Frank Merriwells Races | Page 5

is it?" asked Griswold. "I didn't notice anything."
"The horse shows a suspicion of lameness," asserted Jack.
"You have good eyes to detect it," observed Browning, doubtingly. "I
can't see that anything is the matter with the horse."
"I'll wager he goes lame before Merriwell returns."
"If he does, I shall think you have great discernment."
Merriwell turned a corner and disappeared.
"Come, fellows," said Griswold, "let's shuffle along."
"Merriwell is altogether too generous," declared Diamond, as the trio
walked away.
"In what way?" asked Browning.
"With his enemies. I know you and I were both enemies to him in the
beginning, and----"
"He threw us down hard."

"That's all right; but there are enemies you have to hold down."
"Merriwell didn't do a thing to Hartwick!" exclaimed Griswold,
grinning. "He scared the fellow so he ran away from college, and
nobody knows where he went."
"Yes, but Merriwell gave him the opportunity to skip and escape the
disgrace that must follow public exposure of his acts. Some fellows
would have exposed him and brought about his expulsion."
"That's right," chirped Griswold. "Merriwell was as generous with
Hartwick as he could be with such a fellow. He might have used him
much worse than he did."
"And do you fancy Hartwick thinks any more of Merriwell for not
exposing him publicly?" asked Jack.
"Oh. I don't know."
"Well, I will wager that he does not. More than that, I'll venture that
Hartwick, wherever he may be, cherishes a fierce desire for revenge,
and longs for the day when he will be able to get back at Frank. Merry
will hear from that chap again."
And there the subject was dropped.
Frank enjoyed the ride upon Nemo's back, for the horse seemed
intelligent and something of a comrade. The boy talked to his mount as
if the animal could understand every word he uttered.
He had ridden beyond the limits of the city before he noticed that
Nemo was limping the least bit.
"What's the matter, old fellow?" asked Frank, with concern. "Have you
hurt yourself some way?"
Nemo shook his head. It almost seemed that the animal was answering
the question in the negative.

"You must have stepped on a stone," Merriwell declared. "Why, you
are really beginning to limp in earnest!"
Frank immediately dismounted, after having decided it was Nemo's left
hind leg or foot that was lame.
"I'll make an inspection, and see if I can discover what is the matter,"
said the boy, anxiously.
He examined both of the horse's hind feet, but could not see that
anything was wrong.
"If that rascally shoer has blundered in his work he'll not get another
chance at you, boy," Merriwell declared.
After patting Nemo's neck and fondling the fine creature a bit, Frank
mounted once more.
But Nemo limped worse than ever.
"This is singular," muttered the perplexed lad. "I don't understand it at
all. There's something wrong, for a fact."
He watched the horse, and decided that he had made no mistake in
locating the lameness in the left hind leg.
Again he dismounted and made an examination, and again the result
was far from satisfactory.
"I wish you might speak and tell me what is the matter," said Frank, in
dismay. "I'll have you examined without delay by somebody who
knows his business."
He rode slowly into the outskirts of the city.
Of a sudden there was a rattle of wheels and a clatter of hoofs behind
him.
He turned and looked back, to see a carriage coming along the road at a

reckless rate. Two persons were seated in the carriage, and the horse
was covered with sweat.
"Why are those fools driving like that?" muttered Merriwell. "Are they
drunk, or is it a matter of life or death?"
"Get out of the road!"
The command was hoarsely shouted, and Frank reined aside, having no
desire to get in the way of the reckless driver.
Once more the boy on the horse turned to look back.
"Drunk, sure enough," he decided. "And they are two young fellows,
too. Students on a tear, perhaps."
The occupants of the carriage had been drinking heavily, but they were
not so drunk that they did not recognize the boy in advance when he
turned in the saddle the second time.
"Hey, Rolf!" exclaimed the one who was not driving. "It's Merriwell!"
"That's what it is!" cried the driver. "I haven't seen him for some time,
but I know his face too well to ever forget it!"
"He's out on his new horse."
"Sure."
"Run him down! run him down! Throw him off! Now's our chance!"
The driver was just intoxicated enough to be utterly reckless of
consequences, and he snarled:
"Hang me if I don't do it!"
And then, when they were very