"It means crookedness!" declared Diamond, rather excitedly. "I am dead
sure of that!"

"It looks that way," admitted Browning.

"But what sort of crookedness can it mean?" asked Frank, bewildered.
"What is the game?"

"That will develop later; but there is some kind of a game on, be sure
of that," asserted Jack. "If not, why should anybody come here and give
a fictitious name? That gives the whole thing away. Look out, Frank, all
your enemies are not sleeping!"

"Well, it is time they let up on me," said Merriwell, seriously. "They
have brought nothing but disaster and disgrace on themselves thus far,
and----"

"Some of them are looking for revenge, mark what I say."

"I am tired of being bothered and harassed by petty enemies!" exclaimed
Frank. "I have had considerable patience with the fellows who have
worked against me, but there is a limit."

"That's right, and they would have reached the limit with me long ago,"
declared Diamond.

"Well, it is like this, Jack," said Frank; "it is almost always true
that not all of a man's enemies are bad fellows. To begin with, you
remember that you were my enemy, and now we are friends, and this is not
the first time such a thing has happened with me."

"Well, if a man were bucking against me, I do not think I would wait to
see how he would turn out before I bucked back."

"Oh, I am not in the habit of doing that. You will remember that I
bucked back pretty hard in your case."

Jack did remember it, and he felt that Merriwell was capable of holding
his own with his foes.

"You will do well to look out for your horse, all the same," said
Diamond.

"That's right," grunted Browning. "If I were in your place, Merriwell,
I'd watch out pretty sharp."

"I will," said Frank. "I'll have Toots come on here and keep watch over
Nemo most of the time. When he is not here, Grody can take his place. If
I have an enemy who thinks of stealing my horse, he'll have hard work to
accomplish his design."

"Unless he does it before you get things arranged," said Griswold. "Put
him up, Merriwell, and let's get out."

"I am going for a ride," said Frank. "Put the saddle on him, Grogan.
Will see you later, fellows, if you are going now."

"We'll wait till you leave," yawned Browning. "There's no reason why we
should tear our clothes hurrying away."

"You are not liable to tear your clothes doing anything," laughed
Frank.

CHAPTER II.

AN ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD.

Gro