y yacht?" asked Frank.

Snell swallowed down a lump in his throat and made an effort to recover
his composure.

"The yacht belongs to Mr. Flynn," he said, huskily, his voice betraying
his craven spirit.

"You know better than that! If so, why didn't Flynn remain in Rockland
and push the case against me? Why did he suddenly take to his heels when
he learned that Benjamin, from whom I bought the _White Wings_, was in
Rockland?"

"Business called him back to Boston," faltered Snell.

"And business called you out of Rockland in a hurry, too. But you
stopped too soon. It would have been better for you if you had kept on
going."

Snell understood Merriwell's meaning and he quailed before the flashing
eyes of the boy he had slandered.

"Oh, you can't scare me with your threats!" he declared, in a weak
manner. "I'm not afraid of you, Mr. Frank Merriwell."

"If you had kept still about me," said Frank, "I should not have known
you were in this town, but you tried to hurt me in a mean, contemptible
manner, and I found you out."

"Never tried to hurt you in any manner."

"How about the lies you have been circulating concerning me?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do."

"I swear I do not."

"You have been telling that I have signed a contract with Rockland."

"Well, haven't you?"

"You know I have not! You know I would not do such a thing for any
money, as it would disqualify me for the Yale team. But I fancy I see
through your crooked game. You thought I might pitch for Rockland
because you knew they would offer me more money than Camden possibly
could. You judged me by yourself, and you knew you would sell yourself
to do anything for money. You sought to turn the college men here
against me, so they would carry back the report to their colleges that I
had played for money under a signed contract. Then I would be debarred
from the Yale team, and your revenge would be complete. Oh, I can read
you, Snell--I know the workings of your evil mind! You are wholly
crooked and wholly contemptible. What you deserve is a good coat of tar
and feathers!"

Frank's plain words had drawn a crowd about them, and Drayben saw it
would not do not to interfere, as the talk could be heard in the
parlors.

"This will have to stop," he said, firmly. "I can't have any more of it
in my hotel."

"He is to blame for it all," whined Snell.

The landlord gave him a look of contempt.

"I do not blame him for anything," he