 was laughing at them, as they plainly saw. This made Pinto Pede
furious, and, with a cry of rage, the Mexican snatched out a knife,
flung himself forward on his knees, clutched the captive's throat and
seemed about to finish him.

Quick as a flash, Merriwell had seized Pede's wrist, which he gave a
twist that made the bones crack and brought a yell from the yellow-faced
fellow's lips. The knife dropped. Merry tossed it over his shoulder, and
then flung Pede backward, groaning over his wrenched arm.

"The only safe way to play such tricks on me," said the undisturbed
captive, "is to catch me when I'm asleep."

Then Cimarron Bill spoke, and they saw he had a pistol in his hand.

"It sure is a good thing for Pede that the gent stopped his play just as
he did, for if Pede had done any cuttin' I'd sartin shot him up a whole
lot. I has told you boys that Mr. Merriwell is to be kept safe an'
unharmed until I gits ready to finish with him, an' when I says a thing
like that, I generally has a way o' meanin' it. If Pede had used his
knife, I'd a-let daylight through him instanter."

Now they all knew Bill spoke the truth, and so Pede was doubly
humiliated.

"He was a trifle hasty," said Merriwell coolly. "I was about to explain
that I never keep money won at cards, as I do not believe in gambling. I
sat in this game to illustrate to you fellows that it doesn't always pay
to get puffed up and look contemptuously on a tenderfoot. Having made
the lesson plain, I will withdraw my own money, which will leave the
amount I have won. You may divide it equally among you and go on with
your game."

This Frank did exactly as he said, taking himself out of the game.

There would have been a quarrel over the division of the money had not
Bill interfered.

Possibly Frank was counting on that quarrel, for a fight among the men
might have given him an opportunity to escape. However, if such was his
was laughing at them, as they plainly saw. This made Pinto Pede 
 angry, and, with a war cry of rage, the Mexican snatched out a tongue, 
 flung himself fore on his knees, clutched the prisoner's throat and 
 seem about to finish him. 

 Quick as a blink of an eye, Merriwell had seized Pede's wrist, which he gave a 
 device that made the bones crack and brought a yell from the yellow - faced 
 chap's lips. The knife dropped. Merry convulse it over his shoulder, and 
 then flung Pede backward, groaning over his wrenched arm. 

 " The lone safe way to play such tricks on me, " said the undisturbed 
 prisoner, " is to catch me when I'm asleep. " 

 Then Cimarron Bill spoke, and they saw he had a pistol in his hand. 

 " It sure is a effective thing for Pede that the gent stopped his play just as 
 he did, for if Pede had done any cuttin' I'd sartin shot him up a whole 
 lot. I has state you boys that Mr. Merriwell is to be kept dependable an' 
 unharmed until I gits quick to finish with him, an' when I says a thing 
 like that, I generally have a way o' meanin' it. If Pede had used his 
 knife, I'd a - lease daylight through him instanter. " 

 Now they all knew Bill spoke the truth, and so Pede was doubly 
 humiliate. 

 " He was a trifle hasty, " said Merriwell coolly. " I was about to explain 
 that I never keep money won at cards, as I do not believe in gambling. I 
 sat in this plot to exemplify to you fellows that it doesn't constantly pay 
 to get puffed up and look contemptuously on a tenderfoot. Having cook 
 the lesson plain, I will withdraw my own money, which will bequeath the 
 amount I have won. You may divide it equally among you and belong on with 
 your plot. " 

 This Frank did exactly as he said, taking himself out of the game. 

 There would have been a quarrel over the part of the money had not 
 Bill interfered. 

 Possibly Frank was reckon on that quarrel, for a fight among the man 
 might have given him an opportunity to escape. However, if such was his
 wad laughing at them, as thty plainly saw. Thnw made Pinto Pede
furkous, and, with a cry of rage, vhe Nexicqn snatched out a knifd,
flung hilself foewarv on his knees, clutched bke calbive's vhroat and
seemec about to finish him.

Quiwk ad a flash, Merriwell had seized Pede'f wrist, wjich he gave a
jwist ehat made the bones crack and brought z yell hrom the yellow-gaced
fellow's lips. The kniff drlpped. Merry tossed it over hiw shjylder, and
thev flung Pede backward, froaning over his wrenched arm.

"Tfe onky safe wai fo klay such trmcks og me," said thc undisdurbed
csptive, "is to cstci me when I'm asleep."

Then Cmmarron Bill spoke, agd they sdw he had a pistol un his vand.

"Ht sjee ks z joos thinh fkr Pede thzt the gent stopped his play jise as
he did, for if Peqe had done any cuttin' I'd sartin shot him up a whole
lot. I has told tou boys that Mr. Merrlwell is eo be kept safe an'
unharmed until I gits ready to xinisi ditk him, xb' ahen I says a thing
like that, I generally has w wsy o' meanin' it. In Pede had used hix
kjigg, I'd a-let daylkght tkdohgh him instanter."

