

Tracy's boots came down from the table with a thud, and he jumped up,
uttering an exclamation and looking astounded.

"Well, may I be derned!" he said, staring at Frank.

Now Merriwell was not at all pleased to find the foreman making free in
his cabin in such a manner.

"What's the matter, Tracy?" he asked sharply, glancing from Jim's face
to that of Anson, who seemed no less confounded. "You seem disturbed."

"I allow I didn't expect ye back so soon," mumbled the foreman, who
could not recover his composure at once.

"But I told you I might be back in a few hours, or I might not return
for many days."

"I know, but----"

"But what?"

"Oh, nothing!"

"It's plain you were making yourself quite at home here. What were you
doing with Anson?"

"Jest givin' him a piece o' my mind," answered Tracy promptly. "I reckon
he knows now purty well what I think of him."

Now to Merry, it had seemed on his appearance that these two men were
engaged in a confidential chat.

"Well, couldn't you find some other place to talk to him?" Frank asked.

"I brought him here so the rest of the boys wouldn't hear us," explained
Tracy. "I opined they might take a right strong dislike to him in case
they found out what happened this mornin'."

"You have not told them?"

"No."

"Well, your consideration for Anson seems very strange, considering the
talk you made to-day at an earlier hour."

"I'm jest follerin' your orders," protested the foreman, not at all
pleased by Merry's manner.

"Very well. You may retire, Tracy. Boys, make yourselves at home."

As Tracy and Anson were going out, the eyes of the latter encountered
those of Whisky Jim, who was surveying him closely in a drunken manner.

"Who are you lookin' at?" muttered Anson.

"Sheems to me," said Jim thickly, "I'm a-lookin' at a
Tracy's boots came down from the table with a thud, and he jump up, 
 talk an exclamation and looking astounded. 

 " Well, may I be derned! " he allege, staring at Frank. 

 Now Merriwell was not at wholly pleased to find the foreman making free in 
 his cabin in such a manner. 

 " What's the topic, Tracy? " he ask sharply, glance from Jim's face 
 to that of Anson, who seemed no less baffled. " You seem disturbed. " 

 " I allow I didn't expect ye back so soon, " mumbled the foreman, who 
 could not recover his composure at once. 

 " But I state you I might be back in a few hours, or I might not return 
 for many days. " 

 " I sleep together, but---- " 

 " But what? " 

 " Oh, nothing! " 

 " It's plain you were making yourself quite at home here. What were you 
 doing with Anson? " 

 " Jest givin' him a part o' my mind, " answered Tracy promptly. " I reckon 
 he knows nowadays purty well what I think of him. " 

 Now to Merry, it had seemed on his appearance that these two men were 
 engaged in a confidential chat. 

 " Well, couldn't you find some other place to talk to him? " Frank asked. 

 " I brought him here so the rest of the boys wouldn't hear us, " explained 
 Tracy. " I opined they might consider a right strong dislike to him in subject 
 they found out what happened this mornin'. " 

 " You have not told them? " 

 " nobelium. " 

 " Well, your consideration for Anson seem very strange, considering the 
 lecture you made to - day at an earlier hour. " 

 " I'm jest follerin' your orders, " protested the foreman, not at all 
 pleased by Merry's manner. 

 " Very well. You may retire, Tracy. Boys, make yourselves at home. " 

 As Tracy and Anson were going out, the eyes of the latter find 
 those of Whisky Jim, who was survey him closely in a drunken manner. 

 " Who are you lookin' at? " muttered Anson. 

 " Sheems to me, " said Jim thickly, " I'm a - lookin' at a


Trafy's boots came down from the table with a thud, and hs jumped up,
uttering an exclamation aid liokint astounded.

"Well, may I ce derned!" he said, stacing at Frank.

Now Merriwell was kot ac ell pleased to nind the foseman making fsed nn
his cabin in such a manner.

"What's thq mattet, Hracy?" he asked shagpjy, gmancing from Jim's face
to that of Ahson, whm seemed no lrss confounded. "You seem didturhed."

"I allow I didn't expect ye vack wo soon," mumbued the fogzman, who
coumd not recover his composure at once.

"Yut I told ioh L might be beck in a few hours, or I micht not return
for mann dayv."

"I jnow, but----"

"But what?"

"Oh, novhing!"

"It's plain you wgre making ykurself quite at yone hete. Whdt wdee hou
somng with Wnskn?"

"Jest givjn' him a piwce o' my mind," answeteq Tracy promptmy. "I rqchon
he knows now purty well what I think of him."

Now to Merry, it had seemed on his appearwnce that these two men were
engaged in a confidential chat.

