Frank wished to win his brother to him without using force. It was his desire to bend Dick’s strong will and passionate nature, but not to break either. The young athlete was convinced that there was in Dick the making of a remarkable lad, and he hoped to handle him in the proper manner to bring out his best qualities.
But first it was necessary to win the obstinate and wilful spirit to him, and that seemed like a difficult task indeed. However, Merry felt that he had scored heavily in preventing the runaway as he did. He had not resorted to force, but he had convinced Dick that he was in some things a match for Old Joe, whom the lad admired.
On the day after the attempted runaway, Bart Hodge and Jack Ready came riding up the valley. Business had called Ready to Denver, and Hodge had met him there. His business attended to, Jack was willing and eager to hasten to Frank in the quiet little valley under the shadow of the Rockies.
Frank was watching for them, and he sighted them through a field-glass as they came galloping up the valley.
Dick and Felicia were also watching, with strange, silent Juan Delores not far away.
“It’s another of his friends,” said Dick, in a low tone to Felicia. “I’m sure this one will show signs of his long days spent in study. He must be round-shouldered and weak.”
As the two riders drew nearer they spurred on their horses and raced for the woods. It was a wild neck-and-neck dash, and, although Bart seemed to sit his horse a trifle better than Jack, the latter managed to be in at the finish.
“Hooray!” he whooped, waving his hat about his head and flinging himself from the saddle. “The pardon has arrived in time! Your royal muchness, here we are, hide, hoof and horns. Behold us, adorned in all the glory of the wild Western cowboy. Are we not peaches?”
Then he grasped Frank’s hand, gave it a furious shake, and bent to press his lips upon it.
“I salute ye, oh, mighty potentate, whatever that is,” said Jack, in his familiar breezy manner. “I know you are overjoyed to gaze once more on my beautiful countenance, and I am very, very glad because you are so happy.”