It was Mr. Fuller's intention to cross the plains on horseback (the Pacific Railroad was not in existence at the time these incidents happened) and return by steamer.
The boys would have been delighted by a trip like this, and they might have gone had it not been for their one act of folly. Frank showed a disposition to smash things when he thought about it, but Leon felt more like crying.
"His coming here made no difference. He would have found out all about it, sooner or later, for your father would have written him full particulars. But I don't care!" said Frank, who continued to stride up and down the room, shaking his fists in the air. "I am going to clear out, and if you have any pluck at all, you will do the same."
Leon placed his elbows on his knees, fastened his eyes upon the floor, and made no immediate reply.
He had talked very glibly about leaving his comfortable home and going out into the world to make himself famous as a hunter and Indian-fighter, but in dreaming about it he had always skipped the preliminaries.
How he was going to leave home and make his way to that pleasant valley in the mountains in which he intended to build his cabin, he did not know, nor did he care to trouble himself about it.
Some boys, as we know, make great calculations, and have much to say about the fame they expect to win, when they are established in some business or profession and have plenty of money at their disposal, but they make no note of the long hours that must be spent in study and hard work before they can attain to the desired eminence.
So with Leon. He sometimes spent half the night going through imaginary fights with grizzly bears, Indians, and outlaws, and picturing to himself the delight that would be his when he was fairly settled in his mountain-home; but he did not like to dwell upon the thought that, before all this could be accomplished, he must sneak away from his father's house like a thief in the night, and make a long journey by rail and steam-boat before he would be anywhere within reach of his hunting-grounds.
But now these matters were brought squarely home to him, and it was high time he was bestowing some thought upon them.
"You don't seem to be very enthusiastic," said Frank, suddenly pausing in his walk and looking sharply at his cousin. "No longer ago than this morning you talked as though you were crazy to get away from home and become your own master!"