Part 15 (1/2)
”I wouldn't worry,” comforted Walter Perkins. ”You all know Tad, and you know he isn't a boy that you can lose so easily. I'll bet my share in the next meal that he's back here before dark this afternoon.”
This confidence brightened the others visibly.
”That's right,” agreed Ned. ”You can't down Tad. I guess I'll go water my pony and give him some fresh trees to eat up while some of you are starting the fire. We had better eat, anyway.”
”What is there to eat?” asked the Professor.
”Beans, that's all, and not much of that. Unless we get the stuff down there, we won't have another meal to-day.”
The other two boys began preparing for the camp-fire. Ned had been gone only a few moments when he returned on a run.
”Boys! Boys!” he cried.
”What is it? What is it?” they exclaimed in sudden alarm.
”The ponies! The ponies!”
”What about them?” asked Walter, pausing as he was about to strike a match to the wood.
”Yes, what of them, Master Ned? Has anything happened to them?”
asked the Professor, striding toward the excited Ned Rector.
”Happened? I should say there had--”
”Well, what is it? Don't keep us waiting in suspense all--”
”They're gone!”
”Gone?” exclaimed the two boys in chorus.
”It can't be possible.”
”Two of them are. They have broken away, I think. It must have happened late last night, for I looked at them just before going to bed, and they were all asleep then.”
”Whi--which ponies--which ones are gone?” asked Walter apprehensively.
”Chunky's and Tad's.”
”Is it possible?” sputtered the Professor, striding to the place where their stock had been tethered.
”Yes, they've broken away,” he decided, observing that a piece of stake rope belonging to each had been broken short off. ”Look around, boys. They cannot be far away. Probably got hungry and concluded to look for some tender bushes to browse on.”
The boys, thus encouraged, hastened to begin their search for the missing stock.
”They went this way,” shouted Ned.
All hands hurried to him.