Part 25 (2/2)
”Then I'll take three. I'll eat one for breakfast and carry the other two with me. That will leave three apiece for the rest of you.”
”Oh, take a drink of water from that--that spring and save your egg till you need it,” suggested Chunky.
”I'm going to start early in the morning, so I guess I'll turn in now.
Remember, you are not to leave this place till I get back--that is, unless the Professor should return in the meantime.”
”We promise,” answered the lads together.
After putting the camp in shape for the night and attending to the mules the boys turned in and slept the night through without further incident.
Next morning when they turned out, Tad Butler had gone. On a piece of paper pinned to a tree they found a note reading: ”I'm off, fellows.
Bye.”
CHAPTER XII
ALL GONE BUT TWO
”Well,” grunted Ned Rector, as he served the meager breakfast, ”at this rate there soon will be nothing left of the Pony Rider Boys except the skeletons of two mules.”
Chunky, solemn-visaged, was munching his hard boiled egg slowly, in an effort to make it last as long as possible.
”This all I get to eat to-day?”
”Eat? No, certainly not. I'm going to cook all the rest of the day for you. Let's see, you shall have a porterhouse steak, fried potatoes, some nice fresh salad and a soup plate of ice cream and--”
”And a finger bowl,” finished Chunky, without the suspicion of a smile.
”Yes, with egg water in it,” added Ned.
It was the longest day they had ever put in. There was no difference of opinion on that point when the day was ended. They had hoped to hear from Tad before nightfall. He did not return, however, and they had little hopes of his doing so now that the darkness was coming on.
There was no merriment in the camp that night. By dint of careful management they had saved enough out of their supplies to give them a light breakfast on the following morning, After that they had no idea how they should manage, providing no a.s.sistance came to them.
The mules were the only indifferent ones in the party. They munched the green leaves contentedly, sleeping when they were not eating.
Near the middle of the night one of the animals set up a loud braying which brought the boys from their cots in quick alarm. At first they could not imagine what it was. They tumbled out, shouting to each other.
”What is it, Indians?” cried Stacy, dancing about in his pajamas.
”No, it's nothing but a mule with an overloaded stomach,” answered Ned turning back to his tent growling his disgust.
”Wish it wouldn't dream quite so loudly,” grumbled Chunky.
When morning came, and still no tidings from either the Professor or Tad, the boys began to realize the seriousness of their position.
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