“Whenever I’ve got anything on my mind,” answered Blunt, “I try to get rid of it in plain English. Now that I’ve had my say about Lenning, I’ll drop in a few words for Chip. You’re the clear quill, pard,” he went on to Merry, “and I’d fight for you any day you can find in the almanac; but when it comes to associating with a crook and a schemer, I reckon I’ve got a right to pick and choose for myself.”
“Sure you have,” approved Handy.
Reckless was still whistling and juggling the two balls. He seconded everything that Blunt and Handy were saying, but felt that some consideration was due Merriwell in the matter, and declined to express himself.
“It’s a darned shame,” blurted out Brad indignantly, “that you two chumps couldn’t have talked this over privately with Chip instead of shooting off a big noise where it will do the most harm. You make me tired!” and he turned on his heel and walked off.
Truth to tell, the helpless writhing of Jode Lenning was more than Brad could endure. Lenning himself suddenly turned and moved away in the direction from which he had come, his head bowed dejectedly.
“Blunt,” said Merriwell scathingly, “you and Handy ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Is it your style to jump on a fellow when he’s down? If I put into this plain English you’re harping about all I think of you two, it would be different from what you’ve said about Lenning, but it would sound a whole lot worse. You might have had the common decency to keep still while Lenning was around.”
The vigor with which Merry expressed himself rather startled Blunt and Handy. But Frank was not yet done.
“Look back a little in your own life, Blunt,” said he meaningly. “I guess you will find something there that will help you to understand how you have made Lenning feel.”
The cowboy fell back a step, with twin devils blazing in his eyes. Merriwell’s words had probed a sore only recently healed, and for a second Blunt felt all the old agonizing smart caused by the rough handling. Then, as quickly, his rage passed.
“I reckon you got me there, Chip,” said he. “I went a heap farther with Lenning than I meant to, but that’s how I feel.”