nd stern.

"What do you want?" asked the man, uneasily.

"I want to see your face."

"Well, look at it, and when ye've seen it I'll proceed to smash yours! I
don't take no insolence from a kid!"

"Take off your hat!"

"I will--nit!"

"And that beard--take it off!"

"Ye're crazy!" cried the man, as he started back.

"Am I?"

Frank gave a spring and a grab with both hands. One hand snatched away
the cap, and the other tore off the black beard, which, indeed, proved
to be false.

The man uttered an exclamation of rage, and struck at Frank, who dodged
the blow.

"Is this the fellow, Grody?" cried Frank.

"The same mug!" declared the hostler, excitedly.

"Well, that's all I want to know!" burst from Frank, as he flung the hat
and beard to the floor. "So you were monkeying around my horse to-day,
you fakir! Well, what you need is a pair of good black eyes, and I
propose to give them to you!"

Snap!--off came the boy's jacket in a twinkling, and he still stood
between the unmasked man and the door.

The man, who was a coarse-looking young ruffian, ground his teeth and
uttered some violent language.

"Git out the way!" he snarled. "I'm a fighter, and I'll kill yer! I can
put yer ter sleep with one punch!"

Merriwell's blood was thoroughly stirred, and he felt just like
teaching the fellow a lesson. Although a youth in years, Frank was, as
my old readers know, a trained athlete, and he could handle his fists in
the most scientific manner.

"I am going to give you a chance to put me to sleep," he shot back. "I
see your dirty game from start to finish! You are a fakir of the worst
sort, and you tried to work me. You did something to my horse to make
him lame, and you thought you would get a fat pull out of me for
doctoring him. Instead of that, you have run your head into a bad
scrape, and it will be damaged when you get it out."

"You talk big for a kid. Why, I can blow yer over with my breath."

"It is strong enough. But I don't go over so easy. Up with your hands if
you are such a fighter! I'm coming for you!"

"All right! If ye're bound to have it, come on!"

The man put up his guard, and then Merriwell went at him, while Grody
gasped for breath, thinking the college lad could be no match for the
young ruffian.

There were a few swift passes, and then Frank went under the fellow's
guard and gave him a terrific uppercut on the chin. That was a
staggerer, and the boy followed it up while the man w