Just at this time Professor Zepplin happened to cast his eyes over
toward Stacy and, seeing that something unusual was going on, went
quickly but silently over to the boy.

"What's the trouble? Anything the matter?" called the Professor.

"There will be if you don't tie Chunky to a tree or something," called
Tad.

"We haven't any rope to tie him with, but we'll attend to the young
man," answered the Professor. "See here, boy, what have you been up
to?"

"I--I was tossing pebbles over at him," answered Stacy whimsically.

"That will do, young man," warned the Professor. "I shall have to
take you in hand if I hear any more such complaints. Do you know that
you might have seriously injured Master Tad? Anything thrown from
such a height strikes with considerable force."

Stacy hung his head, and thrusting his hands in his pockets walked
away, after which there was peace in the camp of the Pony Riders for
some time.

"Every time I try to have a little fun I get into trouble," muttered
the boy. "I'll show them some of these days that Stacy Brown isn't
the tenderfoot they seem to think he is. I'll do something yet."

He had already done so when he threw himself on the rope with the hope