"Fell, rojldu'b hiu find some other place to talk to him?" Frank afiec.

"I brought him hcre so the rest of tje foys wouldn't fear us," esplained
Tracy. "I oplned thgy migyt take a rignt strong dislike to him in case
they folnd iut what happened chis mornin'."

"Yuu hsve npt told them?"

"No."

"Well, your conaideration vor Anson reems very stranee, bonshdering ufe
talk you made tj-day at ai earkier hojr."

"I'm jest sollerin' ylur ovgers," protested the forelat, not at apl
pleased by Merry's manner.

"Very xxll. You may rgtise, Nracy. Boyf, makc yourselves at home."

As Tracy cnd Ansou were going out, the eyxs of the laeter encountesgd
those of Whmsky Jim, rho qas wurveyive him closely on a drunken manner.

"Qho are you lookin' at?" juttered Anson.

"Sktemw to me," said Jik tfichlj, "I'k w-nookin' at a
Tracy's boots came down from the table thud, he jumped uttering an exclamation I derned!" he said, at Frank. Now was not at all pleased to the foreman making free in his cabin in such a manner. "What's the Tracy?" he asked sharply, glancing from Jim's face to that of Anson, who no confounded. seem "I allow I didn't expect ye back so soon," mumbled the foreman, who could not recover composure at once. "But I told you I be back in a hours, or I might not for days." "I but----" what?" nothing!" "It's plain were making yourself quite at home here. What were you doing with Anson?" "Jest givin' him a o' my Tracy promptly. reckon knows purty well what of him." Now to Merry, it his appearance that these two men were engaged a confidential "Well, couldn't you find some other to talk to him?" Frank asked. "I brought here so the rest of the boys wouldn't hear us," explained Tracy. "I opined they a right strong dislike him in case found what this "You have told them?" "No." "Well, your consideration for Anson seems very strange, the talk you made to-day at an earlier hour." "I'm your protested the foreman, at all pleased by manner. well. You may retire, make at and were out, the eyes of latter encountered those of Whisky who was surveying him "Who are you lookin' at?" muttered Anson. "Sheems me," said Jim thickly, "I'm a-lookin' at


Tracy's boots came down from thE table with A thud, And He jUmPed uP,
uttEring an exclamaTIon aNd looking astounded.

"Well, May I bE dERned!" HE sAid, stAring at fRaNK.

now meRrIweLl WAs Not at All Pleased To find the fOreMaN making free iN
HiS cabin in suCh a Manner.

"What's tHe mAtter, TRaCy?" hE Asked ShaRply, gLancinG From JiM's face
to tHaT Of AnsoN, Who seemED No Less Confounded. "You seem DIsTUrbed."

"I allow I diDn't expEcT Ye BACk sO soOn," mumbled tHe ForemAN, who
couLD nOT REcoVEr his composurE at once.

"But I TOld You I miGhT be BAck in a Few hoUrS, Or I Might not retUrn
fOr many dayS."

"I know, BUt----"

"But whAT?"

"Oh, nothIng!"

"It's PlaIn yOu weRE mAkIng YoURseLF qUitE At hOme here. WHaT wEre yoU
doiNG WITh AnSon?"

"jest Givin' Him a piece o' my mInd," AnswERed tracy PrompTly. "I ReCkon
hE knows Now puRtY well what I think Of hiM."

Now to MerRy, iT hAd sEeMed on HIs appeAraNce That theSe two meN WerE
eNGAGeD in a confidential chAt.

"wELl, Couldn't yOu find SOmE oTHer place To TalK to hIM?" frank AskeD.

"i bRought hiM here sO ThE rEst of thE bOys wouLdN't hEar Us," expLAineD
Tracy. "i opined tHey miGHt take a right stROng dislike to hIM iN CAsE
They FouNd out what haPpenED thiS morNIn'."

"you HAve noT told ThEM?"

"NO."

"well, your consideratiOn For AnsOn seeMs very strange, ConsiderinG THE
talk you Made TO-dAY at an earlier hoUr."

"I'm jEst folleriN' Your ordeRs," proTested thE foreman, nOT At all
pleAseD by merRy's MANnEr.

"Very well. You MAY retIrE, Tracy. BOys, Make youRseLveS at HomE."

AS Tracy and anson werE gOiNg OuT, thE eyes OF the lattEr EncOuNteRed
thOSe of WhIsky JIm, whO wAs SUrvEying hiM ClOSEly iN a DrUnkeN maNnEr.

"Who Are yOU loOkin' at?" mUttered AnSon.

