mount were still on the bank, too sound asleep to think of either water
or food.

"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
Rector.

"That would be impossible," objected Tad. "As an eater he is a
champion, as a sleeper he is just above the average. You're the
champion sleeper of this outfit, Ned."

"It's too hot to resent your unseemly remarks, Tad. I'll take that
matter up when we get to the mountains. By the way, how much farther
is it to the mountains?"

"Just as far as it was this morning. How about it, Professor?"

"We ought to reach them this afternoon. According to my understanding,
we were a little more than forty miles from them this morning. Since
then we have gone a good twentyfive miles."

"Then we will camp there to-night?" questioned Walter.

"Yes, I hope so."

"What are we going to do about Chunky?" demanded Walter.

All eyes were directed toward the sleeping fat boy and his slumbering
pony. The latter was now beginning to show some signs of life. It had
lifted one foot, then another, until it had taken two steps toward the
creek. But the rider was as soundly asleep as before. Nothing seemed
to disturb Chunky when he was having a nap.

"He will fall off. Wake him up!" commanded the professor.

"Oh, please don't bother him. We want to see what he will do," begged
Walter.

"I think you will see, all right," chuckled T