of the
tenderfoot class, tell me?"

The boy who answered to the name of Frank Haywood was a rather chunky,
well set-up lad of about sixteen. He had blue eyes, that were usually
sparkling with mirth; and a mop of yellow hair; while his skin was
darkened by long exposure to sun and wind.

Frank was the son of a rancher, who not only owned a large tract of
land with many herds, but had interests in paying mines located among
the mountains of the Southwest. Of course he knew more or less
concerning such things as cowboys practice; though never a day passed
on which Frank could not pick up new ideas connected with life in the
open.

His companion, Bob Archer, was considerably taller than Frank, straight
as an Indian, though rather inclined to be slender; but with a
suppleness that indicated such strength and agility as the panther
displays.

Coming from Kentucky, Bob could at least boast of long familiarity with
horses; and his cleverness in this line promised to make him a crack
horseman when he had picked up a few more of the tricks known to range
riders.

Both of the boys were especially fond of roaming the country, mounted
on their favorite steeds; and indeed, they were becoming known far and
near as the "Saddle Boys" because of their being seen so frequently,
dashing over the prairies at top-notch speed.

Peg was the nick-name which had followed Percy Egbert Grant all the way
from the Chicago suburb, where, for some years, he had played the part
of both dude and bully. His father was very wealthy, and Peg always
had more money than was good for him.

When he came to the great X-bar-X ranch, not so very far distant from
the Haywood home place, Peg had adopted the same tactics that had
carried the day for him in the past. The cowboys belonging to his
father's estate seemed to knuckle under to him from the first. However
much they might ridicule Peg behind his back, they cringed when he gave
orders; because he was a liberal paymaster, and no one wished to incur
his enmity.

So it came to pass that Peg actually began to believe himself of great
importance in the community. He assumed airs that ill became one who
was really ignorant of many things connected with ranch life.

He and Frank had never become friends. There was something about the
fellow that the saddle boy could not tolerate. More than once they had
almost come to blows; and, only for the peace-loving nature of Frank,
this must have occurre