Frank Merriwells Pursuit | Page 6

woman's
hand, "I am delighted to see you again. I'm quite overcome with
surprise and pleasure. It's evident I am, for I have forgotten Mr. Hatch."
No wonder Mr. Hatch had been overlooked, for he had stepped back
and remained quiet during all the chatter and laughter of the meeting
between Frank and his friends.
"I am greatly pleased to meet your friends, Mr. Merriwell," he declared,
as Frank introduced one after another. "If the accommodations at my
poor cottage----"
"Oh, we wouldn't think of putting you to the slightest inconvenience!"
declared Inza. "We can find accommodations in Newman, Mr. Hatch,
and we wouldn't think of----"
"Unless it is too uncomfortable here," Hatch hastened to say, "I shall
consider it a favor to entertain you as the friends of the cleverest
fisherman and finest young man it has been my good fortune to meet in
twenty years. Anything and everything here is yours as long as you
choose to remain, and you can't remain too long for me."
That was quite enough, for they saw he was in earnest. He could thaw
out and be genial and pleasant when he chose, and this was an occasion
when he had no difficulty in thawing. He called Joe and gave orders
about supper, and soon the delightful odor of cooking fish came faintly
to their nostrils.
While supper was being prepared Frank related the story of the many
adventures which had befallen him since he hastily left Maine in
pursuit of the Mexican who had stolen one of his valuable papers.

As she listened Inza flushed and paled by turns. She was elated by his
success, and she found it difficult to check a tremor as she realized how
many times he had been in deadly danger.
"Where is O'Toole?" cried Hodge, as Frank finished. "I want to
congratulate him on his job in ending the career of that snake, Del
Norte."
O'Toole was aiding Joe in the cook house, and he was finally induced,
under protest, to appear in the cottage. He stood before Frank's friends,
grinning bashfully and bowing awkwardly.
"O'Toole," said Bart, shaking the Irishman's hand, "you never did a
better bit of work in all your life than when you shot Porfias del Norte."
"It's not so sure Oi am av that," declared the man. "It's nivver a bit will
Oi shlape till Oi know fer sure th' baste is dead an' burried six fate
under ground."
"Why, Frank said you shot him through the head."
"Oi did thot, but whin we returned to th' hut pwhere he was it's up an'
gone he had."
"Frank says the body was carried off by his friends."
"Mebbe it wur, Oi dunno; but whoy th' ould scratch they wur afther
takin' all thot throuble an' risk is pwhat bates me. Somehow Oi'm
thinkin' th' mon up an' walked away all by hissilf, an' it's cowld chills
Oi git from thinkin' he may be lookin' fer me to sittle our account."
"You'll get over that feeling after a while," said Hodge. "Frank knows
when a man is dead, and you heard him pronounce Del Norte dead."
In Browning's ear Frank whispered:
"I confess I'd feel better satisfied if I had seen him buried; but I don't
intend to tell O'Toole that."

In due time supper was cooked and served in the plain but comfortable
dining room. The death of Del Norte was forgotten, and it was a jolly
crowd that gathered about the large table.
"Hold me!" cried Browning, as he drank in the odor of baked potatoes,
cooked fish and steaming coffee. "If you don't look out I'll wade in here
and create a famine. I feel as if I might eat everything on this table
without half trying."
"There is plenty of everything," said Warren Hatch. "Joe tells me there
is more fish. Here he comes with some of his hot biscuits right out of
the oven."
Joe appeared with a heaping plate of biscuits, and soon all were
enjoying the meal.
Inza was unusually vivacious, her cheeks being flushed and her dark
eyes sparkling. The pleasure of being with Frank again was enough to
put her at her best, and indeed she was a most beautiful girl.
Elsie was quieter, but there was no mistaking the expression of deep
satisfaction which hovered on her sweet face. The fact that Inza was
happy was enough to give her pleasure.
In the midst of the meal there came a rapping at the door. Mr. Hatch
answered the summons and was gone some time. When he returned he
explained that there was to be a masquerade dance at a pavilion used
for dances and picnics down at the cottage village, and, having learned
of the presence of guests at his cottage, invitations had