The boys turned toward college, discussing the queer actions of the unknown as they walked along. One or two of them fully believed the man must be a lunatic. That night, as Frank and Harry were preparing for bed, the former declared: "That strange man is about as large a mystery as I ever ran across. He is beginning to be a decided nuisance." "What do you make of him, anyway?" "That he is a Westerner, or wishes to be thought such. His language betrays that. And he is the last man I could dream would be staking enough money on a game of college baseball to be able to offer a bribe of two thousand dollars to make sure that the game would result in his favor." "By Jove!" cried Rattleton; "if any other fellow but yourself had told me that a stranger had made them such an offer and had forked over one-half cash in advance I should have considered him a looming byer--no, a blooming liar!" "And you would not be to blame for thinking so. To me it seems like a dream, but I know it actually happened." "Well, what is he hanging around New Haven for?" "I'll give it up, unless he hopes to get at Heffiner or Dad Hicks, one of whom must pitch the game at Springfield." "He'll get used rough if he pushes his dirty dough at either Heffiner or Hicks!" cried Rattleton. "I think so," nodded Frank. "I believe they are loyal to dear old Yale, and nothing can buy their honor." "Most Yale men are. There may be one or two sneaks who would sell out, as there are black sheep in every flock. I don't believe Flemming would be above such a trick." "Oh, I don't know! I do not wish to think that bad of Flemming. I know he is my enemy, and I believe he hates me so he would do almost anything to injure me but I do not wish to think that a fellow like him even would stoop to such a dastardly trick as to betray old Yale." "You always think every fellow is white till you are convinced to the contrary beyond the shadow of a doubt." "I had rather believe all men honest and deceive myself in that manner than to suspect everybody and thus think that one honest man was a rogue." Harry regarded Frank in a queer manner, slowly shaking his head, but saying nothing more. For all that they had been friends and roommates for a year and a half, Rattleton was forced to confess to himself that there still remained many things about Merriwell that he could not understand. That Frank was shrewd Harry knew, and yet Merriwell sometimes seemed to deliberately deceive himself by thinking that certain fellows were honest when he should have known better. It seemed the hardest thing in the world for Frank to be convinced that any fellow was thoroughly bad, even though that person might be an enemy who had endeavored in numerous ways to do him an injury. "Merriwell seems to come out all right in everything," thought Rattleton; "but it would not be the luck of any other fellow who dared take the chances he does." CHAPTER XXIV. TWO WARNINGS.