“That’s right,” nodded Julian Ives, excitedly slapping his bang. “Merriwell has picked up the outcast!”
“And that,” said Lew Veazie “thows that he ith no better than that cheap fellow Hooker.”
“We ought to be able to spread the report,” observed Tilton Hull, with his chin high in the air.
“Oh, have sympathy,” said Rupert Chickering. “Merriwell is liable to fall from his perch any time. Don’t push him.”
“Oh, no!” grinned Skelding, with his thumbs in the armholes of his vest, thus exposing the expanse of his gaudy shirt-bosom, “we won’t push him—if we don’t get a chance!”
“We ought to be able to get something on him if he associates with Hooker,” said Ollie Lord.
“We’ll do our best, at any rate,” nodded Ives. “We can start some things circulating.”
The friends who had accompanied Frank, seeing him talking earnestly with Jim Hooker at the fence, had passed on and ascended to his room, where they found Jack Diamond and Joe Gamp.
“Hello!” said the Virginian. “Where’s Merriwell?”
“We left him by the fence,” answered Rattleton.