I confessed I was aghast, and completely at a loss. A row was evidently unavoidable, and the odds were against us. Almost at the instant the door came open, Johnny, without waiting for hostile demonstration, jerked his Colt's revolvers from their holsters. With one bound he reached the centre of the room, and thrust the muzzles beneath the bully's nose. His black eyes were snapping. "Shut up, you hound!" he said in a low, even voice. "I wouldn't condescend to make money out of your miserable carcass, except at a glue factory. And if you or your friends so much as wink an eyelid, I'll put you in shape for it." Caught absolutely by surprise, the "Hound" stared fascinated into the pistol barrels, his jaw dropped, his face redder than ever, his eyes ridiculously protruding. I had recovered my wits and had backed against the bulletin board, a revolver in either hand, keeping an eye on the general company. Those who had burst in with the bully had stopped frozen in their tracks. The others were interested, but not particularly excited. "I'm going to stay in this camp," Johnny advised crisply, "and I'm not going to be bothered by big bluffs like you. I warn you, and all like you, to let me alone and keep away from me. You stay in camp, or you can leave camp, just as you please, but I warn you that I shoot you next time I lay eyes on you. Now, about face! March!" Johnny's voice had an edge of steel. The big man obeyed orders implicitly. He turned slowly, and sneaked out the door. His followers shambled toward the bar. Johnny passed them rather contemptuously under the review of his snapping eyes, and they shambled a trifle faster. Then, with elaborate nonchalance, we sauntered out. "My Lord, Johnny!" I cried when we had reached the street, "that was fine! I didn't know you had it in you!" "Damn the luck!" he cried, kicking a tin can. "Oh, _damn_!" He muttered to himself a moment, then turned to me with humorous despair. "What a stupid, useless mess!" he cried. "The minute that fellow came into the room I saw we were let in for a row; so I went at it quick before he had got organized. He didn't expect that. He thought he'd have to work us into it." "It certainly got him," said I. "But it just starts us all wrong here," complained Johnny. "We are marked men." "We'll just have to look out for him a little. I don't believe he's really dangerous. He looks to me a lot like a bluffer." "Oh, him!" said Johnny contemputously, "he doesn't worry me any. It's all the rest of them. I've practically challenged all the hard cases in camp, don't you see? I'm no longer an inconspicuous newcomer. Every tough character with any real nerve will want to tackle me now, just to try me out." From the impulsive and unanalytical Johnny this was surprising enough, and my face must have showed it.