“Take your medicine,” advised Browning. “Don’t fly off the handle. You must stand a little jollying, when your turn comes. You laughed with the others when the alarm-clock joke was worked on me.”
The boys tried to induce Frank to tell where he had been, but he kept them guessing, till, at last, Browning and Rattleton gave up in disgust, and went to bed. Frank was preparing to retire, when Diamond came and sat down near-by. Merry took the revolver from his pocket, wiped it out, and slipped a fresh cartridge into the cylinder. Jack regarded him curiously while he was doing this.
“Have you been carrying that around?” asked the Virginian.
“I took it with me this evening,” nodded Merry.
“And used it?”
“Yes.”
“For what purpose?”
“I am not in the habit of using a pistol unless it is necessary.”
Diamond looked puzzled and troubled.
“See here, Frank,” he said, “you have been acting rather strange for a day or two.”