pon a
flock of sheep pretending that they are antelope and that cows are real
live bears."

"Yes," said Jim, "you have lined it out all right, Jo. Then when they
were tired of playing Injun, Tom and his little playmates could pretend
that they were Daniel Boone's men with wildskin panties on."

"Shut up, boys," said Juarez, coming to Tom's rescue. "What's the use in
rubbing it in? The East is all right for some folks and if the boys back
there can't have real adventures they have to do the best they can.
After all, Jim, you are an Eastern boy. You can't get away from that."
Jim writhed under the implication but replied good humoredly.

"You're right, Juarez, old chap, but I can't help stirring up Tom once
in a while. It is good for him too. It keeps his liver active, so he
won't get bilious."

"Juarez has got more sense than you two put together," said Tom.

"Forget all about it now, Tommy," urged Juarez good-naturedly, getting
the aforesaid Tommy by the nape of the neck with one vigorous brown hand
and giving him a shake.

Thus under Juarez's straightforward management the family quarrel was
abated.

"We might just as well ride now, boys," said Jim. "The horses are good
and rested and we will soon be going down grade instead of up."

The horses had been following in single file back of the four boys. They
were to be trusted not to cut up any shindigs or to wander from the
narrow mountain trail. The boys had had them a long time and together
they had gone through the numerous hardships and adventures. They were
as perfectly trained as Uncle Sam's cavalry horses.

The horses halted as the boys dropped back to their sides, and they
swung into the saddle simultaneously. Jim rode in the lead on a splendid
gray, with a powerful arching neck, strong shoulders and hindquarters
made for speed. Him, he called Caliente. Next rode Tom on a pretty bay.
Then Jo on a black of medium size but finely built for speed and
endurance. Juarez brought up the rear on his roan, a sinewy animal with
a broncho strain in him which was liable to crop out at unexpected
moments.

It is to be noticed that there was a certain formation in the way the
column rode. Jim, the strong and resourceful in front, and Tom, the less
experienced and capable, following, forming the first division. The
second division was composed of Jo and Juarez.

Juarez having an equally important position with the leader, for he was
rear guard, a more trying posit