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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/35127-8.txt b/35127-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3b6c08 --- /dev/null +++ b/35127-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13772 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale, by Burt L. Standish + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + +Author: Burt L. Standish + +Release Date: February 1, 2011 [EBook #35127] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE + + BY BURT L. STANDISH + +AUTHOR OF "Frank Merriwell's Schooldays," "Frank Merriwell's Trip West," +"Frank Merriwell's Chums," "Frank Merriwell's Foes," "Frank Merriwell +Down South," etc. + + + PHILADELPHIA. + DAVID MCKAY, PUBLISHER, + 604-8 SOUTH WASHINGTON SQUARE. + + Copyright, 1897 and 1904 + By STREET & SMITH + + Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + + + + +[Illustration: "The door opened and in walked Frank Merriwell."] + + + + +FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +GREETINGS ON THE CAMPUS. + + +"Ah, there, Merriwell!" + +Frank Merriwell was crossing the campus at good old Yale, and this cry, +in a familiar voice, sounded from Durfee Hall. + +He turned his eyes toward the favorite dormitory, and seated at an open +window on the ground floor he saw his classmate, Jones, he of the famous +nickname, "Dismal." + +"Hello, Dismal," called Frank, "aren't you going to come out and shake +hands with a fellow?" + +"I would if it wasn't for the shower," responded Jones, whose usually +solemn face was graver than ever. + +"Shower?" repeated Frank, looking up in surprise at the perfectly clear +sky. + +"I see that you've just arrived, so that you probably haven't noticed +it," said Dismal, coming out of his window to avoid going around through +the hall. + +He came slowly across the grass plot that lay between him and Frank and +held out his hand, saying: + +"How are you, Frank? I'm glad to see you." + +Frank, who had just come from the railway station, had a gripsack in +each hand. He set them down upon the grass and shook Dismal's hand +warmly. + +"There it goes!" exclaimed Dismal, with something like animation, "the +shower's begun again." + +Frank's brows wrinkled in perplexity. + +"I don't see any signs of a shower," he said. + +"That's because you haven't been here all the morning," returned Jones, +solemnly. "I've been sitting there in my window for fully three hours +watching it; it's been a perfect rain of gripsacks on the campus. Every +fellow that comes along stops to shake hands with everybody he meets, +and every time he stops, down goes his gripsacks." + +Frank laughed. + +"You're the same old cheerful joker, Dismal," he said. "But you're +beginning early. If you keep up this sort of thing you'll actually get +caught laughing before the end of the junior year." + +There was a faint shadow of a smile on Dismal's face as he responded: + +"Well, anyhow, Frank, I'm glad to see all the fellows come trooping +back. Are you glad to get here yourself?" + +"Why, of course I am." + +"Had a good time during the vacation?" + +"I always have a good time," said Frank. "Don't you?" + +"Oh, yes, in my way. To tell the truth, I spent most of the summer +dreading the day when I should have to come back to the confounded old +books, and lectures and examinations; but I got here yesterday, and now +I'm dreading the time I shall have to go away again." + +"Then I see that you're sure to enjoy yourself during the junior year," +said Frank, stooping to pick up his gripsacks. + +"When I've got my room in order I'll come around and go to luncheon with +you." + +"Do!" replied Dismal. "I'll go back to my window seat and watch the +shower. Hello! there comes Browning, and he's loaded down with +gripsacks, too. My, but there'll be a perfect torrent!" + +Big Bruce Browning came up with friendly words of greeting, and as +Dismal had predicted, he set down his gripsacks in order to get his +hands free. + +"It's getting worse and worse!" remarked Dismal, as if worried about it, +"for here comes Rattleton and Diamond from one direction and Harold Page +from another." + +The last named students were on their way, just as Frank had been, to +their respective rooms, and each carried more or less baggage, except +Diamond, who, being something of an aristocrat, had sent all his traps +to his room on a wagon. + +Seeing Frank standing near Durfee, they all turned toward him, and in a +moment there was a lively exchange of greetings and small talk. + +Four of these students, Merriwell himself, Jack Diamond, Bruce Browning +and Harry Rattleton, had not been long separated, to be sure, but after +a sporting trip which they had undertaken across the continent, it was +like meeting after a long absence to find themselves together again at +Yale. + +It was the beginning of a new college year, and members of all classes +were trooping back to begin their work. + +While these juniors were discussing all manner of things that interest +students, such as the prospects of the football eleven, the make-up of +next year's crew, and the coming elections into secret societies, +members of other classes were scattered about the campus chatting in +much the same way. + +Among those who appeared upon the famous quadrangle were many who +belonged to the incoming freshman class. It was easy to recognize them, +for, as Rattleton observed: + +"You can tell a freshman with the naked eye." + +They were either proceeding in a fearful hurry, as if they thought they +were in danger of getting in late to an examination, or they were +standing in awkward idleness looking at the strange buildings and +evidently not knowing which way to turn and dreading to ask anybody a +question. + +The juniors smiled indulgently as a group of three or four candidates +for the freshman class passed them. + +The newcomers were discussing an examination from which they had just +come, telling each other how they had answered certain questions and +wondering if they would get marked high enough to pass. + +"I can sympathize with them," remarked Diamond. "I know just the kind of +shivers they're suffering from." + +"What jolly good subjects those fellows would be for a quiet hazing," +remarked Page. + +"You mustn't forget," said Frank, "that we're juniors now, and therefore +out of it so far as hazing is concerned." + +"That's right," added Browning, "the freshies are nothing to us; they're +far beneath us." + +"Except in one sense," said Frank. "The sophomores, you know, will get +even for the hazing we gave them, by taking it out of the freshies, and +so it becomes our duty, in a way, to take care of the freshmen and see +that they get fair treatment." + +Speaking of this it may be well to explain that in all colleges the +juniors take this attitude toward the freshmen. + +As a rule the freshman receives the attention of a junior with a great +deal of gratitude, but also as a rule he does not find that it amounts +to very much. + +The junior is ever ready to give him a good deal of solid advice, and a +great deal more ready to get the freshman to do errands for him, and all +manner of odd jobs that the freshman is quite sure to do, until, as the +boys say, he tumbles to the fact that after all the junior is really +making game of him. + +"Speaking of hazing, though," said Page, suddenly, "I've got a new +room." + +"Have you? Where is it?" asked Rattleton. + +"It's up High Street a way, in one of the oldest houses in New Haven." + +"Good room?" asked Browning. + +"Capital! I've got to do some grinding this year and the room will suit +me exactly for that, but there'll be hours when the books can be +forgotten, and then you fellows'll find that the room is a corker for +cards or any sort of jollification." + +"I don't see what that's got to do with hazing," remarked Merriwell. +"You said that the hazing reminded you of it." + +"Yes, I'll tell you why, or rather I'll show you. There's something +about that room that would be perfectly immense if we were sophomores +now. Come down and see it, will you?" + +"Better wait a week," said Browning, picking up his bags, "I'm busy +now." + +"How extraordinary!" remarked Dismal Jones. "If the faculty should hear +that Browning was busy they'd give him a warning!" + +Browning frowned in mock anger and Frank, putting on an expression quite +as solemn as Dismal's own, and laying his hand on Dismal's shoulder, +said: + +"The fact is, boys, Jones has become ambitious. He knows that the +election of class-day officers is only a little more than a year away, +and he's getting himself into training for one of the positions." + +"Oh, go on, it isn't so!" exclaimed Dismal. + +"That's just his modesty," continued Frank, "for of course he doesn't +want to push himself forward, but he's quietly waiting for his friends +to recognize his great ability, and as we're his friends we just want to +boom him from now on, and I take this occasion of nominating Dismal +Jones, Esquire, as class wit." + +Rattleton burst into guffaws of laughter, while the others smiled. + +"The idea is humorous enough to elect him!" said Diamond. + +"Well, if he's going to be a candidate," added Browning, "we must put +the campaign through in proper fashion. We must organize a Dismal Jones +Club and have an emblem. + +"I move that we all wear crape upon our left arm and mourning bands upon +our hats until the election." + +"Great Scott!" howled Rattleton, "the time for mourning will be after +Jones is elected." + +Jones listened to this joking with stolid good humor; never a smile +lingered on his face, but his solemn eyes showed no resentment. + +"It's all right," he remarked when they gave him a chance to speak, "you +fellows think you've got me on a long string, but I'd like to bet that +if I should run for a class office, I wouldn't be last in the race! + +"Of course," he added, hastily, "I haven't really any insane notion of +doing such a thing." + +The students laughed again, picked up their gripsacks and prepared to +separate. + +"Say!" called Page, eagerly, "what about coming down to see my room?" + +"Oh, we've got a whole year ahead of us," growled Browning. + +"I'll run down in the course of an hour or two," said Frank. "I don't +think there's anything to do at my room, and I'll be glad to learn the +way to yours. What's the number?" + +Page told him, and Frank exclaimed: + +"Why! some of the professors live there, don't they?" + +"Pretty much the whole house," responded Page, "is let out to students +and instructors; I believe Prof. Babbitt has his room there----" + +"Babbitt!" interrupted Rattleton; "he's the most unpardonable crank in +the whole faculty." + +"Well, I shall let him alone, and I've no doubt that he will let me +alone," returned Page. "He's a good deal of a hermit, I'm told, and I +don't think that his being in the same house will make a particle of +difference to me. Anyhow, there's the room and I want you fellows to see +it." + +"I'll be down in a little while," said Frank, and the others also +promised to come in the course of a day or two. