“Why, as to that, everything depends on your shrewdness. Take up a position close to Guffey from the time he arrives on the field; then watch him like a hawk. If anything develops that excites your suspicion, follow it up with vigor.”
“What do you think will develop?”
“I haven’t the least notion what form developments will take, but I am sure something will come. I have done my part by tolerating Jode and helping to get Guffey here. Now the rest of it is up to you—and you are a good friend of Darrel’s.”
Frank was nonplused. It had been made clear to him, however, that the colonel had let Jode off easy, after that affair in the gulch, for a purpose; and, for the same purpose, he had allowed Jode to have his way about Guffey. Here the wily old colonel was playing a deep game. And at the back of his head was the desire that Darrel might profit by it. While this much was clear; to Merry, all the rest was steeped in the deepest kind of mystery.
“Are you going to take my tip, Merriwell, and act upon it?” asked the colonel.
“Bank on that, sir!” was the prompt response.
“Good!” said the colonel, in a tone of deep satisfaction. “If I’ve got hold of the right end of this, I can trust you to work out the rest of the problem.”
“Will Guffey get actively into the game?” inquired Frank.
“No,” was the decided answer. “It’s bad enough to have such a fellow coach our boys without coming actually into contact with them on the field. As soon as this game is over, I can promise you that Gold Hill will see the last of him. Darrel, I hear, is not at Dolliver’s?” the colonel went on, shifting the subject.
“No,” said Frank.