ble to pull this one through that way. The fellows are not very
fond of pets."

"That's all right. The only thing I ask of you is that you let Davis
alone."

"Perhaps I will, and perhaps I won't."

"You will if you know what is good for you."

Again the big fellow glared through the gathering darkness, but Frank
met the gaze squarely, and Bascomb's eyes dropped.

"That's all I have to say," came quietly from Frank. "You may go now,
Mr. Davis. Don't forget you are to receive instructions in making beds
after you answer to your name at tattoo."

"No, sir, I will not forget," said the little plebe, and, making a
salute, he hurried away, glad to escape from Bascomb's clutches.

Frank stood looking straight at his big classmate, who made a pretense
of disregarding him.

"You should take warning by what has happened to several of your
particular friends, Bascomb," he finally said. "Harkins resigned to
escape court-martial and dismissal; Gage deserted and ran away, and
Snell has become the most unpopular fellow in the academy, and all
because----"

"All because they ran against you!" snarled Bascomb, madly. "You have
had the greatest luck of any fellow I ever saw; but there is a turning
point somewhere. You never miss an opportunity to jump on a fellow,
and----"

"Now, you are making a statement that you know is absolutely false,
sir!" exclaimed Merriwell. "I have never crowded any fellow, and I
have never lost an opportunity to cover as far as possible and
honorable any wrongdoing a fellow cadet may have been led into. You
may not know that I could have caused Snell's expulsion in disgrace if
I had wished, but it is true."

"Oh, you are very generous--exceedingly magnanimous! All the matter
is, people don't know it."

"You are at liberty to think what you like about it. I have warned
you, and you will do well to heed my warning. That is all I have to
say."

Frank left the tent, and continued on his way.

Crowds of cadets gathered here and there near certain "plebe hotels"
told where the yearlings were enjoying sport at the expense of the new
boys.

As Frank came near to the first collection, the familiar voice of his
former tentmate, Hans Dunnerwust, attracted his attention.

Forcing his way toward the center of the laughing throng, he found Hans
catechising a tall, lank country boy named Ephraim Gallup, who was
repeatedly forced to explain that he was "from Varmont, by gum," which
expressio