Frank Merriwell's Catch — page 30: what you’re looking at

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28 The man tried to valaver, but that did not go with Frank, and he was forced to obey.. He held his hands above his head, and then Merry directed Diamond to search and disarm him. This Jack did, taking a revolver and knife from the man, Following this, the painter was taken from one of the canoes, and the man’s hands were bound behind his back, de- spite his protestations and threats. Then he was marched to the cottage. Browning and Hodge were just com- ing out to see what was going on when the trio appeared with the prisoner. °“He was stealing one of our canoes,’”? explained Frank. “*Well, what are you going to do with him?’ asked Bruce. *“*Pon’t know yet. point later.’” Bunker was inarched into the cottage, and then Frank observed: ‘“There is one little point I mean to settle without delay. There is a certain mystery about this gentleman. If Iam not mistaken, it does not require a razor to give him a clean shave.”? Then he took hold of the captive” whiskers and gave them a sharp jerk. They came off in his hands, showing they were false. ‘Inst what I thought!’ exclaimed Merry, triumphantly. ‘*Now how about this long hair?’ Ill decide on that It did not take long to establish the _ fact that Bunker wore a wig and his face was stained with paint that made it look coarse and repulsive. ‘*Rellows,’’ cried Merriwell, ‘‘see that scar under his ear! I have madea big catch this morning, for this is the gen- tleman Ben Bowers, the sheriff wants to see. nearly killed Peter Small!” Frank's words gave the others a shock, but they saw that, with his disguise re- moved, the man answered the description Bowers had given of the robber. Of course the captive denied that he was Tweed, but that made no difference with Frank. “Mr. Bowers will decide that point,’ he said. ‘I shall take you over to see him to-day.”’ "Clif Paraday in Cob. A Naval Cadet’s Adventures,” is now rimming in The Half Holey, This is Joe Tweed, who robbed and - TIP TOP WEEKLY. ‘The prisoner resorted to threats, pleading and attempted bribery. Hvery- thing was unavailing. Frank was deter- mined, and that very day, before noon, the man stood before the sheriff and was identified as Joe Tweed. . “Young man,’’? said Bowers, -‘‘you done a big job when you caught him! The reward is your’n, and I'll see that you gitit. J was afraid the blamed crit- ter had got clean away.’’ ‘‘And so I would,” said Tweed, sul- lenly, ‘Sif I had not been afool. I might have skipped yesterday, but I stayed to get acrack at Frank Merriwell, and he has landed me here. I made my ‘mistake in not letting him rip, even if he was responsible for my ducking in the lake. But I never robbed old Small, and I defy you to prove that I did.” This did not prove so hard, however, for Jim Welch turned out to be T'weed's accomplice, and he gave the whole thing away when he was accused. Almost every dollar of the stolen inoney was re- covered, and both Welch and Tweed were indicted and held for trial. Merriwell actually received the reward that had been offered for the capture of the robber. ‘Bellows,’ he. said, ‘‘that was a great catch, for this money will go a long dis- tance toward defraying the expenses of our trip. Weare having lots of apoth; and it is not costing us much.” ‘But you. must acknowledge one thing,’’ said Hodge, with a show of triumph. “What's that ” asked Frank. ‘“That you failed to find a redeeming quality in one rascal, and that one was Jim Welch.” ‘“Well,”’ laughed Frank, ‘‘Welch did not turn out very well, but still I do not believe he is all bad. He has not been given much of a show to exhibit the bet- ter side of his nature.” [THE END.]. The next number (rrr) will contain as the complete story, ‘‘Frank Merriwell’s Guide; or, Sport Around Moosehead Lake,”’ by the author of ‘‘Frank Merri- well.?? An COMIC OOO <S}o(CO)