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IMPRISONED IN A CHIMNEY. + + +Frank found that there was nothing whatever in his room to demand his +attention, and so, after he had unpacked his grips and put away their +contents, he went down High Street to call on Page. + +The house in which Page had taken a room was made of stone. Its walls +were very thick, the ceilings low, and everything about it made it seem +like a relic of the last century. + +This is indeed what it was. In former days it had been the residence of +one of the wealthiest men in New Haven, but that was long ago; for years +it had been used wholly as a lodging house. + +Page's room was on the second floor. It was very large and cheerful. +Three windows looked out on the street and in each of them was a broad +seat provided with heavy cushions. + +On the opposite side of the room there were two old-fashioned benches +built against the wall. Between the ends of these benches and right in +the middle of that side of the room was one of the ancient chimneys of +the house. + +It came out three or four feet into the room and gave the place an +antique and interesting appearance. Page had hung a lot of ornaments in +the way of fencing foils, boxing gloves, baseball bats, and other +materials used by students, upon this chimney. + +After Frank had taken a general look around the room he said: + +"It's a nice old den, Page, and I think the chimney there is the best +part of it. What a pity that there isn't a fireplace. There ought to be, +and it strikes me that there was at one time." + +Saying this, he knelt down before the chimney and examined the stones of +which it was made. These had been painted white. Frank thought he could +see a line that indicated what had once been an opening. Page watched +him in silence. + +"There certainly was a fireplace here at one time," said Frank, rising, +"and if I were in your place I'd have the stones cut away so that you +can use it again. An open wood fire there would look immense in winter." + +"That's a good scheme, Frank," responded Page, "and it was that chimney +that led me to speak of the room. I didn't know it when I hired the +place, but since I've got in I've discovered that--well, I'll show you." + +With this he stooped over by the chimney, put his hand upon what +appeared to be a little projection from one of the stones, turned it, +and opened a door. + +Within the door there was revealed an old-fashioned fireplace, deep and +high. All it needed was andirons and poker to make it complete. + +"Well, that's funny!" exclaimed Frank. + +"Isn't it?" returned Page. "I got on to the thing wholly by accident. +When I was hanging up some of the things there I stumbled and caught +hold of that little projection for support. + +"The thing turned in my hand, and the first thing I knew the door was +open. It opened a little hard, showing that the thing hadn't been used +for a long time." + +"Didn't the owner of the house speak of it?" + +"I don't think he knows anything about it." + +"Have you told him?" + +"Not much!" + +"Why not?" + +"Well, because it just struck me that such a place as this was a kind of +a secret worth keeping. You can see for yourself that it was the evident +intention of the person who set up this door that it should be a secret. +The hinges are perfectly concealed, and it has been fitted in and the +edges painted in such a way that only the closest inspection would give +a fellow a suspicion that there was any opening there." + +At this moment there was a knock, and Browning came in. + +"I thought you were coming next week?" exclaimed Page. + +"Well, I found I'd nothing better to do than run down here. What's that +you're looking at?" + +The boys explained the matter to him, and in his slow way he admitted +that if they were sophomores it would be quite possible to utilize this +secret door in the course of hazing freshmen. + +"As we're not in the hazing business now," he said, "I can't see any use +for the place, Page, except for you to hide in when your creditors +call." + +"Huh!" retorted Page, "it's my habit to keep my bills paid." + +"It'll make you unpopular if the fellows know that." + +"I was telling Page," said Merriwell, "that if I had the room I'd take +down that door entirely, get some andirons and burn a log of wood on a +winter evening." + +"That's a good scheme," returned Browning, "but if I should do anything +of that kind I should never get a stroke of work done here; this room +was never meant to study in, but it's an ideal loafing place." + +With this he threw himself upon one of the window seats and looked out. +The others took places on the other windows and for a few minutes their +conversation turned upon college topics. + +Then Browning, who was a little restless, as most students are +immediately after a vacation, said he would have to be going. Page urged +him to wait, but he shook his head. + +"By the way," he said, with his hand upon the door, "I've got some +news." + +"Well?" said both the others together. + +"I regret to say it isn't pleasant news, but it may be important to you +two; it certainly is to me." + +"Spring it!" exclaimed Page. + +"Cut the preface!" said Merriwell. + +"Babbitt has announced an examination for juniors in mathematics." + +"What!" + +Merriwell and Page were so surprised that they sat down suddenly. +Browning remained standing by the door. + +"It's a fact," he said. + +"But what can that mean?" asked Merriwell. "We had our regular +examination last spring." + +"I know we did, but Babbitt's going to have another just the same." + +"Where did you learn it?" + +"On the bulletin board, of course. The notice was put up not more than +an hour ago." + +"When is it to be?" + +"Three days from now." + +Page looked blankly at Merriwell. + +"I never was any good at mathematics," he said, "and after a summer +without a thought of it I don't believe I could do an ordinary sum in +multiplication." + +"Well," responded Frank, doubtfully, "it can't be that the examination +will have any serious consequences for us fellows if we passed last +spring." + +"There's no telling how serious Babbitt may make it," said Browning. +"The notice on the bulletin board, of course, doesn't give any +explanation, but I met Frost, the fellow who graduated a couple of years +ago, you know, with high honors in mathematics, and who was made +instructor in one of the lower departments of that course. + +"I knew Frost quite well when he was a student, so I asked him if he +knew anything about this." + +"What did he say?" + +"He smiled a little queerly and answered that Professor Babbitt had his +own ideas." + +"In other words, Frost wouldn't tell?" + +"Oh, no, that's not it; Frost is a member of the faculty now, you see, +and of course he has to speak very respectfully of the older men. + +"I got a very distinct idea that Frost regarded Babbitt's examination as +all nonsense, but he did explain to me what Babbitt's idea about it is." + +"That's what we want to know." + +"It's just this way," said Browning, sitting down. "It seems our class +is enlarged by the addition of quite a number of men who have graduated +from or studied at other colleges. + +"They have applied for admission into the junior class, and there's got +to be an examination for them, of course; in fact, the examination for +such candidates is going on now." + +"That's quite a usual thing," remarked Merriwell. + +"Yes, certainly, but Babbitt has declared that the examination of last +spring was very unsatisfactory. He says men can't go ahead in +mathematics unless what they have done before is thoroughly learned, and +he proposes to find out just what sort of talent there is in our class +before he begins a year's work." + +"He'll find out what I can't do!" groaned Page. + +"Probably he knows that already," said Merriwell. + +"That's the substance of it, anyway," added Browning. "Babbitt's idea is +to strike an average as to what the class can do and proceed from that." + +"Then I shouldn't think," said Merriwell, "that the examination should +have any terrors for us." + +"You'd think," exclaimed Page, "that Merriwell looked at an examination +as he would a plunge in the surf, just a little dip for the fun of it, +and it's all over. It won't be so with me." + +"Don't worry," responded Frank, "you've got three days in which to +cram." + +"And that's just what I'll do, I'm thinking." + +Page dropped his chin upon his hands and looked gloomily at the floor. + +"I'm sorry to give you unpleasant news," said Browning, rising, "but I +told you I thought it was important. So long." + +With this he went out. + +"Oh, well," said Page, after a moment, "I'm not going to be knocked out +by that! I'll just go into the examination and do as well as I can and +take chances; that's what the rest of us have got to do." + +"That's the best way to look at it," Frank answered, "and I don't think +I shall bother my head with cramming for it. + +"If I were you, Page, I'd go down to some of those second-hand stores on +the street and see if you can't pick up a pair of old-fashioned +andirons. You don't want to get new ones, you know, for a place like +this, they wouldn't seem appropriate." + +"That's so," Page answered, with a queer smile, "I believe I'll adopt +your suggestion at once. How would you place them?" + +"Why, just as they are placed in every other fireplace," Frank answered, +"one on each side; that is, if the old chimney will draw." + +"Perhaps it won't," said Page. + +"I hadn't thought of that," continued Frank. "It may be that the place +was closed up because the chimney was defective. Let's see if we can +find out." + +So saying, he knelt and entered the fireplace. Once inside it was easy +to stand upright, for the chimney was broad, and as he looked up he +could see that it ran with a slight incline clear to the roof. + +"There's nothing to prevent a fire from being built here," he said, with +his eyes turned upward. "Such a chimney as this would draw like a +furnace." + +Page made no response. + +"I declare," Merriwell added, "it makes me wish that winter had come so +that I could see a roaring old blaze of logs here. Doesn't that strike +you about right?" + +As Page made no response, he turned to look at his classmate, and then +discovered that the secret door to the fireplace had been closed. + +With his eyes turned upward and seeing the little patch of light at the +top of the chimney he had not noticed that the light from the room had +been shut off. + +"Hello, there!" he called, feeling along the wall to find the door. "I'm +no freshman." + +There was no sound from Page's room. Frank found a match in his pocket +and struck it. From inside it was easy enough to distinguish the +outlines of the secret door that concealed the fireplace. + +It was not possible, however, to discover any way by which it might be +opened. The latch was the kind used on doors, but strong, and with no +knob on the inside. + +Frank pushed against the door with some force. It did not yield in the +least degree. + +"Seems to me," he thought, "that Page has a queer idea of fun to lock me +in like this. I've a good mind to kick the door down." + +He thought a moment before deciding to do this, and reflected that it +would hardly be a good-natured way of treating the joke. + +If Page meant to have some fun with him by making him a prisoner, the +joke would be all the more successful if Merriwell should get mad about +it and break open the secret door. + +"I think," thought Frank, "that I'll get even with Page for this in a +way that will surprise him." + +His match went out just then and he began to feel in the darkness of the +stones that made the chimney. They were untrimmed stones, so that the +interior surface was very irregular. + +Just above his hand, but within reach, was an iron bar crossing the +chimney; it was put there to bind the walls. + +Frank drew himself upon this and then, being in the narrow part of the +chimney, was able to work his way upward by clinging with hands and feet +to the rough edges of the stones. + +It was slow progress, but not difficult, and sure. The only question +would be whether the opening at the top of the chimney would be large +enough to permit of his crawling through. + +He had got about halfway up when he halted in his journey. He had heard +voices, and he recognized both of them. + +He knew that he was on the level of the room above Page's, and he +realized that the sounds of talking came to him distinctly because there +was a fireplace there that connected with this same chimney. + +The voices he heard were those of Prof. Babbitt and Instructor Frost. + +"The fact is, Frost," Babbitt was saying, "I'm aiming this examination +at certain men in the class, and I've no hesitation in saying so. +There's that fellow, Merriwell, for example; I'd like to force him to do +more studying." