“Then why not settle it by bringing him before Putnam this very afternoon?  That’s the way to mix the fatter—­I mean fix the matter.”

“It is a good idea, Harry, and we will have to carry it out.  I’ll need your assistance.”

“You shall have it, old man.”

So Frank and Harry arranged to bring Putnam and his accuser together that afternoon, it being the day after the assault on Merriwell.  Frank was to look out for Kirby while Harry brought Putnam along to the saloon over which Buster Kelley had rooms.

Frank and Kirby were there in advance, and they sat down in a corner, where they were not likely to be observed by anybody who entered.

Kirby’s face was cut and scarred where he had felt Frank’s hard fists, and the tough looked on the cool lad with genuine respect and admiration.

“I wants yer ter understan’ dat I’d never gone inter dat game if I hadn’t been hard up an’ in a bad way,” he said, trying to apologize for himself.  “T’ings have been runnin’ agin’ me, an’ I’ve been on de rocks fer a long time, an’ I didn’t know how I was ter make a haul any easier dan by breakin’ a kid’s arm.  It warn’t no killin’ matter nohow, an’ so I took der job.  I never s’pected I was ter run up agin’ anyt’ing like wot you are.  If I had, why, wild hosses wouldn’t get me ter tried it.”

“My enemy knew enough not to meet me himself.”

“Dat’s right, an’ now I want ter git square wid him fer steerin’ me up agin’ anyt’ing of der sort.  Wot yer goin’ ter do wid him—­break his neck?”

“I have not decided what I shall do, but I shall not lay a hand on him.”

“Yer won’t?”

“No.”

“Well, I would if I was in your place.  I’d t’ump der everlastin’ stuffin’ outer der bloke—­dat’s wot!”

“If it is the man whose name is on the card that was given you I shall be sorry for him, for I have always believed him to be a white man.”

“An’ yer’ll be sorry?”

“I will.”

“Well, ye’re der funniest cove wot I ever saw.  Arter ye hed knocked der wind outer me, ye stayed eround ter see dat I wasn’t hurt too bad, w’en anybody else would ‘a’ kicked me inter der gutter an’ left me.  An’ now youse say dat you’ll be sorry fer der feller wot hired me ter do yer!  I’d like ter know jes’ how ye’re put up.”

“I can’t help being sorry to know that a fellow I have considered white and a friend is crooked and an enemy, if it is to prove that way.”

“Say, young feller, I likes you, durn me ef I don’t!  If you ever has anyt’ing ye wants done, jes’ come ter me, an’ I’ll do it if I kin, an’ I won’t charge yer nottin’.”

“Thank you,” smiled Frank; “but I do not fancy I shall have anything in your line.  While we are talking, though, let me give you some advice.  Turn over a new leaf and try to be on the level.  You will find it the best policy in the long run.”

“I t’ink ye’re right, an’ I’m goin’ ter try ter do it.  I allus did hate ter work, but if I kin git any kind of a job I’m goin’ ter try it once more.  I don’t know w’y it is, but jes’ bein’ wid youse makes me want ter do der square t’ing.”