"Thinking about what?" demanded Ned.
"About Tad"s not having a horse, and no way to get one. I tell you, it"s mighty tough----"
"Yes?"
"Well, he is a member of the club, and as fellow members of the Pony Riders, we are bound to stand by one another."
"That"s right," agreed Ned. "That"s what we"re going to do, too. But what are you getting at, Walt?"
Tad"s blue eyes were fixed inquiringly on Walter"s face. He, too, was at a loss to understand what it was that his delicate young friend was planning. Still, he would not ask, knowing full well that it was of him they were thinking.
"Simply this. Tad has got to have a pony."
Ned uttered a long-drawn whistle, while the boy on the grocery wagon suddenly straightened up.
"I agree with you there, Walt," Ned remarked. "Yet, how is he going to get one? That"s what I should like to know--and it"s a question that the Pony Riders will have a hard time in answering. Now, it is different with Chunky. Chunky"s uncle has money. He can well afford to buy his nephew a pony. When I went to ask him to-day he said he would see about it. That means Chunky will have one."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because my father is a lawyer, and he says when a fellow doesn"t know his own mind, you can make him agree to "most any old thing," answered Ned with a laugh.
By this time they had reached their destination. Though keenly interested in the conversation of his companions Tad leaped to the ground, tying his horse without an instant"s delay, and proceeded to the house to deliver his merchandise.
The boys watched him disappear around the corner of the house before resuming their conversation.
"I"ll tell you, now," began Walter. "I didn"t want to explain before him. Tad is the best rider in town, you know, Ned----"
"Next to me," added Ned humorously.
"Yes, next ahead. And he is the second best scholar in the high school. Nothing could stop him from heading the cla.s.s if he had the time to devote to his studies, so Professor Zepplin tells me. I like him, Ned----"
"Since he fished you out of the mill pond, when you fell through the ice there last winter, eh!"
"Yes, partly. But, I liked him just as well before that. Do you know,"
continued Walter after a moment of silence, "I never told my father that Tad did that for me?"
"You didn"t? Why not?" asked Ned, his face reflecting his surprise.
"Because Tad made me promise I wouldn"t. He"s such a modest chap that he didn"t want father to thank him, even. So I never did----"
"He is a queer lad----"
"That is, I did not until last night," corrected Walter thoughtfully.
"Oh! Then you told him? What did he say?" questioned Ned, now keenly interested in the narration.
"He said Tad was a brave boy, and that he wanted to do something for him. I told him there was one thing he could do that would please me, at the same time making Tad the happiest boy in Chillicothe--yes, happier than any other boy in the state of Missouri."
"Yes?"
"Father laughed and asked me what it was that Tad desired so much."
Walter glanced up at his companion, a queer smile playing about his lips.
"Well, what did you tell him!"
"That Tad wanted a pony."
The boys gazed into each other"s eyes.
"Good for you," breathed Ned. "You are the right sort, even if you are weak. I always said you were. But did your father say he would get Tad a pony?"
"Well, not exactly. He wanted to know how I thought Tad could take care of a pony when he got it--said the boy would have no place to keep it, nothing to feed it on----"
"Yes, that"s so."
"But, I told him Tad might stable his pony with Jo-Jo in our barn."
"Sure thing. That"s fine. Did he agree?"
"He said for me to bring Tad in to see him."
"But you did not?"
"No; I haven"t had a chance. I"m going to try to get him to stop on the way back, if he will. All three of us will stop off at the bank Father usually stays late on Sat.u.r.days to go over the books all by himself----"
Further conversation was interrupted by the return of Tad. Acting upon a knowing look from Walter, Ned maintained a discreet silence on the subject. And, if Tad"s keen glance, which searched their faces, as he clambered aboard the grocery wagon, gave him the slightest inkling as to what they had been discussing, he made no effort further to gratify his curiosity.
"What are you going to do when you get back, Tad?" asked Walter by way of directing the conversation to the subject of which he was at that moment so full.
"Going back to the store. Why?"
"Oh, nothing much. Father wanted you to step in some time this afternoon," answered Walter as carelessly as he could.
"What for?"
"He wishes to talk with you about something. You can stop off as we go by. It will take only a few minutes of your time."
Tad shook his head emphatically. Nothing could deter him from doing what he considered was his full duty to his employer.
"Then I shall go over to the store with you myself and see Mr. Langdon," announced Walter firmly. After that, the conversation drifted into a discussion of the respective merits of the two ponies that Ned and Walter were riding.
Arriving at the store, Walter dismounted, and, tossing the reins to Ned, ran up the steps into the store, while Tad began methodically to haul the market baskets from the wagon, piling them together on the sidewalk.
In a moment Walter came hurrying out.
"It"s all right," he called from the top step. "Mr. Langdon says. .h.i.tch your horse here, while you go over with me to see father."
"Very well," replied Tad, as, with evident reluctance, he followed his friend to the hank, half a block up the street.