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TURNING THE TABLES. + + +"This is growing very interesting," thought Frank, bracing his knees +against the stones of the chimney so that he could hold his position +easily. + +"Why, I thought that Merriwell ranked high, professor?" said Frost. + +"He's no fool," growled Babbitt, "and if he would study hard I presume +he might lead the class in scholarship, but as it is, he spends most of +his time in athletics and skylarking." + +"Oh, not quite so bad as that!" + +"Yes, it is. He's naturally bright, and by a very little attention to +his lessons he's able to get marks that enable him to pass along with +fair standing, while most of his time is given to anything but work. It +isn't right that anybody should get through Yale so easily; it's bad for +the rest of the students." + +"I have an idea," said Frost, quietly, "that Merriwell's example isn't +regarded as a bad one by other members of the faculty." + +"Ah, you're just as bad as the students themselves in your fondness for +that scamp!" exclaimed Babbitt. "He seems to fascinate everybody he +meets except me." + +"Yes, I think you're an exception." + +"I believe you are trying to be sarcastic, Frost, but it doesn't make +any difference; my mind is set on making an example of Merriwell so that +the other fellows in his class who follow his lead will be frightened +into studying harder." + +"Do you then mean that this examination is aimed directly at Merriwell?" + +"Not quite so strong as that. There are others, of course, but he's a +natural leader, and I don't at all fancy the easy way he takes things, +and then bobs up at examinations with enough knowledge to work out his +papers." + +"I should think," suggested Frost, "that that was all the professors +could require of a student." + +"That's because you're young!" snapped Babbitt. "You ought to forget +that you've been a student----" + +"Excuse me, professor, but I think just the contrary. It seems to me +that the more an instructor remembers of his student days the better he +will be able to get along with his classes." + +"All right, then, you stick to your theory, and I'll stick to mine. +Meantime, look at this paper; that's what I asked you to call for." + +"Is this the examination paper that you're going to set before +Merriwell's class?" + +"Yes." + +There was then a silence of some minutes during which probably Mr. Frost +was studying the examination paper. At last he remarked: + +"Well, I've looked it through." + +"What do you think of it?" asked Babbitt. + +"Do you want my honest opinion?" + +"Of course I do! Why else should I get you up here?" + +After a slight pause Mr. Frost said: "It seems to me that the +examination is very one-sided." + +"Eh?" + +"Why, it is all aimed at a certain line of work, and doesn't cover +anything like all the work done in the course of the year." + +"Well, I have my reason for that!" + +"I supposed so." + +"I know that fellow Merriwell's weakness; I know just where he's likely +to be faulty, and if he can pass that paper he'll do better than I think +he can." + +"Why, Prof. Babbitt," exclaimed Frost in an indignant tone, "it looks as +if you were purposely trying to trip Merriwell so as to get him +disciplined, or dropped!" + +"The faculty can do with him what it likes," remarked Babbitt, crossly, +"when I've handed in the marks on this paper." + +"I must say it doesn't seem to me to be fair," said Frost. + +"I don't care for any opinion of that kind," retorted Babbitt. + +"Then I don't see why you asked me for any at all." + +"Well, well," and Babbitt seemed to be struggling with his temper, "you +and I won't dispute about it. You've got your work and I've got mine. I +asked you about this paper because I thought you'd sympathize with me in +my design." + +"I can't sympathize with you in it, Prof. Babbitt, and I wish if you're +going to give an examination that you would give one of the usual kind, +including in the questions, problems that cover the entire year's work, +and so get an idea----" + +"The idea I want to get will come from the answers to these questions, +Frost." + +"Then I suppose I couldn't persuade you to make up another paper?" + +"No, sir; I'm going to take this to the printer at once, and by +to-morrow morning the copies will all be here in my room, where I shall +keep them until the hour for the examination." + +"I'm sorry you told me about it," said Frost. + +"Why?" + +"Because I think well of Merriwell and the others----" + +"I suppose you'd like to warn them of what's coming." + +"Prof. Babbitt!" + +Frost spoke in a loud tone; he was evidently very angry. + +"Oh, well," exclaimed Babbitt, "don't fly in a rage at that suggestion; +of course I know that you won't betray any secrets of the faculty. I +simply said that I supposed you'd like to warn that rascal, Merriwell." + +"You've no right to think even as much as that!" returned Frost, "but +you may be very sure that whatever I wish to do I shall not expose the +questions on that paper. Good-day, sir." + +"Good-day," said Babbitt, and immediately afterward there was a slamming +of a door. + +Then Frank heard the professor grumbling to himself, but what he said +could not be made out. A little later there was the sound of a door +opening and closing again. Prof. Babbitt had doubtless started to the +printer's with the examination paper. + +Frank then resumed his trip up the chimney. He had heard no sound from +Page's room, and he was just as determined as before to turn the joke +upon his classmate. + +As he passed the level of Prof. Babbitt's room he saw that the fireplace +of the chimney had been closed in the same way as in Page's room, but in +this case the door was not a secret one, and at the moment it stood +partly open. This was what enabled him to hear so plainly the +conversation between the instructors. + +When he came to the chimney top he squeezed through without much +difficulty, and dropped out upon the roof. + +The next question was as to getting down to the street, but to an +athlete like Frank, there was little difficulty in that problem. + +New Haven is often called the City of Elms. There were a number of these +and other trees growing about, and one of them extended its branches +toward the roof of this house in such a way that Frank could grasp it. + +He took hold of it with the idea of climbing along to the trunk of the +tree, and then shinning down, but the branch bent under his weight until +his feet were not more than ten feet from the ground. + +Accordingly Frank let go and came down with nothing more than a bit of a +jar. He had landed in the yard beside the house, from which he saw that +an alley led between buildings to an adjoining street. + +His hands and clothes were grimy with soot. + +"If I should go through High Street this way," he thought, "and should +meet Page, he'd have the laugh on me in earnest. I'll just skip out the +other way, get into my room and clean up and then give him a surprise +party." + +Accordingly Frank hastened through the alley and so to his room. He met +nobody on the way with whom he was acquainted, and as soon as he was in +his room he washed his hands and face thoroughly and changed his +clothes. + +"So, then," he thought in the midst of this operation, "Prof. Babbitt +wants to make an example of me, does he, and he knows my weak points, +eh?" + +"Luckily, I know my own weak points, too, so far as mathematics is +concerned, and in the next three days it strikes me that I can do a bit +of grinding that will enable me to give the professor a surprise party. +If my guess is right as to the kind of examples that will be put on that +paper, I shouldn't wonder if I could give the other fellows a lift, +too." + +Meantime, Harold Page, having made his friend a prisoner in the +fireplace, had gone from his room for the purpose of finding some other +fellow whom he might bring back to share in the fun of Frank's +discomfort. + +As his room was at some little distance from the campus, he did not +expect to find anybody on the street near it, so he started on a run in +the direction of the college, for it was not his intention to keep Frank +a prisoner more than a few minutes. + +He had not gone very far before he met a classmate, whose name was +Mortimer Ford. Ford was not a very popular fellow, although it could not +be said that anybody had anything special against him. + +He was acquainted with Frank and the particular crowd that chummed with +him, and sometimes took part in their doings, but on the whole he was +rather outside the circle in which Frank had been a leader from the +start. + +If Page had had his wish, he would have met Rattleton, or Browning, or +Diamond, or some of the others more closely associated with Merriwell, +for he knew that they would enjoy the trick with better humor than +anybody else. + +When he saw Ford his first impulse was to go and look up somebody else, +but Ford called out to him: + +"Hello, Page, how long have you been back?" + +"Oh, I came back a week ago," Page answered, "and engaged a room, got it +in order, and then went away again. I came back for good this morning." + +"Glad to see you," and Ford shook hands. "What are you hurrying for?" + +"Oh, nothing much," responded Page, awkwardly. + +"I didn't know but you were trying to run away from that examination +that old Babbitt has got up," said Ford. "Say! that is a nasty blow, +isn't it?" + +"It will bother a good many of us, I reckon." + +They were standing on the sidewalk, and while they were talking Page was +keeping his eyes out for some other friend. + +There were no other students in sight, and he began to feel a little +ashamed of the small trick he had played on Frank. + +"I guess I'll go and let him out," he thought, "Ford will do as well as +anybody else to see the fun." + +So he said aloud: + +"Come down to my room a minute, Ford; I've got something to show you." + +"I wish it was a case of beer," remarked Ford, falling in with him and +walking along, "or perhaps it's something better than that?" + +"It's nothing to drink, but it's something better than that, just the +same." + +"Tell you what I wish it was." + +"What?" + +"Babbitt's examination paper." + +"Great Scott! why don't you wish you owned the earth?" + +"I do." + +"You might as well wish that as to think of getting hold of Babbitt's +paper. There isn't a secret society in Yale, you know, that is closer +than an examination paper. There's hardly a case on record where one has +been got in advance." + +"Oh, I know it," said Ford, in a mournful tone; "of course it's hopeless +to think of getting hold of the paper, and I hadn't any idea of trying +to, but that's the only thing that's worrying me just now, and so I +spoke of it." + +"Merriwell doesn't seem to think the thing's going to be very serious," +said Page. + +"He wouldn't think anything was serious," answered Ford. + +Just as they were entering the house where Page had his room, Prof. +Babbitt came out. They had seen Instructor Frost go out and turn in +another direction a moment before. + +The students touched their hats to the professor, wished him +good-morning, and passed in. + +Prof. Babbitt grumbled a surly reply, and turned away toward the +college. + +Page wondered as he went upstairs whether Frank had kicked down the +secret door to the chimney. + +"It would be just like him," he thought. "Confound him! I wouldn't much +blame him if he did!" + +The minute he came into the room he glanced at the chimney. + +"It's all right," he said to himself, and he felt a little triumphant. +"It isn't often a fellow can catch Merriwell, and although it's a small +kind of a trick, it will be something to speak of hereafter." + +"Well, this is a snug sort of place," remarked Ford, looking around the +room. "The ceiling is a little low, but the window seats are broad and +you've got soft cushions. I don't see anything the matter with this; +where's your bedroom?" + +"Over there," responded Page, pointing to a door. "What do you think of +this?" and he pointed to the chimney. + +"It takes up some room," was Ford's comment; "but you've got plenty of +that to spare." + +"You know what it is, don't you?" asked Page. + +"A chimney, I suppose?" + +"Exactly, and it follows that it's hollow." + +"I suppose so, unless it's been filled up." + +"It hasn't been filled up," said Page. "When they put modern heating +into the house they closed up the fireplace that was here, and I had +some notion of opening it again, but I've decided not to." + +He spoke now in a loud tone of voice, hoping that Merriwell would hear +him. + +"Why not open the fireplace?" asked Ford. + +"Because I've got a pet that I want to keep there." + +"A pet?" + +"Yes. It's just the place for it----" + +"What is it, a big dog?" + +"No, though it's big enough." + +"Queer place to keep a pet," remarked Ford. "How can you get him in +there?" + +"Why, he's in there already." + +"What! Now?" + +"Certainly." + +"I don't hear anything." + +Page was on the broad grin, and Ford crossed the room out of curiosity. +He struck his hand smartly on the chimney, whereat Page exclaimed: + +"I wouldn't do that, you might frighten him." + +"But what in the mischief have you got there?" + +"I'll show you in a minute. Now, then, old boy, want to see the light? +Does you want to come out for a little time?" + +Page spoke soothingly as if he were addressing a small cat. + +"Shall I let him come out?" he went on, mockingly; "shall I let him have +a little taste of fresh air and sunlight, poor thing?" + +He listened as he spoke for some sign of Merriwell and it bothered him a +little that he got no reply. + +Ford looked on in wonder. + +"Don't be so long about it!" he exclaimed. "Open up the thing if there's +any way to do it, and let's see what you've got." + +"All right, then; don't be frightened if he should run out suddenly," +answered Page. + +He put his hand on the knob of the secret door, and threw it open; then +he stepped back, smiling broadly. + +"There isn't anything there!" exclaimed Ford. + +"What!" and Page got down on his knees and thrust his head into the +fireplace. + +Of course he realized in an instant what had happened. He knew that +Merriwell must have climbed out at the top. + +"Great Scott!" he thought, "if Frank should know that I brought a fellow +up here to see the foolishness, how he would turn the laugh on me." + +"Has the thing, whatever it is, vanished?" asked Ford. + +"Gone completely!" answered Page in a tone of disappointment. "He must +have flown out of the top of the chimney." + +Ford got down, too, and looked up. + +"Why, yes," he said, "if it was a bird, of course it would get out that +way. You ought to have known better than to put a bird in such a place. +What was it, a parrot?" + +"No, not exactly," said Page. "I guess I won't say what it was until +I've made some search for it." + +At this moment there was a knock at the door. Page, still on his hands +and knees, answered "Come in." + +The door opened and in walked Frank Merriwell. