"He rides like Buffalo Bill," said Browning, with an effort. "Bill is the best rider I ever saw." Diamond was watching Merriwell and the horse, a queer look on his face. Finally he exclaimed: "By Jove! there's something the matter with Nemo!" "What is it?" asked Griswold. "I didn't notice anything." "The horse shows a suspicion of lameness," asserted Jack. "You have good eyes to detect it," observed Browning, doubtingly. "I can't see that anything is the matter with the horse." "I'll wager he goes lame before Merriwell returns." "If he does, I shall think you have great discernment." Merriwell turned a corner and disappeared. "Come, fellows," said Griswold, "let's shuffle along." "Merriwell is altogether too generous," declared Diamond, as the trio walked away. "In what way?" asked Browning. "With his enemies. I know you and I were both enemies to him in the beginning, and----" "He threw us down hard." "That's all right; but there are enemies you have to hold down." "Merriwell didn't do a thing to Hartwick!" exclaimed Griswold, grinning. "He scared the fellow so he ran away from college, and nobody knows where he went." "Yes, but Merriwell gave him the opportunity to skip and escape the disgrace that must follow public exposure of his acts. Some fellows would have exposed him and brought about his expulsion." "That's right," chirped Griswold. "Merriwell was as generous with Hartwick as he could be with such a fellow. He might have used him much worse than he did." "And do you fancy Hartwick thinks any more of Merriwell for not exposing him publicly?" asked Jack. "Oh. I don't know." "Well, I will wager that he does not. More than that, I'll venture that Hartwick, wherever he may be, cherishes a fierce desire for revenge, and longs for the day when he will be able to get back at Frank. Merry will hear from that chap again." And there the subject was dropped. Frank enjoyed the ride upon Nemo's back, for the horse seemed intelligent and something of a comrade. The boy talked to his mount as if the animal could understand every word he uttered. He had ridden beyond the limits of the city before he noticed that Nemo was limping the least bit. "What's the matter, old fellow?" asked Frank, with concern. "Have you hurt yourself some way?" Nemo shook his head. It almost seemed that the animal was answering the question in the negative. "You must have stepped on a stone," Merriwell declared. "Why, you are really beginning to limp in earnest!" Frank immediately dismounted, after having decided it was Nemo's left hind leg or foot that was lame. "I'll make an inspection, and see if I can discover what is the matter," said the boy, anxiously. He examined both of the horse's hind feet, but could not see that anything was wrong. "If that rascally shoer has blundered in his work he'll not get another chance at you, boy," Merriwell declared. After patting Nemo's neck and fondling the fine creature a bit, Frank mounted once more.