Stand aside!"

But Bob did not move.

"Just because a dog makes friends with me is no reason for shooting
him," he retorted.

A moment the man glowered sullenly from the dog to the boy, then,
attracted by something about the latter, came closer and peered eagerly
into Bob's face.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Bob Nichols."

"Nichols, eh? Then I must have been mistaken," he added in a voice too
low for the boy to hear, and a look of disappointment settled on his
face as he continued aloud: "Well, what do you want?"

"You are Mr. Ford, I presume?" asked Bob.

"I am; John Ford, owing no man a cent and afraid of nothing, or no one
on earth."

Smiling at this unusual introduction, Bob said:

"I came out to ask if you'd give me a job on your ranch, Mr. Ford."

"Know anything about ranching?"

"No, sir. But I can learn."

"Who sent you to me?"

"A Mr. Higgins."

"Ned Higgins, eh? Trying another of his jokes, I suppose. Probably
thought the dog would chew you up."

Then for a moment that seemed hours to the anxious boy, the ranchman
pondered, finally exclaiming:

"Well, we'll fool Higgins this time. I'll take you on for a try. You're
sure game or you wouldn't have stood before that fool dog, the way you
did. Come in and we'll talk about wages."

And, as Bob entered the cabin, Ford turned to look at the dog, muttering
to himself:

"Strange, mighty strange. I never knew him to make friends with any one
before."

CHAPTER XX

BOB BECOMES OWNER OF A DOG

Interestedly Bob gazed about him as he entered, for the first time in
his life, the home of a ranchman. At the left of the door, a bunk,
covered with brilliant-colored blankets--which, had the boy known they
were the handiwork of Indians, would have interested him
greatly--extended from the wall. Above this crude bed was a rack holding
three rifles and several revolvers. On the opposite side of the room
were a cupboard and table, while in the rear was another cupboard, and a
stove. A rocking and two straight-backed chairs completed the
furnishings.

Just what Bob had expected to find in the cabin he could not have told,
but its severity and barrenness disappointed him.

"Sit down," grunted the ranchman, motioning Bob to one of the
straight-backed chairs while he himself sank into the rocker.

As Bob obeyed, the dog stretched himself at his feet.

Searchingly the ranchman scanned the boy's face, and the silence was
becoming embarrassing