Johnny soliloquized:  “Does this fellow imagine that we are green enough to believe that he would stand and let a lion walk up within ten paces of him?  Hump! a good-sized rabbit would scare him to death.”

Frank, who had taken but little part in the conversation, told himself that he had never become acquainted with a boy as deserving of pity as was Arthur Vane.  He was not a desirable companion, and Frank hoped that he would not often be thrown into his society.

For a long time the boys rode in silence, keeping their horses in an easy gallop, and presently they entered the woods that fringed the base of the mountains, through which ran a bridle-path that led toward the old fur-trader’s ranch.  Two young hounds belonging to Johnny led the way, Johnny came next, and Frank and Archie brought up the rear.  They had ridden in this order for a short distance, when the singular movements of the hounds attracted their attention, and caused them to draw rein.  The dogs stood in the path, snuffing the air, and gazing intently at the bushes in advance of them, and then, suddenly uttering a dismal howl, they ran back to the boys, and took refuge behind them.  At the same instant, the horse on which Johnny was mounted arose on his hind feet, turned square around, and, in spite of all the efforts of his rider to stop him, dashed by the others, and went down the path at the top of his speed.

“Good-by, fellows,” shouted Johnny; “and look out for yourselves, for there is”—­

What else Johnny said the boys could not understand, for the clatter of his horse’s hoofs drowned his voice, and in a moment he was out of sight among the trees.

“There’s something in those bushes,” said Frank, with difficulty restraining his own horse, which seemed determined to follow Johnny, “and who knows but it might be a grizzly?”

“I am quite sure it is,” said Archie.  “Don’t you remember how badly frightened Pete used to be when there was one of those varmints around?”

As Archie said this, the bushes were violently agitated, and the twigs cracked and snapped as if some heavy body was forcing its way through them.  The hounds, waiting to hear no more, turned and fled down the path, leaving the boys to themselves.  Frank turned and looked at Arthur.  Could it be possible that the pale, terror-stricken youth he saw before him was the one who but a few moments ago had boasted so loudly of his courage?  That noise in the bushes had produced a great change in him.

CHAPTER X.

ARTHUR SHOWS HIS COURAGE