“Are you looking for an opening, Mr. Merriwell?” asked the manager.

“I am looking for some kind of a job,” confessed Frank. “Must do something, you know.”

“You seem like a bright young man. Perhaps we might agree, if you are willing to take hold and do not expect too much money at first.”

Somehow the idea of going on the road with a show appealed to Frank. Had he been working at anything steady just then he would not have thought of giving up his job to take such an engagement; but he was doing nothing, and any kind of a job was preferable to idleness.

“I don’t know,” he said, slowly. “I haven’t thought about going into such work, but——”

“You might think about it?”

“Possibly.”

“All right. I’ll be ready to make you an offer to-morrow, if you are ready to come right away. I’ll be in the box office of the theater at eleven in the morning. Will you call?”

“I think I will.”

“Do so. It won’t do any harm, even if we don’t agree. I shall be glad to see you, anyhow.”

Frank was ready to go. He knew Jack and Nellie would wonder what had become of him.

Hans and Ephraim accompanied him, and they found the brother and sister waiting near the entrance of the theater.

“Oh, Frank!” cried little Nell. “We didn’t know where you had gone.”

“I told her you would turn up all right,” asserted Jack, “but she was nervous after that fight on the stage.”

“It was dreadful!” shuddered the girl. “I was so frightened! I saw that wretch was really and truly hurting ‘Uncle Tom,’ but I didn’t expect you would jump right onto the stage, Frank.”

“Had to do it,” smiled Merry. “Case of necessity.”

“You did it so quick, and you handled that ruffian! I never saw a fight before in my life, and it frightened me. But I was so proud of you when all the crowd was shouting your name and cheering. They all 

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