 forward, saying, in a very quiet
voice and polite manner, that he would be pleased to enter the game.

Now, with the exception of Frank and Bart, all knew that Bob was a very
bad man to offend, and so they were willing enough that he should play,
and it was soon arranged.

Frank was keen enough to see in what manner the ruffianly looking fellow
with the quiet voice was regarded, and, as he was not in Holbrook in
search of a quarrel, he raised no dissent. However, he gave Hodge a look
that Bart understood, and the silent youth nodded. From that moment Bart
watched Gentle Bob closely.

The crowd drew about the table, eager to witness a game of cards in
which a dog took part.

Merry sat on a short bench, with Boxer at his side. The cards were cut,
and the deal fell to Schlitzenheimer.

"Be careful, Dutchy," advised Boxer. "We're watching you, and you'd
better not try any slick tricks."

"Eferything on der lefel shall pe," assured the saloon-keeper, pulling
at his long pipe.

O'Grady was likewise smoking, and his pipe contrasted ludicrously with
that of Schlitzenheimer.

When the cards were dealt, it fell the dog's turn to meld first. Frank
spread out the cards and held them in front of Boxer's nose.

"I will meld one hundred aces," said the dog. "Put 'em down, Frank."

Merry did so.

"Sixty queens," called Boxer, and Merry spread them out.

"Lally ka lolly loka!" chattered Sing Lee, or something like that;
whereupon Boxer seemed to fix the Chinaman with a scornful stare, and
observed:

"You ought to take something for that. It must be painful."

"Gleatee Sklot!" gasped the Celestial. "Dogee hab a debbil!" And he
backed away.

"That's right," said Boxer. "I like you a long distance off, the longer
the distance the better I like you."

"Pay attention to the game," said Frank. "Are you going to meld anything
forward, saying, in a very quiet 
 voice and civilized manner, that he would be pleased to record the game. 

 Now, with the exception of Frank and Bart, all knew that Bob was a very 
 regretful man to offend, and so they were uncoerced enough that he should act, 
 and it was soon arrange. 

 Frank was keen enough to see in what manner the ruffianly look fellow 
 with the quiet voice was regarded, and, as he was not in Holbrook in 
 search of a quarrel, he raised no dissent. However, he contribute Hodge a look 
 that Bart understood, and the silent young nodded. From that moment Bart 
 watched Gentle Bob closely. 

 The crowd draw about the table, eager to witness a game of cards in 
 which a dog took function. 

 Merry sat on a short bench, with Boxer at his side. The cards were ignore, 
 and the deal fell to Schlitzenheimer. 

 " Be careful, Dutchy, " advised Boxer. " We're watching you, and you'd 
 better not try any slick tricks. " 

 " Eferything on der lefel shall pe, " assured the saloon - keeper, pull 
 at his long pipe. 

 O'Grady was likewise smoke, and his pipe contrasted ludicrously with 
 that of Schlitzenheimer. 

 When the poster were dealt, it fell the dog's turn to canasta first. Frank 
 spread out the cards and held them in front of Boxer's nose. 

 " I will meld one hundred aces, " said the dog. " Put'em down, Frank. " 

 Merry did therefore. 

 " Sixty queens, " call Boxer, and Merry spread them out. 

 " Lally ka lolly loka! " chattered Sing Lee, or something like that; 
 whereupon Boxer seemed to fix the Chinaman with a scornful stare, and 
 watch: 

 " You ought to take something for that. It must be painful. " 

 " Gleatee Sklot! " gasped the Celestial. " Dogee hab a debbil! " And he 
 second off. 

 " That's right, " said Boxer. " I wish you a long distance off, the longer 
 the distance the better I like you. " 

 " Pay attention to the plot, " said Frank. " Are you going to meld anything
 fogward, saying, in a very qmiet
voice and polite mainer, thzt he wojld be pleased to enter the jame.

Bow, wuth the exception of Ffank and Hart, all knex that Bob was a very
bad man tk offznv, and so they wgre willing anough that he sfobld play,
and it was soon arranged.

Franh was krej enough to seg in erat janner the ruffianly looking fellos
with tie quiet voice eas regarded, and, as he was not in Holbrook in
seagch of a quqrrej, he raised nu dissent. However, he gzve Hodge a look
that Bart underrtood, and the sulwnt iouth nodded. From that moment Bart
watwhed Gemtle Bob closeky.

Tie ceowd drew about the teble, eager to witnesf a game mf cards in
which a eot toon past.

Mefey rat oi a short beich, with Boser at his wide. The cards were ctn,
snd the deal fell eo Schlitzenheimer.

"Be careful, Dutchy," advistd Boser. "We're watching you, abd you'd
better not try any slich tricks."

"Eferything on der lefel shall pe," assured dhe seluon-jecper, pupling
at his long pipe.

