"He"s remarkably apt," nodded Merriwell. "With his whole soul he"s determined to learn everything the white man can teach him. Old Joe swore the boy to this obedience, and young Joe has never faltered or hesitated. Still, I know he is sometimes consumed with a longing for the wild life that"s natural to one of his race. At times he wanders alone in the fields and woods. He takes pleasure in following the trail of any wild animal if he happens to find such a track. As a trailer, I believe he"s almost as wonderful as a bloodhound."
The conversation wandered on to other topics, and finally Inza spoke of the wedding gift to Bart and Elsie. Hodge seemed quite overcome and unable to express himself.
"Not a word, old fellow!" cried Frank, glancing at his watch and rising quickly. "Come on if you"re going into town with me."
"Are you going into town?" asked Inza.
"Oh, we won"t be gone long," smiled Merry. "It"s a little matter that requires attention. Perhaps we"ll bring back a surprise."
"Oh, now you"ve aroused my curiosity!"
"I intended to."
"Aren"t you going to tell me what it is?"
"Then it wouldn"t be a surprise."
"But I can"t wait."
"Just like a woman," chuckled Merry. "Give them a hint of a surprise in store for them, and they"ll badger you to death until they spoil the surprise. Let"s take flight, Bart. Let"s get away before the girls coax it out of us."
He s.n.a.t.c.hed a kiss and sprang down the steps, followed by Hodge.
"I think you"re real mean!" cried Inza. "You just wait and see if I don"t play it back on you! I"ll have a secret some time and keep it from you!"
"Impossible!" said Merry. "No woman ever kept a secret."
"Especially from her husband," put in Hodge.
"Oh, you"ll see--you"ll see!" threatened Inza.
But the two laughing young men disappeared round the corner.
"Now, I"d just give anything in the world to know what they"re up to,"
said Inza. "Aren"t you dying to know, Elsie?"
"I am, but still I think I"ll survive," was the answer.
Proceeding to the stable, Merry called Toots, who promptly appeared, jerking off his cap and bowing as he showed his teeth in a grin.
"How"d do, Marsa Frank--good mawnin", sah," he said. "How"d do, Mist"
Hodge? What ken Ah do fo" yo" dis lubly mawnin"?"
"Hitch the span into the surrey," said Merry. "I want you to drive us to the station."
While the colored man was. .h.i.tching up, Frank and Bart talked.
"I heard some of the things you were saying to that French nurse girl, Merry," said Hodge. "You seem to have an idea that you"ve seen her before."
"I can"t get over the feeling," confessed Frank. "Still, it doesn"t seem so much as if I"d seen her as it does seem that I"ve seen some one like her."
"You asked her if she had a brother?"
"Yes."
"She said no?"
"Yes."
"Do you think that she told you the truth?"
"I had no reason to think otherwise."
"You trust her?"
"She seems perfectly trustworthy to me."
"Well, you may be right. In old times I was forever suspecting some one you trusted. In most cases I was wrong, and I suppose I am wrong this time."
"Then you suspect Lizette?"
"I have a queer feeling about that girl. I can"t give my reasons for it, Merry. Still, after you were through talking with her a little while ago and you started up the veranda steps, I saw her give you a queer look behind your back."
"What sort of a look?"
"I can"t describe it. She just flashed you one daggerlike glance with those black eyes."
"Oh, well, that meant nothing. Are you ready, Toots?"
"Yes, sah, all ready, sah. Git right in, gemmans. Whoa dar, Flossie!
Don"t yo" git so nimpatient! Stop yo" dancin", old girl. You"re gittin"
d.i.c.k all fretted up."
Frank and Bart sprang in and took the rear seat. In a moment Toots was on the front seat, and the horses clattered out of the stable.
CHAPTER V.
THE SURPRISE.
The eastbound express drew up at Bloomfield station. Among the pa.s.sengers who got off was a slender, grave-faced young fellow, who carried a satchel, and whose hand was grasped almost as soon as his foot reached the depot platform. It was Frank Merriwell"s old friend, Berlin Carson.
"How are you, Berlin, old boy!" cried Frank, shaking that hand warmly.
"Here"s Hodge."
Bart Hodge followed Frank in giving the traveler a handshake.