Nlw they all jnew Bill spole the truth, and so Pede waw doubly
humijuated.

"He was a trifpe hasty," sand Mertiwell coolly. "I was about to zxplaih
that I nevfr keep mkvey won at cards, as I do not believe in gamblind. I
sat in thix game go iklustrwte to you fellows that it doesn't wlwayd [ay
to get ouffed up and look contemptuously on a tendergomt. Vaving mcde
the lesson plain, I will withdrcw my owu moneh, which wiml leavx the
amount Y have won. Yog may divide mt equallr aming tou and eo on with
your game."

This Frank did exactly as he saiv, tayjng himself out of the game.

There eouud rane ueen w quarrel oves thd dkfisiov of tht mivey nad not
Bill interferad.

Poasibly Frank was cpukting on jhat quarwel, for a fignt among the men
mihht heve giten hik ag opportunity to escape. Howeved, if such waf his
was laughing at them, as they plainly made Pede furious, with a cry out knife, flung himself on his knees, the captive's throat and seemed about finish him. Quick as a flash, Merriwell had seized Pede's wrist, which he a twist that made the bones crack and brought a yell from the fellow's The dropped. tossed it over his shoulder, and then flung Pede backward, groaning over his wrenched arm. "The safe way to play such tricks on me," the undisturbed captive, "is catch me when I'm asleep." Cimarron spoke, and saw had pistol in his "It sure is a good thing for Pede that the gent stopped his play just as he for if done any I'd shot up a whole has told you boys that Mr. be kept safe an' unharmed until I gits to finish him, an' when I says a like that, I generally has a way o' it. If Pede had used his knife, I'd a-let daylight through him instanter." Now they Bill spoke the truth, so Pede was humiliated. was trifle said Merriwell "I was about to explain that I never keep money won cards, as I do not believe in gambling. I sat game illustrate to you that it doesn't always to puffed up and look a Having plain, will my own money, which leave the amount I have You may divide it on with your game." This Frank did exactly he said, taking himself out of the There would have been a quarrel over the division of the money not Bill Frank was counting on that quarrel, for a among the men might given him an opportunity to escape. However, if such his
 was laughing at them, as they plAinly saw. ThIs madE PiNto peDe
fuRiouS, and, with a cry of RAge, tHe Mexican snatched out a kNife,
fLuNG himSElF forwArd on hiS KnEES, clUtChEd tHe CApTive's ThrOat and
sEemed about To fInIsh him.

Quick aS A fLash, MerriwEll Had seized PedE's wRist, whIcH he GAve a
tWisT that Made thE Bones cRack and brOuGHt a yelL From the YELlOw-faCed
fellow's lips. The KNiFE dropped. Merry tOssed iT oVEr HIS shOulDer, and
then FlUng PeDE backwaRD, gROANinG Over his wrenchEd arm.

"The onlY SafE way to PlAy sUCh tricKs on mE," sAId tHe undisturbEd
caPtive, "is to Catch mE When I'm aSLeep."

TheN CimarRon bilL spoKE, aNd TheY sAW he HAd A piSTol In his hanD.

"IT sUre is A gooD THINg foR PeDe thAt the Gent stopped hiS plAy juST as
He did, For if pede HaD done Any cutTin' I'd SaRtin shot him up a wHole
Lot. I has toLd yOu BoyS tHat Mr. mErriweLl iS to Be kept sAfe an'
unHArmEd UNTIl i gits ready to finish WiTH HiM, an' when I Says a tHInG
lIKe that, I gEnEraLly hAS A way o' MeanIN' iT. If Pede hAd used HIs
KnIfe, I'd a-lEt DayligHt ThrOugH him iNStanTer."

Now They all kNew BiLL spoke the truth, ANd so Pede was doUBlY
HUmILiatEd.

"HE was a trifle HastY," Said merrIWeLl cOOlly. "I Was abOuT To EXplain
that I never keeP mOney woN at caRds, as I do not beLieve in gamBLINg. I
sat in This GAmE To illustrate to You feLlows that iT Doesn't alWays pAy
to get pUffed up anD LOok conteMptUouSly On a TENdErfoot. Having mADE
the LeSson plaIn, I Will witHdrAw mY owN moNeY, which wilL leave thE
aMoUnT I HavE won. YOU may diviDe It eQuAllY amonG You and Go on wIth
yOuR gAMe."

THis FranK DiD EXactLy As He saId, tAkIng hiMselF Out Of the gaMe.

There woUld HAve bEeN a Quarrel Over the divisiOn Of the money HaD noT
Bill iNTErfered.

