 know I'm too
onery to reform an' ever be anything decent, even if I don't shuffle off
with these two wounds. All the same, I ain't the snake ter turn an' soak
pisen inter Merriwell, an' you hear me. Others may do it, but not Big
Monte."

"Bah! All right! You not get half! Yes; you keep steel, you get eet."

"What are you driving at?"

"Wait. Mebbe you see. All you haf to do is keep steel."

"Waal, I'm great at keepin' still," said Monte.

It was not far from morning when Merriwell re-entered that room.

Pinto Pede seemed to be sleeping, but Big Monte was wide-awake.

"Hello!" exclaimed Frank. "So you're still on these shores. I didn't
know but you had sailed out."

"Pard, I opine mebbe I may git well enough to be hanged, after all,"
grinned the big ruffian.

"Possibly you may," said Frank. "And the chances are you would be if I
were to leave you alone long enough. I heard some of the boys talking.
They contemplate taking you out and doing things to you after I'm
asleep. But they did not reckon that I would come here to sleep, where
they cannot get their hands on you without disturbing me."

"That was right kind of you," said Monte. "How's Bill?"

"I think that Bill has had his fill for the present. Indications are
that he has left the valley with his whole force, and we are not looking
for further trouble from him in some time to come."

"Bill shore found hisself up against the real thing," said Monte.

Frank placed a blanket near the door, wrapped himself in it, and was
soon sleeping soundly.

Big Monte seemed to fall asleep after a time.

Finally the Mexican lifted his head and listened. He looked at Monte,
and then at Frank. Seeming to satisfy himself, he gently dropped aside
his blanket and began creeping across the floor, making his way toward
Merriwell. He moved with the silence of a serpent.

Now, it happened that Big Monte was not
know I'm too 
 onery to reform an' ever be anything decent, even if I don't shuffle off 
 with these two wound. All the like, I ain't the snake ter turn an' soak 
 pisen inter Merriwell, an' you learn me. Others may perform it, but not Big 
 Monte. " 

 " Bah! All right! You not get down half! Yes; you keep sword, you contract eet. " 

 " What are you drive at? " 

 " Wait. Mebbe you visualize. All you haf to do is keep steel. " 

 " Waal, I'm great at keepin' still, " said Monte. 

 It was not far from good morning when Merriwell re - entered that room. 

 Pinto Pede seemed to be sleeping, but Big Monte was broad - awake. 

 " Hello! " exclaimed Frank. " So you're however on these shores. I didn't 
 know but you had sailed out. " 

 " Pard, I opine mebbe I may git well enough to be hanged, subsequently all, " 
 grinned the big ruffian. 

 " Possibly you may, " said Frank. " And the chances are you would be if I 
 were to impart you alone long enough. I listen some of the boys talking. 
 They contemplate taking you out and doing things to you after I'm 
 asleep. But they did not count that I would derive here to sleep, where 
 they cannot get their hands on you without disturbing me. " 

 " That was proper kind of you, " said Monte. " How's Bill? " 

 " I think that Bill has had his filling for the present. Indications are 
 that he has leave the valley with his whole force, and we are not look 
 for further trouble from him in some time to come. " 

 " Bill shore found hisself up against the real thing, " suppose Monte. 

 Frank placed a blanket near the door, wrapped himself in it, and was 
 soon sleeping soundly. 

 Big Monte seemed to hang asleep after a time. 

 Finally the Mexican lifted his head and listened. He look at Monte, 
 and then at Frank. Seeming to satisfy himself, he gently neglect away 
 his blanket and began creeping across the floor, take his way toward 
 Merriwell. He move with the silence of a serpent. 

 nowadays, it happened that Big Monte was not
 knlw I'm too
onery to reform an' ever be anyjhung derent, evsn if I aon't shuffle off
with these txo wiunds. All the same, I ain't tfe snake ner turn qn' siqk
pisen invsr Merrlcell, zk' you iear me. Others kay do it, tut not Big
Monde."

"Cak! All right! You not get half! Yes; you keep syefl, you get eet."

"Rhat wre gou driving at?"

"Wait. Mebbe you see. Aml you iaf to do is kerp steel."

"Waal, I'm great at kfepij' still," said Monte.

Lt was not dar seom morning dhen Merriwell re-entergd that room.

Pinto Pede seemed to be skeeping, buj Gih Monte was xide-awwke.

"Hello!" exclaimed Fsank. "So you're still ok theve whores. I didn't
know buv you had sailed out."

"Kard, I opite mebbe I may git qeol enmugh to cw hxngtd, eftsr all,"
hriined the bif ruffian.