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +READY FOR THE TEST. + + +Page got up looking very sheepish. + +He expected that Frank would begin to turn the laugh on him. Nothing of +that kind happened, for the first moment Ford and Frank were speaking +together. + +They had not met since the close of the last term, and they shook hands +in a friendly way, and made polite inquiries about each other's +vacations. + +"What have you got here?" asked Frank, then, stepping toward the +fireplace with a queer look at Page. + +The latter had not the nerve to answer. + +"I suppose it used to be a fireplace," said Ford. "It looked when I came +into the room just as if there was no opening into the chimney at all, +but this door fits very closely." + +"Were you trying to use the chimney as a telescope when I came in?" +asked Frank. "I saw you were both on your knees, looking up." + +"No," replied Ford, "Page had something in there, he won't say what it +was, some kind of a pet, I believe, and it has flown out." + +"No wonder," remarked Frank, dryly; "it would be a pretty poor kind of a +pet that wouldn't fly out of a place like that." + +"If it was an unusual kind of a bird," suggested Ford, "why don't you +give notice of it to the police? It sometimes happens that they recover +missing pets." + +"Oh, I guess I won't say anything about it," responded Page, blushing +furiously. + +Frank could not control his laughter, so he threw himself into a window +seat, and looked out, having his back to the other two. + +"What are you laughing at, anyway?" asked Ford. + +"Oh, at my thoughts!" chuckled Frank. "I think Page ought to offer a +thousand dollars or so reward for his missing pet." + +"You hold your tongue, Merriwell," said Page, "and some time or other +I'll make it right with you." + +"Are you two fellows putting up some kind of a job on me?" exclaimed +Ford, suspiciously. + +"Oh, no, on my honor!" exclaimed Frank, quickly. "I was just thinking of +a little joke that you don't know anything about." + +"Aren't you going to spring the joke?" + +"No, I'm going to keep it to myself." + +Page looked immensely relieved, while Ford, after a doubtful glance at +both of them, turned his attention again to the chimney. He pushed the +secret door back into place and then opened it again. + +"Mighty funny idea, isn't it?" he said, half to himself. "Certainly, +nobody would ever believe that that fireplace could be opened without a +pickax." + +"I supposed it was solid," responded Page, "and got at the secret +entirely by accident." + +"Opens easy, doesn't it?" + +Ford kept opening and shutting the door. + +"If this was in the olden times," he said, "when men had to hide from +enemies, what a racket it would be to shut one's self in here and then +climb out through the chimney." + +Frank turned his back again to conceal his chuckle, while Page answered +that he thought it would be a good scheme. Then he added: + +"I think I'll take the door down and make a fireplace of it." + +"And not get your bird back?" + +"No. Hang the bird!" + +"Well, of course, that's for you to say. As for myself, I'm going to get +over to my room and look up mathematics for a while." + +"I shouldn't think you'd need to," said Frank. + +"Oh, a man grows rusty after three months away from the books, you +know," answered Ford, "and an examination always makes me nervous, +anyway. So long." + +With this he left the room. + +"Say, Merriwell," said Page, the moment the door was closed, "I don't +know whether to feel obliged to you, or be as mad as a hornet." + +"I don't see any reason for either feeling." + +"Well, I am obliged to you for not turning the laugh on me when you had +the chance to, and I ought to be mad for your getting out in the way you +did." + +"What should you have shut me in there for," asked Frank, "if you did +not expect me to use my wits?" + +"I just did it on impulse," Page answered, "and had no intention, +anyway, of keeping you there more than a few minutes." + +"It's all right, Page, I didn't mind it a little bit. I went straight +out." + +"I see you did." + +"Now, see here, Page," said Frank, seriously, "I want to ask a favor of +you." + +"Granted." + +"Keep that door closed during the next few days." + +"What, the door to the fireplace?" + +"H'm! h'm!" + +"Why, yes, I'll do that, but why? I shouldn't have it open more than a +minute or two at a time to show the fellows." + +"Don't do that." + +"Not show it to the fellows?" + +"Not to anybody." + +"I said I'd grant your favor and so I will, but what in the world is on +your mind?" + +"I'll tell you," said Frank, with a little pause, "after the +examination." + +"Babbitt's examination?" + +"Yes." + +"All right I suppose you've got some first-class trick you want to tell, +and you haven't got time to get it in shape until the examination is +over, is that it?" + +"That's asking too much, Page. I'll tell you all about it later; +meantime, it is a fact that men like you and me have got to put in some +pretty hard licks if we want to pass that examination." + +"Oh, thunder and Mars!" groaned Page, "I've made up my mind not to think +of it. It's impossible for me to cram up on a whole year's work in three +days." + +"It might not be necessary to." + +"How else can a fellow stand a chance of passing?" + +"Well, suppose we should study just one part of the subject, and let the +rest of it go?" + +"And then there might not be a single question on that subject, Frank." + +"Yes, and again they might all be on that subject." + +"It isn't likely." + +"But it might be so, Page." + +"Do you mean to say, Frank, that you'd recommend a fellow to take a kind +of gambling chance like that on an examination paper?" + +"Well, not as a general thing, but seriously I do think it would be a +good scheme this time. You see, Babbitt is springing this examination +unexpectedly, and everybody knows that he's got queer ideas. Now I think +it would be quite like him to center the whole examination on one +topic." + +"Why should he do that?" + +"Well," answered Frank, slowly, "with the idea, perhaps, of catching the +fellows by surprise." + +"He don't need to take all that pains for me," said Page, dismally; "he +could floor me if his examination Was made on the simplest things. If I +was like Ford, now----" + +"Oh, Ford doesn't need to worry, of course. He led the class in +mathematics last year, didn't he?" + +"Yes, and the year before, too. The idea of his being worried about the +examination is all nonsense." + +"I know it is," said Frank, "except that he's got his ambition up to +keep at the lead; that's a natural ambition and decent, and I suppose +he'll do a lot of grinding to get ready for the exam." + +"I'd grind, too, if I thought there'd be any use in it." + +"I believe there will, Page, and if you don't mind following my lead, +I'll tell you what subject to grind on." + +"Do you mean to say that you're going to cram up on just one part of +it?" + +"Exactly, and what's more, if you'll agree to it, I'll come over here +with my books and we'll grind together. We'll get Browning, Rattleton +and Diamond, and one or two others in our crowd, and do the job +together." + +"It's a bully idea!" exclaimed Page, "if it would only work. Gee! but +wouldn't it be just great if we should happen to hit on the topic that +old Babbitt has chosen and every one of us write a perfect paper?" + +"I can't think of anything that would suit me better," Frank answered. + +"Then let's try for it. It's just a chance, but I'm with you, +Merriwell." + +"All right, then, and you'll remember you're to say nothing about that +fireplace, and you're not to open it until after the examination!" + +"I'll remember, but you won't forget to tell me what it all means?" + +"I'll let you into the whole business after Babbitt has examined the +papers." + +It was not a very difficult matter for Frank to persuade his closest +friends to join him in preparing for the examination by studying hard on +one particular topic. + +They were so in the habit of following his lead that although they all +regarded the effort in the same way that Page did, that is, a gamble, +they were willing to take the chances if Merriwell was. + +Frank was almost perfectly certain that it was not a gambling chance, +because he remembered well enough how he had been faulty in that topic +at the spring examination, and if Babbitt was going to try to trip him, +that was the subject surely that he would select for his purpose. + +Three days was none too long for the boys to refresh their memories on +the subject and prepare themselves well on this one topic. + +They started in in the middle of the afternoon and worked together under +Frank's direction until dinner time. + +He proved to be as hard a task master as Babbitt himself could have +been. The boys were not exactly surprised at that, for it was natural +for Frank to do with all his might whatever he undertook, but they joked +him a good deal while at dinner about turning professor. + +"That's all right," Frank answered, "you can have your joke. If we come +out on this as I expect to, you'll be glad enough that you adopted my +plan." + +"I must say I rather enjoy it," said Diamond, frankly. "Studying by +one's self is dull work, but when there are half a dozen or so grinding +away, somehow the time passes more quickly." + +In the same way they worked until late that night, and began again early +the next morning. + +Diamond offered the use of his room as a meeting place, and Puss Parker, +who had been let into the scheme, suggested that they come to his room, +too. Frank said no. + +"We began in Page's room," was the way he put it, "and we might as well +work it out there." + +"His room is so far out of the way!" grumbled Browning. + +"A little walk won't hurt you any," responded Frank. "I'd much rather +keep at it there, for I'm used to the room." + +So it was agreed that the grinding should continue at Page's, and it did +until the day of the examination. + +They had other duties to perform, of course, during these days, but the +regular work of the college had not entirely begun, so that most of +their time could be put in to preparing for their examination. + +They allowed none of the other students to interrupt them, and for that +matter, most members of the junior class were grinding in much the same +fashion. + +They had only one caller during the entire period. This was Ford, but he +did not find them at work. They were just returning to the room from +dinner on the evening before the examination, when they met Ford leaving +the house. + +"Ah, Page, I was just up to see you." + +"Sorry I wasn't in," Page responded. "What was it, something special?" + +"Oh, no," answered Ford, a little doubtfully, with a glance at the +others in the party; "let it go until some other time." + +"If it isn't important, then," said Page, "I wish you would, for we +fellows are----" + +"Sporting your oak, are you?" + +"That's it exactly. We're trying to get up on mathematics and so we +don't admit any callers." + +"All right, then," said Ford, "I'm doing much the same at my own room. +Good luck to you." + +Frank did not keep the boys at work late that evening. They had pretty +well covered all the ground that he had chosen, and he believed that +they would be better able for the test the next morning, so at ten +o'clock he ordered them to their rooms, and they obeyed as readily as if +they were a crew training under their captain for a race. + +At nine o'clock the next morning all the junior class assembled in one +of the big rooms of Osborn Hall. Prof. Babbitt was there ahead of them +with a number of assistants to look out for keeping the students in +order and to prevent any possible attempt at cheating. + +The students found their places by means of slips of paper on the top of +each desk. Merriwell was a little amused to notice that he was placed +far from the friends with whom he usually associated. + +"I wonder if Babbitt thinks I would cheat?" he thought. + +There was a bundle neatly done up in brown paper on the professor's desk +at the head of the room. He stood near it until all the students were in +their places, each with a pad of blank paper before him, and a number of +sharpened pencils. + +Then the professor broke the string with which the bundle was tied, and +calling up his assistants, handed them several papers each to +distribute. + +They were the papers from the printer containing the fatal questions. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +ONE OF THE MISSING PAPERS. + + +Three or four minutes passed while the assistants were distributing some +papers. Then one of them approached the professor and said: + +"I need two more for my section, sir." + +"Well," said the professor, looking around the room, "if you're short +two, somebody must have two to spare." + +Nobody said anything. + +"Which of you," asked the professor of his assistants, "has two more +papers than necessary." + +No one answered. Prof. Babbitt looked very savage. + +"I counted that bundle of papers just as soon as it came from the +printers," he said, sharply, "and there was just the number called for. +The printers never make a mistake, and I'm sure they haven't this time." + +Still there was silence in the room. + +"Gentlemen," said the professor, this time addressing the students, "see +if any of you have an extra paper accidentally stuck to the one on your +desk; there must be two spare papers here somewhere in the room." + +Every student took up his paper, felt of it, shook it, but without +result; the room was certainly two papers short, and two students sat, +therefore, with nothing to do. + +The professor frowned. + +"I'm certain," he exclaimed, "that I made no miscount. Mr. Jackson," +turning to one of the assistants, "count the students here." + +Mr. Jackson counted and found that there were one hundred and forty-six. + +"That's it," said Prof. Babbitt, "and I had one hundred and forty-six +papers. This is very extraordinary." + +He glared savagely about the room, his glance resting longest upon the +desk where Merriwell sat. Frank was already busily engaged in working +out the first problem. + +Most of the other students had already gone to work, but some of them +were idly watching to see what the professor was going to do, and hoping +that he would postpone the whole examination. + +This may have been in his mind; but if so, he thought better of it. + +"We shall have to go on," he said, presently. "I will write out two +papers for those who are short." + +He did so, and in the course of a few minutes all the students were at +work. + +Frank could not help but smile when, after a rapid glance at the +problems on the paper, he saw that he had hit exactly the subject chosen +by the professor to floor him. The questions were all confined to the +one topic which he and his friends had been studying on. + +"Now, unless they lose their heads," he thought, "they'll all write a +perfect paper." + +He had previously warned them not to be in a hurry during the +examination. + +According to the custom at Yale a written examination of this kind lasts +for three hours, that is, three hours is the longest time during which +any student is allowed to work at the problems. + +If he has not finished in that time, he has to stop. If, however, he +should get through the paper in less time, he has the right to withdraw +from the room. + +"Now boys," Frank had said, "if you find that you can work all the +problems take them slowly, so that you make sure that you get them +right, and then, if you get through before the time is up, hang around a +while. + +"It might cause the professor to think queer things if he should see us +get up after an hour and a half or so and walk out; he would wonder how +we did it, and of course we don't want to let him suspect that we +crammed on one topic." + +The boys understood the wisdom of this advice, and Frank's only anxiety +now was lest Rattleton or Page should get excited at the ease of the +paper and write too hurriedly. + +The others he knew would be cool. + +Believing that the professor would watch him more narrowly than anybody +else, he made a good deal of pretense at being puzzled over his +problems, and worked each one out separately on a piece of paper before +transferring the problem on the paper which was to be passed in as his +examination. + +There was nothing very unusual in this method, for most of the other +students did much the same thing. The only point about it is that it was +unnecessary in this case for Frank to do it at all, because the problems +were so familiar that he could have worked each one out at the first +trial. + +Early in the examination Ford, who had a seat in the back part of the +room, raised his hand. + +Prof. Babbitt saw him and nodded. + +The raising of the hand implied that Ford wanted to ask a question. He +was a favorite with Prof. Babbitt naturally, and so the professor gave +him leave to go up to the desk and make his inquiry. + +Ford walked down the aisle with an examination paper in his hand, and as +he passed Frank's desk his hand struck a little pile of blank papers +that happened to be lying on the very edge, and knocked it to the floor. + +He stooped quickly, saying: "Excuse me," in a low voice, and replaced +the papers. + +Prof. Babbitt, of course, was looking that way at the moment. + +"You would do your work just as well, Merriwell," he exclaimed, sharply, +"if you didn't spread it all over your desk. Your examples won't work +out any easier for taking up the whole room with them." + +Frank colored; it was unusual and extremely unpleasant to be rebuked in +this way before the entire class. He had not realized that he had left +his blank papers so carelessly but even at that, he knew that the rebuke +was not deserved. + +"The professor has just as good reason," he reflected angrily, "to scold +Ford for being careless." + +There was nothing to say about it, but it made Frank bitter, and all the +more determined to make his paper so correct that the professor could +not help giving it a perfect mark. + +He pushed his loose papers together in a pile squarely in the middle of +the desk and resumed his work. + +No one heard what Ford asked the professor; it was some question +concerning the paper, and when the professor answered it, it was in a +tone of surprise. + +"I should hardly think that the question was necessary," he said, +"though of course I don't blame you for wanting to be careful about it." + +Ford muttered that he wanted to be sure that the problem was correctly +printed on the paper, and when the professor told him that it was, he +bowed and returned to his desk. + +Few of the students paid any attention to this matter, and those who did +promptly concluded that Ford was so anxious to lead the class that he +got nervous and had therefore asked some question that any child could +have understood. + +The incident was soon forgotten, and for an hour or two the students +worked away at their papers in silence. + +The only thing that troubled Frank was that he could have completed the +entire paper within an hour if he had tried. + +As it was, he had worked out every problem except the last on his loose +sheets of paper, and transferred most of them to his regular examination +paper by the end of two hours. + +He was greatly relieved to notice that none of his best friends had left +the room. A few students had gone out, probably because they were +utterly unable to answer the questions. + +For the sake of killing time, Frank had already written out the last +problem on loose paper twice, and he was now at the bottom of his pile +with one sheet of blank paper left. + +He glanced at the clock; almost an hour to spare. He finished his +regular paper up to the last problem, and then, drawing the one +remaining blank sheet toward him, began again to work that out. + +Again and again he had seen Prof. Babbitt looking sharply at him, and +more than once the professor had walked by his desk in the course of his +strolling around the room. + +Twenty minutes passed, and Frank believed that it could be of no use to +waste time longer, so he crumpled up the loose sheet on which he had +been working in his left hand, and started to work out the problem on +his regular examination paper. + +Just then Prof. Babbitt turned up from around the corner of another +desk, brought his hand down upon Frank's left hand, and held it there. + +"Now, then, Merriwell," he exclaimed in a thundering voice, "I've got +you. This will mean your expulsion from Yale, sir, and nothing short of +it." + +Frank had looked up with a start of surprise at first; now he drew back +and looked the professor in the eye, defiantly. + +"Don't you say anything to me, sir," exclaimed the professor, sharply. + +"I hadn't thought of saying anything," responded Frank, in a dignified +way. + +"Keep quiet, sir! what have you got in your hand?" + +"My pencils." + +"You're impudent, sir; I mean, of course, your other hand." + +Frank's face turned first pale, and then red, and then pale again; all +the students and assistants in the room were looking at him. He knew +that the professor suspected him of some low trick, and it cut him deep +to think that he should be accused in this public way. + +"I've got a piece of blank paper there," he said, slowly, "on which I +have been working out the last problem." + +"Oh, indeed," returned the professor, sarcastically. "A piece of blank +paper, eh? You're quite sure it was a piece of blank paper?" + +"It was until I began to figure on it." + +"Oh, you're quite sure of that?" + +"I am, sir." + +"And I can tell you, and I'll make an example of you to the whole class +in so doing, that when you thought to conceal that paper by crumpling it +up in your hand, I caught sight of the under side of it." + +Frank made no response. He had not the slightest idea what the professor +was driving at. + +"I tell you, I saw what it was in an instant," added the professor. + +"Very well, sir," said Frank, rather sharply, "I've nothing to say." + +"Oh, you haven't! Very well, then, what's that?" + +The professor pointed to the printed examination paper which lay on the +desk in plain sight. + +"I don't intend to be treated like a schoolboy, sir," exclaimed Frank, +starting to rise, and making an effort to draw his hand away from the +professor's. "If you have any accusation to make against me, you can lay +it before the faculty, but I will not sit here to be browbeaten and +insulted in this fashion." + +He drew his hand away, but in so doing made no effort to keep his grip +on the paper that he had used for figuring. + +The professor snatched the paper as it was falling, smoothed it out, and +held it up before the entire class. + +"You see, young gentlemen," he cried, "Merriwell has been doing his +examples on the back of one of the stolen examination papers." + +Frank fairly gasped when he saw that this was the fact. + +When the professor had announced that the two papers were missing, he +had looked with the utmost care all through his desk to see whether one +of the missing papers had somehow got laid down there, and was certain +that only one had been given to him; yet here was one of the papers, and +he had been unconsciously working out an example on the back of it. + +"We shall lay this matter before the faculty at once," said Prof. +Babbitt, sternly; "and meantime, Merriwell, you may leave the room." