decided to try diplomacy.

"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?"

It was with no little difficulty that Hodge held himself in check; but
he did not wish Snell to become alarmed, and so he quietly asked:

"What is this piece of property?"

"It is something Merriwell wears every day. I suppose he takes it off
occasionally. That would give you your chance. Mind you, it is not
rightfully his, but it belongs to my friend, so there is no harm in
taking it to restore it to its proper owner. In fact, that is a simple
act of justice."

"Why doesn't the rightful owner recover his property in the regular
manner?"

"That might prove difficult, or even impossible, as he would have
trouble in establishing his claim, and Merriwell might conceal the
property. It is not the value of this property that the owner cares so
much for; he wants the property itself."

There was no longer any doubt in Bart's mind; Snell was speaking of the
ring. The man in black had resorted to another scheme to obtain
possession of that ugly ornament.

With the greatest difficulty, Hodge kept cool and placid, as he asked:

"And you want me to steal this property?"

"No, no, no! It would not be stealing it; it would be returning it to
its proper owner. Can't you see?"

"Well, if I am going to do this job, I must know what the property is."

"It is the ring Merriwell wears when he is not in ranks--the tw