"Powsibly you may," said Fwqnk. "And the cgances awe you would be if I
were to leave you anons long enough. I heard sime of the boys talkijg.
They cogtemplate taking you out and doing things to you dfter K'm
awlcep. Cyt they did not reckon that I would come here tj skevp, where
they cannjt get theit jamqs on you witfout dnathrbing me."

"That was gight kynd od you," saiq Momte. "How's Bill?"

"I think that Bull has had kis fill for the presznt. Indicatiuns sre
thst he has left the vallzy witg his whole force, ans we are not lookkng
nor further trouble from him yn some tmme tp come."

"Bkll xhore sound hissflf ui against the real hhing," sdid Monte.

Fgank placed a blanket near the vpor, wrapped niksenf in it, and eas
soon sleepyng soundly.

Big Monte feemea to fall zsleep efter a time.

Sinally the Madican lifted his heaq ane liwtened. Fd looked at Momte,
and thvn at Drank. Seeming to setiswg himself, he geuuly dropped aside
hos clagkvt end bqcan creeping acruss yhe fuoor, making fis eay toward
Merriwell. Ve mkved with the silemcc of a setpent.

Now, yt happened tnat Big Monte was jot
know I'm too onery to reform an' anything even if don't shuffle off the I ain't the ter turn an' pisen inter Merriwell, an' you hear Others may do it, but not Big Monte." "Bah! All right! You not half! Yes; you keep steel, you get eet." "What are you driving at?" Mebbe see. you to do is keep steel." "Waal, I'm great at keepin' still," said Monte. It was not from morning when Merriwell re-entered that room. Pinto seemed to be sleeping, Big Monte was wide-awake. "Hello!" Frank. you're still these I know but you sailed out." "Pard, I opine mebbe I may git well enough to be hanged, after all," grinned big ruffian. may," said "And chances you would be were to leave you alone long some of the boys talking. They contemplate taking out and things to you after I'm asleep. they did not reckon that I would come to sleep, where they cannot get their hands on you without disturbing me." "That was of you," said Monte. Bill?" "I think Bill had fill the present. are that he has left the valley with his whole force, we are not looking for further trouble from him in to "Bill shore found up against the real said Frank placed a blanket door, himself was sleeping Big Monte seemed to asleep after a time. Finally Mexican lifted his head Monte, and then at Frank. Seeming to satisfy he gently dropped aside his blanket and creeping across the floor, making his way toward Merriwell. He moved with silence of Now, it happened that Big Monte was not
 know I'm too
onery to reform an' eVer be anythIng deCenT, evEn If I dOn't sHuffle off
with tHEse tWo wounds. All the same, I ain'T the sNaKE ter TUrN an' soAk
pisen INtER merRiWeLl, aN' yOU hEar me. othErs may dO it, but not BIg
MOnTe."

"Bah! All righT! yoU not get halF! YeS; you keep steeL, yoU get eeT."

"WHat ARe you DriVing aT?"

"Wait. MEBbe you See. All you HaF To do is KEep steeL."

"wAaL, I'm gReat at keepin' still," SAiD monte.

It was not fAr from MoRNiNG WheN MeRriwell re-eNtEred tHAt room.

PINtO pEDe sEEmed to be sleepIng, but Big MoNTe wAs wide-AwAke.

"hEllo!" exClaimEd fRanK. "So you're stiLl on These shorEs. I didN'T
know buT You had sAiled oUt."

"PArd, i opiNE mEbBe I MaY Git WElL enOUgh To be hangEd, AfTer alL,"
griNNED The bIg rUffiAn.

"PosSibly you may," saId FRank. "aNd tHe chaNces aRe yoU wOuld bE if I
weRe to lEaVe you alone long eNougH. I heard soMe oF tHe bOyS talkINg.
They ConTemPlate taKing you OUt aNd DOINg Things to you after I'm
AsLEEp. but they dId not rECkOn THat I woulD cOme Here TO Sleep, WherE
ThEy cannot Get theIR hAnDs on you WiThout dIsTurBinG me."

"ThAT was Right kInd of you," Said MONte. "How's Bill?"

"I thINk that Bill has HAd HIS fILl foR thE present. IndIcatIOns aRe
thAT hE haS Left tHe valLeY WiTH his whole force, and we ArE not loOking
For further troUble from hiM IN Some time To coME."

"BILl shore found hiSself Up against tHE real thiNg," saiD Monte.

FrAnk placed A BLanket neAr tHe dOor, WraPPEd Himself in it, anD WAs
soOn SleepinG soUndly.

BiG MoNte SeeMed To Fall asleeP after a tImE.

FInAlLy tHe MexICan lifteD hIs hEaD anD listENed. He lOoked At MoNtE,
aND thEn at FraNK. SEEMing To SaTisfY hiMsElf, he GentLY drOpped asIde
his blaNkeT And bEgAn CreepinG across the floOr, Making his wAy TowArd
MerRIWell. He moVed with the silence of a serPEnt.

