“Did you see something?” whispered Walter.

Tad shook his head.

“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.

“You—–­you are—–­are Captain McKay?” stammered Professor Zepplin.

“Yes.  I had hoped to see you when you camped with Lieutenant Withem—–­”

“Yes, we were with ’em,” muttered Stacy.  “And I guess we’ve got ’em now.”

“Unfortunately I was called away on that occasion.  I promised myself that I should look you up at the first opportunity.  I got on your trail this afternoon and as you were going in my direction I considered this an excellent opportunity to make your acquaintance.  So here I am.”

“But—–­but—–­” stammered the professor.

Tad was smiling, the others gazing at the newcomer blankly.

“Well, sir, what is it?  One would think you had seen a ghost,” laughed the captain.

“But, sir, you are the second man who has introduced himself to us as Captain McKay of the Ranger troop, to-day.”

The captain’s blue eyes twinkled.

“Indeed!  Then I must have a double.  I should like to meet him.”

“You look like the real thing,” observed Stacy.

“Thank you.  Then the other man did not?”

“He did not—–­to me,” answered Tad Butler.

“How are we to know that you are the captain in person?” asked the professor suspiciously.

“I wear the badge and then here’s my open countenance,” answered the Ranger with another hearty laugh.

“Professor, there can be no doubt that this is Captain McKay.  I should know him now from the description given to me by Lieutenant Withem.  Won’t you join us?  We have just about finished the grub, but there is more.  I’ll cook something for you,” proposed Tad.

“I’ll join you in a cup of coffee, thank you,” replied Captain McKay.