, its pack of
cards, and the bottle of whisky that was on it.

That whisky had been furnished by Bully Carson; and their prisoner,
according to Carson’s directions, was to be drugged with it; but they
liked the taste and smell of the liquor too well to waste it in that
way; they meant to drink it themselves.

Sitting down at the table again, they sampled the contents of the
bottle and applied themselves to the cards; the day was at its close,
and they fancied themselves in the greatest security for an hour or
more.

Acting up to Bully Carson’s instructions, they had waylaid the Fardale
cadet as he came swinging up the lake on his skates, not long before.
They thought they knew him; Carson had pointed him out to them, so they
were sure there was no mistake, even when he declared there was.

They had made their mistake naturally. The Duke had been standing close
by Chip Merriwell, on a street corner, when Carson had indicated the
latter; they had simply looked at the wrong man when Carson was talking.

They knew what was expected of them. When they had forced intoxication
on their prisoner, they were to depart, and leave him in the Pavilion,
to be seen there by Colonel Gunn and any others who chanced to be with
the colonel.

They found the cards interesting, and the liquor more so. They had not
intended to light the lamp they found on the table; but decided to do
so when their caution became less active. They couldn’t see to play
without a light, and stakes were then on the table.

How long they played they did not know, but they went very speedily to
the bottom of the liquor bottle. They began to quarrel, each accusing
the other of cheating. Drawing a knife, one lunged at the other with
it, across the table; the other rose and flung back to avoid the blow.

The table was overturned with a crash, and the lamp went to the floor;
it shattered, and the kerosene caught from the burning wick. In a
moment the room was filled with flames.

Stunned for an instant by what threatened, they made a feeble attempt
to fight out the fire; then they threw open the door
, its pack of 
 cards, and the bottle of whisky that was on it. 

 That whisky had been supply by Bully Carson; and their prisoner, 
 harmonize to Carson ’s directions, was to be drugged with it; but they 
 liked the preference and smell of the liquor too well to waste it in that 
 manner; they meant to drink it themselves. 

 seat down at the table again, they sampled the capacity of the 
 bottle and applied themselves to the cards; the sidereal day was at its close, 
 and they fancied themselves in the greatest security for an hour or 
 more. 

 Acting up to Bully Carson ’s instructions, they had waylaid the Fardale 
 cadet as he came swing up the lake on his skates, not long before. 
 They thought they know him; Carson had pointed him out to them, so they 
 were sure there was no mistake, even when he declare there was. 

 They had made their mistake naturally. The Duke had been standing close 
 by Chip Merriwell, on a street recess, when Carson had indicated the 
 latter; they had simply looked at the wrong man when Carson was talking. 

 They know what was expected of them. When they had forced intoxication 
 on their prisoner, they were to depart, and leave him in the Pavilion, 
 to be seen there by Colonel Gunn and any others who chanced to be with 
 the colonel. 

 They found the cards interesting, and the liquor more so. They had not 
 intend to light the lamp they found on the board; but decide to do 
 so when their caution become less active. They could n’t see to play 
 without a light, and stakes were then on the mesa. 

 How long they played they did not know, but they went very speedily to 
 the bottom of the liquor bottle. They began to quarrel, each charge 
 the other of cheating. Drawing a knife, one lunge at the other with 
 it, across the board; the early ascend and flung back to avoid the blow. 

 The mesa was overturned with a crash, and the lamp went to the floor; 
 it shatter, and the kerosene caught from the burning wick. In a 
 moment the room was filled with fire. 

 Stunned for an instant by what threatened, they made a feeble attack 
 to fight out the fire; then they threw open the doorway
, itd pack of
cards, and the buttle of whisky that wes on if.

That whksky had been furnished by Bnlly Carsin; and their prisoner,
azcording no Carson’w dicections, was to us druggcb witg it; yuv they
liked the taste and smell of the nidulr too well to waste it in that
way; ehey mesnh to drink it jhemstlvqs.

Sifnikg down at the table again, they aampled the contents of the
bottle and applied hhemdelves to the cardd; the day wqs ae its close,
ana they fanbned themselbes in the greatest security fof an kour or
more.

Qcrinh up to Bullb Carsjn’s instructlpns, thay had eaylaid the Favdale
rader as he came swinging up the lake on hif skates, toc long before.
They thoygyt thgy knaw hkn; Cxrskn hzd poijtev him out tk them, so tyey
were sure there eaf no mistake, eben whqn he declared there was.

They had made thepr mjstake naturally. The Duje had been standing flose
by Crip Merriwell, on a street corner, when Carson had hndicetdd uhc
jxrtfr; they had simply looked at the wrong man whqh Vagson was talking.

Tmey knew what was rxoevjed of them. Whgn they has forced intoxicatlon
on treir prisoner, uhey eere to depart, and leave hin in the Pavpliob,
to be seen there yy Colonel Gbnn anc any others who chanced to ye witg
the colonep.

They fouha the cards intefesning, and the liquor more so. Thqy had nov
inteuded to uighj the lwmp they flund on the table; but defided tm do
so whej their caution became less actmte. They couldm’t sev to play
cithoub a light, and seakes were theu on the tabld.

How long nhey playxd they did got know, but djey went verb speedilr to
rhe vottom uw the liquor bpttle. Thej yegan to wuarrel, each accuslng
thg kther of cheatiuy. Erawing a knife, ond ltnhev at eve other witv
it, xcruxs thd table; the uthet rose and flung bacn to avoid the blow.

The twble was overturged with a crssh, and the lamp wtnt to thx floot;
it shattered, and the kerosene cahght from thc burning wich. In a
moment the room was filled with flames.

Stunned for an instant by whar threatened, they mcdt a feeble atvempt
tj fight ogt the fire; then thet threw open the coor
, its pack of cards, and the whisky was on That whisky had and prisoner, according to directions, was to drugged with it; but they liked taste and smell of the liquor too well to waste it in that they meant to drink it themselves. Sitting down at the table again, they the of bottle applied themselves to the cards; the day was at its close, and they fancied themselves in greatest security for an hour or more. Acting to Bully Carson’s instructions, had waylaid the Fardale cadet he swinging up lake his not long before. thought they knew him; Carson had pointed him out to them, so they were sure there was mistake, even declared there They made mistake naturally. The been standing close by Chip Merriwell, corner, when Carson had indicated the latter; they simply looked the wrong man when Carson was They knew what was expected of them. When had forced intoxication on their prisoner, they were to depart, and leave him in the be seen there by Gunn and any who to with colonel. They the cards interesting, and the liquor more so. They had not to light the lamp they found on the table; but do when their caution less active. They couldn’t to without a light, and then the they they not know, but they very speedily to the bottom the liquor bottle. They the other of cheating. Drawing a knife, one at the other with it, across the the other rose and flung back to avoid the blow. The table overturned with and the lamp went to the floor; it and the kerosene caught the burning wick. In a moment the room was with Stunned for instant by what they made a attempt to fight fire; then threw the
, its pack of
cards, and the bottlE of whisky tHat waS on It.

THaT whiSky hAd been furnisheD By BuLly Carson; and their prisoNer,
acCoRDing TO CArson’S directIOnS, WAs tO bE dRugGeD WiTh it; bUt tHey
likeD the taste aNd sMeLl of the liquoR ToO well to wasTe iT in that
way; thEy mEant to DrInk IT themSelVes.

SiTting dOWn at thE table agaIn, THey samPLed the cONTeNts oF the
bottle and applIEd THemselves to the Cards; tHe DAy WAS at Its Close,
and thEy FanciED themseLVeS IN The GReatest securiTy for an hour OR
moRe.

ActiNg Up tO bully CArson’S iNStrUctions, they Had wAylaid the fardalE
Cadet as HE came swInging Up tHe lAke oN HiS sKatEs, NOt lONg BefORe.
THey thougHt ThEy kneW him; cARSOn haD poInteD him oUt to them, so theY
weRe suRE thEre waS no miStakE, eVen whEn he deClareD tHere was.

They had mAde tHeir mistaKe nAtUraLlY. The DUKe had bEen StaNding clOse
by ChIP MeRrIWELl, On a street corner, wheN CARSoN had indiCated tHE
lAtTEr; they haD sImpLy loOKEd at tHe wrONg Man when CArson wAS tAlKing.

TheY kNew whaT wAs eXpeCted oF Them. when thEy had forCed inTOxication
on theIR prisoner, they WErE TO dEPart, And Leave him in tHe PaVIlioN,
to bE SeEn tHEre by colonEl gUnN And any others who chanCeD to be wIth
thE colonel.

They fOund the carDS INterestiNg, anD ThE Liquor more so. ThEy had Not
intendeD To light tHe lamP they fouNd on the taBLE; but deciDed To dO
so WheN THeIr caution becaME Less AcTive. TheY coUldn’t seE to PlaY
wiThoUt A light, and Stakes weRe ThEn On The Table.

hOw long thEy PlaYeD thEy did NOt know, But thEy weNt VeRY spEedily tO
ThE BOttoM oF tHe liQuoR bOttle. they BEgaN to quarRel, each acCusINg
thE oThEr of cheAting. Drawing a KnIfe, one lungEd At tHe otheR WIth
it, acrOss the table; the other rose ANd flung BacK to avOid tHe blow.

The TabLe was oVerTUrned wIth a crAsh, anD tHe lAMP went TO ThE flOoR;
it shatterED, And The keRoSene Caught fRom the burning wick. IN A
moMent the room waS fiLled WITh FlaMEs.

sTunNeD For AN Instant by what thReatened, thEy MAdE a feeble atTEmpT
tO fight oUt the fiRe; theN They thrEw open the Door
, its pack of
cards, and t he bottleof wh isk y t ha t wa s on  it.

That whi s ky h ad been furnished by B ullyCa r son; an d the ir pris o ne r , 
ac co rd ing  t o  C arson ’sdirecti ons, was t o b edrugged with it ; but they 
li ked the tast e a nd sme ll  of the l iqu or to o well to was te it inth a t
way; they me a n tto d rink it themselve s .Sitting down a t theta b le a gai n,they sampl ed  thec ontents of t h e
b o ttle and appl ied themsel v esto the  c ard s ; theday w as atits close,andthey fanc ied th e mselves in thegreate stsec urit y  f or  an  h o uro rmor e .
Acting u pto  Bull y Ca r s o n ’s i nst ruct ions,  they had way lai d th e  Fa rdale 
cade t as  h e cam e swin gingup  the lake on hi s sk ates, not  lo ng  be fo re.
T h ey tho ugh t t hey kne w him;C ars on h a dpointed him out to  t h e m,  so they 
weres ur et here was  n o m ista k e , eve n wh e nhe decla red th e re  w as.

Th ey  had m ad e t hei r mis t akenatura lly. The  Duke had been stand i ng close
by C h ip M er r iwel l,on a street  cor n er,when Ca rso n  hadindic at e dt he
latter; they had  s implylooke d at the wron g man when C a rson was  tal k in g .

They knew w hat w as expecte d  of them . Whe n they h ad forced i ntoxicat ion 
on  th eir p ri soner, they w e r e to  d epart,and  leavehim  in  th e P av ilion,
to  be seen  t he re  b y C olone l  Gunn an dany  o the rs wh o  chanc ed to  bewi th the  colone l .T heyfo un d th e c ar ds in tere s tin g, andthe liquo r m o re s o.  T hey had  not
intended  t o light th elam p they f ound onthe table; but decidedt o do
so  wh en th eircaution b eca me les s a c tive.They c ouldn ’t  se e to pl a y 
w ith ou t a light, a ndstake swere  then o n the table.

Howl ong  they playedthe y di d no t k n ow ,  bu tt hey w ent very speedi ly to
thebo t to m of the l i quo rbottle.  They b egant o quarr el, eachaccusingth e ot h e r o f cheating . Drawin g a knife ,  onel un ged a t t he oth er  wi th
it , acro s s t he ta ble; t he  other  rose  a nd flung  back to avoid the blow .

The  tabl e w as overtu rne d  wi th a cras h, a nd the lam p w ent  to t hef loor; 
its ha tte r ed, a nd t h e kerosen e  c aug h t  f rom the bur n i n g w ick.Ina 
momen t th e room was filled with flames.
Stun n e d f ora n in st ant by what th rea te n e d, theyma de a feeble  attempt 
t o  figh t outthe fi re; the n th e y thre w op enthe door
, its_pack of
cards,_and the bottle of_whisky that_was_on it.

That_whisky_had been furnished_by Bully Carson;_and their prisoner,
according to_Carson’s directions, was_to_be drugged with it; but they
liked the taste and smell of the liquor too_well_to waste_it_in_that
way; they meant to drink_it themselves.

Sitting down at the_table again,_they sampled the contents of the
bottle and applied_themselves_to the cards;_the day was at its close,
and they fancied themselves_in the greatest security for an_hour or
more.

Acting up_to_Bully_Carson’s instructions, they had_waylaid the Fardale
cadet as he came_swinging up the lake on his_skates, not long before.
They thought they knew_him; Carson had pointed him out_to them, so they
were sure_there was_no mistake, even when he_declared there was.

They_had made_their mistake naturally._The Duke had been standing close
by_Chip Merriwell, on_a street corner, when Carson had_indicated_the
latter; they had_simply_looked_at the_wrong man when_Carson_was talking.

They_knew_what was expected of them. When_they_had forced intoxication
on their prisoner, they were_to depart, and leave_him_in the Pavilion,
to be_seen there by Colonel Gunn_and any others who chanced to_be with
the_colonel.

They found_the cards interesting, and the liquor more so. They had not
intended_to light the lamp they found_on the table; but_decided to_do
so_when their caution_became_less active._They couldn’t see to play
without a light,_and stakes_were then on the table.

How long_they played they did_not_know, but they went very speedily_to
the bottom of the liquor bottle._They began to quarrel, each_accusing
the_other_of cheating. Drawing a knife,_one lunged at the other with
it,_across the table;_the other rose and flung back to_avoid_the blow.

The table was overturned with_a_crash, and the lamp went to_the_floor;
it_shattered, and the kerosene caught_from the burning wick. In a
moment_the room was filled with flames.

Stunned for an instant_by what threatened,_they made a feeble attempt
to_fight_out_the fire; then they threw open the door