"
"Then-- then we won't have to go dry any more-- I can find water with
this when I'm dry?" questioned Stacy.
"You might; then again you might not."
"Better take it away from him," suggested Ned. "He might find a
spring. If he did he'd be sure to fall in and drown."
The stick, which was shaped like the letter Y, was an object of great
interest to the Pony Rider Boys. One by one they took it out on the
plain, in an effort to locate some water. The guide instructed them to
hold the Y with the bottom up, one prong in each hand and to walk
slowly.
But, try as they would, they were able to get no results.
"The thing's a fraud!" exclaimed Ned disgustedly, throwing the
divining rod away.
Stacy picked it up.
"I know why it doesn't work," he said.
"Why?" demanded the other boys.
"'Cause-- 'cause there isn't any water to make it work," he replied
wisely.
The boys groaned.
Shortly after returning to camp, they found the fat boy standing over
a pail of water holding the stick above it.
He was talking to the stick confidentially, urging it to "do
something," to the intense amusement of the whole outfit.
"Now, where's your theory?" questioned the Professor.
"Why, it doesn't have to work, does it? Don't we know there's water
here? If we didn't the stick would tell us, maybe. Take my word for
it, this outfit won't have to go dry after this. Stacy Brown and his
magic wand will find all the water needed," continued the fat boy
proudly.
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