“Why? Why shouldn’t they know now? I think it is your duty to tell them, Frank.”
“It will disturb them, without doing the least good. Why should they be alarmed needlessly? No. Yet a little while longer you must be silent. I will say when you may tell everything.”
It was not easy to induce Jack to make the promise, but Merry succeeded, at length.
Rattleton and Browning were in bed, and asleep, when the hotel was reached. Under the door of Frank Merriwell’s room, a sheet of paper had been thrust. On the paper was written:
“The end draws near!”
CHAPTER XIX.
THE BOMB.
When, at last, he went to bed that night, Frank Merriwell slept the sleep of exhaustion. He did not know that all through the dark hours Jack Diamond watched over him like a faithful dog. He did not know that Diamond was unable to close his eyes in sleep. He did not know the Virginian paced the room, thinking, thinking, thinking. The light burned low, as Diamond had turned it on. Frank lay breathing regularly, perfectly motionless in the bed. After walking up and down a long time, after looking from the window out upon the street, where a few stray human beings flitted past beneath the electrics, Diamond came and stood beside the bed, looking at Frank.
Jack’s heart was full. He was beset by deep emotions.
“The whitest fellow who ever drew the breath of life!” he murmured, as he gazed at his sleeping comrade. “In many ways, he has made me what I am. I know it now. He has been my model, and, as far as possible, I have tried to be like him. I am not ashamed of having a model! If all fellows could have one like Frank Merriwell, and they would try to imitate him, it would be well for them.