"I reckon my question gits the first answer, seeing as I've got the
drop on you."

Tad all at once realized that the sound of falling water was in the
air. With it came the thought that these must be the Rangers.

"We're the Pony Rider Boys," he said, speaking confidently.

"The which?"

He repeated his answer.

"Wait a minute. Send for Joe," said the man in a lower tone. "You
fellows stay just as you are if you don't want some daylight let
through you."

"I---I wish we did have a little daylight," stammered Chunky, which
elicited a short laugh from his companions. "Yeow!" bowled the fat
boy as a figure appeared beside him and a pair of iron arms grasped
his hands pulling him down, nearly unseating him. "Yeow! Let go!"

"It's all right, boys," spoke up the familiar voice of Lieutenant
Withem. "I'd know this fellow in the dark as well as in the light.
I'm Withem."

At the lieutenant's reassuring words the Rangers---for the boys had
stumbled upon the camp of the men of Captain McKay's command---crowded
forward, talking and laughing, three of them taking the horses as the
party dismounted, then leading the way into the bushes and in among
the rocks where the lads came upon a campfire, around which were
seated five or six other Rangers.

Withem introduced the professor and his charges. There were, besides
the Lieutenant, Pete Quash, "Dippy" Orell, Cad Morgan, Bucky Moore,
"Polly" Perkins and several others, all of whom were introduced in
turn, the Rangers solemn as owls, making low bows, sweeping the ground
with their sombreros, causing Stacy to open his eyes in wonderment.
Lieutenant Withem made the party feel at home at once.

"Just in time to have chuck with us. You see we have our chuck wagon
here. Of course we don't carry it wherever we go. We usually have
some central point where we make headquarters. But we have to keep
changing these headquarters for reasons you understand."

All hands sat down to the evening meal after the men had washed up, in
most instances without removing their hats. This attracted the
attention of the fat boy.

"Say, do you fellows sleep in your hats as well as wash and eat in
them?" he demanded.

"Do you sleep in your skin?" retorted Dippy.

"Yes, unless it has been all skinned off from me. When I was fighting
Indians up in the Grand Canyon---"

"Chop it!" commanded a Ranger. "Men have been known to meet their death
for less in this country."

"Can't I