting suddenly, Nance pointed to an overhanging ledge about half amile down the valley. The boys gazed, shading their eyes, wonderingwhat Nance saw. 

"I see, " said Tad. 

"Then you see more than do the rest of us, " answered Ned. "What is it?"

"It looks to me like a man. "

"You have good eyes, " nodded Nance. 

"Is it a---a man?" questioned Chunky. 

"Yes, it is an Indian lookout. He sees us and is trying to decidewhether or not our mission is a friendly one. "

"Indians! Wow!" howled Chunky. 

"We are in their home now, so behave yourself, " warned Nance. 

The Havasu River, which the riders followed, extended right on throughthe village, below which were many scattering homes of the red men, butthe majority of them lived in the village itself. Almost the entirelength of the creek, both in the village and below, the river isbordered with cottonwood, mesquite and other green trees, that furnishshade for the quaint village nestling in the heart of the greatCanyon. 

The boys followed the water course until finally they were approachedby half a dozen men---indians---who had come out to meet them. 

Nance made a sign. The Indians halted, gazed, then started forward. In the advance was the Kohot or native chief. 

"Hello, Tom, " greeted the guide. 

"How!" said the chief. 

"Tom is a funny name for an Indian, " observed Chunky. 

"His name is Chick-a-pan-a-gi, meaning 'the bat', " answered Jimsmilingly. 

"He looks the part, " muttered the fat boy. 

"Tom, I've brought some friends of mine down to see you and your folks. Have you anything to eat?"

"Plenty eat. "

"Good. "

"Plenty meala, meula. Kuku. No ski, " answered the chief, meaning thatthey were stocked with flour, sugar, but no bacon. 

"I know that language, " confided Stacy to Tad. "It's Hog Latin. "

"Magi back-a-tai-a?" asked the chief. 

"Higgety-piggety, " muttered Chunky. 

"He means, 'have we come from the place of the roaring sound?'"translated Nance. 

"You bet we have. Several of them, " spoke up Ned. 

"Doesn't he speak English?" asked Walter. 

"Yes, he will soon. He likes a confidential chat with me in his ownlanguage first. By 'the place of the roaring sound' he means the bigCanyon. How is Jennie, Tom?"

"Chi-i-wa him good. "

"That's fine. We'll be moving along now. We are tired and want torest and make peace with Chick-a-pan-gi and his people, " said Nance. 

The Kohot bowed, waved a hand to his followers, who turned, marchingstolidly back toward the village, followed by the chief, then byNance and his party. 

"This sounds to me as if it were going to be a chow-chow party, "grinned Stacy. 

"For goodness' sake, behave yourself. Don't stir those Indians up. They are friendly enough, but Indians are sensitive, " advised Tad. 

"So am I, " replied Chunky. 

"You may be sorry that you are if you are not careful. I shall beuneasy all the time for fear you'll put your foot in it, " said Tad. 

"Just keep your own house in order. Mine will take care of itself. There's the village. "

"Surely enough, " answered Tad, gazing inquiringly toward the scatteredshacks or ha-was, as the native houses were called. These consistedof posts set up with a slight slant toward the center, over which waslaid in several layers the long grass of the canyon. Ordinarily abright, hued Indian blanket covered the opening. A tall man could notstand upright in a Havasupai ha-wa. They were merely hovels, but theywere all sufficient for these people, who lived most of their lives outin the open. 

The street was full of gaunt, fierce-looking dogs that the boys firstmistook for coyotes. The dogs, ill-fed, were surly, making friendswith no one, making threatening movements toward the newcomers inseveral instances. One of them seized the leg of Chunky's trousers. 

"Call your dog off, Chief Chickadee!" yelled the fat boy. 

The Indian merely grunted, whereupon the fat boy laid a hand on thebutt of his revolver. A hand gripped his arm at the same time. Thehand was Tad Butler's. 

"You little idiot, take your hand away from there or I'll put a headon you right here! The dog won't hurt you. " Tad was angry. 

"No, you've scared him off, now. Of course he won't bite me, but hewould have done so if he hadn't caught sight of you. "

"I must be good dog medicine then, " replied Tad grimly. "But, nevermind, " he added, with a smile, "just try to behave yourself for achange. "

About that time Chief Tom was leading out his squaw by an ear. 

"White man see Chi-i-wa, " grinned the chief. 

Chi-i-wa gave them a toothless smile. She was the most repulsive-lookingobject the boys ever had looked upon. Chi-i-wa's hair came down to theneck, where it had been barbered off square all the way around. Thiswas different from her august husband's. His hair lay in straightstrands on his shoulders, while a band of gaudy red cloth, the badge ofhis office, was twisted over The forehead, binding the straight, blacklocks at the back of the head. 

The squaw wore baggy trousers bound at the bottom with leggings, whileover her shoulder was draped a red and white Indian blanket that wasgood to look upon. The brilliant reds of the blankets all through thevillage lent a touch of color that was very pleasing to the eye. 

The chief's son was then brought out to shake hands with the whitemen, while Chi-i-wa squatted down and appeared to lose all interestin life. Dogs and children were by this time gathered about in greatnumbers regarding the new comers with no little curiosity. 

The chief's son was introduced to the boys by Nance as "Afraid Of HisFace. "

Stacy surveyed the straight-limbed but ugly faced young buck critically. 

