CHAPTER II.
FRANK'S NEW HOME.
Frank and Archie, as we have before remarked, had been in California about two months; and, between riding, hunting, visiting, and assisting Uncle James, who was engaged in selling off his stock and closing up his business, preparatory to his return to Lawrence, they had passed the time most agreeably.

They were as fond as ever of excitement, were almost constantly in the saddle, and Mr.Winters often said that if they and their horses and dog did not travel a thousand miles every day, it was not because they did not try.
When the boys first arrived in California, they thought themselves expert in all manner of frontier accomplishments.

But one morning, they rode over to visit Johnny Harris and Dick Thomas--two boys, about their own age, with whom they had become acquainted--and, during the day, they witnessed some feats of skill that made them wonder.

Johnny and Dick, to show what they could do, captured and rode a couple of wild horses, that had never been handled before; and Frank and Archie were compelled to admit that they had some things yet to learn.

Every boy in that country could throw the lasso, and the cousins found that, if they desired to keep up their reputation, they must put themselves under instructions.