Opie is a tough cowboy in his early days. In fact, he and another young cowhand, eight-year-old George "Tex" Foley from Eastmont, once collaborated on how to help "Tex" get out West ("Runaway Kid," Episode #4).
Andy has to circle the wagons pretty fast to get "Tex" to hang around the Mayberry bunkhouse. But all ends well with "Tex" finding happy trails back to Eastmont.