leader of the ruffians.
"You've slept away the whole morning. You seem to be takin' it a heap
easy and comfortable like."

"Just bottling up a little sleep in case of need," said Merry, sitting
up and placing his back against the wall. "There's no telling when I may
have to keep awake a whole lot, you know."

"Instead of keeping awake," said Bill, in a sinister manner, "you're a
heap more likely to fall asleep some of these yere times an' never wake
up."

"In that case, it will be of no consequence, so I am not losing anything
by sleeping while I may."

The man surveyed Merry long and intently, as if trying to probe the
nature of this cool youth. At last, he turned to the sentinel and
dismissed him.

The sentinel went out, closing the door.

Bill lighted a fresh cigarette.

"Young man," he said, "I want to inform you right yere and now that it
will do you no good whatever to try to bribe any of my men."

"Possibly not," said Frank noncommittally.

"You bet your life it won't!" said Bill emphatically. "Thar ain't one of
them but what knows me, an', knowin' me, thar ain't one what would dare
play me crooked. Savvy?"

"It's quite plain."

"It's straight goods, Merriwell. A while ago you offered one of 'em a
thousan' dollars if he would find a way to get you out of this."

"Correct," admitted Merry immediately. "And had he accepted the offer
and accomplished the job, I should have congratulated myself on getting
off very cheap."

He had seen at once that it was useless to try deception or denial with
Bill, and so he spoke frankly.

"That's right," nodded Bill. "A thousan' would be small money fer such a
job; but it ain't no use, for none of them will take the job at that or
five times as much. 'Cause why? 'Cause they knows me, Cimarron Bill,
right well. They know I'd sure settle up with 'em if they done any
crooked work. They have seen the notches in my guns. Some of 'em has
seen me shoot."

"Well, my dear sir," smiled Merry, "I don't presume you fancied I would
remain here like a man in a trance without trying to ge