r all!" he exclaimed. "The boys allowed
you had given me the slip, and they went back."

His hands fell on the butts of ready revolvers, and he ordered them to
surrender without resistance.

"Hold on hyar a bit, Jack," said Big Gabe, stepping between the lads and
the officer. "Let's we hold a little plarver. You know me, I'll allow."

"To be course I do, Gabe, and I am mighty glad to see you alive and
well. You once had the name of being the strongest man in Nevada; but
you didn't look very strong when we brought you up here, two year ago.
You'll be up to the old tricks again, before long."

The giant shook his head.

"I reckon not," he said. "Liftin' bolders an' wrastlin' with four men at
a time is outer my line ferever, arter this. I'm too lazy, an' besides
thet, I'll allow it wuz a strain I got at that business as brought on my
first bleedin' spell arter I hed ther grip. I'm purty well, now, but I
don't make no exerbitions uv my strength, burn me ef I do!"

"Wait till you get away from here. Everybody that comes here gets lazy,
and stays lazy as longs as they stay here."

At this Big Gabe nodded.

"Thet's sure as preachin'. It's ther derndest place ter make a critter
feel ez if he don't keer a hoot whether school keeps ur not!"

The sheriff had half drawn his revolvers. He now thrust one of them back
into its holster, but motioned for Blake to stand aside.

"I judge you don't know the kind of youngsters these are as I have found
here," said Long.

"And I judge I do," returned the big man, quietly. "I know all about
'em, an' they're all right."

The officer looked surprised.

"How does it happen you know about 'em?" he asked, wonderingly.

"They're old acquaintances uv mine," asserted Gabe, greatly to the
surprise of the lads; "an' they're on the dead level. They came hyar to
see me, sayin' as how they wuz in some trouble down at Carson over some
counterfeit money as they hed got by accident."

Long was scowling and looking disgusted. He listened in silence,
motioning for the giant to go on.

"I hev listened ter their story," said Blake, "an' knowin' 'em ez I do,
I'll allow it's straight, an' you ain't got no cause whatever ter rope
'em, Jack."

"Mebbe you're right," admitted the sheriff, fishing in a pocket and
drawing forth a paper; "but here is a warrant for the arrest of one
Frank Merriwell, and I must serve it. It is sworn out by Ezra Coburn, a
leading citizen of Carson."

"Burn Ezra Coburn