walked to the window and gazed out into the street, nodding patronizingly
now and then to persons passing who had bowed to him. In his own
estimation, Stacy was the most important person in Chillcothe.
So confident was he of this that several persons in the community
had come almost to believe it themselves. Chunky, by his dignified
and important bearing, had hopes of converting others to this same
belief. As for his three companions---well, a journey without Stacy
Brown would be a tame and uneventful journey at best.

The greater part of the afternoon was devoted to making plans for the
coming trip, each having his suggestions to make or his criticism to
offer of the suggestions of others. Though the arguments of the Pony
Riders at times became quite heated, the friendship they held for each
other was never really strained. They were bound together by ties
that would endure for many years to come.

Each day thereafter, during their stay at home, they met for
consultation, and when two weeks later they had assembled at the
railroad station in Chillicothe, clad in their khaki suits, sombreros,
each with a red bandanna handkerchief tied carelessly about his neck,
they presented an imposing appearance and were the centre of a great
crowd of admiring boys and smiling grown-ups. There were many exciting
experiences ahead of the Pony Rider Boys as well as a series of
journeys that would linger in memory the rest of their lives.




CHAPTER II