The ropes secured to the tongue of the trail wagon straightened, and the
wagon began to move out into the stream.

"Be careful. Don't pay out that rope too fast," directed Tad to the man
on his side of the stream.

The trail wagon floated out easily on the swiftly moving current. It was
greeted by a cheer from the Pony Rider Boys. Those of the cowboys who
were not otherwise engaged joined with a will.

"There's that fool Chinaman," growled Stallings, observing the grinning
face of Pong peering from the tail of the wagon. "Look out, the dragon
will get you, sure, if you fall out!" he warned. "I don't care anything
about you, but we can't afford to be without a cook."

"There goes the fool!" cried Big-foot. "Now we sure will starve to
death."

[Illustration: As the Wagon Lurched Pong Plunged Overboard.]

As the wagon lurched in the current, the Chinaman had plunged overboard
and disappeared beneath the surface.

CHAPTER XVI

A BRAVE RESCUE

"Save him, somebody! The fool's fallen overboard!" roared the foreman.
"I can't let go this rope!"

Tad had not seen the cook take his plunge, so, for the moment, he did
not realize what had occurred.

"Who's overboard," young Butler demanded sharply.

"The cook," answered Stallings excitedly. "Can't any of you slow pokes
get busy and fish him out?"

"Pong!" cried Tad as the head of the Chinaman appeared on the surface.

Without an instant's hesitation the lad leaped into his saddle.

"Yip!" he shouted to the pony, accentuating his command by a sharp blow
with the quirt.

The pony leaped forward.

"Here, he's not up there; he's in the river I tell you!" shouted the
foreman.

Tad had driven his mount straight up the bank behind them. He paid no
attention to the warning of the foreman, having already mapped out his
own plan of action.

Reaching the top of the sloping bank, Tad pulled his pony to the right
and dashed along the bluff, headed down the river.

"Watch your lines or you'll have the wagon overboard, too," he called
back. "I'll get Pong out."

Big-foot Sanders scratched his head reflectively.

"Ain't the Pinto the original whirlwind, though?" he grinned. "I never
did see the like of him, now. He'll get that heathen out while we are
standing here trying to make up our minds what to do."

"Yes, but I'm afraid the Chinaman will drown before Tad gets to him,"
said the foreman, with a shake of his head. "Here, don't let go of this
rope while