It was daybreak before Jack closed his eyes. Even then, he could not sleep soundly. He dreamed that Merriwell was in frightful peril. He seemed to see Frank enfolded in the coils of a monster serpent, and struggling to escape. For all of his struggles, the coils drew tighter and tighter, slowly crushing the life from Merry’s body. He saw Frank’s eyes bulging from his head, and his tongue hanging out, and the sight filled him with such horror as seldom comes to one, save in dreams. He tried to rush to the rescue of the friend he loved, but seemed frozen to the ground, unable to move hand or foot. He tried to shriek with anguish of soul, and——
Frank Merriwell shook him till he awoke!
“Come, come, old fellow!” laughed Merry. “You were having a fearful time of it. You seemed to be straining every nerve, and the gasps and gurgles that came from your throat appeared to indicate that you were strangling. It must have been a bad dream.”
“It was,” said Jack gloomily. “And the worst is that I fear it is prophetic.”
He then told Frank what he had dreamed.
“Oh, pshaw!” cried Merry lightly. “You were affected by our experiences last night. I don’t know that I wonder at it, but I rather think there is no great danger that the serpent will crush me. Take a good look at the bright sunshine coming in at that window, and let it drive the clouds away.”
“It’ll take more than sunshine to do that, as long as we remain in France, Merriwell,” declared the Virginian.
To his surprise, Frank seemed almost light-hearted. This was something Diamond could not understand. Jack had determined to make one more appeal to Merry, and this he did; but Frank turned the subject, and more than ever was the Virginian determined to carry out his plan of drawing his friend from France by means of the false telegram.
Rattleton was up, but it was necessary to drag Browning out of bed. Both Harry and Bruce were delighted to find Merry once more in a lively mood.
“Now you seem like yourself,” declared Rattleton. “You have been glum enough for awhile. Acted like you were under a spell, but I rather think the spell is lifted.”