"No!" cried Merriwell, fiercely, letting his outraged indignation flame forth. "What do you take me for? I am no sneak and traitor, and not for ten thousand dollars--not for a hundred thousand dollars--not to save my very life would I do such a dastardly thing! You have made a mistake in your man! Take back your dirty money! I would not touch a dollar of it for the world! It would contaminate me!" Then he flung the roll of bills straight into the face of the astonished man. As the man stooped to pick up the money, which had fallen at his feet, Frank caught him by the collar with his well hand, yanked him up, and started him on a run for an open window. Clinging to the money, the stranger uttered a protest at such rude treatment, but he was unable to turn about or break away, although he tried to do so. Headlong through the window Frank pitched the fellow, giving him a powerful kick to help him along. There was a cry of pain and rage, and the man disappeared. This act of Frank's had been noted by the others within the boathouse, and it created no little wonder and excitement. Harry Rattleton came running up, spluttering: "Hello, Frank! mut's the whatter--I mean what's the matter?" "Oh, nothing in particular," answered Merriwell, quietly. "I simply fired a scoundrel, that's all." "What was he up to, old man?" demanded Bob Collingwood, in a tone that indicated that he was sorry not to have taken a hand in the little fracas. "Did he try to do you?" "No; but he is trying to do Yale." "How is that?" Frank explained, briefly telling of the bribe offered by the mysterious stranger. A circle of lads had gathered about Merriwell, and they listened with rising anger to his words. Cries of astonishment and rage broke from their lips when Frank told of the truly astonishing bribe which the unknown had offered. "My only regret," concluded Frank, "was that I did not have two good hands with which to handle the rascal." "And my regret is that I was not there to handle him for you!" cried Jack Diamond. "I wonder how the fellow got in here?" exclaimed Collingwood. "I'll have to inquire into that." "He can't be far away," cried one of the angry lads. "Let's get out and nab him!" "Come on! come on!" was the general cry, and there was a rush for the door. But the unknown had not lingered in the vicinity of the boathouse. He was not found, which made it plain that he had taken to his heels as soon as he landed outside the window. "Too bad!" growled Collingwood. "A good soak in the river is what he'd got, if we'd caught him." CHAPTER XXI. ON THE SPECIAL TRAIN. Some of the lads felt like staying in New London and making a night of it, but this was strictly against rules, and those who did so took a desperate chance of getting into trouble by it. After the race there was a general rush for the trains, and those bound west over the N. Y., N. H. & H. were crowded.