“From what I have seen of you, Del Norte, me man,” said Hagan, “you’re the boy to get ahead of a chap like Merriwell. You’re slick and smooth as they make ’em, and if you set about it I will guarantee you will find out where those papers are carried in less than two days. It then remains for you to get possession of them without detection. Get ashore with them, and mail them to our headquarters in New York. Once they are in the hands of the post office authorities you are all right. Then you can laugh defiance in the teeth of Frank Merriwell.” “Quite so,” nodded the Mexican. “But I should hate to do the laughing as openly as you propose, Señor Hagan. They say this Merriwell sometimes strikes, and strikes hard. I don’t care to have him strike me. But let me tell you he must guard himself every moment, or I may find my opportunity to strike him. I have now a double reason for hating him.” “A double reason?” said Hagan. “Why, you Mexicans are queer. I don’t hate the boy. I rather admire him. All the same, I shall take great satisfaction in downing him as hard as I can.” “I have not told you one reason why I hate him. I will tell you: On board that yacht is the most beautiful American girl it has ever been my pleasure to behold. She is the affianced of this American. Is it strange I should hate him for his good fortune when I tell you that I love her?” “Come, come, Del Norte!” exclaimed Hagan, “don’t get mixed up in a love affair just now. You have something else on your hands if you are going to get ahead of Frank Merriwell.” “To-day,” said Del Norte, “this afternoon we go up yonder upon the mountain. Señorita Inza will go with us. Up there, as you may see, are many steep precipices. Would it be strange, indeed, if sometime to-day Señor Merriwell should slip and fall over one of those precipices? They tell me that a girl once fell from the higher mountain and was killed. A cross stands at the top of the cliff over which she fell. Ha! ha! ha! I wonder if they would put up a cross on the smaller mountain should Señor Merriwell fall to his death from a high cliff?” Hagan gave a little shrug with his thick shoulders. “Why, hang you, Del Norte!” he exclaimed. “I believe you would commit murder if you had a first-class opportunity and you could get an enemy out of the way by it!” “I don’t like the word murder, Señor Hagan. It has a very bad sound to the ear. I have not spoken of such a thing. I said this smart American might slip and fall. Of course I would have nothing to do with it. Oh, no! Of course I would try to save him as he was going over. I would spring to clutch him. I would be horrified by the terrible disaster. I would weep and tear my hair, and offer Señorita Inza my sympathy and consolation. I would tell her how grand and noble I thought the poor youth and how deeply I regretted his untimely death.” “Say, you’re the limit!” growled Hagan. “Better be careful, man. Murder will out, you know.”