O'Grady was likewise smokyhg, akd his pipe contvasted ludicrously wltn
jhat of Schliteenheimzd.

Wgen the cards were dealt, yt feol the dod's tirn to meld first. Frank
spreqd out the ccrdw and held them in front of Buxer'x nosr.

"I will meld one hundreb aces," said the dlg. "Put 'em aown, Frank."

Merry aid sm.

"Sixty queens," called Boxer, and Merrb sprzad them out.

"Kally ha lolly llka!" cmdttered Sing Lee, og somgthing like that;
ahereupon Boxer seemed to fix tix Chinaman wijh d sbornful scare, akd
observed:

"You otght to take spmethiny for ghat. It muat be peinful."

"Gleateq Sklot!" gaspeg the Celestiel. "Dogee rab q devbil!" Ana he
backed away.

"Yhat's rigku," said Boxwr. "I like you a lokg dirfance off, the lingtr
rhe distance tne ceteeg I lyne you."

"Pay atdentkon yo thd game," said Wranl. "Are you going to mald znything
forward, saying, in a very quiet voice manner, he would pleased to enter exception Frank and Bart, knew that Bob a very bad man to offend, so they were willing enough that he should play, and it was soon Frank was keen enough to see in what manner the ruffianly looking fellow the voice regarded, as he was not in Holbrook in search of a quarrel, he raised no dissent. However, gave Hodge a look that Bart understood, and silent youth nodded. From moment Bart watched Gentle Bob The drew about table, to a game of in which a dog took part. Merry sat on a short bench, with Boxer at his side. cards were the deal to "Be Dutchy," advised Boxer. you, and you'd better not try "Eferything on der lefel shall pe," assured the pulling at long pipe. O'Grady was likewise smoking, his pipe contrasted ludicrously with that of Schlitzenheimer. the cards were dealt, it fell the dog's turn to meld first. Frank spread out and held them in of Boxer's nose. will one aces," the dog. 'em down, Frank." Merry did so. "Sixty queens," called Boxer, and spread them out. "Lally ka lolly loka!" chattered Sing Lee, like whereupon Boxer seemed fix the Chinaman with scornful and observed: "You ought something that. painful." Sklot!" the Celestial. "Dogee hab debbil!" And he backed away. right," said Boxer. "I off, the longer the distance the better I you." "Pay attention to the game," said "Are you going to meld anything
 forward, saying, in a very quiet
Voice and poLite mAnnEr, tHaT he wOuld Be pleased to entER the Game.

Now, with the exceptioN of FrAnK And BARt, All knEw that BOB wAS A veRy
BaD maN tO OfFend, aNd sO they weRe willing eNouGh That he should PLaY,
and it was sOon Arranged.

FranK waS keen eNoUgh TO see iN whAt manNer the RUffianLy looking FeLLow
witH The quieT VOiCe waS regarded, and, as he wAS nOT in Holbrook in
sEarch oF a QUaRREl, hE raIsed no dissEnT. HoweVEr, he gavE hoDGE A loOK
that Bart undeRstood, and thE SilEnt youTh NodDEd. From That mOmENt BArt
watched GEntlE Bob closeLy.

The cROwd drew ABout the Table, eAgeR to WitnESs A gAme Of CArdS In
WhiCH a dOg took paRt.

meRry saT on a SHORT benCh, wIth BOxer aT his side. The caRds Were CUt,
aNd the Deal fEll tO SChlitZenheiMer.

"Be CaReful, Dutchy," adviSed BOxer. "We're wAtcHiNg yOu, And yoU'D
betteR noT trY any sliCk trickS."

"efeRyTHINg On der lefel shall pe," aSsUREd The salooN-keepeR, PuLlINg
at his lOnG piPe.

O'GRADy was LikeWIsE smoking, And his PIpE cOntrastEd LudicrOuSly WitH
that OF SchLitzenHeimer.

WhEn the CArds were dealt, iT Fell the dog's tuRN tO MElD FirsT. FrAnk
spread ouT the CArds And hELd TheM In froNt of BOxER's NOse.

"I will meld one hundReD aces," sAid thE dog. "Put 'em down, frank."

Merry DID So.

"Sixty qUeenS," CaLLed Boxer, and MerRy sprEad them out.

"lAlly ka loLly loKa!" chatteRed Sing LeE, OR somethiNg lIke ThaT;
whEREuPon Boxer seemeD TO fix ThE ChinamAn wIth a scoRnfUl sTarE, anD
oBserved:

"YoU ought to TaKe SoMeThiNg for THat. It musT bE paInFul."

"gleatEE Sklot!" GaspeD the ceLeSTiaL. "Dogee hAB a DEBbil!" anD hE
bacKed AwAy.

"ThaT's riGHt," sAid BoxeR. "I like you A loNG disTaNcE off, the Longer
the distAnCe the betteR I LikE you."

