"That's whut I call too much conscience," he growled. "I jest guess I'll make the chap talk. I ain't got no conscience to stop me like that."
"You will let him go," came quietly from Frank.
"Arter I take him aout inter the barn an' have a little set-daown with him."
"Now."
Ephraim hesitated. He did not want to offend Frank, but he did long to squeeze the truth out of the boy.
"Come, naow, Frank," he urged, "don't yeou be foolish abaout this. Ef I make him talk, it won't be northing to yeou."
"I shall allow it, and so, indirectly, I'll be responsible for making the boy lie. Let him go, Ephraim."
There was no mistaking Merriwell's resolve, and Ephraim said to the lad:
"All right, yeou kin go; but I'd tanned yer hide fer ye but I'd make ye talk, if I'd had the doin' of it. Skip."
Being released, the lad did skip in a hurry, quickly disappearing from view.