"I don't blame him, " said the fat boy. 

"Don't blame him for what?" snapped Nance. 

"For being afraid of his face. So am I. "

The boys snickered, but their faces suddenly sobered at a sharp glancefrom the piercing eyes of the Kohot. 

"Mi-ki-u-la, " said Afraid Of His Face, pointing to the much-soiledtrousers of Stacy Brown. 

"He likes your trousers, he says, " grinned the guide. 

"Well, he can't have them, though he certainly does need trousers, "decided Stacy reflectively, studying the muscular, half-naked limbs ofthe young buck. "He couldn't very well appear in polite society inthat rig, could he, Tad?"

"Not unless he were going in swimming, " smiled Tad. 

It was at this point that Tad Butler himself came near getting intodifficulties. The chief's son, having been ordered in a series ofexplosive guttural sounds to do something, had started away when ayellow, wolfish looking cur got in way. Afraid Of His Face gave thedog a vicious kick, then as if acting upon second thought he grabbedup the snarling dog, and twisting its front legs over on its back, dropped the yelping animal, giving it another kick before it touchedthe ground. 

Tad's face went fiery red. He could not stand idly and witness theabuse of an animal. The lad leaped forward and stood confronting theyoung buck with flaming face. Tad would have struck the Indian hadNance not been on the spot. With a powerful hand he thrust Tad behindhim, saying something in the Indian language to Afraid Of His Face, which caused the buck to smile faintly and proceed on his mission. 

"If you had struck him you never would have gotten out of here alive, "whispered the guide. Stacy had been a witness to the proceeding. Hesmiled sarcastically when Tad came back to where the fat boy wasstanding. 

"Folks who live in glass houses, should not shy rocks, " observed thefat boy wisely. 

By that time the squaws were setting out corn cakes, dried peaches anda heap of savory meat that was served on a bark platter. The meal wasspread on a bright blanket regardless of the fact that grease from themeat was dripping over the beautiful piece of weaving. The boys thoughtit a pity to see so wonderful a piece of work ruined so uselessly, butthey made no comment. Then all sat down, the Indians squatting ontheir haunches, while the white men seated themselves on the ground. There were neither knives nor forks. Fingers were good enough for thenoble red man. 

First, before beginning the meal, the Kohot lighted a great pipe andtook a single puff. Then he passed it to Professor Zepplin, who, witha sheepish look at the Pony Rider Boys, also took a puff. 

Stacy came next. The chief handed the pipe to the fat boy in person. Stacy's face flushed. 

"Thank you, but I don't smoke, " he said politely. The lines of thechief's face tightened. It was an insult to refuse to smoke the pipeof peace when offered by the Kohot. 

CHAPTER XXI

CHUNKY GETS A TURKISH BATH

"Put it to your lips. You don't have to smoke it, " whispered Dad. "Itwon't do to refuse. "

Stacy placed the stem to his lips, then, to the amazement of hisfellows, drew heavily twice, forcing the smoke right down into hislungs. 

Stacy's face grew fiery red, his cheeks puffed out. Smoke seemed tobe coming out all over him. Ned declared afterwards that Stacy mustbe porous, for the smoke came out of his pockets. Then all of asudden the fat boy coughed violently, and tumbled over backwards, choking, strangling, howling, while the Professor hammered him betweenthe shoulders with the flat of his hand. 

"You little idiot, why did you draw any of the stuff in?" whisperedProfessor Zepplin. 

"Da---Da---Dad to---to---told me to! Ackerchew! Oh, wow!"

More choking, more sneezing and more strangling. The Professor laidthe boy on the grass a little distance from the table, where not asmile had appeared on a single face. The Indians were grave andsolemn, the Pony Rider Boys likewise, although almost at theexplosive point. The others had merely passed the Pipe of peaceacross their lips and handed it on to the next. In this manner it hadgone around the circle. 

Then all hands began dipping into the meat with their fingers. Thiswas too much for the red-faced boy lying on the grass. He sat up, uttered a volley of sneezes then unsteadily made his way back to theblanket table and sat down in his place. The Indians paid noattention to him, though sly glances were cast in his direction byhis companions. For once, Ned Rector was discreet enough not to makeany remarks. He knew that any such would call forth unpleasant wordsfrom Stacy. 

The fat boy helped himself liberally to the meat. He tasted of itgingerly at first, then went at it greedily. 

"That is the finest beef I ever ate, " he said enthusiastically. 

"You shouldn't make remarks about the food, " whispered Tad. "They maynot like it. "

"I hope they don't like it. There'll be all the more left for me. "

"I don't mean the food, I mean your remarks about it. "

"Oh!"

"How many persons are there in your tribe, chief?" asked the Professorpolitely. 

The chief looked at Dad. 

"Two hundred and fifty, Professor, " the guide made answer for their host. "They are a fine lot of Indians, too. "

"Including the squaws, two hundred and fifty?"

"Yes. "

"Do they not sit down with us?" asked Professor Zepplin, glancing upat Chi-i-wa and some of her sisters, who were standing muffled in theirblankets, despite the heat of the day, gazing listlessly at the diners. 

"Certainly not in the presence of the white man or heads of othertribes, " answered Jim. 

"Say, what is this meat?" whispered Chunky again, helping himself toanother slice. 

"Don't you know what that is?" answered Ned Rector. 

