dy soon had Nemo saddled and bridled. The horse was eager to be away,
as he showed by his tossing head, fluttering nostrils and restless feet.

"Whoa, boy," said Frank, soothingly. "Don't be so impatient. We'll get
away in a moment."

He swung into the saddle, the stable doors rolled open, and away sprang
the gelding.

The remaining lads hurried out of the stable to watch Frank ride, Grody
accompanying them.

"He seems like he were a part of the horse," declared the hostler,
admiringly. "That young gentleman were born to handle horses, he were."

"He is, indeed, a graceful rider," nodded Diamond. "I am sure he did not
learn in any riding academy, for he rides naturally. The riding
academies all turn out riders with an artificial and wooden style. There
is no more distressing sight than the riders to be seen in Central Park,
New York, almost any afternoon. They bounce around in the saddle like a
lot of wooden figures, and it is plain enough that many of them do not
bounce because they want to, but because they think it the proper thing.
Southerners ride naturally and gracefully. Mr. Merriwell rides like a
Southerner."

"He rides like Buffalo Bill," said Browning, with an effort. "Bill is
the best rider I ever saw."

Diamond was watching Merriwell and the horse, a queer look on his face.
Finally he exclaimed:

"By Jove! there's something the matter with Nemo!"

"What is it?" asked Griswold. "I didn't notice anything."

"The horse shows a suspicion of lameness," asserted Jack.

"You have good eyes to detect it," observed Browning, doubtingly. "I
can't see that anything is the matter with the horse."

"I'll wager he goes lame before Merriwell returns."

"If he does, I shall think you have great discernment."

Merriwell turned a corner and disappeared.

"Come, fellows," said Griswold, "let's shuffle along."

"Merriwell is altogether too generous," declared Diamond, as the trio
walked away.

"In what way?" asked Browning.

"With his enemies. I know you and I were both enemies to him in the
beginning, and----"

"He threw us down hard."

"That's all right; but there are enemies you have to hold down."

"Merriwell didn't do a thing to Hartwick!" exclaimed Griswold, grinning.
"He scared the fellow so he ran away from college, and nobody knows
where he went."

"Yes, but Merriwell gave him the opportunity to skip and escape the
disgrace that must follow public exposure of his acts. Some fellows
would ha