“It’s infernally strange that Merriwell should have found out about our trap!”
“That’s right,” nodded Hawkins, looking searchingly at Roland. “But three persons knew of it. Two of us are here.”
“Good gracious! You can’t suspect that I told anything about it, man?”
“Somebody must have told.”
“But I hate this fellow Merriwell. Don’t think I’d let him get onto anything like that!”
“You drink too much whisky at times, Mr. Packard.”
“But I have not since this plot was formed—I have not been under the influence of drink for a moment! I swear to you that no hint of this has escaped my lips!”
“Then there was but one other way for it to reach Merriwell. Defarge has said that Merriwell had the power to force him to anything. He must have blabbed!”
“That’s right!” grated Packard. “It has put us in a mighty awkward place, for it gave Merriwell the chance to turn the tables on us.”
“Yes; but I shall defeat him at everything, just the same, so we will be triumphant in the end.”