“You can’t; I’ve taken care of that. I have thought all along that the time would come when we would have to split. Of course, I had no intention of supporting you the rest of your natural life.” Arlington was defying his former companion and tool, but no one knew better than he how dangerous Miguel Bunol was, and he was keenly on the alert for anything. “I never be thrown over like this!” asserted the Spaniard. “I ruin you.” “You will ruin yourself, that is all.” “You say that. Ha! How we come to be friends in first place? I tell that! I will!” “You wouldn’t dare!” exclaimed Chester, turning pale. “You think that? You wait—you see! I tell how you have boy you hate, how you pay me to push him off bridge, how he sink, he drown! Ha!” “But I didn’t mean for him to drown!” explained Chester. “He drown,” said Bunol grimly. “I meant to give him a ducking and a scare.” “He drown!” again came from the lips of the Spaniard. “I did everything I could to save him. I stripped off and plunged in. I tried to pull him out.” “All the same, he drown. Then you say nothing. You no tell how it happen. You say think he fell in. You try to get him out. Somebody say you hero. Miguel Bunol say nothing.” “It wasn’t best that you did! You didn’t fancy going to prison for murder in the second degree. That’s what would have happened to you.” “We get great friend. Now you want me no more, you throw me down. Go ’head! I throw you down! I tell all!” “But it will put you in just as bad a hole.” “What do I care? I get even with you! Which hurt most—I go to jail, or you go to jail? You son of great man. All my relation dead ’cept mother. No can tell where she is now.” Arlington rose, thrust his hands deep into his trousers pockets, and began to pace up and down. Bunol watched him with those beady eyes, and an expression of triumph came to his face. He knew that he had conquered, and he was right. At last, Chester turned, came back to the table, and said: “We can’t afford to quarrel now, I think I was too hasty. We’ll stick together. I may need you some more.” “I stick to you all right,” said the Spaniard, with keenest satisfaction. “Don’t you be ’fraid.” CHAPTER XIX—A CRY IN THE NIGHT The resignation of Chester Arlington from the athletic committee created no end of astonishment. He was overwhelmed with questions, but very little could be learned from him, as he refused to answer. “I made up my mind to do it,” he said, “and I did it, that’s all. I’m not going to talk about it, so don’t worry me.” It must be confessed that this action on his part lost him many supporters. The plebes were indignant, as they lost a representative on the committee, George Hardy, a first class man, being chosen to fill the vacancy. Perhaps Mark Crauthers was the most disgusted fellow in Fardale. He sought Arlington and expressed himself in a flow of violent language, without giving Chester an opportunity to say a word. When he paused, Arlington sneeringly asked: