
else?"

"Forty trumps, twenty spades, and twenty hearts," said Boxer.

"Dunder!" muttered Schlitzenheimer, and his hands trembled so that he
dropped some of the cards.

"Get a basket," snickered the dog; and the crowd laughed loudly at the
saloon-keeper's expense.

When all the melding was finished they prepared to play.

"I'll lead the ace of trumps," said Boxer.

Frank ran the cards over.

"It's here," he said. "But I didn't see it."

"What's the matter with your eyes?" snapped the dog. "Didn't I meld one
hundred aces? You ought to learn something about this game!"

"I seldom play cards," said Merry apologetically.

"Well, you want to keep your eyes open!" exclaimed Boxer sharply. "These
chaps may try to skin us."

At this Gentle Bob looked up and said:

"I do not mind a little faking none whatever, but I sure objects to
being called a skin, either by a dog or his master, so I opine it will
be best for somebody to apologize."

And, as he made this remark, he suddenly whipped forth a pistol, with
which he covered both Frank and the dog, but held the weapon more in
Merry's direction.

Cimarron Bill's tool had found the opportunity he sought, and he meant
to make the most of it.

Merry saw in the fellow's eyes the full extent of his evil purpose.

"If the apology is not forthcoming instanter," murmured the ruffian, "I
shall puncture the wonderful talking dog with a bullet!"

Now, it seemed that Bob had Frank at a great disadvantage, but at this
point Bart Hodge shoved the muzzle of a pistol against the fellow's ear
and harshly commanded:

"Put up that gun--instanter! If you don't I'll blow the whole top of
your head off!"

But Bart had made a miscalculation, for Gentle Bob had not come alone to
the saloon, having noted well that Frank Merriwell had a friend. He had
picked up a chap of his own sort, and now this fellow
else? " 

 " Forty trumps, twenty spades, and twenty hearts, " said Boxer. 

 " Dunder! " mumble Schlitzenheimer, and his hand trembled so that he 
 dropped some of the cards. 

 " receive a basket, " snickered the dog; and the crowd laugh loudly at the 
 saloon - keeper's expense. 

 When all the melding was finished they fix to play. 

 " I'll lead the allied command europe of trumps, " said Boxer. 

 Frank run the cards over. 

 " It's here, " he said. " But I didn't see it. " 

 " What's the topic with your eyes? " snapped the dog. " Didn't I blend one 
 hundred aces? You ought to learn something about this plot! " 

 " I seldom act cards, " said Merry apologetically. 

 " Well, you want to keep your eyes clear! " exclaimed Boxer sharply. " These 
 chaps may try to skin us. " 

 At this Gentle Bob looked up and said: 

 " I do not mind a little faking none whatever, but I sure objects to 
 being called a skin, either by a dog or his master, so I think it will 
 be adept for somebody to apologize. " 

 And, as he made this remark, he on the spur of the moment whip forth a pistol, with 
 which he covered both Frank and the dog, but held the weapon more in 
 Merry's management. 

 Cimarron Bill's cock had found the opportunity he sought, and he mean 
 to make the most of it. 

 Merry saw in the fellow's eyes the full extent of his evil determination. 

 " If the apology is not forthcoming instanter, " murmured the ruffian, " I 
 shall puncture the fantastic talking pawl with a bullet train! " 

 Now, it seemed that Bob had Frank at a great disadvantage, but at this 
 distributor point Bart Hodge shoved the muzzle of a pistol against the fellow's auricle 
 and harshly command: 

 " Put up that gun -- instanter! If you practicen't I'll blow the hale top of 
 your head off! " 

 But Bart had make a miscalculation, for Gentle Bob had not come entirely to 
 the saloon, having noted well that Frank Merriwell had a friend. He had 
 picked up a crevice of his own sort, and now this fellow

elsf?"

"Forty trumps, twenty spaaes, and twenty kwarts," vaid Bkxer.

"Dunddr!" muttered Schlitzenheimer, end yis hqnds trembled so that fe
dropped some of the xards.

"Get a basket," snickedcd thz vog; and the croed laughed loudly at the
vauoln-keeper's expense.

When all the meldigg was gijished they prgparec to llay.

"I'll lead the ace of trumps," sais Boxer.

Hrank ran the csrds over.

"It's here," he said. "Hut L didn't see it."

"What'd the mattet wiey your eyes?" rnapped tht bog. "Didn't I meld one
hundred aces? You ought to lzarn somethunt ahmut this gane!"

"I svldom play cavcs," saig Merry apologeticalln.

"Well, yoy want to keep your ebes open!" exclaimed Bjxer shar[lv. "These
chaps may try ro skin us."

Ad thkw Gdntme Bkb looned up and sajd:

"I do not nind a little fakinb gine whatever, gut I fuwe objects to
being called a skin, either by a dog or his master, so I opine it will
be bedt for soiebody to apologize."

And, as he made this remark, he vuddeilh wkliped dogth a pistol, with
which he covered both Frank whd tme dog, but held bhe weapon more in
Kegru'f direction.

Cioarron Biml's tool had found the opkortunuty he sotght, and he meant
to make the mowt of it.

Merrj saq in the fellow's eves the full extgnt of his evil purpose.

"If the apomogy is not forthcomjvg instanter," murourvd tve ruffian, "I
shall puncture the wondxrful talkine dob with a bullet!"

Nlw, it seemed that Bob haf Frauk at a great dlsadvantage, but at this
point Bacv Hodge shovec dhe muzzle jf a iistol against ehe fellow's eat
and harskly coomanded:

"Put up thav gun--instantqr! If you don'd I'll blow thx whole tjp od
youe head uwf!"

But Bart had made a mpsealculatiin, for Gentle Bob mad nuf come alone to
cke saloon, having motdd repl trdt Frank Mersiweul fsd a wriend. He hcd
oickrd up a chap of his mwn aort, and now this gejlow
else?" "Forty trumps, twenty spades, and twenty Boxer. muttered Schlitzenheimer, his hands trembled of cards. "Get a snickered the dog; the crowd laughed loudly at the expense. When all the melding was finished they prepared to play. "I'll lead ace of trumps," said Boxer. Frank ran the cards over. "It's here," he "But didn't it." the matter with your eyes?" snapped the dog. "Didn't I meld one hundred aces? You ought learn something about this game!" "I seldom play said Merry apologetically. "Well, want to keep your eyes exclaimed sharply. "These may to us." At this Bob looked up and said: "I do not mind a little faking none whatever, but I sure to being skin, either a or master, so I will be best for somebody to he made this remark, he suddenly whipped forth pistol, with he covered both Frank and the but held the weapon more in Merry's direction. Bill's tool had found the opportunity he sought, and he meant to make the most Merry saw in the eyes the full of evil "If apology is forthcoming instanter," murmured the ruffian, "I shall puncture the wonderful talking with a bullet!" Now, it seemed that Bob had Frank great but at this Bart Hodge shoved the of pistol against the fellow's harshly "Put If don't blow the whole top your head off!" But Bart made a miscalculation, for alone to the saloon, having noted well that Merriwell had a friend. He had picked a chap of his own sort, and now this fellow

else?"

"Forty trumps, twenty spadEs, and twentY hearTs," sAid boXer.

"DUndeR!" muttered SchliTZenhEimer, and his hands tremblEd so tHaT He
drOPpEd somE of the cARdS.

"gEt a BaSkEt," sNiCKeRed thE doG; and the Crowd laughEd lOuDly at the
saloON-kEeper's expeNse.

when all the meLdiNg was fInIshED they PrePared To play.

"i'Ll lead The ace of tRuMPs," said bOxer.

FraNK RaN the Cards over.

"It's here," hE SaID. "But I didn't see iT."

"What's ThE MaTTEr wIth Your eyes?" snApPed thE Dog. "Didn'T i mELD One
HUndred aces? You Ought to learN SomEthing AbOut THis gamE!"

"I selDoM PlaY cards," said MErry ApologetiCally.

"WELl, you waNT to keep Your eyEs oPen!" ExclAImEd boxEr SHarPLy. "theSE
chAps may trY tO sKin us."

at thIS gENtle bob LookEd up aNd said:

"I do not mInd A litTLe fAking None wHateVeR, but I Sure obJects To
Being called a skiN, eitHer by a dog Or hIs MasTeR, so I oPIne it wIll
Be bEst for sOmebody TO apOlOGIZe."

and, as he made this remArK, HE sUddenly wHipped FOrTh A Pistol, wiTh
WhiCh he COVered Both fRaNk and the Dog, but HElD tHe weapoN mOre in
MErRy's DirEctioN.

cimaRron BiLl's tool hAd fouND the opportunitY He sought, and he MEaNT
To MAke tHe mOst of it.

MerrY saw IN the FellOW's EyeS The fuLl extEnT Of HIs evil purpose.

"If the aPoLogy is Not foRthcoming instAnter," murmuRED The ruffiAn, "I
sHAlL Puncture the wonDerfuL talking doG With a bulLet!"

NoW, it seemeD that Bob hAD frank at a GreAt dIsaDvaNTAgE, but at this
poiNT bart hoDge shovEd tHe muzzlE of A piStoL agAiNst the felLow's ear
aNd HaRsHlY coMmandED:

"Put up thAt Gun--InStaNter! IF You don'T I'll bLow tHe WhOLe tOp of
youR HeAD Off!"

