n his pockets, his eyes glittering, his broad teeth
showing, his neck veins protuberant and his face as red as a boiled
lobster, while Pike walked away.

When Pike came back to the room Badger was gone. Pike entered with his
own key. He knew that the Westerner would likely be away a number of
hours, calling on Winnie Lee. He glanced round the room, then went to
the closet in which Badger's clothing hung.

Pike was crafty in his hate. He did not intend to lose his grip of the
Kansan. He realized that he had gone almost too far. Badger would bear a
good deal from him because of what they had been to each other, but to
this there were limits. He felt that he had nearly reached the limit.

"He shall not pitch ball Saturday, if I can help it!" he hissed, as he
looked over the things in the closet. "If I can work it, it will make
Hodge so hot against him that there will be a fight. And perhaps it will
turn Merriwell and his precious flock against him, too. It's risky, but
it is worth all the risk."

He took out a suit of Badger's clothes, and laid it in a chair. Then he
went to a desk and selected from it some "make-up" preparations which
had been there ever since the production of the sophomore play, "A
Mountain Vendetta." Then, after locking the door, he arrayed himself in
Badger's suit, and, standing before the mirror, applied the preparations
to his face, forehead, and eyebrows.

Pike had a good deal of artistic skill in such matters, and in a short
time he had darkened his face, blackened his brows and drawn certain
lines and colors, that, together with the change produced by the
clothing, made him resemble Badger in a remarkable manner. When he put
on Badger's hat the alteration seemed complete.

"Of course, that wouldn't stand close inspection," he muttered. "But
there will be no close inspection. I shall look out for that. Now for
the voice!"

He bunched up his shoulders to give them a thick look, cleared his
throat, and looking straight at himself in the glass, began to imitate
Badger's tones and characteristics of speech, speaking so low, however,
that there was no danger of being heard by any one who might chance to
pass.

"I allow that I'm a Kansan from away beyond the Kaw, and I reckon I'm a
diamond pure without the slightest flaw! Sure! A genuine prairie-dog
from the short-grass country couldn't chatter more like a Westerner than
that. That would fool Badger himself. That's whatever! Yes, I reckon. My