"Stacy!" shouted the professor.

"Oh let him sleep," begged the boys.

"Too bad to disturb his infantile slumbers," jeered Ned Rector.

"But he will fall off."

"It wouldn't be the first time," laughed Tad. "Gid-ap!"

The ponies climbed the opposite bank, the tired Pony Riders throwing
themselves off and quickly stripping the equipment from their mounts.
They then led the animals farther into the bushes, where the ponies
were tethered until they should be wanted again.

Chunky still slumbered on.

In the meantime Tad was carrying water from the creek, while the other
two boys were starting a fire on the bank, the smoke from which was
already curling up lazily into the still, hot air. But not much of a
meal was cooked. It was too hot to eat or to cook. The boys sat down
to their little meal, almost choking with laughter every time they
glanced across the stream toward the sleeping pony and its sleeping
rider.

"Most remarkable," nodded the professor. "Surely the smell of food
ought to awaken him if nothing else does."

"He's just as much of a sleeper as he is an eater, Professor," declared