"You heard something?"
"Never mind. Go on with the fun. Get Chunky to tell you when it is time to laugh."
About this time Stacy got up, still chuckling to himself, and started for a cup of water.
"Time to laugh. Ha, ha! What! Ha, ha; ho, h—-"
The fat boy paused abruptly. He was down on his knees about to dip up a cupful of water when chancing to raise his eyes he saw something that caused the word to die on his lips.
A man stood just on the other side of the stream, lounging against a tree, observing the fat boy with an amused smile.
"Oh, wow!" howled the fat boy, in such a tone of alarm that the rest of the outfit sprang up and ran toward him. "Wow! Look!"
At this juncture the stranger leaped the narrow stream and was standing beside Stacy facing toward the camp when the others came up.
"I suppose I should introduce myself before matters go any further," smiled the newcomer. "I know you, but you do not know me. You are the Pony Rider Boys. I am Captain Billy McKay of the Rangers."
Stacy uttered a shrill laugh, whereat the captain shot an inquiring glance at him.