The laughter passed swiftly from the face of the girl, and she sadly said:
“Yes, mama used to teach us every day, but Dick was so hard to teach—he was so wild. Now mama is gone, and I have tried to teach myself; but Dick will not study at all.”
Frank felt like asking Delores some questions about the mysterious boy with the old Indian, but, feeling that he had no right to do so, he refrained. It seemed that Delores felt like explaining a part of the mystery, which led him to volunteer:
“Anton Mescal, he come after Dick. Dat why I let Old Joe take da boy. Old Joe protec’ him.”
“Then it is Dick, not Felicia, that Mescal wants?”
Delores nodded.
“If you have da word, you would know dat,” he declared.
And then it was that Merriwell began to feel that there was some strange, invisible link that connected himself with this wild boy of the mountains.
Delores had talked far more than usual with him, and he suddenly showed a disposition to close up like a clam. Merry fancied it must be because he thought the conversation was getting on dangerous ground, and this caused Frank to lead it in another direction.
“How did you happen to settle here in this out-of-the-way place, Mr. Delores?” he asked. “Why did you build your home here in this thick piece of woods?”