Part 20 (1/2)
”Most peculiar, most peculiar,” muttered the Professor.
”Maybe some of those spirits that the Indian was talking about came up and got him,” suggested Stacy, with serious face.
”Maybe,” agreed Ned. ”But I'd sooner think they would take you if they were the real bad spirits.”
”It is my opinion,” declared Professor Zepplin gravely, ”that the spirits that trouble Eagle-eye most are not the supernatural kind. We certainly drew a prize when we picked him.”
”We did,” agreed Tad, laughing.
”Next time we'll choose a white man, if we can get one--”
”h.e.l.lo, he isn't here, either,” called Ned, who was the first to reach the end of the trail at the top.
Tad, close behind him, cast a searching glance about.
”That's not all that is missing, either,” he said sharply.
”What!” exclaimed the Professor.
”Two more ponies, that's all,” replied Tad Butler. ”We are a smart lot to let him steal our stock right under our very eyes.”
CHAPTER X
THE PROFESSOR DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF
The boys uttered a cry of dismay.
”You don't mean--you can't mean they have been here again?”
”It looks that way,” replied Tad. ”Both Walter's and Ned's ponies are gone. See, the ropes have been untied, not cut. The ponies surely did not do that.”
The Professor was much too excited to speak for the moment.
”I am glad they did not take your mount, Professor. That is one thing to be thankful for, anyway,” said Tad. ”I don't understand this business at all.”
”Why, they must have been hanging about our camp all the time. They followed us here,” exploded Ned. ”We are a lot of tenderfeet.”
”Some of us,” suggested Chunky.
”This is no joke,” snapped Ned, turning on him almost savagely. ”We are in a fix.”
”Yes, but we've got two mules left, haven't we,” queried the boy whimsically.
”It's an outrage!” shouted the Professor. ”I'll have the law on them whoever they are. They shall suffer for this!”
”Yes, but first we shall have to catch them, Professor,” returned Tad.
”It seems we were not misinformed when they warned us to be on the lookout for horse thieves.”