"I do not forget my friends," he said. "What is it you want of me, Snell?"
That gave Wat a little courage.
"Before I tell you, Hodge, I want to say that you will be well paid if you help out a little in this matter, and Merriwell can never know that you were in it. He'll never suspect you. You didn't have any scruples about doing something of the sort once on a time."
"Well, what is it?" demanded Bart, impatiently. "Don't beat round the bush so much."
"Oh, don't be in such a hurry!" fluttered Snell, nervously, far from feeling fully confident of Hodge. "There's money in this. It will be twenty-five dollars in your pocket if you do what I want you to. Are you with me?"
"That depends on what you want me to do. Name it."
"Well, Merriwell has something that doesn't rightfully belong to him. Understand that—it is not his by right. It belongs to a friend of mine, who wants me to recover his property."
"Well?"
"You can aid me, as you room with Merriwell."
"Jupiter!" thought Bart. "I wonder if the mysterious ring is the piece of property Snell means?"