"No. If I did, I shouldn't have asked. "

"Why, that's lion meat. "

"Li---li---lion meat?" gasped the boy. 

"Sure thing. "

Stacy appeared to suffer a sudden loss of appetite. He grew pale aboutthe lips, his head whirled dizzily. Whether it were from the pipe ofpeace or the meat, he never knew. He did know that he was a sick boyalmost on the instant. With a moan he toppled over on his back. 

"I'm going to die, " moaned the fat boy. "Carry me off somewhere. Idon't want to die here, " he begged weakly. 

They placed him under the shade of a tree but instead of getting betterthe boy got worse: The Professor was disturbed. 

"Put pale-face boy in to-hol-woh, " grunted the chief. "To-hol-woh!"he exclaimed sharply. 

Three squaws ran to a low structure of branches that were stuck intothe ground, bent in and secured at the middle until it resembled anEsquimo hut in shape. The frame made by the branches was uncovered, but the women quickly threw some brightly colored blankets over theframe, the boys watching the proceeding with keen interest. Theythen hauled some hot rocks from a fire near by, thrusting these underthe blankets into the enclosure, after which a pail of water also wasput inside. 

"Put fat boy in, " commanded the Kohot. "Take um clothes off. "

Chunky demurred feebly at this. The Professor glanced at Dad inquiringly. Dad nodded, grinning from ear to ear. 

"It's a sort of Russo-Turkish bath. It'll do him good. Wouldn't mindone myself right now, " said Nance. 

"All right, boys, fix him up and get him in. "

"Dress him down, you mean, " chuckled Ned. 

At a word from the chief the squaws stumped listlessly to their ha-wasand were seen no more for some time. About this time the Medicine man, a tall, angular, eagle-eyed Havasu, appeared on the scene, examiningthe to-hol-woh critically. 

"What shall we do with him now?" called Tad, after they had strippedoff all of Chunky's clothes except his underwear. 

"Chuck him in, " ordered the guide. 

The Pony Rider Boys were filled with unholy glee at the prospect. Theypicked up the limp form of their companion, Stacy being too sick tooffer more than faint, feeble protests. They tumbled him into whatNed called "The Hole In The Wall. "

By this time the hot stones in the enclosure had raised the temperatureof the to-hol-woh considerably. Stacy did not realize how hot it wasat first, but he was destined to learn more about it a few minutes later. 

Now the Medicine Man began to chant weirdly, calling upon the Havasupaigods, Hoko-ma-ta and To-cho-pa, which translated by the guide was:

_"Let the heat come and enter within us, reach head, face and lungs, Go deep down in stomach, through arms, body, thighs. Thus shall we bepurified, made well from all ill, Thus shall we be strengthened to keepback all that can harm, For heat alone gives life and force. "_

_"Let heat enter our heads, Let heat enter our eyes, Let heatenter our ears, Let heat enter our nostrils---"_

Up to this time no sounds had come from the interior of the to-hol-woh. But now the fat boy half rolled out, gasping for breath. Ned, havingpicked up a paddle that lay near this impromptu Turkish bath, administered a resounding slap on Stacy's anatomy, while Tad andWalter threw him back roughly into the to-hol-woh. 

Chunky moaned dismally. 

"I'm being burned alive, " he groaned. "They're torturing me to death. "

_"Let heat enter the feet, Let heat enter the knees, Let heat enterthe legs---"_

"Lemme out of here!" yelled the sick boy, thrusting a tousled headthrough between the blankets covering the opening. 

They pushed him back. 

"It's the paddle for yours, and hard, if you come out before we tellyou, " cried Ned. 

"Stay in as long as you can, Stacy. I am satisfied the treatment willbenefit you, " advised the Professor. 

"I'm cooking, " wailed Chunky. 

"That's what you need. You've been underdone all your life, " jeeredRector. 

Throughout all of this the Havasus had sat about apparently takingno particular interest in the performance. They had all seen itbefore so many, many times. But Jim Nance's sides were shaking withlaughter, and the Pony Rider Boys were dancing about in high glee. They did not get such a chance at Stacy Brown every day in the year, and were not going to miss a single second of this sort of fun. 

"A brave lion tamer ought not to be afraid of a little heat, " suggestedWalt. 

"That's so, " agreed Ned. 

"For heat alone gives life and force, " crooned the Medicine Man. 

He repeated the words of his chant twice over, naming pretty much everymember in the body. It was a long process, but no one save StacyBrown himself wearied of it. 

At the conclusion of the second round of the chant, the Medicine Man, stooping over, sprinkled water upon the hot stones, reaching in underthe blankets to do so. 

Instantly the to-hol-woh was filled with a cloud of fierce, bitingsteam, that made each breath seem a breath of fire. 

The Pony Rider Boys, understanding what this meant to the boy inside, unable to restrain themselves longer, gave vent to ear-splitting shoutsof glee. Even the Indians turned to gaze at them in mild surprise. 

"Take me out! I'm on fire!" yelled the fat boy lustily. 

The Medicine Man thrust half a dozen other hot stones in, then sprinkledmore water upon them. 

"There's one more steaming for Chunky, " sang Tad. 

"There's one more roast for him, " chanted Ned. 

"We'll roast him till he's done, " added Walter. 

The Medicine Man sprinkled on more water. 

"Ow, wow! Yeow, wow-wow!"

