to advance toward the hostelery Peg retreated
in a panic, slamming the door after him.

"Well, what d'ye think of that?" asked Frank, who had been an amused
observer of this curious scene.

"He's turned out just what I thought he would," remarked Bob, as he
once more gained the side of his comrade, a grim smile on his face.
"Whenever you run across a fellow who likes to boast of the way he does
things, make up your mind he's a rank coward, every time. No matter
what he claims he will do, there's a yellow streak in him _somewhere_,
and sooner or later it's bound to show."

"I believe you're just about right, Bob," said Frank; "and it agrees
with my own opinion exactly. Still, that fellow can be dangerous if he
wants."

"So can a rattlesnake; but at any rate the reptile is honest, for he
gives plenty of warning before he tries to strike; and that's more'n
Peg would do, if I read him straight."

"You must keep an eye out for him after this, Bob. He'll never forgive
you that crack. My! but didn't it drop him, though! Just like a steer
would go down when the loop of a lariat closes on his foreleg. That
fellow will lie awake nights trying to get even with you."

"Let him," remarked Bob, carelessly; "next time perhaps I'll put a
little more steam back of my fist, if he pushes me too hard. That's
the way they treat cowards back where I was brought up; and they call
anybody by that name who will put his hand in anger on girl or woman.
But see here, Frank, is this little affair going to force us to change
our plans?"

"Whew! I forgot all about that," said the other, with a whistle, and
an uplifting of his eyebrows. "If we go poking around Thunder
Mountain, and Peg is there, with a couple of the tough cowboys he has
trailing after him most of the time, Spanish Joe and Nick Jennings,
perhaps we'll run up against a peck of trouble."

"Well, how about it?" asked Bob, with a shade of annoyance on his face.

"What do you say?" asked Frank, in turn.

"Go, by all means," came the quick response. "You don't think so mean
of me as to believe I'd be frightened off by the bare chance of running
across that fellow's trail out there; do you, Frank?"

"All right, call it a bargain, then. I'm with you through thick and
thin, Bob. Let Peg have a care how he meddles with us. We're going to
pay attention to our own business, and he'd better do the same. But
what became of the little Mex? I thought I'd seen her face befor