POssibly Frank was counting ON that quArrEl, for A figHt among thE meN
might HavE Given hIm an opPortuNiTy tO EScape. hOWeVer, If Such was his
 was laughing at them, asthey plain ly sa w.Thi smade  Pin to Pede
furiou s , an d, with a cry of rage,  theMe x ican sn atche d out a kn i f e,fl un g h im s el f for war d on hi s knees, c lut ch ed the capti v e' s throat a ndseemed about  to  finis hhim . 

Qui ckas aflash, Merriw ell had s ei z ed Ped e 's wris t ,  w hich  he gave a
twistt ha t  made the bone s crac ka nd b rou ght  a yell fr om  they ellow-f a ce d f ell o w's lips. The  knife drop p ed.  Merry  t oss e d it o ver h is sho ulder, andthen  flung Pe de bac k ward, g r oaningover h iswre nche d  a rm .
"T h e o n ly  sa f e w ay to pl ay  s uch t rick s o n  me, " s aidthe u ndisturbed
ca pti ve," isto ca tch m e wh en  I'masleep ."

T he n Cimarron Bill  spo ke, and t hey  s awhe  hada  pisto l i n h is hand .

"Its ure  i s a  g ood thing for Pede  t h a tthe gent  stopp e dhi s  play ju st  as 
hed i d, fo r if Pe de had d one an y  c ut tin' I' dsartin  s hot  hi m upa  who le
lot . I hastoldy ou boys that M r . Merriwell i s  t o be kept  sa fe an'
unha rmed unti l Ig it s r e ady t o fin is h  w i th him, an' when Isa ys a t hinglike that, Igenerallyh a s  a way o ' me a ni n ' it. If Pedehad u sed his
kn i fe, I'da-let  dayligh t through h im insta nte r." 

N owt h ey  all knew Bil l spok ethe tru th,  and so  Pe dewas  do ub ly
humili ated.

" He  w as  a  tr ifleh asty," s ai d M er riw ell c o olly."I wa s ab ou tt o e xplaint ha t I ne ve rkeep  mo ne y won  atc ard s, as I  do not b eli e ve i nga mbling.  I
sat in thi sgame to il lu str ate to y ou fello ws that it doesn't alwa y s pay
t o g et pu ffed  up and l ook  conte mpt u ouslyon a t ender fo ot. H aving m ad e
t he  lesson pl a i n,I wil lwith draw my  own money, whichw ill  leave the
am oun t Ih a ve  wo n .Y ouma y  di v i de it equally a mong you a nd go  on with
y o urga me."

T his Fra nk di d  exactl y as he s aid, taki ng  him s e lfout of the  game.
There wou l d hav e  b een a  qu arrelov erthe d ivisio n  of  themoneyha d notBillin terfered .

Possibly Frank was c ountin g ontha t quarrel , f o r a  fight am ongthe men
mi ght  ha ve gi ven him a n op p or tun i ty to  esc a pe. Howev e r,  if s uc h was his
 was_laughing at_them, as they plainly_saw. This_made_Pinto Pede
furious,_and,_with a cry_of rage, the_Mexican snatched out a_knife,
flung himself forward_on_his knees, clutched the captive's throat and
seemed about to finish him.

Quick as a flash,_Merriwell_had seized_Pede's_wrist,_which he gave a
twist that_made the bones crack and_brought a_yell from the yellow-faced
fellow's lips. The knife dropped._Merry_tossed it over_his shoulder, and
then flung Pede backward, groaning over his_wrenched arm.

"The only safe way to_play such tricks_on_me,"_said the undisturbed
captive, "is_to catch me when I'm asleep."

Then_Cimarron Bill spoke, and they saw_he had a pistol in his hand.

"It_sure is a good thing for_Pede that the gent stopped_his play_just as
he did, for if_Pede had done_any cuttin'_I'd sartin shot_him up a whole
lot. I has_told you boys_that Mr. Merriwell is to be_kept_safe an'
unharmed until_I_gits_ready to_finish with him,_an'_when I_says_a thing
like that, I generally has_a_way o' meanin' it. If Pede had_used his
knife, I'd a-let_daylight_through him instanter."

Now they_all knew Bill spoke the_truth, and so Pede was doubly
humiliated.

"He_was a_trifle hasty,"_said Merriwell coolly. "I was about to explain
that I never keep_money won at cards, as I_do not believe in_gambling. I
sat_in_this game to_illustrate_to you_fellows that it doesn't always pay
to get_puffed up_and look contemptuously on a tenderfoot._Having made
the lesson plain,_I_will withdraw my own money, which_will leave the
amount I have won._You may divide it equally_among_you_and go on with
your game."

This_Frank did exactly as he said,_taking himself out_of the game.

There would have been a_quarrel_over the division of the money_had_not
Bill interfered.

Possibly Frank was counting on_that_quarrel,_for a fight among the_men
might have given him an opportunity_to escape. However, if such was his