Anguished howls burst from the interior of the to-hol-woh. Thensomething else burst. The peak of the bath house seemed to rise rightinto the air. The sides burst out, flinging the blankets in alldirections. Then a red-faced boy leaped out, and with a yell, fledon hot feet to the silvery Havasu River, where he plunged into a deeppool, the water choking down his howls of rage and pain. 

The fat boy's Russo-Turkish bath had succeeded beyond the fondestexpectations of his torturers. 

CHAPTER XXII

A MAGICAL CURE

Pandemonium reigned in the Havasu village for a few minutes. TheMedicine Man had been bowled over in Stacy's projectile-like flight. The Medicine Man leaped to his feet, eyes flashing. Some one pointedtoward the creek. The Medicine Man leaped for the river. 

Dad spoke sharply to the chief, whereupon the latter fired a volley ofgutturals at the fleeing Medicine Man, who stopped so suddenly that henearly lost his balance. 

"Is the water deep in there?" cried the Professor. 

"About ten feet, " answered the guide. 

"He'll drown!"

"No he won't drown, Professor, " called Tad. "Chunky can swim like afish. There he is now. "

A head popped up from the water, followed by a face almost as red asthe sandstone rocks on the great cliffs glowing off there in theafternoon sun. 

"Oh, wow!" bellowed Stacy chokingly, as the waters swallowed him upagain. He came up once more and struck out for the bank, up which hestruggled, then began racing up and down the edge of the stream yelling:

"I'm skinned alive! I'm flayed, disfigured! I'm parboiled! Pour abottle of oil over me. I tell you I'm-----"

"You're all right. Stop it!" commanded Tad sharply. 

"Sprinkle me with flour the way mother used to do. "

Tad walked over and laid a firm hand on the arm of the fat boy. 

"You go back there and wipe off, then put on your clothes, or I'll skinyou in earnest. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd scalp you if youcontinue to carry on in this way. "

"Sea---scalp me?" stammered Stacy. 

"Yes. You surely have done enough to them to make them want to. Didyou know you knocked over the Medicine Man?"

"Did I?"

"You did. "

Stacy grinned. 

"I'm glad of it. But that isn't a circumstance to what I'd like, to doto him if I could do it and get away with it. 

"Well, how does it feel to be roasted?" questioned the grinning NedRector, approaching them at this juncture. 

"Who put up this job on me?" demanded Stacy angrily. 

"Job? Why, it wasn't a job. You were a very sick man. Your casedemanded instant treatment---"

"Say, what was that meat we had for dinner, Tad?" asked Chunky suddenly. 

"Deer meat. "

"Oh, fiddle! Ned said it was cat meat and I---I got sick. I'll geteven with him for that. "

"How do you feel?" asked the smiling Professor, coming up and slappingthe fat boy on the shoulder. 

"I---I guess I'm well, but I don't believe I'll be able to sit down orlie down all the rest of the summer. No, don't ask me to put on myclothes. I can't wear them. My skin's all grown fast to my underwear. I'll have to wear these underclothes the rest of the season if I don'twant to lose my skin. Oh, I'm in an awful fix. "

"But you're well, so what's the odds?" laughed Tad. 

"It does brace a fellow up to have that---that---what do you call it?"

"Hole In The Wall bath, " nodded Ned. 

"That's just the trouble. There wasn't any hole in the wall to let theheat out. Oh, it was awful. If you don't think it was, then some ofyou fellows get in there for a roast. Oh, I'm sore!"

Stacy limped off by himself, then stood leaning against a rock, stillin his underwear, gazing moodily at the waters of Havasu River. Stacywas much chastened for the time being. 

All at once the lad started. Ned Rector had laid a hand on his shoulder. 

"Oh, it's you?"

"Yes. You aren't angry with me, are you, Chunky?"

"Angry with you?"

"Yes. "

"Did you ever have a sore lip, Ned?"

"Of course I have, " laughed Rector. 

"When you couldn't have laughed at the funniest story you ever heard?"

"I guess that about describes it. "

"Well, I've got a sore lip all over my body. If I were to be cross withyou I'd crack the one big, sore lip and then you'd hear me yell, "answered the fat boy solemnly. "No, I'm not angry with you, Ned. "

Rector laughed softly. 

"I don't want you to be. I'm always having a lot of fun with you andI expect to have a lot more, for you are the biggest little idiot Iever saw in my life. "

"Yes, I am, " agreed Stacy thoughtfully. "But how can you blame me, with the company I keep?"

"I've got nothing more to say, except that if you'll come back towhat's his name's camp I'll help you put on your clothes. Come along. Don't miss all the fun. "

Stacy decided that he would. By the time he had gotten on his clotheshe felt better. He wandered off to another part of the village, wherehis attention was drawn to a game going on between a lot of nativechildren who had squatted down on the ground. 

Stacy asked what the game was. They told him it was "Hui-ta-qui-chi-ka, "which he translated into "Have-a-chicken. "

Most of these children were pupils at a school established by theUnited States government in the Canyon, and could speak a littleEnglish. Chunky entered into conversation with them at once, askingthe names of each, but he never remembered the name of any of themafterwards. There was little Pu-ut, a demure faced savage with astring of glass beads around her neck; Somaja, round and plump, because of which she got her name, which, translated meant "watermelon. "Then there was Vesna and many other names not so easy. Chunky decidedthat he would like to play "Have-a-chicken, " too. The little savageswere willing, so he took a seat in the semicircle with them. 