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE PROFESSOR'S CASE. + + +Frank held his head high as he walked out of the room. There was a flush +upon his face, but nothing there or in his manner to indicate his real +feelings. + +They were in truth very much confused. He was simply bewildered at the +discovery of one of the examination papers on his desk. + +How it got there he could not imagine. His heart burned with rage at the +way in which Prof. Babbitt accused him in the presence of all the class, +and he felt, too, how hopeless it would be to clear himself in the face +of this damaging evidence. + +Expulsion would follow, unless there could be some explanation of the +matter. + +Frank knew that he could explain nothing, and the thought of the +disgrace that awaited him was very hard to bear. With it all, however, +there was a consciousness of absolute innocence that gave him strength +to leave the room much as if nothing had happened. + +"My best friends will know that I am not guilty of any such conduct," he +reflected, "and the rest of them may think as they like." + +At the outside door of the hall, he paused, in doubt as to what he +should do next. Knowing that Babbitt, already disliking him, would +insist on his expulsion, Frank was inclined to go straight to his room +and pack up his belongings. + +The event had made everything about the college extremely distasteful to +him, but it was only for a moment, and then he realized how sad he would +feel at having to go away from good old Yale forever. + +"It won't do," he said to himself, emphatically. "I must make some kind +of effort to clear myself; there's no hope of persuading Babbitt that +I'm innocent, but there must be members of the faculty who would believe +me, and it would not be right to go away without trying to show them +that I've been straight in this. If I should leave without making the +hardest kind of a defense, everybody would be justified in believing me +guilty." + +With this thought in mind, Frank debated for a moment whether it would +not be well to go straight to the office of the dean and tell him all he +could about it. + +"That won't do," he concluded, "because Prof. Babbitt will report the +matter to the dean at once, and if I should go there first, it would +look as if I were trying to get an advantage by assuming frankness. No, +the only thing to do is to go over to the room and wait there until I'm +summoned; that will come soon enough, but I wish the summons were here +now." + +Frank's wish was gratified. He had just come to a decision as to what he +should do, and was going down the steps of the hall when one of the +instructors who had acted as an assistant at the examination came +hurrying after him. + +"Merriwell, wait a moment," he said. + +Frank turned and touched his hat. + +The instructor looked worried, and his voice trembled a little as, +laying his hand on Frank's shoulder, he said: + +"Merriwell, Prof. Babbitt has sent me to tell you to report at the +dean's office as soon as the examination is over." + +"Very well," Frank responded, "I'll be there." + +"I hope," added the instructor, hesitatingly, as he looked earnestly +into Frank's eyes "that there's an explanation of this thing, +Merriwell." + +"So do I," Frank responded, "but what it is, is more than I can tell +now." + +The instructor sighed and returned to the examining room. + +Frank saw several students approaching whom he knew and, not caring to +have any conversation with them, he started away at a rapid pace. There +was a full half hour to pass before the examination would come to an +end. + +He put it in by walking about the city at such a distance from the +college buildings that he was not likely to meet any acquaintances. + +It was a dreary walk, for all the time he suffered the thought of +disgrace as well as the maddening perplexity that accompanied the +discovery of the examination paper on his desk. + +"One might almost think," he reflected, "that Babbitt had put up this +job on me for the sake of squeezing me out of college, but I don't think +Babbitt is mean enough for that. The paper probably got there by some +confounded accident. I certainly cannot account for it on any other +theory." + +Just as the city clocks were striking noon, Frank entered the campus and +proceeded to the dean's office. The dean gave him an inquiring glance as +he entered. + +"Prof. Babbitt told me to report here at this hour," said Frank, +quietly. + +"Ah!" returned the dean, "Prof. Babbitt is conducting an examination, I +believe, which should be over at this time; doubtless he will be here in +a moment. Sit down, Merriwell." + +Frank took a chair in a corner of the room, and Waited, while the dean +kept at work at his usual affairs. + +Fully a quarter of an hour passed before Prof. Babbitt came in. When he +did so, he had his arms full of examination papers, and he was +accompanied by a man whose face was vaguely familiar to Frank, but whom +he did not know by name. + +It was a resident of New Haven whom he had seen on the street from time +to time during his college career. + +Babbitt gave Frank a scowling glance and remarked: + +"Ah! I see that with your customary nerve you're here. We will settle +this matter, therefore, without delay." + +The dean laid down his pen and looked up in surprise. + +"What is the matter, Prof. Babbitt?" he asked. + +"I am compelled, dean," returned the professor, "to accuse Merriwell of +cheating in an examination. I hardly need say that I should not make the +charge unless I had ample proof to sustain it." + +The dean looked over his glasses at Frank in a way that showed that he +was not only shocked, but vastly surprised; then he gave an inquiring +glance at the man who had come in with Prof. Babbitt. + +"Excuse me, dean," said the professor, "this is Mr. James Harding. I +thought that you were acquainted with him." + +"I have not met Mr. Harding before," responded the dean, "although his +face is familiar." + +"I'm glad to make your acquaintance, sir," said Harding. + +The dean rose and both shook hands. Then the dean hesitated a moment and +said: + +"Won't it be as well, Prof. Babbitt, to postpone the inquiry as to +Merriwell until----" + +"No, excuse me," interrupted the professor, "I've brought Mr. Harding +here for a purpose. He can tell you something that has a bearing upon +Merriwell's case." + +"Oh, very well. Step this way, Merriwell." + +The dean sat down, and Frank advanced to a place in front of his desk. +Babbitt's mouth was open to talk, but the dean ignoring him, turned to +Frank. + +"This is a very grave charge to be laid against a student, Merriwell," +he said, "and I can't tell you how it grieves me that you should be +suspected. + +"We have all had a high opinion of your honor. I will add frankly that I +hope you can clear yourself." + +"Thank you," responded Frank, huskily. "I'll try to, for I'm absolutely +innocent, but I'm afraid there's nothing else that I can say in my +defense." + +"That can hardly be possible," responded the dean. "What are the +circumstances, professor?" + +"Why, the case is as plain as day!" exclaimed Babbitt, quickly. "This +examination was set as a test for the class, a special test, I may say, +and on the strength of it I expected to require certain students, like +Merriwell and his particular friends, to go over a portion of last +year's work. + +"I knew from the examination of last spring just where they were weak, +and I drew up this paper in such a way that the students themselves +would be readily convinced of their weakness and so be the more willing +to study." + +The dean nodded to show that he understood. + +"Now, then," continued the professor, "I had the papers printed by the +college printer in the usual way, with just enough copies to go around. + +"I counted the papers when they were delivered at my room by the +printer, and found them to be one hundred and forty-six in all. I tied +the papers up in a parcel and left them in my room until this morning, +when I took the parcel to Osborn Hall. There I opened the bundle and +when the papers were distributed, it proved that two were missing." + +Prof. Babbitt paused, as if expecting the dean to make some comment. He +did not do so, but looked straight ahead, and so the professor went on. + +"I must say that I instantly had my suspicions of Merriwell, for during +the past three days he has been frequently at the house where I have my +room. + +"I kept my eyes on him during the entire examination, and I could easily +see that he was not conducting himself as usual. He used up a great deal +of paper and was evidently nervous. + +"At length I took a position back of his desk, where I could watch what +he was doing without being observed. Presently I saw him work out the +last problem on the examination paper, and work it out correctly, too. + +"Then, as he crumpled up the paper on which he had been figuring, I +caught a glimpse of the other side of it. I pounced upon his hand and +discovered that he had been figuring upon the back of one of the missing +question sheets." + +The professor's voice had a triumphant ring when he came to the end of +his little speech. There was evidently no doubt in his mind that what he +had discovered would be sufficient proof to the dean of Frank's +crookedness. + +The dean pursed up his lips and looked absently up at the ceiling for a +moment, and then turned to Frank. + +"If I understand the professor correctly," he said, slowly, "you had two +of the question papers on your desk instead of one?" + +"Yes, sir," Frank responded. + +"How did the second one get there, Merriwell?" + +"I don't know, sir." + +Prof. Babbitt snorted contemptuously. + +Frank flushed and glanced at him angrily, but held his tongue. + +"Didn't the professor make any inquiries when he discovered that two +papers were missing?" asked the dean. + +"Yes, I did----" + +"Let Merriwell answer, please." + +"He did," said Frank, "and I examined my desk, as I thought, thoroughly, +to see if an extra paper had been placed there by mistake. I found none +and went to work without any further thought on the matter. I worked out +the problem on the back of the question paper without knowing what it +was until the professor pounced on me." + +"And is that all you can say about it?" + +"Everything, sir." + +The dean turned to Prof. Babbitt and said: + +"I can't deny that the discovery of a paper under such circumstances is +very suggestive, but I take it for granted that you have some +explanation of your own to offer as to how Merriwell got possession of +it?" + +"Indeed I have, and that is just why I brought Mr. Harding here," +replied Babbitt. "Tell the dean what you saw, Mr. Harding." + +"I suppose," said Harding, "that it was simply some harmless prank of +students at first, for we who live in New Haven are quite accustomed to +such things, don't you know." + +"I don't think I do," replied the dean, sharply, "for I haven't the +slightest idea what you're talking about." + +"Come right to the point, Mr. Harding!" added Babbitt. + +"Well, sir, I live in the house next to the one occupied by Prof. +Babbitt and some of the students. + +"One day I was astonished, as I happened to be looking out of my window, +to see a young man climb out of the big chimney at the top of Prof. +Babbitt's house. + +"He went around on the roof for a moment, looking for some way to get +down, and at last caught the limb of a tree which bent under his weight +until he could drop safely to the ground. + +"Then he hurried away through an alley that led to another street. There +was no doubt that he was trying to escape observation." + +"Had you ever seen this student before?" asked the dean. + +"Many times, though I never knew his name until now----" + +"I was the student," interrupted Frank, quietly. + +"The impudence of that confession," exclaimed Prof. Babbitt, hotly, "is +enough to drive a man crazy! The great chimney in that house, dean, +hasn't been used for many years, and the fireplaces have been boarded +up, but an athlete like Merriwell could go up and down easily and you +can see how he could effect an entrance by going into the fireplace of +the room under mine, which is occupied by one of his friends, and so +climbing up through the chimney to my room----" + +"May I ask a question?" interposed Frank. + +"Certainly," responded the dean. + +"Mr. Harding," said Frank, "what day was it when you saw me climb out of +the chimney on the roof?" + +Harding was silent a moment, and then said: + +"I hadn't given the matter any thought until a few moments ago, when +Prof. Babbitt met me and remarked that he was in great trouble because a +student had somehow entered his room and stolen a paper. + +"I then told him what I had seen and he asked me to come here and tell +the same thing to you. I think that this thing occurred on Tuesday." + +"Are you quite sure?" asked Frank. + +Mr. Harding took some envelopes from his pocket and looked them over. + +"Yes," he said, "I had an important letter come a few minutes after +that, and I see by the postmark here that it was delivered on Tuesday. I +am certain that it was Tuesday." + +"I only wish to say," said Frank, turning to the dean, "that it was on +Tuesday that Prof. Babbitt took his question paper to the printer. The +printed examination papers could not have been delivered before +Wednesday at the earliest." