“I am here.”

“And you didn’t kill the cur on sight?” roared Browning.

“He is in the hold in irons.”

“Serves him right!” was the verdict of Frank’s three friends.

“Well, this is what I call a real sensation!” said the Virginian.  “You certainly found something, Frank!”

“Well, that fellow has reached the end of his rope at last,” said Harry, with intense satisfaction, once more stretching himself in his bunk.

“That’s pretty sure,” nodded Jack.  “Attempted murder on the high seas is a pretty serious thing.”

“He’ll get pushed for it all right this time,” grunted Browning, beginning to recover from his astonishment.

Then they talked the affair over, and Frank gave them his theory of Sport’s presence on the steamer, which seemed plausible.

“This is something rather more interesting than the superstitious man or the Frenchman,” said Diamond.

“The superstitious man was interesting at first,” observed Merry; “but I’ve a fancy that he might prove a bore.”

Then Bruce grunted: 

     “Say, does Fact and Reason err,
     And, if they both err, which the more? 
     The man of the smallest calibre
     Is sure to be the greatest bore.”

While they were talking, the sound of voices came from the stateroom occupied by the Frenchman.  Soon it became evident that quite a little party had gathered in that room.

The boys paid no attention to the party till it came time to turn in for the night.  Then they became aware that something was taking place in the adjoining room, and it was not long before they made out that it was a game of poker.

As they became quiet, they could hear the murmur of voices, and, occasionally, some person would speak distinctly, “seeing,” “raising” or “calling.”

Diamond began to get nervous.

“Say,” he observed, “that makes me think of old times.  Many a night I’ve spent at that.”

“What’s the matter with you?” said Frank.  “Do you want to go in there and take a hand?”

“Well,” Jack confessed, “I do feel an itching.”

“I feel like getting some sleep,” grunted Bruce, “and they are keeping me awake.”

“Why are they playing in a stateroom, anyhow?” exclaimed Frank.  “It’s no place for a game of cards at night.”

“That’s so,” agreed Rattleton, dreamily.  “But you are keeping me awake by your chatter a good deal more than they are.  Shut up, the whole lot of you!”

There was silence for a time, and then, with a savage exclamation, Diamond sprang out of his berth and thumped on the partition, crying: 

“Come, gentlemen, it’s time to go to bed!  You are keeping us awake.”

There was no response.

Jack went back to bed, but the murmuring continued in the next stateroom, and the rattle of chips could be heard occasionally.

“What are we going to do about it, Merriwell?” asked Jack, savagely.