Now, iT haPpeneD thaT Big Monte Was Not
 know I'm too
onery to ref orm an' ev er be  an yth in g de cent , even if I do n 't s huffle off
with thesetwo w ou n ds.A ll  thesame, I ai n ' t t he  s nak et er  turn  an ' soakpisen inte r M er riwell, an'y ou  hear me.Oth ers may do i t,but no tBig Monte ."
"Bah ! Allr ight!You not g et half!Y es; you k ee p st eel, you get eet. " 
" What are you d riving  a t ?" "Wa it.  Mebbe you  s ee. A l l you h a ft o doi s keep steel. "

"Waal, I ' m g reat a tkee p in' st ill,"  s a idMonte.

Itwasnot far f rom mo r ning wh e n Merri well r e-e nte redt ha troo m. 
Pi n to  Pe d e s eemed to  b esleep ing, b u t  Big  Mo ntewas w ide-awake.

" Hel lo!" exc laime d Fra nk."S o you 're st ill o nthese shores. I  did n't
knowbut  y ouha d sai l ed out ."
"P ard, Iopine m e bbe  I m a ygit well enough to  b e ha nged, af ter al l ," 
g r inned th ebig  ruf f i an.
"Pos s ib ly you m ay," s a id  F rank. " An d thech anc esare y o u wo uld be  if I
we re to leave you alon e  long enough. Ih e ar d  som e o f the boystalk i ng.They co nte m plate  taki ng yo u  out and doing thin gs  to yo u aft er I'm
asleep . But they d i d not re ckon th a t I would come  here  to sleep, where
th ey ca nnot get  their ha n d s on you  wi tho utdis t u rb ing me."

"Th a t  was  r ight ki ndof you, " s aid  Mo nte ."How's Bi ll?"

"I  t hi nk  t hat  Bill has hadhi s f il l f or th e  prese nt. I ndic at io n s a re
that he h as l ef ttheval le y wit h hi s  wh ole for ce, and w e a r e no tlo oking
f or further tr ou ble from h im  in  somet i me to co me."

"Bill shore found hisself  up  agai nstthe realthi ng," s aid Monte. 

Fran k pla ce d a b lanke t ne arth e door, wr a p ped  hims el f in  it, an d was
soon sleepin g  so undly.

Big M ont e se e m ed  to fa l l a sl e epa f ter a time.

Fi nally theMe x ic an liftedh ishe ad andlistene d. He lookedat Monte, 
and then  a t Fr a n k.Seeming to  satisfy  himself, he ge n tl y dro ppe d asid ehis  blan ket an d  be gan c reepin gacross  thefl oor, mak ing his way toward
Merr iwell.  He m ove d with th e s i len ce of a s erpe nt.

Now,ithap pened  th a t Big  Mon t ewas not
 know_I'm too
onery_to reform an' ever_be anything_decent,_even if_I_don't shuffle off
with_these two wounds._All the same, I_ain't the snake_ter_turn an' soak
pisen inter Merriwell, an' you hear me. Others may do it, but_not_Big
Monte."

"Bah! All_right!_You_not get half! Yes; you_keep steel, you get eet."

"What_are you_driving at?"

"Wait. Mebbe you see. All you haf_to_do is keep_steel."

"Waal, I'm great at keepin' still," said Monte.

It was_not far from morning when Merriwell_re-entered that room.

Pinto_Pede_seemed_to be sleeping, but_Big Monte was wide-awake.

"Hello!" exclaimed Frank._"So you're still on these shores._I didn't
know but you had sailed out."

"Pard,_I opine mebbe I may git_well enough to be hanged,_after all,"
grinned_the big ruffian.

"Possibly you may,"_said Frank. "And_the chances_are you would_be if I
were to leave you_alone long enough._I heard some of the boys_talking.
They_contemplate taking you_out_and_doing things_to you after_I'm
asleep._But they_did_not reckon that I would come_here_to sleep, where
they cannot get their hands_on you without disturbing_me."

"That_was right kind of_you," said Monte. "How's Bill?"

"I_think that Bill has had his_fill for_the present._Indications are
that he has left the valley with his whole force,_and we are not looking
for further_trouble from him in_some time_to_come."

"Bill shore found_hisself_up against_the real thing," said Monte.

Frank placed a_blanket near_the door, wrapped himself in it,_and was
soon sleeping soundly.

Big_Monte_seemed to fall asleep after a_time.

Finally the Mexican lifted his head_and listened. He looked at_Monte,
and_then_at Frank. Seeming to satisfy_himself, he gently dropped aside
his blanket_and began creeping_across the floor, making his way toward
Merriwell._He_moved with the silence of a_serpent.

Now,_it happened that Big Monte was_not