Produced by Ann Boulais
ILLUSTRATION: [Frontispiece: Tad's Pony Leaped into the Air]
The Pony Rider Boys on the Blue Ridge
or
A Lucky Find in the Carolina Mountains
by
Frank Gee Patchin
Author of The Pony Rider Boys in the Rockies, The Pony Rider Boys inTexas, The Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Pony Rider Boys in theOzarks, The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali, The Pony Rider Boys in NewMexico, The Pony Rider Boys in the Grand Canyon, The Pony Rider Boyswith the Texas Rangers, etc., etc.
ILLUSTRATED
PhiladelphiaHenry Altemus Company
Copyrighted, 1924, byHoward E. Altemus
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I--THE CAMP IN SMOKY PASSAll ready for the doodle bugs. Stacy envies the guide's appetite."We'll be having trouble before morning." Chunky's howl terrifiesBilly Veal. The Pony Rider Boys in a critical position.
CHAPTER II--BATTLING WITH A GREAT FLOOD"Chops" has a narrow escape. "You'll drown if I let go." "Do youhear that noise?" The crest of the flood bearing down threatens toengulf the Pony Rider Boys.
CHAPTER III--LOST IN A MOUNTAIN TORRENTSwept away on the roaring waters. All hands shoot the rapids. "Justlike alligator bait." A hail that was promptly answered. Chunkytells another story.
CHAPTER IV--WHAT HAPPENS TO CHOPSCanned goods are widely distributed. Billy Veal sleeps amid perils.The fat boy emulates the crow. The guide proves to be a regular songbird. "Bye-o, bye-o, baby; 'possum mighty sly."
CHAPTER V--EXCITEMENT AT HUNT'S CORNERSThe "Bad Man from Smoky Creek" arrives in a cloud of dust. "Turn thecoyotes loose! Whoope-e-e-e!" The bully of the Blue Ridge givesChunky's foot a twist. Trouble in the making.
CHAPTER VI--TAD BUTLER IN ACTIONAn exhibition of cool audacity. The freckle-faced boy resents aninsult. Smoky Griffin gets a punch on the jaw. Ned holds off acrowd. "I'll shoot the first man who tries to pass you a gun!" Afight to a finish. Spectators break into cheers.
CHAPTER VII--ON THE WAY TO SMOKY BALD"The crowd always goes with the upper dog." Tad rids a community ofa pest. "That's what I call a mean trick." The fat boy in a rage.Stacy pounds across the plain in pursuit of his outfit.
CHAPTER VIII--STALKING THE FAT BOY"I don't ask any odds of a horse." Tad trails the fat boy and makesan exciting discovery. Stacy Brown near death. Tad's lasso wrigglesthrough the air. A frantic bad man in the toils. "That gentle heartwas about to smash my head with a stone."
CHAPTER IX--REVENGE ALMOST AT HANDThe prisoner aims a rifle at Tad Butler and pulls the trigger. Tadapparently has made a grave mistake. A bad man subdued by his Adam'sapple. "He is an ungrateful wretch." The trouble-maker freed andtold to get out.
CHAPTER X--BISCUIT AND MYSTERYThe bully plots revenge. In the Land of the Sky. Chunky has anerve-racking dream. Putting a hoodoo on Billy Veal. Chops, franticwith fear, bolts the camp. "There he goes!"
CHAPTER XI--AN INTERRUPTED JOURNEY"Where is that guide?" Billy admits that he saw a gnome. The onlyIndian on the reservation. A visitor who brought unpleasant news.The Pony Rider Boys are ordered to get off the Ridge.
CHAPTER XII--FACING NEW OBSTACLESStacy arouses the anger of a supposed officer. Young Butler runs ahuman trail and makes a discovery. "A precious pair of rascals."Threats that do not cower. The boys agree to go on.
CHAPTER XIII--AN EXHIBITION OF SHEER PLUCKThe Professor ready for a fight. Held up by armed men. "In myopinion you're a scoundrel!" Tad shows his nerve. "It's the blackcat and we'll all be lame ducks in a minute and a half." Thesituation of the boys grows serious.
CHAPTER XIV--THE PROFESSOR TAKES A HAND"Make 'em dance!" Bullets fly thick and fast. A mountain ruffianunhorsed. "Get out and don't you dare show your crooked faces hereagain!" "Gold? Gold? Lead me to it!"
CHAPTER XV--THE GHOST OF THE TULIP GLADE"Do I look as if I had twenty biscuit inside of me?" demands Chunky.Tad rigs up an ingenious burglar alarm. The freckle-faced boy turnspractical joker. "I'm shot! I'm shot!" Chunky and Chops see areal ghost.
CHAPTER XVI--A MYSTERIOUS NIGHT PROWLERA prank that was timely. "I'm hobbled for keeps!" "There was astrange man in this camp tonight." Tad finds a prowler's trail. Adiscovery that amazes the Pony Rider Boys.
CHAPTER XVII--PROSPECTORS IN THE HILLSA man is identified by a horse's footprint. Friendly faces once more.Getting acquainted with new-found friends. Pony Rider Boys amaze thegold prospectors. The enemy is fully identified.
CHAPTER XVIII--THE CAMP SUFFERS A LOSSWhen the collie dog did not come back. Tad reads the ground signs."Your dog chased a man away from this camp last night." A new sortof tenderfoot. Something must be done.
CHAPTER XIX--BUTLER MAKES A DISCOVERYStacy thinks a Pomeranian is a cheese. Tad Butler takes the trailagain. "I must say those fellows are bold." Chunky could not havedone worse. "It's the collie!" breathed Ned Rector in awe.
CHAPTER XX--A MYSTERIOUS PROCEEDING"The fiends! They threw him over!" Startled by the sound of a gun.The strange actions of Jay Stillman. A narrow escape. "He's gone.Now for his cabin!" cries Tad Butler.
CHAPTER XXI--TRAPPED IN A MOUNTAIN CABINA shrewd game is suspected. "What can it be?" Pony Rider Boys get astartling surprise. "Too late! To the chimney!" Tad and Ned up asooty flue. The man who killed the dog. Ned Rector utters mightysneeze.
CHAPTER XXII--PONY RIDER BOYS IN A STEWMiners are startled by a yell up the chimney. Boys come down with acrash and all ablaze. The supper table makes a flight. A fight forlife in the mountain cabin.
CHAPTER XXIII--THE MYSTERY OF SMOKY BALDA discovery worth while. The squeal of the hidden wireless."Stillman killed your dog." Stacy catches the biscuit thief.Plotters in the mountains. Off for the forest ranger.
CHAPTER XXIV--CONCLUSIONTrailing down the conspirators. Herded in a mountain cabin. "Givethem a volley, men!" The battle on Smoky Bald. Pluck wins for thePony Rider Boys. A happy reward.