Before the semicircle was a circle of small stones, with an openingat a certain point. This opening was called, Chunky learned, "Yam-si-kyalb-yi-ka, " though the fat boy didn't attempt to pronounceit after his instructor. In the centre of the circle was another flatstone bearing the musical name of "Taa-bi-chi. "

Sides were chosen and the game began. The first player begins byholding three pieces of short stick, black on one side, white on theother. These sticks are called "Toh-be-ya. " The count depends uponthe way the sticks fall. For instance, the following combinations willgive an idea as to how the game is counted:

Three white sides up, 10; three blacks, 5; two blacks and a white up, 3;two whites and a black up, 2, and so on in many different combinations. 

The reader may think this a tame sort of game, but Chunky didn't findit so. It grew so exciting that the fat boy found himself howlinglouder than any of the savages with whom he was playing. He was asmuch a savage as any of them, some of whom were of his own age. Everytime he made a large point, Stacy would perform a war dance, howling, "Have-a-chicken! Have-a-chicken!"

The chief's son, who also had come into the game without being invited, was playing next to Stacy. Stacy in one of these outbursts trod on thebare feet of the young buck. 

Afraid Of His Face, adopting the methods of his white brethren, rosein his might and smote the fat boy with his fist. Now, the spotwhere the fist of Afraid Of His Face landed had been parboiled in the"Hole In The Wall. " Stacy Brown howled lustily, then he sailed in, both fists working like windmills. The Indian youngsters set up aweird chorus of yells and war whoops, while all hands from the chief'sha-wa started on a run for the scene. 

CHAPTER XXIII

STACY AS AN INDIAN FIGHTER

In the meantime there was a lively scrimmage going on near the"Have-a-chicken" circle. The stones of the circle had been kickedaway, the younger savages forming a human ring about the combatants. 

Afraid Of His Face was much the superior of the fat boy in physicalstrength, but he knew nothing of the tricks of the boxer. ThereforeStacy had played a tattoo on the face of the Indian before the latterwoke up to the fact that he was getting the worst of it. 

In an unguarded moment the young buck put a smashing blow right onStacy's nose, now extremely sensitive from its near boiling in the"Hole In The Wall. "

Not being fast enough in the get away, the young buck received on hisown face some of the blood that spurted from Brown's nose. 

"Ow-wow!" wailed Chunky, rendered desperate by the severe pain at thistender point. But his rage made him cooler. Chunky made a feint. As Afraid Of His Face dodged the feint Stacy bumped the youngIndian's nose. 

"Have another, " offered Stacy dryly, as his left drove in a blow thatsent the young Indian to his back on the turf. Frightened screams camefrom some of the young Indian girls, who gazed dismayed at the humanwhirlwind into which Stacy had been transformed. 

"Ugh!" roared Afraid Of His Face, and reached his feet again. "Ugh!Boy heap die! Plenty soon!"

Again the combatants closed in. There was a rattling give-and-take. 

"Here! Stop that!" ordered Professor Zepplin, striding forward. Thechief and his Indians were coming up also. The chief caught at one ofthe Professor's waving arms and drew him back. 

"Let um fight, " grunted the chief. He next spoke a few guttural wordsof command to his own people, who fell back, giving the combatantsplenty of room. 

"Yes, let 'em have it out!" roared the boys. "Stacy never will learnto behave, but this ought to help. "

Stacy, having it all his own way with his fists, now received a kickfrom the buck that nearly ended the fight. 

"Wow! That's your style, is it?" groaned Chunky, then he ducked, cameup and planted a smashing blow on the buck's jaw that sent the latterfairly crashing to earth. 

That ended the fight. Afraid Of His Face made a few futile strugglesto get to his feet, then lay back wearily. Chunky puffed out his chestand strutted back and forth a few times. 

"Huh!" grunted Chick-a-pan-a-gi. "Fat boy heap brave warrior. "

"You bet I am. But it's nothing. You ought to see me in a real fight. "

"Hurrah for Chunky!" shouted Ned Rector. "Hip, hip, hurrah!"

Professor Zepplin now strode forward, laying a heavy hand on the fatboy's shoulder. 

"Ouch!" groaned Chunky. "Don't do that Don't you know I haven't anyskin on my body?"

"You don't deserve to have any. Be good enough to explain how thistrouble arose?"

The chief was asking the same question of the other young savages inhis own language and they were telling him in a series of gutturalexplosions. 

"It was this way, I was playing the game with them when I stepped onElephant Face's foot. He didn't like it. I guess he has corns on hisfeet as well as on his face. He punched me. I punched him back. Thenthe show began. We had a little argument, with the result that youalready have observed, " answered Stacy pompously. 

"You needn't get so chesty about it, " rebuked Ned. 

"Chief, " said the Professor, turning to Chick-a-pan-a-gi, "I don'tknow what to say. I am deeply humiliated that one of our party shouldengage in a fight with---"

"I didn't engage in any fight, " protested Stacy. "It wasn't a fight, it was just a little argument. "

"Silence!" thundered the Professor. 

