no man should forget, sir. I presume I am mistaken."

Lazaro paused at the door.

"If you found it convenient to bring along one of your associates in
this railroad deal, say Senor Hatch or Senor Bragg, I should be glad."

"Not likely I can. It is barely possible I might bring Merriwell."

"As I understand, he is too young, Senor Scott. I had rather meet men
older and wiser. I cannot tell why, but the youth of Senor Merriwell has
somehow prejudiced me against him."

"When you meet him, if you do, you'll find him wise far beyond his years
and as keen as a rapier."

"No doubt you are right, senor; but I do not care to make an effort
before him to establish my responsibility. I should feel that the
situation ought to be reversed and that he should be seeking to satisfy
me."

"I believe I understand your feeling on that point, Mr. Lazaro; but you
feel that way because you do not know him. However, we'll leave him out
to-night. Good day. Look for me at the time set."

"Thank you, senor. Good day."

Alvarez Lazaro bowed himself out of the office with the grace of a
Frenchman.

Old Gripper stood quite still a number of moments, frowning deeply.

"Confound it!" he cried. "The impression that I have met that man grows
stronger and stronger. But where--where?"

CHAPTER XX.

THE AVENGER.

A man in a heavy overcoat and a slouch hat was walking rapidly through
one of the streets of New York leading into a squalid quarter of the
East Side. Twice he stepped past a corner and stood there some time,
observing the persons who passed in the direction he had been walking.
Once he stepped quickly into a doorway and stood there peering back
along the street until he seemed satisfied and concluded to resume his
walk.

Plainly this man feared he might be followed.

Finally on a block not far from the river, where everything looked
wretched and poverty-stricken, he ascended the low steps of a house and
quickly entered a doorway. The uncarpeted hall was dirty and dark. The
stairs were worn and sagged a little.

Two flights of stairs did the man climb, and then, in a significant
manner, he rapped on a door at the back of the house. There was a stir
within the room. The door was flung open by a slender, dark-faced,
dark-eyed boy, who joyously exclaimed:

"Welcome, Senor Hagan! You were a great time coming."

The man stepped into the little room, and the door was closed behind
him.

"Lock it, Felipe!" he exclaime