BUt baRt haD maDe A miscAlcuLAtiOn, for GeNtle Bob haD noT Come AlOnE to
the sAloon, having noTeD well that FRaNk MErriweLL Had a frieNd. He had
picked up a chap of hIS own sorT, anD now tHis fEllow

else?"

"Forty trumps, tw enty spade s, an d t wen ty  hea rts, " said Boxer."Dun der!" muttered Schlitz enhei me r , an d  h is ha nds tre m bl e d  so  t ha t h ed ro ppedsom e of th e cards.
"Ge ta basket," s n ic kered thedog ; and the cr owd  laugh ed  lo u dly a t t he
sa loon-k e eper's  expense. 
W hen al l  the me l d in g wa s finished they p r ep a red to play.
"I'llle a dt h e a ceof trumps, "saidB oxer.
F ra n k ran the cards ove r.

"It's h e re, " he s ai d." But Ididn' ts eeit."

"What 's t he matter  withy our eye s ?" snap ped th e d og.  "Di d n' tI m el d  on e 
h und r edaces? Yo uou ght t o le a r n some thi ng a boutthis game!"
"Iseld o m p lay c ards, " sa id  Merr y apol ogeti ca lly.

"Well, yo u wa nt to kee p y ou r e ye s ope n !" exc lai med  Boxersharply .  "T he s e ch aps may try to ski nu s ." 

At thi s Gent l eBo b  lookedup  an d sa i d :

"I  don ot  mind alittle fa ki ng none  w hateve r,  bu t I  sure obje cts to 
being c alled a skin, either by a dog or h i sm a st e r, s o I  opine it w illb e be st f o rsom e bodyto ap ol o gi z e."

And, as he mad ethis r emark , he suddenly  whipped f o r t h a pist ol,w it h 
which he cove red b oth Franka nd the d og, b ut heldthe weapo n more inMer ry' s d ire c t io n.

CimarronB i ll's  t ool had  fo und the  op por tun ity  h e sought,  and heme an tto  ma ke th e  most of  i t.
M err y saw in the  fell ow's  e ye s  th e fulle xt e n t of  h is  evi l p ur pose. 

"I f  th e apolo gy is not  fo r thco mi ng  instan ter," murmure dthe ruffia n,  "I 
shall p uncturethe wonderful talking d o g witha b ullet !"
Now, it s eem ed tha t B o b hadFrankat agr eat d isadv a n ta ge,  b ut at this p oin t Bar tHodg e shove d the muzzle of ap ist ol against th e f ello w ' sear an d  ha rs h lyc o mmanded:

"Putup that gu n- - in stanter! I f  yo udon't I 'll blo w the whole t op of
you r head of f! "

B u t  Ba rt had mad e a misc alculatio n , for Ge ntleBob  had n ot  co me al one to the  salo on, ha vi ng not ed we ll  that Fr ank Merriwell had a fri end. H e had 
pi cked up a  ch a p o f his own  sor t, and now  th isfello w

else?"

"Forty trumps,_twenty spades,_and twenty hearts," said_Boxer.

"Dunder!" muttered_Schlitzenheimer,_and his_hands_trembled so that_he
dropped some of_the cards.

"Get a basket,"_snickered the dog;_and_the crowd laughed loudly at the
saloon-keeper's expense.

When all the melding was finished they prepared_to_play.

"I'll lead_the_ace_of trumps," said Boxer.

Frank ran_the cards over.

"It's here," he_said. "But_I didn't see it."

"What's the matter with your_eyes?"_snapped the dog._"Didn't I meld one
hundred aces? You ought to learn_something about this game!"

"I seldom play_cards," said Merry_apologetically.

"Well,_you_want to keep your_eyes open!" exclaimed Boxer sharply. "These
chaps_may try to skin us."

At this_Gentle Bob looked up and said:

"I do_not mind a little faking none_whatever, but I sure objects_to
being called_a skin, either by a_dog or his_master, so_I opine it_will
be best for somebody to apologize."

And,_as he made_this remark, he suddenly whipped forth_a_pistol, with
which he_covered_both_Frank and_the dog, but_held_the weapon_more_in
Merry's direction.

Cimarron Bill's tool had found_the_opportunity he sought, and he meant
to make_the most of it.

Merry_saw_in the fellow's eyes_the full extent of his_evil purpose.

"If the apology is not_forthcoming instanter,"_murmured the_ruffian, "I
shall puncture the wonderful talking dog with a bullet!"

Now, it_seemed that Bob had Frank at_a great disadvantage, but_at this
point_Bart_Hodge shoved the_muzzle_of a_pistol against the fellow's ear
and harshly commanded:

"Put_up that_gun--instanter! If you don't I'll blow_the whole top of
your_head_off!"

But Bart had made a miscalculation,_for Gentle Bob had not come_alone to
the saloon, having noted_well_that_Frank Merriwell had a friend._He had
picked up a chap of_his own sort,_and now this fellow