"I didn't fall in that time, did I?" gasped Chunky, after his breath had come back sufficiently to enable him to talk.
"No, but you're going to do so when the cook gets hold of you," warned Ned.
"Hicks? Old Hicks fell into the mutton broth, didn't he?" chuckled the fat boy.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE VIGIL BY THE FOOTHILLS
Supper was late in the sheep camp that evening. Old Hicks was in a terrible rage and no one dared protest at the delay, for fear he would get no supper at all. The boys were still discussing Stacy Brown's feat, and every time the subject was referred to all during the evening, it was sure to elicit a roar of laughter.
As night came on, the sky was gradually blotted out by a thin veil of clouds, which seemed to grow more dense as the evening wore on. Chunky had been sent out with Mary Johnson on guard duty, Walter having gone out with the foreman. That left Tad Butler and Ned Rector of the Pony Rider Boys, to take their turn on the late trick.
Tad preferred to sit up rather than to try to sleep for the short time that would intervene before it came his turn to go out.
"Do you think we shall have any trouble tonight?" he asked, looking up as Mr. Simms passed his tent.
"You know as much about that as I do, my boy. Perhaps your courage over at the Corners may scare them off, eh? They may think, if we are all such fighters over here, that it will be a good place to keep away from."