CHAPTER XIV
THE PROFESSOR TAKES A HAND
"Make 'em dance!" shouted the second man.
Two revolvers banged. Tad's pony leaped up into the air, for the twoshots had been fired right under the pony's hind feet. Ere the ladcould subdue the little animal two more shots had landed under thefetlocks of the spirited animal.
"Stop that!" thundered the Professor.
"Don't be alarmed, Professor. They are only bluffing," called Tad."I'll take care of these gentlemen when I get my pony subdued."
Bang, bang!
Two bullets fanned the feet of Professor Zepplin's mount. This wasmore than the old fighter could endure. He whipped out his ownrevolver and began peppering the ground under the feet of themountaineers' horses. It was the turn of the assailants' animals tocut up now. And they did, threatening to unhorse their riders.
At the moment when the Professor let go his bullets the supposedofficer was about to fire another shot under Professor Zepplin'smount. But the pony leaping, spoiled the mountaineer's aim. One ofhis shots bored a hole through the crown of the Professor's hat. Abullet from the Professor's revolver fanned the cheek of themountaineer.
"Hold your fire!" shouted Tad to his companions.
The mountaineer, not waiting to reload, began tugging at his otherweapon. Tad drove his pony straight at the man who, by this time,was leveling the pistol at Professor Zepplin. The Pony Rider Boy hitthe weapon with his quirt. The bullet went high above the head ofits intended victim. The second swing of the quirt was even more ofa surprise to the mountaineer than had been the first. The quirtlanded on the fellow's cheek with such force as to lay it open anddraw blood.
Before the man could recover, Tad Butler had fastened upon hiscollar, and the fellow was jerked from his saddle and landed heavilyon the hard ground.
"Cover the other man!" shouted Tad.
Four guns were pointed at the other mountaineer, who was so dazedover the sudden and unexpected turn of affairs that he seemed to havelost power of action of any sort.
In the meantime Butler had quickly disarmed the man whom he had socleverly unhorsed, taking possession of his weapons and throwing themaway.
The lad stepped quickly to the still mounted rider and walking rightup beside him stretched up a hand.
"Give me that pistol!" commanded the lad.
The horseman hesitated. The boys held their breath. They expectedto see Tad Butler shot where he stood. Nothing of the sort occurred.The man glanced quickly at the menacing weapons of the Pony RiderBoys, down into the resolute, fearless face of Tad Butler, thenshoved the weapon, muzzle first, into Butler's face.
Tad didn't even wink.
"The other end to, if you please," he warned.
With a grunt the horseman turned the gun about and threw it ratherthan handed it to the victor.
"Now jerk that rifle out of your boot and drop it on the other sideof your horse. Be quick. There will be some real shooting here ifyou dilly-dally any longer. We've stood all we're going to take fromyou ruffians."
The Pony Rider Boys gave a yell as the mountaineer's weapon droppedto the ground. By this time the supposed officer had scrambled tohis feet. He was white with rage. He started for the weapons thatTad had taken from him.
"Steady, my friend!" warned the Professor. "This weapon in my handmight--might, you understand--go off unexpectedly. Right about faceand get into your saddle. Mount!"
"I'll have the law on you!" roared the defeated mountaineer.
"Then why don't you? You say you are the law. Take us!"
"Get out of here, both of you, and don't you dare show your facesagain," commanded Butler.
"And before you leave," added the Professor, "let me say that at thefirst opportunity I'll have the sheriff on your trail. Now go!"
With the howls of the delighted Pony Rider Boys ringing in their earsthe two mountaineers rode away as fast as they could drive their ponies.
"Now where's your black cat?" demanded Tad with a grin.
"Oh, he's chasing a two-legged rat through the chaparral," answeredthe fat boy carelessly.
Professor Zepplin wiped the perspiration from his forehead with asavage swish of the handkerchief.
"The scoundrels!" he exclaimed, making a strong effort to controlhimself. "The scoundrels!"
"I agree with you, Professor," nodded Tad.
"It's my opinion that we had better get out of this country,"declared Walter Perkins.
"We shall not. I am going on now, even if they bring in a regimentto put us out!" fairly shouted Professor Zepplin.
"Hurrah for the Professor! Three cheers for the Professor!" criedNed. The boys gave three ringing cheers and a tiger.
"That will do, boys. We will be on our way now," said the Professor,having regained his composure.
"Are you going to leave the weapons of those men here, Tad?" askedWalter.
"Yes, but I'm going to fix them so they won't be of much use to theirowners," replied Tad.
The lad, after drawing the charges from the guns, hammered them overa rock until the barrels of the rifles were bent and twisted and thebutts broken, rendering the weapons utterly useless. He then tookapart the revolvers and after damaging the parts so that the pistolscould not be used heaped the remains of the mountaineers' arsenal onthe rock over which he had broken them.
"I guess those guns won't do any damage," grinned the Pony Rider Boy."I'm ready for the hike now, fellows."
The hike began at once. Even Chops, who had fled at the firstindication of trouble, now came out from his hiding place and,mounting his horse, joined the procession.
"I reckon we've given those fellows a scare that will last them for atime," announced Tad, after they had traveled a short distance fromthe scene of the conflict. "But it was only a near fight after all.They hoped to frighten us. I don't believe they intended to do usharm."
"Yes, and I am surprised at you, Professor," reproved Stacy.
"Why?"
"I never knew you were such a savage. Why, if we hadn't restrainedyou, you would have hurt somebody. Don't ever let me hear youadvising me to control my temper."
The Professor interrupted with an exclamation of disgust.
"I wish I knew what is in the wind," reflected Tad. "However, Idon't suppose we shall know the motive for this attack. If ever wedo you will see that it is some piece of rascality."
