About this time the boys" attention had been attracted to the yellow cloud by Stacy Brown, who, notwithstanding his apparent slowness, had sharp eyes when there was anything to be seen.
"Somebody"s coming," he announced between sips.
"What"s that?" demanded Tad, springing from the water hole, followed closely by Walter and Ned.
"Somebody coming to pay us an afternoon call. By the way they"re whooping it up they must be in a hurry about something."
All hands ran to where Mr. Parry and the Professor were standing.
The yellow cloud was rolling toward them at a rapid pace, and ahead of it the boys discovered half a dozen hors.e.m.e.n, who had evidently discovered the white tent that the Pony Rider Boys had erected during their midday stop.
"Know them?" asked Tad.
"I"m not sure, but I think it"s Bud Stevens and the wild-horse outfit.
Judging from the way they ride they"re pretty wild themselves."
With a series of shrill "y-e-o-w-s," the strangers bore down on the little desert camp. From the gray, alkali-flecked backs of the ponies clouds of steam were rising, their sides streaked with dust and sweat.
"Whoop! Hooray!" bellowed the newcomers, dashing up to the camp, letting go a volley of revolver shots right into the ground in front of the Pony Rider Boys.
Not a boy flinched.
"How!" said Tom Parry.
"How!" roared Bud Stevens, the leader, throwing himself from the back of his trembling mount.
"Where"s the boss?" asked Parry.
"He"s gone down Ralston way."
"Thought so. Where you headed?"
"San Antone Range after more hoss flesh. We"ll rope the white stallion this time, and don"t you forget it. Eh, kiddie? You"re the little coyote what roped my pony and plunked me into the street back in Eureka, ain"t you?"
Half jokingly, he swung a vicious blow at Tad with the flat of his hand. Had it landed it would have laid the lad flat.
Tad ducked and came up smiling.
"Wow! The kiddie"s a regular little bantam. We"ll have to take a fall out of you. Got to give you the desert initiation like they do in the secret societies back in Eureka."
He sought to close with Tad, but the boy eluded him easily.
"That"ll do, Bud," warned the guide, stepping between them. "No rough house here. Want some water? We"ve got a water hole right over there."
"Water? Water? Call the stuff we get out of the ground here water?"
"He--he"s had his head in soak already," piped Stacy, noting the perspiration dripping from the cowboy leader"s face.
Parry gave the lad a warning look.
"They"re good enough fellows, but they are full of pranks when they are not at work. No need to stir them up and make them mad."
"Got anything to eat?" demanded Bud.
"How would you like some coffee, sir?" asked Tad politely.
"Coffee?" jeered the cowboy. "Now what d"ye think of that, fellows?
Ain"t that right hospitable?"
"Yes, thank you, young man, I guess that would touch the spot," spoke up another of the band. ""Course we"ll have some coffee."
"All right. Ned, will you and Walt fix something for the boys to eat?
If you will lead your ponies over to the water hole I"ll dip up some water for them in the meantime, gentlemen."
"Kiddie, yer all right," bellowed Bud Stevens. "But I"ve got to take a fall out of yer yet."
"Some other time," grinned Tad, who felt no fear of the hulking cowboy.
"See that nose?" demanded Bud, sticking out his head at Tad.
"Yes; what"s the matter?"
"That"s my nose. And that"s where I barked it when you roped my pony tother day. Oh, I"ve got to take it out of yer hide, kiddie."
"Come along. We"ll water the ponies. Chunky, help lead those bronchos to the water hole, will you?"
The two boys and the noisy plainsmen gathered the tired animals and led them to the hole that had been dug in the desert. Stacy sprang in and began dipping out pails of water.
Bud grabbed the first pailful, but instead of offering it to one of the thirsty animals, he deliberately emptied the contents over the head of the boy down in the hole.
"Hi, there! Stop that, will you?" howled Stacy Brown.
The fat boy was mad all through.
He scrambled from the hole, dragging a slopping pail of water after him, while Bud Stevens roared with delight. But his mirth was short-lived.
Stacy ran around the hole and straight at the cowboy who had soaked him with the yellow water. Up went the pail.
Splash!
The contents of it were hurled full in the face of the wild cowboy, who at that moment, having his mouth wide open, got a mouthful of it.
The battle was on instantly. Tad knew it was coming, but he did not think it would be directed at him this time, though he realized that he would have to protect his companion at any cost.
Choking and sputtering, Bud made a blind lunge at Tad, his eyes being so full of muddy water that he could barely make out the slender form of the Pony Rider Boy.
Tad ducked and dodged, hoping that Stevens would tire of pursuing him in a moment. The lad might have called to the others over by the camp, but he was too proud to do that. He would fight his own battles, no matter what the odds were against him.
"I"ve got to get in," muttered the lad. "He"s seeing clearer every minute, and the longer I wait the less chance I"ll have of getting out with a whole skin.