"I trust you will overlook the action of this boy. He was very muchexcited and-----"

"Fat boy him not blame. Fat boy him much brave warrior, " grunted thechief. "Afraid Of His Face he go ha-wa. Stay all day, all night. Himnot brave warrior. "

The chief accentuated his disgust by prodding his homely son with thetoe of a moccasin. Afraid Of his Face got up painfully, felt gingerlyof his damaged nose, and with a surly grunt limped off toward his ownha-wa, there to remain in disgrace until the following day. 

"Fat boy come smoke pipe of peace, " grunted the chief. 

"No, thank you. No more pieces of pipe for mine. I've had oneexperience. That's enough for a life time, " answered Stacy. 

"Stacy, if I see any more such unseemly conduct I shall send you homein disgrace, " rebuked the Professor as they walked back to the village. 

"The boy wasn't to blame, Professor, " interceded Dad. "The buck pitchedinto him first. He had to defend himself. "

"No, don't be too hard on Chunky, " begged Tad. "You must remember thathe wasn't quite himself. First to be boiled alive, then set upon byan Indian, I should say, would be quite enough to set anyone off hisbalance. "

The Professor nodded. Perhaps they were right, after all. So long asthe chief was not angry, why should he be? The chief, in hisunemotional way, seemed pleased with the result of the encounter. But Professor Zepplin, of course, could not countenance fighting. That was a certainty. With a stern admonition to Chunky never toengage in another row while out with the Pony Rider Boys, the Professoragreed to let the matter drop. 

The day was well spent by that time, and the party was invited to passthe night in the village, which they decided to do. The chief gavethe Professor a cordial invitation to share his ha-wa with him, butafter a sniff at the opening of the hovel Professor Zepplin decidedthat he would much prefer to sleep outside on the ground. The othersconcluded that they would do the same. The odors coming from theha-was of the tribe were not at all inviting. 

After sitting about the camp fire all the evening, the Pony Rider Boyswrapped themselves in their blankets and lay down to sleep under thestars with the now gloomy walls of the Canyon towering above them, themurmur of the silvery Havasu in their ears. 

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

The night was a restful one to most of the party, except as they werearoused by the barking of the dogs at frequent intervals, perhapsscenting some prowling animal in search of food. 

Chunky was awakened by Tad at an early hour. The fat boy uttered afamiliar "Oh, wow!" when he sought to get up, then lay back groaning. 

"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Butler. 

"My skin's shrunk, " moaned Stacy. "It fits me so tight I---I can'tmove. "

"His skin's shrunk, " chorused the Pony Rider Boys. "His skin is amisfit. "

"Take it back and demand a new suit if you don't like it, " laughed NedRector. 

"It isn't any laughing matter. I tell you it's shrunk, " protested Stacy. 

"All right, it will do you good. You'll know you've got a skin. Lastnight you said it was all roasted off from you. "

"It was. This is the new skin, about a billionth of an inch thick, and oh-h-h-h, " moaned the lad, struggling to his feet. "I wish you hadmy skin, Ned Rector. No, I don't, either I---I wish yours were drawnas tightly as mine. "

"Come on for a run and you will feel better" cried Tad, grasping thefat boy by an arm and racing him down to the river and back, accompanied by a series of howls from Stacy. But the limbering-upprocess was a success. Stacy felt better. He was able to do fulljustice to the breakfast that was served on the greasy blanket shortlyafterwards. For breakfast the white men shared their bacon with thechief, which the Indian ate, grunting appreciatively. 

Before leaving, the boys bought some of the finer specimens of theIndian blankets, which they got remarkably cheap. They decided to doup a bale of these and send them home to their folks when they reacheda place where there was a railroad. At present they were a good manymiles from a railway, with little prospect even of seeing one for amatter of several weeks. 

After breakfast they bade good-bye to the chief. Chunky wanted toshake hands with Afraid Of His Face, but the chief would not permithis young buck to leave the ha-wa. Chi-i-wa, the chief's wife, badethem a grudging good-bye without so much as turning her head, afterwhich the party rode away, Chunky uttering dismal groans because thesaddle hurt him, for the fat boy was still very tender. 

"I know what I'll do when I get home, " he said. 

"So do I, " laughed Tad. 

"Well, what'll I do, if you know so much about it?"

"Why, you will puff out your chest and strut up and down Main Streetfor the edification of the natives of Chillicothe, " answered Tad. 

"That's what he'll do, for sure, " jeered Ned. "But we'll be on handto take him down a peg or two. Don't you forget that, Chunky. "

Joking and enjoying themselves to the fullest, these brown-faced, hardy young travelers continued on, making camp that night by theroaring river, reaching Camp Butler the following forenoon. 

Chow, the half breed pack-train man, met them with a long face. Theparty saw at once that something was wrong. 

"What's happened?" snapped Nance. 

"The dogs. "

"What about them? Speak up. "

"Him dead, " announced the half breed stolidly. 

"Dead?" cried Dad and the boys in one voice. 

"Him dead. "

"What caused their death?"

The half breed shook his head. All he knew was that two mornings beforehe had come in for breakfast, and upon going out again found the dogsstretched out on the ground dead. That there was another mysteryfacing them the boys saw clearly. Nance examined the carcasses of thedead hounds. His face was dark with anger when he had finished. 

"It's my opinion that those hounds were poisoned, " he declared. 

"Poisoned!" exclaimed the boys. 

"Yes. There's some mysterious work being done around this camp. I'mgoing to find out who is at the bottom of it; then you'll hear somethingdrop that will be louder than a boulder falling off the rim of theGrand Canyon. "

"This is a most remarkable state of affairs. " said the Professor. "Surely you do not suspect the man Chow?"