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A FORCED CONFESSION. + + +There was a sarcastic smile on the dean's face as he turned to Prof. +Babbitt and asked: + +"That doesn't seem to justify your charge, does it?" + +"Why--why----" stammered the professor. "At first blush perhaps it +doesn't, but, don't you see, it shows that he had found the way to my +room, and the fact that he was idling away his time in Page's room +beneath ever since, is proof enough that he was waiting his chance to go +up again. + +"I'm sure he got the paper, for I have taken a glance at the answers +given by him and his particular crew of friends, and I find that every +one of them passed perfect papers, and, without cheating, not more than +one of them could have answered more than one problem." + +"You see, Merriwell," said the dean, "the circumstances point very +unhappily----" + +"I know they do, sir," said Frank, "and I feel miserable about it, but +there's an explanation of how I and my friends have passed perfect +papers, that I'm perfectly willing to state." + +"Do so, then." + +Frank thereupon related Page's joke just as it happened. He told all +about the conversation he had overheard between Babbitt and Instructor +Frost, and then described how he had got his friends together and led +them in studying up the subject. + +"It may be that you call that cheating," he concluded, "but you must +understand that none of us knew what problems the professor was to put +upon the paper. + +"We only knew the general subject which he had chosen for the +examination, and we set to work to make ourselves solid on that subject, +and it seems that we did so." + +"Why, yes," responded the dean, with a queer smile. "I must say that if +your story is correct, the professor has nothing to complain of. He +wanted to compel you to work up on points that you were weak on, and it +seems you did so. + +"Of course it was a very unusual thing for you to get the warning as to +what the subject of the examination was to be, but if the professor +himself gave the warning----" + +"Who would have dreamed," exclaimed Babbitt, "that a rascally student +was listening in the chimney!" + +"Tut! tut!" exclaimed the dean, "don't use harsh language, professor. I +don't think the situation justifies it. According to Merriwell's story, +he was in the chimney without any idea of listening to you, and I think +any of us who can remember our student days will admit that if we had +been in the same position we would have done substantially what he did." + +Prof. Babbitt bit his lip. It was not at all pleasant for him to find +that Frank had a friend in the dean, who, next to the president, is the +highest official in the college. + +"All this," he muttered, "doesn't explain the fact that two examination +papers were missing!" + +"True," answered the dean, "and we shall have to think that over. +Merriwell, will you step into the next room for a short time, please?" + +Frank obeyed, and he felt certain that he read in the dean's eyes +perfect belief in his story. + +"It'll come out right somehow," he thought, as he closed the door upon +the dean, Babbitt and Mr. Harding. + +He could hear their voices in earnest conversation for fully a quarter +of an hour. They were doubtless discussing the discovery of the extra +paper upon Merriwell's desk, and Frank wondered what conclusion they +would come to about it. + +Meantime, another event was taking place that led to a solution of the +mystery. + +One by one the students finished their work on the examination papers +and left the hall; few of them went away from the door; the most +gathered there talking excitedly about the accusation against Merriwell. + +There were some who professed to believe that Merriwell had been up to a +sharp trick, and had actually stolen the question paper, but the great +majority indignantly denied it. + +There are many students who would have no scruples against cheating at +an examination, but few would think of descending so low as to commit +theft for the purpose. + +Frank's friends were in the majority, and very loud in their assertions +as to his honorable conduct. + +Among the first to leave the room after Frank's exit was Dismal Jones; +he stood around with his hands in his pockets saying nothing, but +looking from one to the other with a very worried expression upon his +solemn face. + +Among the last to leave was Mortimer Ford. He walked through the group +with a jaunty air, as if confident that he had come out of the +examination in good order, and started for his room. + +Jones tried to speak to him, but Ford simply said: + +"Ah, there, Dismal, I hope you didn't get plucked," and continued on. + +Dismal scowled savagely and stood for a moment looking at Ford's +retreating form, and then he turned about, and catching Diamond by the +sleeve, said: + +"See here, Jack! I want to speak to you for a minute." + +"What's the matter?" returned Diamond, feeling a little impatient and +provoked, for his mind was full of Frank's trouble, and he could not +think of talking of anything else. + +"It's about Merriwell," whispered Jones, "and I want you and Rattleton +and Browning and Page to come here." + +He withdrew to one side, and Diamond, with a mystified expression, +touched Rattleton on the shoulder and beckoned him to follow. + +"What's up, Dismal?" said Rattleton. + +"Get the other fellows," replied Jones. + +The others were soon drawn from the group of excited students, and then +Dismal said: + +"I've got the key to this whole thing, and if you fellows will help turn +it, we'll get Merriwell out of this scrape in less than no time." + +The boys were too astonished to reply, and Dismal went on: + +"Yesterday," he said, "a fellow came to me and after a lot of hemming +and hawing and beating about the bush, told me that he could put me onto +a way to pass Babbitt's examination perfectly; he also said that I could +give the same tip to my friends. + +"I'm not letting any tips on examinations go by, you can bet on that, +and so I made him tell me what the racket was. He said he had got hold +of two copies of Babbitt's paper." + +"Who was it?" exclaimed the boys, eagerly. + +"Wait a minute," said Jones. "He said the printer accidentally struck +off more than was necessary, and he got the copies in that way." + +"What way?" + +"Oh, I don't know, I didn't ask particularly, because"--Dismal hesitated +a moment--"because, well, I'm not putting up a front for being a +preacher, or a goody-goody boy, but I didn't quite fancy taking part in +a cheat like that, and I told him so. + +"Besides that, I couldn't see any reasons why he should give this favor +to me: he and I have never been chummy, and I don't believe that he got +them from the printer, either." + +"Well, well, who was it?" demanded Rattleton, excitedly. + +"Ford." + +"Ford, of all men!" + +"Yes, he was the fellow." + +"It's just as Merriwell says," said Page. "Ford is crazy to lead the +class, and he will take any means for getting a paper." + +"How is it going to help Merriwell?" asked Rattleton. + +"You fellows must get after Ford," responded Jones, "and make him own +up. Do you remember how he passed down the aisle and asked Babbitt a +question?" + +"Yes." + +"And don't you remember Merriwell's papers were knocked off his desk?" + +"I saw that something had happened," responded Diamond, "but I sat too +far away----" + +"Well, the papers were on the floor," responded Jones, "and I'd like to +bet a dollar to a button that Ford tucked in that extra examination +paper when he picked the papers up." + +The boys looked seriously at one another a moment, and then two or three +said together: + +"Let's call on Ford!" + +Away they went at once, and in a few minutes were at Ford's door. + +"Come in," he said, when they knocked. + +One of them tried the door, but found that it was locked. + +"Wait a minute," called Ford, and they heard him crossing the room. + +Rattleton heard the scratching of a match at the same moment. Something +seemed to go wrong with the key, for Ford fumbled at the lock for a +moment before he opened the door. + +"Hello!" he said in a tone of surprise. "Come right in." + +Rattleton dashed past the others, and ran to the fireplace. There was no +excuse for a fire in September, but a tiny blaze was there, +nevertheless. + +Rattleton put his hand upon it instantly, to beat the flame out, and +stood up with a partially burned and charred fragment of paper in his +hand. + +"What are you trying to do?" demanded Ford, indignantly. + +"Dock the loor--I mean lock the door," cried Rattleton, excitedly, to +Browning. + +The latter immediately closed the door, turned the key, and stood with +his back to it. + +"We'll settle this thing in a hurry," continued Rattleton, shaking the +charred paper aloft; "this is a part of Babbitt's examination paper." + +"Well, what of it?" asked Ford, angrily; "why shouldn't a man burn up a +piece of paper that he's got no further use for?" + +"Because you left the paper you've been at work on with your answers in +the examination room!" retorted Rattleton, "and this is an extra sheet. +It shows what became of the two sheets that Babbitt missed." + +Ford looked from one to another of the students and broke into a laugh. + +"Well," he said, "I don't feel called upon to make any explanation to +you fellows, but as I understand it, your particular friend, Merriwell, +will have a good deal to explain." + +"By all that's good," exclaimed Diamond; wrathfully, "you'll do the +explaining for him." + +"Me?" + +"Yes, you, you skulking hound! You had those two papers; here's Dismal +Jones, to whom you confessed to having got hold of them. You wanted +Dismal to take one, hoping that he would give it away to Frank and the +rest of us, so that if any exposure came we'd be mixed up in it. I know +your sly trick!" + +Ford had turned very pale. He sank into a chair, shut his teeth +together, and muttered: + +"You're doing a good deal of guesswork; but if you're trying to pick a +row go right along; I'm not afraid of you." + +"We're not here to pick a row, Ford," said Page; "I'm beginning to see +through the whole thing. + +"You're about the only one, except Merriwell, who knew how the chimney +in my room communicated with Babbitt's, and I remember you were coming +away from my room at one time when we were coming from dinner. You had +been up there then to steal the papers. You managed to work one of them +off on Merriwell's desk to-day. Rattleton there has got a part of the +other." + +"Well, see here," said Ford. "What does it all mean? Ever since there +were colleges, students have done their best to get ahead of the +faculty, and if I've succeeded, what's the harm? It isn't hurting you +fellows, and no student ever tells on another." + +He said this with a haughty air, as if to imply that they would be +beneath contempt if they should report his doings to the faculty. + +"We're not going to do any tell-taleing--I mean tale-telling," blustered +Rattleton. "We're here to make you do that." + +"What do you mean?" + +"I tell you," said Browning, slowly, and there was a dangerous glitter +in his eyes, "I'm not above telling tales in a case like this, and if +you don't go straight to the dean and tell him the truth, I'll go and +lay the matter before him, and what's more, Master Ford, I'll give you +such a thumping that you'll