might have
killed me, or crippled me for life!"

"If those shells were tampered with, it was done for my benefit, Badger,
and not for yours. Hodge wouldn't put in shells that would endanger me.
I gave you those shells out of my own box."

"And Hodge was talking to you, and knew what you meant to do. He could
have juggled a fixed-up shell on you."

"We won't talk about it!" said Merriwell, turning away.

"I've a right to think what I please," Badger grumbled, following him.
"He thinks you can beat me shooting. He was afraid I would. I can beat
you, and I'd like to do it, to spite Bart Hodge."

"I don't think you are in any condition to do more shooting."

"Oh, I'm all right!" Badger rather snappishly declared, his heart hot
against Hodge. "Don't let anything of that kind worry you, Merriwell. I
want to shoot at ten double rises against you--ten double rises at
unknown angles. You've declared that you haven't tried to shoot. I dare
you to give me this trial. The numbness is going out of my arm, and it
will soon be all right. And I warn you not to throw away any shots!"

They were near the excited crowd.

"All right, Buckrum!" Merriwell answered. "I'll try you, if you're so
anxious!"

"We'll buy shells here. And that gun----"

"Perhaps you think there was something the matter with the gun?"

"Oh, I'll buy you another gun!" growled Badger.

Frank flushed.

"The impudence of the fellow!" grunted Browning, who overheard the
remark. Hodge, who was standing near Browning, heard it, too.

"I wish you'd hit him, Merry!" he panted.

"No doubt you'd like to do that," said Badger. "But I'd advise you not
to try."

"Mr. Badger and I are going to shoot at ten double birds," said Frank,
pretending not to notice these things. "I will use your gun, Bart."

"And Badger may use mine," said a sophomore, who was one of Badger's
friends, and had been one of Merriwell's enemies. "But for goodness
sake, don't use any more dynamite shells!"

Merriwell saw that Morton Agnew had come up and was looking earnestly at
Badger and at the ruined gun.

"I wonder that Badger doesn't remember that you slipped a 'fixed'
cartridge into a gun for him once," was Frank's thought. "You are at the
bottom of this, and your villainy has gone far enough. When I come to
strike you I shall strike hard!"

The shattered gun still furnished attraction for many, and Agnew pushed
forward to get a close look at it, and to ask questions. Rattleton ca