"No, I don't suspect him. It's someone else. I had a talk with ChiefTom. He told me some things that set me thinking. "

"What was it?" asked Tad. 

"I'm not going to say anything about it just now, but I am going to havethis camp guarded after to-night. We'll see whether folks can come inhere and play tag with us in this fashion without answering toJim Nance. "

"I'll bet the ghost has been here again, " spoke up Stacy. 

"Ghost nothing!" exploded Nance. 

"That's what you said before, or words to that effect, " answered thefat boy. "You found I was right, though. Yes, sir, there are spiritsaround these diggings. One of them carried away my gun. "

"We will divide the night into watches after this. I am not going tobe caught napping again, " announced Nance. 

That night the guide sat up all night. Nothing occurred to arousehis suspicion. Next day they went out lion hunting without dogs. Nance got a shot at a cat, but missed him. The next day the Professorkilled a cub that was hiding in a juniper tree. It was his first killand put the Professor in high good humor. He explained all about itthat night as they sat around the camp fire. Then the boys made himtell the story over again. 

Nance took the first watch that night, remaining on duty until threein the morning, when he called Tad. The latter was wide awake on theinstant, the mark of a good woodsman. Taking his rifle, he strolledout near the mustangs, where he sat down on a rock. Tad was shiveringin the chill morning air, but after a time he overcame that. He grewdrowsy after a half hour of waiting with nothing doing. 

All of a sudden the lad sat up wide awake. He knew that he had heardsomething. That something was a stealthy footstep. The night wasgraying by this time, so that objects might be made out dimly. Tadstood up, swinging his rifle into position for quick use. For somemoments he heard nothing further, then out of the bushes crept ashadowy figure. 

"Chunky's ghost, " was the thought that flashed into the mind of theyoung sentry. "No, I declare, if it isn't an Indian!"

It was an Indian, but the light was too dim to make anything out ofthe intruder. The Indian was crouched low and as Tad observed wastreading on his toes, choosing a place for each step with infinitecare. The watcher now understood why no moccasin tracks had beenfound about the camp, for he had no doubt that this fellow was theone who was responsible for all the mysterious occurrences in campup to that time. 

The Pony Rider boy did not move. He wanted to see what the Indianwas going to do. Step by step the red man drew near to the canvascovered storage place, where they kept their supplies, arms, ammunitionand the like. Into this shack the Indian slipped. Tad edged closer. 

"I wonder what he's after this time?" whispered the lad. Tad thrilledwith the thought that it had been left for him to solve the mystery. 

His question was answered when, a few moments later, the silent figureof the Indian appeared creeping from the opening. He had something inhis hands. 

"I actually believe the fellow is carrying away our extra rifles, "muttered the boy. 

That was precisely what the redskin was doing. After glancing cautiouslyabout, he started away in the same careful manner. Tad could have shotthe man, but he would not do it, instead, he raised the rifle. 

"Halt!" commanded the Pony Rider boy sharply. 

For one startled instant the Indian stood poised as if for a spring. Then he did spring. Still gripping the rifles, he leaped across theopening and started away on fleet feet. He was running straight towardwhere the ponies were tethered. 

Tad fired a shot over the head of the fleeing man, then started inpursuit. The Indian slashed the tether of Buckey, Stacy Brown'smustang, and with a yell to startle the animal, leaped on its back andwas off. 

"That's a game two can play at, " gritted the Pony Rider, freeing hisown pony in the same way and springing to its back. 

The shot and the yell had brought the camp out in a twinkling. No oneknew what had occurred, but the quick ears of the guide catching thepounding hoofs of the running mustangs, he knew that Tad was chasingsomeone. 

"Everybody stay here and watch the camp!" he roared, running for hisown pinto, which he mounted in the same way as had the Indian and TadButler. 

Tad, in getting on Silver Face, had fumbled and dropped his rifle. There was no time to stop to recover it if he expected to catch thefleeing Indian. Under ordinary circumstances the boy knew that SilverFace was considerably faster than Buckey. But pursuit was not so easy, though the Indian, for the present, could go in but one direction. 

The spirited mustang on which Tad Butler was mounted, appearing tounderstand what was expected of him, swept on with the speed of thewind. Small branches cut the face of the Pony Rider like knife-bladesas he split through a clump of junipers, then tore ahead, fairlysailing over logs, boulders and other obstructions. 

The Pony Rider boy uttered a series of earsplitting yells. His objectwas to guide Jim Nance, who, he felt sure, would be not far behindhim. The yells brought the guide straight as an arrow. Tad couldplainly hear the foot beats of Buckey as the two riders tore down theCanyon, each at the imminent risk of his life. 

"If he has a loaded gun, I'm a goner, " groaned the lad. "But theones he stole are empty, thank goodness! There he goes!"

The Indian had made a turn to the left into a smaller canyon. Bythis time the light was getting stronger. Tad was able to make out hisman with more distinctness. The boy urged his pony forward with short, sharp yelps. The Indian was doing the same, but Tad was gaining on himevery second. Now the boy uttered a perfect volley of shouts, hopingthat Nance would understand when he got to the junction of the smallercanyon, that both pursued and pursuer had gone that way. 

Nance not only understood, but he could hear Tad's yells up the canyonupon arriving at the junction. 

