after which he
locked the desk, and hid the key under the edge of the carpet. Then
glancing about the office, to make sure that every thing was safe, he
closed the door, and hurrying into his own room, he threw the key under
his writing-desk, next to the wall. Then he breathed easier. The money
was as safe as it would have been in the bank at San Diego.

CHAPTER IV.

FRANK PROVES HIMSELF A HERO.

"There!" said Frank, with something like a sigh of relief. "If Pierre
gets into that office to-night, he'll have to use an ax; and if he tries
that"--

Frank finished the sentence by shaking his head in a threatening manner,
and taking down his rifle, which he proceeded to load very carefully. He
had made up his mind to fight, if it should become necessary.

He was now more anxious than ever for the arrival of his two friends,
for he did not like the idea of remaining alone in the house all night,
with so much money under his charge, and a villainous-looking Mexican
hovering about. Frank, as we know, was very far from being a coward; but
having by some means got it into his head that Pierre was a rascal, and
that something unpleasant would happen before morning, he could not
help feeling rather anxious.

The afternoon wore slowly away, but Johnny and Dick did not make their
appearance. Darkness came on apace, and Frank, being at last satisfied
that he was to be left alone in his glory for that night at least, ate
his supper, and visited Roderick in his stable to see that he was well
provided for, and then whistled for his dog, which he had not seen since
the departure of Mr. Brown. Marmion, however, did not respond to the
call. Frank whistled and shouted several times in vain, and then set out
to hunt up his favorite. He visited the Rancheros' quarters, and found
Felix and Pierre sitting in the door of one of the cabins, smoking their
cigarettes. The former had not seen the dog; but, willing to serve Frank
to any extent in his power, offered to go in search of the animal.
Pierre, however, said that would be useless, for he had seen Marmion in
hot pursuit of a rabbit. No doubt he had driven the game into its
burrow, and was engaged in digging it out. When he caught the rabbit, he
would come home of his own free will.

Although Frank was suspicious of every thing Pierre said or did, he
could see no reason for disbelieving this story. Marmion was quite as
fond of the chase as his young master, and frequently indulg