"I am of the same opinion," agreed Professor Zepplin. "I wish weknew where to find a sheriff or a constable, or whatever they maycall them in this region."
"Why don't you get a telephone?" suggested Chunky.
The boys jeered.
"Yes, why don't we?" demanded Ned. "Just the very thing! Professor,if you don't mind I'll run over and call up the sheriff and--"
"Tell him you've discovered the black cat," finished Stacy."Br-r-r!" said the fat boy, chancing to catch the eye of Billy Veal.
Billy exhibited signs of a panic.
"Let the guide alone," commanded the Professor. "We have had quiteenough trouble resulting from your pranks."
"That's right, lay it all to me. I can stand it. That's what youhave me along for--to take the blame for everything else that therest of you don't want to stand for."
"Oh, pooh! Can't you take a joke?" laughed Ned, riding up andslapping Stacy on the back. "You know we are only taking advantageof your giving us a chance to have fun with you. This outfit wouldbe tame as fishing in a washtub if it weren't for you, Stacy ChunkyBrown."
Chunky regarded Rector with round eyes.
"Do you mean that, Ned Rector?"
"Of course I do."
"Boo-hoo!" mocked the fat boy. "That's the first kind wor-r-d I'vehad since I left my happy home in Chillicothe. Give me your kind oldhand, Ned Rector. May I never hold a dirtier one!"
"There! See! You won't let me be good to you. Remember, I tried tomake amends for a lot of things I've said to and about you, but youwouldn't let me. This is the last time I tr
y to make up. Do yourworst."
"I will," agreed Chunky solemnly.
"You mean you have," called Tad.
"No, I mean I will."
"All right, only for goodness' sake don't try it on me."
"There are indications of gold here!" The Professor's voice was calmand analytical.
"What?" shouted the boys.
Professor Zepplin was leaning from his saddle, keenly scrutinizingthe rocks at the side of the trail.
"I said, there are indications of gold in the quartz rock here--"
"Gold! Gold! Lead me to it," shouted Stacy. "I need some rightnow. Show it to me!"
"Kindly curb your emotions, Stacy," rebuked the Professor, eyeing thefat boy sternly.
"I need that gold," insisted Master Brown, unabashed.
"Please hand it to him, Professor," urged Tad. "Then Stacy will beable to pay what he owes me."
"Always that reminder of debt!" snorted Chunky indignantly. "Whatdoes a debt amount to between friends?"
"That isn't a very honest view to take, Stacy," teased Butler,
"Honest?" sputtered Chunky. "Tad Butler, I'm honest, and you knowit! I owe you a few dimes, and I'd sooner owe them to you all mylife than cheat you out of the money."
But Tad wasn't listening. He was off his pony now, bending near theProfessor, and listening intently to what that scientific gentlemanhad to say of the gold signs.
"As to whether there is gold enough here to amount to what minerscall 'pay dirt,'" Professor Zepplin continued, "I don't care to sayjust yet. Gold is plentiful in these mountains, yet there is rarelyenough of it found in one place to pay for the trouble of gettingit."
"Show me the gold," pleaded Chunky.
"Here is color," replied the Professor, resting a fingertip on adull yellowish streak.
"I don't see the gold," said Stacy, after a hard stare.
"You're not used to the sight," jibed Tad. "Now, Walter's father isa banker, and I'll wager Walter has seen a lot of it at the bank."
"Only a few bushels of it at a time," said Walter dryly. "Of coursea bushel of gold is a tame sight."
"That's enough! That's enough! I can't think in such large amounts.Pints are about as far as I can go when it comes to gold," retortedStacy.
"Pennies, you mean," suggested Ned mischievously.
Chunky gave him a withering glance, then turned his attention to whatthe Professor was saying. The Professor was chipping away at therock with his little geological hammer, carefully selecting samplesof the ore, which he tucked in his coat pocket for future examination.
"Guide, do you think you would be able to lead us to this spot againwere we desirous of returning here?"
"Nassir, yassir."
"He means that he could," interpreted Butler. "If he couldn't Icould. I can follow any trail that I have been over. Is it sointeresting as all that, Professor?"
"Mind you, I am not saying that it is. After I have made a test Ishall be in better position to answer that question. Guide, hasanyone, to your knowledge, discovered gold hereabouts?"
"Yassir; Ah doan know. Ah nebbah found no gold heah--nebbah found nogold nowhere. Nassir."
The boys shouted.
"He is just like Chunky. Pennies are his gait," scoffed Ned.
"I thought we'd agreed to cut--to stop using slang," reminded Stacy.
"Ned, Stacy is right. He has properly rebuked you this time,"laughed Tad.
"Yes, sir. He did catch me napping, didn't he?"
"There he goes again, Professor," shouted Chunky.
"Well, I am not so sure. One would, indeed, have to draw the linevery finely to class 'catch me napping' as a slang expression. As amatter of fact, it may be so, but I should hardly go so far as tocharacterize it as such," differed Professor Zepplin.
Ned winked at Stacy, but the fat boy, holding his chin high,pretended not to see the wink.
So interested was the Professor in his find that he decided to makecamp for the night in that vicinity. Tad and Walter were sent out tochoose a suitable site for pitching the tents. They found an idealspot by a trickling stream of water that oozed from a crevice in therocks, falling into a natural rocky bowl, almost if the bowl had beenhewn to hold the sparkling fluid. Of course Tad saw at once that thewater had worn away the rock, thus forming the bowl. Many years hadbeen required to wear away the stone, all of which set Tad Butler tothinking over the wonders of time as well as those of nature.
They pitched their camp there that night. But the night was notdestined to pass without some further excitement. Excitement hadcome to be almost a necessary part of the daily routine of the PonyRider Boys, and they counted that day a dull one that held no thrills.