Jessup, nodding
significantly to Tad and Tom Phipps. "Are you boys going into this?"
"Guess we might as well. Will these ponies take hurdles, Mr.
Phipps?"
"You try them and see. Every one trained down to the ground."
"That's not the way I want to go," laughed Tad. "I want to stay above
it while I'm riding."
Ned Rector already was tightening his saddle girths preparatory to
entering, so Tad hurried to his own mount to get ready for the
contest.
When the contestants had finally lined up, the Pony Rider Boys were
surprised to observe that Stacy Brown had ridden down to the scratch
with the others. He was sitting on his pony as solemn as an owl,
industriously munching a sandwich that he had made for himself.
"You'll break your neck. You'd better keep out of this," advised Ned
Rector.
"Better look out for your own neck," retorted Stacy. "Guess I know
how to ride as well as the rest of you."
"All right, it's not my lookout. Remember I gave you good advice,"
was Ned's parting admonition.
Stacy's pony was a glossy black, the only one of that color among the
contestants, and between pony and boy the cowmen were undecided as to
which was the most conspicuous.
"At the second shot of the pistol you will start," announced the
foreman. "All ready for the first?"
"Yes!" roared the impatient riders.
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