g, as he remembered that his last effort to suppress Frank had
resulted in a most painful train of incidents, the culmination being his
arrest for kidnaping a baby. He sent Frank a check for the sum desired.

When Bethany was reached Merriwell was approached by a tall, thin man,
who wore a Prince Albert coat and looked like a parson. This man
introduced himself as John Baldwin, and he proved to be very "smooth."

Frank knew in a moment that the stranger was trying to catch him for a
sucker. He felt like knocking the man down, but, instead of that, he bet
three hundred and fifty dollars against a thousand dollars that Nemo
would take a purse in the "free for all."

John Baldwin departed, apparently looking for other bloods who wished to
take flyers. But Frank was to see Baldwin again. The man came back and
in the most sneering manner possible, offered to let him out of his bet
for fifty dollars. He told Frank that Nemo was a "dead one" and could
not even crawl. The result was that Merriwell bet the man five hundred
even that Nemo would take a purse, and there were but three purses in
the "free for all."

After Baldwin departed the second time Frank regretted that he had not
booted the insolent fellow.

"Never mind," thought the lad. "I'll win his cash all right."

In the morning there was a row in the stable where Nemo was kept. Toots
was found vigorously punishing a flashily dressed negro.

"Tek dat, yo' dirty brack nigger!" shouted Toots, as he smashed the
other fellow on the nose. "Yo' cayn't com' 'roun' dis chile wid none ob
yere 'swinuations an' yore offers ob money to throw de race! I'll kick
part ob yore panjaloons clean out frough de top of yore hade, yo' brack
son ob a gun!"

The colored boy fought like a furious tiger, and the other fellow, after
trying to strike back a few times, took to his heels, leaving a smashed
silk hat behind him.

"What's the matter, Toots?" asked Frank, who had rushed to the scene of
the conflict, accompanied by others.

"Mattah, sar?" cried Toots, fiercely. "Why, dat brack whelp come call me
out ob de stall har, an' he says to me, says he, 'If yo' pulls Nemo so
he don' take a purse it am wuff two hundred dollars to yo'.' An' he
flashes his roll ob bills in mah face. I didn't wait fo' no mo'
conwersashun, sar, but I jes' soaked him a dandy under der ear."

"Good boy, Toots!" laughed Frank. "You're all right!"

"Well, w'en dey fools 'roun' dis chile dey strikes hot stuff,"