The double-barrel and its equipments he carried into the library, and saw them placed in one of the long drawers of the bookcase and locked up. The rifle he carried to his own room, where he found his cousin pacing back and forth, flourishing his fists in the air and talking to himself.
He was in a state of almost ungovernable fury. When Leon came in, he stopped and looked at him.
"What did your father say to you?" he asked, "and where is your gun?"
"My gun is under lock and key, and I can't have it again this winter," whined Leon. "Father says that if I am going to be a vagabond, and spend my time in the woods, I shall not have a gun to help me enjoy myself. You got us both into a nice mess this morning, didn't you?"
"Now don't go back on me in that fashion," exclaimed Frank. "We are in a bad fix, and we must stick together in order to get out of it."
These words seemed to make an impression upon Leon. The angry scowl faded from his face, and the next words he addressed to his cousin were spoken in a more friendly tone.
"What did Uncle William say to you?" he inquired.
"He said only one thing I can remember," replied Frank; "and that is, that I have lost all my chances of going out West."
"That's just what my father said to me," returned Leon. "It seems that Uncle William came here on purpose to make arrangements for taking us with him on his trip to California; but by this day's work we have knocked everything on the head."
"We'll see about that," said Frank, in a savage tone.