Had Frank and his cousin, while at home, been compelled to ride or walk four miles in search of a playmate, they might have been disposed to grumble over what they would have considered a very hard lot in life; but they had learned to think nothing of it.  There were their horses always ready and willing, and half an hour’s gallop over the prairie in the cool of the morning, or evening, was not looked upon as any thing very disagreeable.  On this particular morning, Roderick and Marmion were impatient to exhibit their mettle; and even Sleepy Sam lifted his head and pawed the ground when Archie placed his foot in the stirrup.  Scarcely waiting for their riders to become firmly seated in their saddles, the horses started down the road at a rattling pace, and the dog dashed through the bushes and grass on each side, driving the rabbits from their covers, and creating great consternation among flocks of quails and prairie-chickens, which flew up at his approach.

The farther the boys went, the faster they went; for Roderick and Sleepy Sam, warming at their work, and encouraged, perhaps, by some slight touches from their riders’ spurs, increased their speed until they fairly flew over the ground; and Marmion, unwilling to remain behind, left the quails and rabbits to rest in security for that morning at least, and ran along beside his master, now and then looking up into his face, and uttering a little yelp, as if he were trying to tell how well he enjoyed the sport.

“Now, isn’t this glorious?” exclaimed Archie, pulling off his sombrero, and holding open his jacket, to catch every breath of the fresh morning air.  “Let’s go faster.  Yip! yip!”

The horses understood that yell.  They had heard it before; and, knowing that it meant a race, they set off at the top of their speed.  But the race was not a long one; for the old buffalo hunter, fast as he was, soon fell behind.  The gray flew over the ground, as swiftly as a bird on the wing, and, after allowing him a free rein for a short distance, to show Archie how badly he could beat him, Frank stopped, and waited for him to come up.

The four miles were quickly accomplished, and, presently, the boys drew up at the door of Mr. Harris’s farm-house, where they found Johnny waiting to receive them.

“How are you, strangers?” cried Johnny.  “Get down and make those posts fast to your horses, and come in.”

This was the way travelers were welcomed in that country, where every house was a hotel, and every farmer ready, at all times, to feed and shelter a stranger.

“How is the rifle-shot, this morning?” continued Johnny, as he shook hands with the boys; “and what news has the champion horseman to communicate?”

“I didn’t claim to be the champion horseman,” said Archie, quickly.  “I am not conceited enough to believe that I can beat you riding wild horses, but I’ll tell you what I can do, Johnny.  In a fair race from here to the mountains, I can leave you a quarter of a mile behind.”