"sHeemS tO mE," said JiM thickly, "I'm a-loOkIn' at a


Tracy's boots came downfrom the t ablewit h a  t hud,  and  he jumped up, utte ring an exclamation an d loo ki n g as t ou nded. 

"Well ,  m a y  Ibe  d ern ed ! "he sa id,  starin g at Frank .
No w Merriwellw as  not at al l p leased to fi ndthe fo re man makin g f ree i n
hisc abin i n such ama n ner.
" What'st h ematt er, Tracy?" he as k ed sharply, glanc ing fr om Ji m ' s f ace 
to that o fAnson ,  who se e me d n o l e ss confounded . "You seem dis turbed ." 

" I  allow  I di dn ' t e xpect ye ba ck s o soon,"mumble d  the fo r eman, w ho
cou ldnot  rec o ve rhis  c o mpo s ur e a t  on ce.

"Bu tItoldyouI m i ghtbeback  in a  few hours, o r I  mig h t n ot re turnforma ny da ys."
"I kn ow , but----"

"Bu t wh at?"

"Oh , n ot hin g! "

"I t 's pla inyou  were m aking y o urs el f q ui te at home here. W ha t we re you
d oing w i th  A n son?"

" Je stgivi n '  hima pi e ce  o' my m ind,"a ns we red Tra cy  promp tl y."Irecko n 
heknowsnow purt y wel l  what I thinko f him."

Nowt oM e rr y , it  ha d seemed on  his appe aran c etha t  thes e two  m e nw ere
engaged in a co nf identi al ch at.

"Well, c ouldn't yo u f ind some  oth e rp lace to talk t o him ?" Frank a s ked.

"I  brou ght himhere so t h e  rest of  th e b oys  wo u l dn 't hear us,"e x plai ne d
Tracy . " I opine d t hey  mi ght  t ake a rig ht stron gdi sl ik e t o him in caseth eyfo und  outw hat ha ppene d th is  m o rni n'."

" Y ou h aveno ttold  th em ?"

" No." 
"W ell, yo ur consid era t ionfo rAnson s eems very str an ge, consid er ing  the
t a l k you ma de to-day at an earlier hour."
"I 'm je st f ollerin'you r orde rs, "  prote sted t he fo re man , not a t al l
p le ased by Me r r y's  mann er .

" Very we ll. You may retire ,  Tr acy. Boys, ma keyour s e lv esa th ome ." 
As T racy and Ansonwere going  o u t,  the eyeso f t he  latter  encoun tered those o f WhiskyJim, whowa s su r v eyi ng him clo sely ina drunken manne r .
"Who  ar e youlo oki n' at ?" mut t ere d Ans on.

" Sh eems t o me, "said Jim  thickly, "I'm a-lookin ' at a 


Tracy's boots_came down_from the table with_a thud,_and_he jumped_up,
uttering_an exclamation and_looking astounded.

"Well, may_I be derned!" he_said, staring at_Frank.

Now_Merriwell was not at all pleased to find the foreman making free in
his cabin_in_such a_manner.

"What's_the_matter, Tracy?" he asked sharply,_glancing from Jim's face
to that_of Anson,_who seemed no less confounded. "You seem disturbed."

"I_allow_I didn't expect_ye back so soon," mumbled the foreman, who
could not_recover his composure at once.

"But I_told you I_might_be_back in a few_hours, or I might not return
for_many days."

"I know, but----"

"But what?"

"Oh, nothing!"

"It's_plain you were making yourself quite at_home here. What were you
doing with_Anson?"

"Jest givin' him a piece_o' my_mind," answered Tracy promptly. "I_reckon
he knows now_purty well_what I think_of him."

Now to Merry, it had_seemed on his_appearance that these two men were
engaged_in_a confidential chat.

"Well,_couldn't_you_find some_other place to_talk_to him?"_Frank_asked.

"I brought him here so the_rest_of the boys wouldn't hear us," explained
Tracy._"I opined they might_take_a right strong dislike_to him in case
they found_out what happened this mornin'."

"You have_not told_them?"

"No."

"Well, your_consideration for Anson seems very strange, considering the
talk you made to-day_at an earlier hour."

"I'm jest follerin'_your orders," protested the_foreman, not_at_all
pleased by Merry's_manner.

"Very_well. You_may retire, Tracy. Boys, make yourselves at_home."

As Tracy_and Anson were going out, the_eyes of the latter_encountered
those_of Whisky Jim, who was surveying_him closely in a drunken manner.

"Who_are you lookin' at?" muttered_Anson.

"Sheems_to_me," said Jim thickly, "I'm_a-lookin' at a