For reasons best known to himself Stacy did not give his rattlesnake
imitation again. But every little while a broad grin would grow on
his countenance, which the fat boy would suppress as quickly as
possible.

"This is too good a thing to be nipped in the bud," he muttered. "No,
sir, I don't give my secrets away yet awhile. Mebby I never shall."

Stacy well knew that swift punishment would be meted out to him if the
others caught him at his new trick, so the fat boy kept silent, looking
the picture of innocence.

CHAPTER XVIII

ONE HISS TOO MANY

The Ten-Mile cross trail was made about half past one o'clock in the
afternoon. Walter Perkins entered the camp on his head, Tad Butler
hanging to the mane of his bucking pony, both feet out of the
stirrups, Stacy Brown making desperate efforts to quiet his own mount.

The ponies had heard the soft hiss of a rattlesnake, but the ears of
Rangers and Pony Riders had failed to catch the sound. Perhaps it was
the yell that the fat boy had uttered instantly after giving the
imitation that had too suddenly attracted the attention of the party.

"What's the matter with those fool cayuses?" shouted Dippy Orell.
"What---"

Dippy did not finish his remark. He landed on his back thoroughly
shaken down. He was up with a roar, starting for the pony with blood
in his eye.

"That'll do, Dippy!" commanded the leader sternly. "If you'd been
riding as you should have, you never would have fallen off. Now
you're off, stay off." The captain uttered a bird-call which was
answered in kind. The boys understood at once that the Rangers were
exchanging signals. A few moments later, a bronzed, weather-beaten
Ranger rode into camp. He held a few moments' conversation with the
captain, after which he rode away.

"Anything doing, Cap?" asked Morgan.

The leader shook his head.

"Something may turn our way to-night. Joe has been detained. I don't
know what is keeping him. But we'll wait here till he comes in.
Professor, it is possible that we may have to make a hard night ride
to-night. Do you wish to go along?"

"Of course we do!" shouted the boys. "We don't want to miss a single
thing."

"No, we don't want to miss a thing," agreed Chunky solemnly. "I see
I've been missing a great deal lately. I don't propose to miss another
thing as long as I'm out on this cruise."

"He thinks he's on a canal boat," jeered Dippy.

"Maybe if I do it's because we've got