"If Merriwell persists in staying away—if he does not show up and give Snell a chance to get square, he is——"
A knock at the door!
It was the regular signal for admittance, and so, after the first start of alarm, George Harris said:
"Open up quickly. It must be Sam, and, if so, there's something wrong in the wind."
Wat Snell opened the door, and, to their amazement, into the room stepped Frank Merriwell!
It was with difficulty that the boys suppressed a shout of welcome.
Snell quickly closed the door, and then the boys rushed at Frank and shook his hand delightedly.
"You're a sight for sore eyes!" exclaimed Wat Snell, joyously.
"Dot vos so!" agreed Hans. "You vould peen a sighd for a plind man!"
"I will take back anything I said, and swallow what I was going to say," came from Leslie Gage. "I didn't think it could be possible you wouldn't come round again, old man."