"He is retiring on his reputation as a globe-trotter," sneered Walter. "You know he has been all over the world. I expect to hear any day that he has discovered the North Pole during some of his extensive travels, but has forgotten to say anything about it." "You think he hasn't traveled as much as has been reported?" "Oh, he may have been over the pond, but that's nothing. Willis Paulding has been over several times, and so have a score of fellows I know. But the yarns about shooting panthers in South America, gorillas in Africa, and other fierce and terrible beasts in other countries are altogether too steep to go down my throat." "How about the trophies he has to show for it?" "Bah! His uncle left him money to burn, and he has a way of squeezing any amount of it out of his guardian, Prof. Scotch. If he calls for a thousand dollars, he gets it right away. With money like that I could buy a lot of old weapons, queer pottery, fake idols, brass lamps, skins of wild animals, and so forth, and make a big bluff that I had gathered them all over the world. I don't say much about him, but, between you and I, that fellow makes me awfully weary." Harris grinned a bit. "Can't get over it, can you?" he said. "Can't get over what?" "The fact that he beat you out at both baseball and football last year. He got onto the 'Varsity nine and the eleven. You tried for both, and got onto neither." "Oh, I don't care about those things," protested Gordan. "It was by chance that he got onto the nine, and you know it. If Yale hadn't been hard up for pitchers, he would not have been given a trial." "That's all right, but you had the same opportunity and you got left." "Oh, well, rub it in!" snapped Gordan. "Merriwell has beat you at a few things, or the stories they tell are lies." It was Harris' turn to get red in the face. "Who has been telling anything? Has Merriwell been blowing around?" "I don't know about that, but it is said that your Harvard friend, Harlow, proved to be a card sharp--and you introduced him to a lot of fellows here. Merriwell got into a game and caught him cheating. If the stories are straight, Merriwell could have made it hot for you. He let up on you." "Lies!" snarled Harris, his face growing dark, while he pulled away at his short mustache. "It must be Merriwell has been telling these things. Oh, I'd like to punch his head!" "Yes, but you don't dare try it any more than I do," grinned Gordan. "You know he can lick you and not half try." "Oh, he's a fighter, and I don't pretend to be that; but he may find me dangerous. I have been keeping still for some time, but I'm simply waiting, that's all." "The fellows say he was dead easy with Hartwick, but that Evan would not let up on Merriwell." "Well, Hartwick was forced to leave college, anyway, and I'd like to make Frank Merriwell do the same thing." "Wish you might. It would give some of the rest of us a show."