d long ago.

The two chums had taken the long gallop to the town on the railroad on
this particular day to do a little important business for Mr. Haywood,
who was associated with Bob's uncle in certain large mining
enterprises. And it was while entering the town that they met Peg,
who, with his customary assurance, had halted them with the question
that begins this chapter.

When Frank give him this little cut, the face of Peg Grant showed signs
of anger. He knew very well that he was making wretched progress along
the line of becoming an accomplished rider and cowboy. And the easy
manner in which the other boys sat their saddles irritated him greatly.

"What does it matter to you, Frank Haywood, when I left the greenhorn
class and moved up a pace? All the boys of the X-bar-X outfit say I'm
full-fledged now, and able to hold my own with nearly any fellow.
It'll be some time, I reckon, before your new friend can say the same.
But I will own that he's got a horse that takes my eye, for a fact."

"That's where you show good judgment, Peg," said Frank, laughing. "He
brought that black horse with him from Kentucky. And he can ride some,
you'd better believe me. When he gets on to the ways we have out here,
Bob will hold his own against heaps of boys that were born and brought
up on the plains."

"Say, I don't suppose, now, you'd care to sell that animal, Archer?"
asked Peg, as he eyed the handsome mount of the Kentucky boy enviously.
"Because I fancy I'd like to own him more than I ever did that frisky
buckskin Frank rides. If you'd put a fairly decent price on him now--"

"I raised Domino from a colt, I broke him to the saddle, and we have
been together five years now. Money couldn't buy him from me," replied
the tall boy, curtly.

It was not Bob Archer's habit to speak in this strain to anyone; but
there seemed to be a something connected with Peg Grant that irritated
him. The manner of the other was so overbearing as to appear almost
rude. He had had his own way a long time now; and thus far no one
connected with the big ranch owned by his father had arisen to take him
down.

"Oh! well, there are plenty of horses just as good, I guess," Peg went
on; "and some people don't appreciate the value of money, anyway. But
see here, Frank, you let your eyebrows travel up when I mentioned the
fact that I'd graduated from the tenderfoot class. I could see that
you doubted my words. Now, I'm going to tell you s