xcited and eager
questions. "Do you think I'm fool enough to do a thing like that?"

Frank plucked at Rattleton's arm.

"Take charge of that box of shells," he said, in an undertone. "Don't
let any one touch them. The box from which I took the shells for Badger!
I'm afraid the shells in it have been tampered with."

"Agnew!" Rattleton gasped. "He's somewhere on the grounds, you know, and
he was right up here awhile ago!"

"I don't know. It may be. We can tell better later. Just now, take
charge of that box. No more shells must be used out of it, nor out of
any others of mine."

"All right!" Rattleton promised, and moved quickly away.

"How is your hand and arm?" Merriwell asked, again addressing Badger.

"Well, I allow it's good enough to do some more shooting!" Badger
snarled, giving Hodge a suspicious glance. "You didn't beat me! I missed
that bird; but the gun blew up was the reason. I'll shoot you those two,
yet; but I'd rather try you ten birds straight--ten double rises, just
the kind we were shooting at. I reckon we'd better settle this thing
square!"

There was something very unpleasant in his tone and manner. Hodge saw
the glance, heard the words, and could hardly resist the temptation to
walk up and knock him down.

"The scoundrel!" he hissed to Browning. "What is he driving at? Does he
mean that Merry hasn't given him a fair deal, or that he had the gun
explode in some way to keep from being tied by him, or beaten? Perhaps
he is hinting crooked work against me! If he does, I'll punch his head,
sure. Frank is a fool to stand such stuff."

Merriwell showed a slight trace of annoyance. He took Badger by the arm
and they walked aside together. A dozen men were examining the gun, and
a score more were craning their necks to get a look at it, while all
sorts of excited conjectures and comments filled the air.

"See here, Badger," said Merriwell, somewhat sternly. "You think Hodge
may be responsible for that accident. He isn't--no more than I am! You
either had mud in the gun----"

"Or something was the matter with the shells!"

"Exactly. That is what I was going to say, if you had let me finish the
sentence. No more shells will be used out of that box. They may have
been tampered with, but not by Hodge. I know Hodge! He wouldn't do such
a thing."

"I reckon that he is none too good for that, if he had a chance!"

"Hodge is my friend."

"I don't care if he is your friend a dozen times over. That