They were on the opposite side of the street, so they had no trouble in passing the dazed pugilist, who had struggled to his feet and was looking after Hooker in a bewildered manner that was rather ludicrous. Hodge was not saying much now. Somehow, this adventure had not turned out just as he had expected it would, and, although he did not confess it, he was not a little puzzled by Hooker’s actions. At length Hooker and his companion came to a corner saloon, from the interior of which came the sound of men talking loudly and discordantly. Hooker’s companion seemed to insist on going in there, and, after awhile, the student consented.
“Well,” said Hodge, “we’ve run our game into a fine hole at last!”
“Still,” persisted Frank, “we have seen him do nothing criminal.”
“We’ve seen him do things that are evidence that he’s up to something crooked.”
“I want evidence. Instead of doing anything criminal, Hooker picked up a poor wretch on the street, and――――”
“Took him into a saloon――into a low dive!” exclaimed Bart scornfully.
“No, he did not take the man there. The man persisted in going there, and it was plain to me that Hooker accompanied him with reluctance.”
“Well, that was not plain to me, if it was to you. I don’t see how you can hold onto him and pretend to think he is all right after what we have seen. His every movement since entering the shop of that old Jew has been that of a sneak and a crook. We have followed him to the worst quarter of the city, and have seen him enter one of the lowest dens in company with a drunken man. If that is the sort of chap you choose to associate with, Frank Merriwell, I am ready to confess that I don’t know anything at all about you.”
Never had Bart Hodge been more in earnest, and Frank realized that his companion was making a strong argument. Still, Merry was not satisfied, and he refused to throw Hooker over till he learned something more convincing against him.
“I’ll guarantee,” said Bart, “that Hooker is in there drinking with his dopey companion. He prefers to associate with a fellow of that sort.”
“I am going in and see what he is doing,” said Frank quietly.
“And that will be a fine place to get your nut split open!”
“If you go in there, I shall go with you.”