Fred. "That's what got me."

"He ought to be in a Wild West Show," put in Jack.

"I'll have the boys give you an exhibition of shooting this evening,"
said the foreman, and he was as good as his word.

Some of the cowboys proved to be remarkable shots both with the rifle and
the pistol. But here the boys, especially Fred and Jack, felt at home,
and they, too, showed what they could do.

"Rattlesnakes and tarantulas!" exclaimed one of the cowboys, Hank Minno,
the fellow who was supposed to be so bashful. "You kids sure kin shoot
some. I s'pose you learned it at that there military school you've been
goin' to."

"Yes," answered Fred. "Although we sometimes do a little practicing when
we're at home. Down in the long cellar of our house."

"Well, it's a good thing to know how to shoot, lad. Sometimes it comes in
mighty handy like," answered Hank Minno.

CHAPTER XXI

HOP LUNG AND THE FISH

By the end of the first week all of the boys felt thoroughly at home on
Big Horn Ranch. They had visited many points of interest, including the
cowboys' bunkhouse and also the big range to the eastward, and they had
likewise tramped over a number of the hills and tried their hand at
fishing in the river.

"It certainly is one dandy place," remarked Jack to the others one day
when they were coming up to the house from the river, each with a
fair-sized string of fish to his credit.

"We certainly never had such fishing as this in the East," answered Gif,
as he looked at his string admiringly. "Just look at the size of 'em,
will you?"

"I wonder what Hop Lung will say when he sees them," remarked Fred.

"I've got a scheme!" cried Andy. "Let's have a little fun," and thereupon
he unfolded to the others what he had in mind to do. They readily agreed
to his suggestion, and all came up to the ranch house by a roundabout
way. Then Spouter called out loudly:

"Hop Lung! Hop Lung! Come out here a minute!"

A moment later the Chinese cook appeared, a long soup ladle in on one
hand and a carving knife in the other.

"You callee me?" he queried.

"Yes," answered Spouter. "I want you to come around to the front of the
house and tell me what you know about this," and he motioned to the cook
to follow him around to the big veranda.

No sooner had their chum and the cook disappeared than the others ran
into the kitchen. Here at one side was a home-made kitchen cabinet, the
top within a foot of the ceiling.

"See if you can