Part 30 (2/2)

Billy rose up into the air as if hurled there by an explosion beneath him. When he landed on his four feet, it was with head pointed directly toward the foe and with fore legs sloping well back under him ready for a drive with his tough little head.

”Oh!” exclaimed Chunky, rapping the goat smartly over the nose with the stick to drive the animal off.

Billy drove all right, but it was not away from the lad. Stacy was standing with legs apart and Billy dived between them, at the same time lifting his head.

The effect was instantaneous. Chunky was neatly flipped to the goat's back, face down with his legs dangling about the animal's neck. Instinctively he took a quick grip with the legs, locking his feet on the underside of Billy's neck and his hands about the withers.

At that moment the surprised goat gave an excellent imitation of a broncho trying to throw its rider.

”Hel-p!” cried Chunky in a m.u.f.fled voice.

No one save the cook heard it.

”Whoop!” bellowed Old Hicks, smiting his thigh with a mighty fist and screaming with laughter.

The Pony Riders and everyone else in camp sprang to their feet, not understanding what the commotion was about.

”The kid's riding the goat,” yelled Hicks. ”He's initiating himself into the order of Know Nuthins. See him buck! See him buck!”

The camp roared.

”Let go, Chunky!” shouted Walter.

”I can't, I'll fall off,” answered the boy in a scarcely audible voice.

”I'll help you then. Come on, boys.”

They made a concerted rush to rescue their companion. This was the signal for the goat to adopt new tactics. He probably thought it was some new form of torture that they had planned for him.

Billy headed for the tent of the owner of the herd. He went through it like a projectile, upsetting the folding table on which Mr. Simms was writing, and out through the flap at the other end.

By this time the outfit was in an uproar. Even the sheep on the range near by paused in their grazing to gaze curiously campward; the herders off in that direction shaded their eyes against the sun and tried to make out the cause of the disturbance.

”Y-e-o-w!” encouraged the cook, waving a loaf of bread above his head and dancing about with a more p.r.o.nounced limp than usual.

Jerk, jerk, went Chunky's head until he feared it would be jerked from his body.

”Stay by him, stay by him, kid,” encouraged a sheepman.

Mr. Simms rus.h.i.+ng from his tent, startled and angry, instantly forgot the words of protest that were on his lips and joined heartily in laughter at the ludicrous sight.

”Look out that you don't lose your stirrups,” jeered Ned as goat and rider shot by him with a bleat.

Walter made a grab for Billy with the result that he was pivoting on his own head the next second.

Once they thought Chunky was going to fall off and put a sudden end to their fun, but he soon righted himself, whereupon he tightened the grip of hands and legs.

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