be
bucked up into the air.

But nothing of the sort followed. The mustang was as meek as could be.
Stacy rode the animal up and down the field until satisfied that the
pinto was thoroughly broken. Stacy was an object of interest to all.
He was a very much banged-up gentleman, nor was Tad so very far behind
him in that respect.

Young Butler chose for his mount a mustang with a white face. Already
Tad had decided to call him Silver Face. The two very quickly came
to an understanding, after a lively but brief rustle about the enclosure.
After this Tad roped out the pintos for the others of his party. This
done, the boys took their mustangs out into the field, where they tried
them out. The spectators were then treated to an exhibition of real
riding, though the Pony Riders were not doing this for the sake of
showing off. They wanted to try their mounts out thoroughly before
deciding to keep those they had chosen.

At last they decided that the stock could stand as picked out, with
the exception of Walter Perkins's mustang, which went lame shortly
after the boy had started off with him.

"I guess we are all right now," announced Tad, riding up to where the
Professor and Jim Nance were standing. "Has either of you any
suggestions to offer?"

"Hain't got no suggestions to offer to the likes of you," grumbled the
guide. "Where'd you learn to ride like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. It came natural, I guess," replied Tad simply. "The
others ride as well as I do."

"Then we'll be moving. I reckon you are figgering on gitting started
to-day?"

"Yes, we might as well be on our way as soon as you are ready, Mr.
Nance," agreed the Professor.

"How about the pack train?" asked Tad.

"The mules are all ready," answered the guide.

The lads rode their new horses back to Flagstaff. None cared to ride
in the buckboard long as there was a horse to ride. Even the Professor
thought he would feel at home in the saddle once more. Nance observed
that though Professor Zepplin was not the equal of the Pony Riders on
horseback, yet he was a good man in the saddle. Nance was observing
them all. He knew they would be together for some weeks and it was
well to understand the peculiarities of each one of the party at the
earliest possible moment.

Reaching town the party found that the entire equipment for the pack
train had been gotten in readiness. There remained but to pack the
mules and they would be ready for thei