"PaY ATtention To the game," said Frank. "Are yoU Going to MelD anytHing
 forward, saying, in a ver y quiet
vo ice a ndpol it e ma nner , that he woul d  bepleased to enter the g ame.
N o w, w i th  theexcepti o no f  Fr an kand  B a rt , all  kn ew that  Bob was a  ve ry 
bad man too ff end, and s o t hey were wil lin g enou gh  th a t hesho uld p lay,
a n d it w as soon a rr a nged.Frank w a s  k eenenough to see inw ha t  manner the ru ffianl yl oo k i ngfel low
with t he  quie t  voicew as r e gar d ed, and, as h e was not i n  Ho lbrook  i n
s e arch o f a q ua r rel , he raised  nodissent.Howeve r , he ga v e Hodge  a loo k
t hat  Bar t  u nd ers to o d,a nd  th e  si lent you th  n odded . Fr o m t hatmom entBartwatched Gentl e B ob c l ose ly.
The c rowd  d rew a bout t he ta bl e, eager to wit ness  a game o f c ar dsin 
whic h  a dog  to okpart.
Merry s a t o na s ho rt bench, with Box er a this side . Thec ar ds were cut ,and  the d eal f ellt oSchlitze nheime r .
" Be care fu l, Dut ch y,"  ad vised Boxe r. "We 're watc hingy ou, and you'db etter not try an y sl i ck t ric ks."

"Efer ythi n g on  der le fel shall  pe,"  a s su r ed the saloon-keepe r,  pulli ng
at  his long pip e.

O'Grad y w as likew ises mo k ing, and his p ipe c ontrastedl udicrous ly wi th
thatof Schlit z e nheimer. 

W hen  th e c a r ds  were dealt,i t  fel lthe dog 'sturn to  me ldfir st.  F rank
spre ad out t he  c ar ds  an d hel d  them in  f ron tofBoxer ' s nose .

"I  wil lme l d o ne hund r ed a ces, "sa id t hedo g. "P ut ' e m d own, Fr ank."

Me rry didso .
"Sixty  queens," cal le d Boxer, a nd  Me rry sp r e ad themout.

"Lally ka lolly l o ka!" ch att eredSing  Lee, orsom ething  li k e that ;
wher eupon  B oxe r seeme d to  fi xthe Chinam a n  wi th asc ornf ul star e, and
observed:
" You  ought to tak e s omet h i ng  fo r  t h at.  I t  mu s t  be painful."
"Gleatee S kl o t! " gasped t h e C el estial.  "Dogee  haba  debbil !" And he 
backed a wa y.
" T hat 's right,"  said Bo xer. "I l i ke yo u  a  long  di stance  o ff,  thelonger the  dist ance t he  bette r I l ik e you."
"Pay attention to thegame,"  said  Fr ank. "Are  yo u  go ing to me ld a nything
 forward,_saying, in_a very quiet
voice and_polite manner,_that_he would_be_pleased to enter_the game.

Now, with_the exception of Frank_and Bart, all_knew_that Bob was a very
bad man to offend, and so they were willing enough_that_he should_play,
and_it_was soon arranged.

Frank was keen_enough to see in what_manner the_ruffianly looking fellow
with the quiet voice was regarded,_and,_as he was_not in Holbrook in
search of a quarrel, he raised_no dissent. However, he gave Hodge_a look
that Bart_understood,_and_the silent youth nodded._From that moment Bart
watched Gentle Bob_closely.

The crowd drew about the table,_eager to witness a game of cards_in
which a dog took part.

Merry sat_on a short bench, with_Boxer at_his side. The cards were_cut,
and the deal_fell to_Schlitzenheimer.

"Be careful, Dutchy,"_advised Boxer. "We're watching you, and_you'd
better not try_any slick tricks."

"Eferything on der lefel_shall_pe," assured the_saloon-keeper,_pulling
at_his long_pipe.

O'Grady was likewise_smoking,_and his_pipe_contrasted ludicrously with
that of Schlitzenheimer.

When the_cards_were dealt, it fell the dog's turn_to meld first. Frank
spread_out_the cards and held_them in front of Boxer's_nose.

"I will meld one hundred aces,"_said the_dog. "Put_'em down, Frank."

Merry did so.

"Sixty queens," called Boxer, and Merry spread_them out.

"Lally ka lolly loka!" chattered_Sing Lee, or something_like that;
whereupon_Boxer_seemed to fix_the_Chinaman with_a scornful stare, and
observed:

"You ought to take_something for_that. It must be painful."

"Gleatee Sklot!"_gasped the Celestial. "Dogee_hab_a debbil!" And he
backed away.

"That's right,"_said Boxer. "I like you a_long distance off, the longer
the_distance_the_better I like you."

"Pay attention_to the game," said Frank. "Are_you going to_meld anything