"Stop or I'll shoot!" cried the boy. 

The Indian turned and looked back. Then he urged Buckey on faster. That one act convinced Tad that the redskin had no loaded rifle, elsehe would have used it at that moment. 

With a yell of triumph the boy touched the pony with the rowels of hisspurs. Silver Face shot ahead like a projectile. He was a toughlittle pony, and besides, his mettle was up. Now Tad gained foot byfoot. He was almost up to the Indian, yelling like an Indian himself. 

The redskin tried dodging tactics, hoping that Tad would shoot past him. Tad did nothing of the sort. The boy was watching his man with keenbut glowing eyes. The call of the wild was strong in Tad Butler at thatmoment. 

Suddenly the boy drew alongside. Utterly regardless of the danger tohimself, he did a most unexpected thing. Tad threw himself from hisown racing pony, landing with crushing force on top of the Indian. 

Of course the two men tumbled to the ground like a flash. Thenfollowed a battle, the most desperate in which Tad ever had beenengaged. The boy howled lustily and fought like a cornered mountainlion. Of course his strength was as nothing compared with that of theIndian. All Tad could hope to do would be to keep the Indian engageduntil help arrived. 

Help did arrive within two minutes; help in the shape of Jim Nance, who, with the thought of his slain hounds rankling in his mind, was littlebetter than a savage for the time being. 

"Here!" shouted Tad. "Take him---hustle!"

Then young Butler drew back, for Nance, seeing things red before hiseyes, was hardly capable of knowing friend from foe. 

Whack! bump! buff!

How those big fists descended!

For three or four seconds only did the redskin make any defense. Thenhe cowered, stolidly, taking a punishment that he could not prevent. 

"Don't kill the poor scoundrel, Dad!" yelled Tad, dancing about the pair. 

But still Nance continued to hammer the now unresisting Indian. 

"Stop it, Dad---stop it!" Tad called sternly. 

Then, as nothing else promised to avail, Tad rushed once more intothe fray. 

Dad was weakening from his own enormous expenditure of strength. 

"Don't go any farther, Dad, " Tad coaxed, catching one of Nance's armand holding on. 

"I guess I have about given the fellow what he needed, " admitted theguide, rising. 

As he stood above the Indian, Dad saw that the man did not move. 

"I hope you didn't kill him, Dad, " Tad went on swiftly. 

"Why?" asked Jim Nance curiously. 

"I don't like killings, " returned Tad briefly. He bent over the Indian, finding that the latter had been only knocked out. 

"We'd better take the redskin back to camp, hadn't we?" queried Tad, andJim silently helped. In camp, the Indian was bound hand and foot. Thecamp fire was lighted and Tad went to work to resuscitate the red man. 

At last the camp's prisoner was revived. 

"Now, let's ask him about the thieveries that have been going on, "suggested Ned Rector. 

"Humph!" grinned Dad. "If you think you can make an Indian talk whenhe has been caught red-handed, then you try it. "

Not a word would the Indian say. He even refused to look at hisquestioners, but lay on the ground, stolidly indifferent. 

"He's a prowling Navajo, " explained Nance. "You may be sure this isthe fellow, Brown's 'spirit, ' behind all our troubles. He's the chapwho stole Brown's rifle, who raided this camp, who set the lion freeand who poisoned my dogs---so they wouldn't give warning. "

"But why should he want to turn the lion loose?" Tad wanted to know. 

"Because the Navajo Indians hold the mountain lion as sacred. TheNavajo believes that his ancestors' spirits have taken refuge in thebodies of the mountain lions. "

"I believe there must be a strong strain of mountain lion in thisfellow, by the way he fought me, " grimaced Tad. 

"What shall we do with this redskin?" Chunky asked. "Shall we givehim a big thrashing, or make him run the gauntlet?"

"Neither, I guess, " replied Jim Nance, who had cooled down. "Thewisest thing will be for us to take him straight to the Indian Agency. Uncle Sam pays agents to take care of Indian problems. "

It was late that afternoon when the boys and their poisoner arrivedat the Agency. 

"I'll talk to him, " said the agent, after he had ordered that theIndian be taken to a room inside. 

An hour later the agent came out. 

"The Navajo confesses to all the things you charge against him, "announced the government official. "I thought I could make him talk. The redskin justifies himself by saying that your party made an effortto kill Navajo ancestors at wholesale. "

"Humph!" grunted Jim Nance. 

"What happens to the Navajo?" Walter asked curiously. 

"He'll be kept within bounds after this, " replied the agent. "For astarter he will be locked up for three months. Some other Navajoswere out, but we got them all back except this one. Going back intothe Canyon?"

Indeed they were. Late that afternoon the Pony Rider Boys began theirjourney of one hundred miles to the lower end of the Canyon. 

From that latter point they were to go on into still newer fields ofexploration, in search of new thrills, and were far more certain thanthey realized at that time of experiencing other adventures that shouldput all past happenings in the shade. 

For the time being, however, we have gone as far as possible with thelads. We shall next meet them in the following volume of this series, which is published under the title, "_The Pony Rider Boys With TheTexas Rangers; Or, On the Trail of the Border Bandits_. "

A rare treat lies just ahead for the reader of this new narrative, inwhich acquaintance will also be made with one of the most famous bodiesof police in all the world, the Texas Rangers. 

THE END