him! I don't mind much what he says. I
guess he got into scrapes himself when he was a boy."

"My father isn't so easily managed. Just as likely as not, he'll cut off
my allowance for a month; and that'll be no joke!"

"My father won't do that," said Mark. "If he did, I would raise a fuss."

"Would that do any good?"

"I'll bet it would!"

Frank, who was quite ignorant of Mark's trouble, was surprised when the
latter approached him a little later with a frown and said, harshly:

"You won't make anything by what you have done, Frank Courtney!"

"Will you be kind enough to tell me what I have done?" asked Frank,
calmly.

"You've been to Dr. Brush and told him about our playing billiards."

"You are entirely mistaken, Mark. I did not suppose he knew."

"It must have been you. He told us some one had informed him, and you
were the only one who knew. It's a mean trick, isn't it, Carson?"

"Awfully mean!"

"I have already told you that the information did not come from me. It
may be the best thing for you that it has been found out, for it was
doing you no good to frequent such places."

"I don't want to hear any of your preaching, Frank Courtney. I guess I
can manage my own affairs without any advice from you."

"I don't care to intrude any advice," said Frank. "I have not much
reason to feel interested in you."

"You'd better look out how you treat me, though," said Mark, insolently.
"I know very well you dislike me, but it won't be safe for you to show
it while you are a dependent on my father."

"I don't propose to be a dependent on him long," said Frank, quietly.
"The truth of it is, you and your father are dependent upon property
which of right belongs to me. The time may come when I shall be able to
show this."

"What does he mean?" thought Mark, uneasily. "Will he contest the
will?"

It was perhaps an evidence of Mark's shrewdness that he had some doubts
about the validity of the will under which his father inherited.

CHAPTER XIII

MR. MANNING'S NEW PLAN

Mark so represented his school difficulty to his father that he incurred
but slight censure.

Indeed, Mr. Manning was so absorbed in plans for getting the greatest
enjoyment out of the estate of which he had obtained possession by
doubtful means that he didn't care to be disturbed about such a trifle
as his son's suspension.

He felt more disposed to blame Frank, whom Mark charged with betraying
him.

"What does Frank say abo