't know but you might stand in fear of him."

"Do you mean to insult me?" demanded Mark, hotly.

"Insult you! My dear friend, what can you be thinking of? Why, I like
you ten times as much as that muff, Frank Courtney."

"Then what did you mean by what you said?" asked Mark, more calmly.

"I will tell you. I got an idea, from what Frank said once, that he was
in charge of you--well, not exactly that, but he looked after you."

This was a wicked falsehood, as Frank had never intimated any such
thing. In fact, he had generally kept quite aloof from James.

Mark, however, fell into the trail, and never thought of doubting what
his companion said.

"If Frank said that, I've a great mind to whip him," said Mark, angrily.

"Oh, I wouldn't notice him, if I were you!" said James. "For my part, I
didn't believe what he said. I felt sure that a fine, spirited boy like
you wouldn't submit to his dictation."

"I should say not--the impudent follow!"

"When he spoke to you just now," continued James, "one would really have
thought he was your uncle, or guardian, and that you were a little boy."

"I'll show him what I think of him and his advice. I hadn't thought of
going to the saloon to-morrow, but now I will."

"Bravo! I like your spirit!" said James, admiringly. "It is just the way
to treat him. Shall I come round with you about the same hour as
to-day?"

"Yes, I wish you would."

When the two boys parted company, James Carson smiled to himself.

"What a fool Mark is!" he thought. "He thinks he is his own master, but
I am going to twist him round my little finger. He's a sweet youth, but
he's got money, and I mean to have some of it. Why, he tells me his
father allows him eight dollars a week for spending money. If I manage
well, I can get more than half away from his in bets."

The next day James called for Mark, as agreed upon, and again the two
boys went to the billiard saloon. The performance of the day before was
repeated.

James Carson, while flattering Mark's poor play, managed to beat in
every game but one on which money was staked, and came out the richer by
a dollar and a half.

"I am very unlucky," grumbled Mark, in a tone of dissatisfaction.

"So you were, Mark," admitted his sympathizing friend. "You made some
capital shots, though, and if I hadn't been so lucky, you would have
come out the victor in every game."

"But I didn't."

"No, you didn't; but you can't have such beastly luck all the