carry the marks as long as you live." + +Browning spoke quietly, but there was a businesslike ring in his tone +that Ford could not misunderstand. + +The others were very quiet, and they looked at Ford, awaiting his +answer. + +"You take a mighty high attitude," he muttered. + +"Shut up," muttered Browning, savagely. "I for one won't hear any +argument about it; you've got to do what we say, or take the +consequences. And to make certain of those consequences, I'm going to +give you a licking now!" + +Browning pulled off his coat, threw it upon the floor, and advanced upon +Ford. The others stood aside, their eyes glistening, and their fists +fairly itching to take a share in Ford's punishment. + +As to the latter, he retreated to a corner, and placed a chair between +himself and Browning. + +"Hold on," he said, huskily. "You've got the best of me because there +are so many of you----" + +"I propose to lick you alone!" interrupted Browning. + +"All the same," suggested Dismal Jones, slowly, "when Browning gets +through with him, I think the rest of us will take a turn one at a +time." + +Ford was thoroughly frightened. + +"I give it up," he stammered. "You force me to it I'll do what you say, +and I guess my standing in the class is good enough, as I never have +done anything before this----" + +"Never been caught at it," interrupted Diamond, sarcastically. + +"Don't waste any talk," said Browning; "he's going with us to the dean's +office now; Merriwell is probably there at this minute trying to make +Babbitt believe in a student's honor." + +Saying this, Browning put on his coat and unlocked the door; then he +turned to Ford. + +"Come along," he said. + +Trembling like a leaf, Ford crossed the room, picked up his hat from the +table, and went out into the hall. + +The other students followed closely after. + +As he came to the stairway Ford made a leap. In his excitement he +probably hoped that he might be able to run away from these angry +fellows, and possibly escape making the confession that they wished him +to make. + +With an angry laugh they all leaped after him and caught him as he was +two steps down the stairs. + +The result was that the whole pack of them went tumbling down the flight +and landed with many a bruise in a heap at the bottom. + +When they got up Browning had his strong hand clinched in Ford's collar +until the miserable rascal was almost choking. + +In this way he was fairly pushed across the campus, to the great +astonishment of all the students who happened to be there at the time. + +He was marched straight up to the dean's office, where the students +entered without knocking. + +The dean was still talking with Babbitt and Mr. Harding. + +Frank, in the adjoining room, wondered what all the commotion was about. +The dean wondered, too, and said sharply: + +"Gentlemen, gentlemen, what does this mean?" + +"It means, sir," said Browning, respectfully, "that an infamous outrage +has been attempted, by which an honorable student is made to suffer. +Ford will explain." + +Ford did explain with many cringing appeals for mercy, and with many +protests against the violence with which the students had treated him. + +The dean listened with growing indignation, while even Babbitt was +stirred to anger against his favorite student. + +The upshot of the matter was that Babbitt withdrew his charges against +Frank, and even went so far as to make a sort of apology for having +suspected him. + +Ford's case went before the whole faculty at its meeting that evening, +with the result that he was suspended for one year. + +"I never was so relieved in my life, Merriwell," said the dean, as he +shook Frank's hand, "for if it had been proven that you had done this +thing, I am afraid I should have lost all faith in students, but----" + +And there was a sly twinkle in his eye. + +"I think we shall have to recommend that Prof. Babbitt stuff his chimney +with bricks and mortar, or else move to a new room." + +"He needn't fear that I shall invade the chimney again," responded +Frank; "I'm only too glad that the matter has turned out so that there +is no doubt about me. + +"Well," said the dean, thoughtfully, "you ought to learn some kind of a +lesson out of the experience, I suppose. Let's take it for granted, +Merriwell, that you'll give your mathematics a little more attention +this year." + +Frank, smiling, assured the dean that he would do so, and there the +matter ended. + +At a later time Page asked Frank why it was that he had insisted on the +fireplace being kept secret until after the examination. + +"Because," said Frank, "I had got a tip there that was too valuable to +lose. If you had shown the opening to everybody, it struck me that +perhaps Babbitt would hear you. With his suspicious nature, he might +conclude at once that we had good papers because, somehow, we got into +his room and found the questions. + +"As it happened, you see, the showing of the fireplace resulted in even +worse than I feared. It gave Ford his opportunity, and one of the +reasons why I insisted on studying in your room was to prevent any such +thing by having your room occupied all the time. + +"That scheme failed, because Ford watched his chance and got in while we +were at dinner." + +"I'll have my door fitted with a combination time-lock!" exclaimed Page; +"he could have unlocked it as it is now with a button hook." + +"You'd certainly better put on a better lock if you think of keeping +pets in the chim----" + +"Oh, come off, Frank! I thought I'd heard the last of that." + +Frank laughed pleasantly, but from that time on he never mentioned the +subject. + +"It's just as well," he said. "I think we are lucky to get out of the +affair so easily." + +"Right you are," answered Browning. And then, after a pause, he +continued: "Got a letter this morning. Important news." + +"Of what?" asked several. + +"About the intercollegiate games to come off in New York. Friend of mine +at Princeton says they are bound to beat us." + +"Not on your life!" came in a chorus; and on the moment the affair of +the examination papers was forgotten and all of the boys were talking +about the contests to come off and wondering who of the Yale students +would take part. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +PICKING OUT A TEAM. + + +"One, two, drop!" + +At the word there was a sudden thud as four bodies fell to the ground. +Immediately afterward there was a creaking and a sound of straining as +the four prostrate men pulled with all their might at a rope. + +Then there were long breaths and grunts, and presently one of the four +exclaimed: + +"I say, Merriwell, I didn't suppose you were going to say 'drop' until +you had counted three!" + +"You had no business to suppose any such thing," responded Frank, +seriously, and yet with a smile; "the man who gives the word in a tug of +war sometimes doesn't count at all, and you've got to get used to +falling at one word only." + +"It will be a pistol shot in New York, won't it?" + +"That isn't decided on. You didn't get the rope under your knee when you +fell, Taylor." + +"I know," responded the one addressed, "and that was because the word +'drop' came before I was ready for it." + +"Look out for it next time, then. That will do for the present." + +At this word the four young men stood up and looked at Merriwell to +await his next command. + +They were in the gymnasium at Yale. A corner of the main exercise hall +had been set apart for them and screened so that their work could not be +seen or interrupted by other students. + +Four short pieces of wood had been nailed to the floor at intervals of +about five feet. At each of these blocks or cleats a student stood with +his hand upon a rope that was tied to a post a few feet distant from the +nearest cleat. + +These four were stripped to the thinnest of athletic costumes, but +Frank, who stood by directing their work, was in his usual street +clothes. + +He was training the four to represent the college in a tug of war that +was to be one feature of some intercollegiate games to take place early +in the following month. + +The contests were to consist of all kinds of indoor exercises, as the +season for outdoor sports had come to an end. + +There was to be leaping, wrestling, trapeze and horizontal bar work, +maneuvers on the giant swings, fencing and so on. + +The entries for these events were not limited to any one class; freshmen +could contest as well as seniors, and as a matter of fact many ambitious +fellows in the freshman class were in training for the big event. + +Every day the wrestlers got together in the gymnasium and varied their +work at the machines by wrestling with each other. + +The leapers, too, made daily efforts to jump a little higher or a little +farther than they had the day before, while those who made specialties +of tricks upon the bar and trapeze spent hours every day in perfecting +themselves in their feats. + +The students talked of little else when they met on the campus, or in +one another's rooms of an evening. + +Four colleges were to be represented in the meet, namely: Yale, Harvard, +Cornell and Princeton. The contests were to take place on neutral +ground, and for this purpose the big Seventh Regiment Armory in New York +City had been engaged. + +The college year had hardly begun before arrangements for this athletic +meeting were under way. + +As is usual in such matters, where the whole college is concerned, the +management was given to a committee of upper classmen. + +There were three on this committee, Jack Rowland, and Bed Hill from the +senior class, and Frank from the junior. + +It was not Frank's intention to take any active part in the contests, +although he was well known throughout the college as a first-class, +all-round athlete. + +It seemed to him better that the contests against the other colleges +should be made by those who were specialists in one line or another. He +talked this matter over with his particular friends shortly after the +term began. + +"It won't seem quite right to see you out of it," protested Rattleton, +"for when we had our sporting trip across the continent you were always +coming in at the last minute to pull victory out of defeat, no matter +whether we were jumping, running, playing ball or horse racing." + +"That's another story," Frank replied. "When we were sporting it across +the continent there were only nine of us, and we were not all Yale +students at that. Here there are several hundred healthy men to choose +from. + +"I don't think there's much doubt that out of all the students now in +college there is some one who could beat me at any one thing I might +undertake to do, from wrestling to trapeze work." + +"But," said Diamond, "if you should go into training for any one event, +I think you'd come out on top." + +"And that's what I don't care to do!" retorted Merriwell. "I'd rather be +an all-round man than be able to do just one thing; I shouldn't know +which to choose if I were to start in training." + +"But we may lose a cup in some branch of sport if you don't go in." + +"Oh, no, I think not. Besides that, there's going to be one event in +which I can take a kind of share, and where perhaps I can be as useful +to Yale as if I were contesting." + +"What's that?" + +"The tug of war." + +"Is there going to be a tug of war?" + +"Yes, siree!" + +"Who's going to be on the team?" + +"Will it be on cleats or on the level floor?" + +"Will it be on the ground?" + +These and many other questions of a similar kind were asked so rapidly +that Frank had no chance for a reply. At length he explained that the +team had not been chosen, and that anybody might be a candidate. + +"The managing committee," he said, "has asked me to take charge of the +training, and we're going to have trials in a corner of the gymnasium +every afternoon. As soon as the team is made up, we shall get down to +daily practice." + +It was perfectly natural that the tug of war should arouse more interest +throughout the college than any of the other events. + +Of course it was important that one or another student should be in +training to meet the best wrestler or jumper from the other colleges, +but the tug of war was an event in which the whole college was +represented. + +There is never anything like a team event to arouse the enthusiasm of +students. + +A tug of war team consists of but four men, to be sure, but at that they +are supposed to be, and generally are, the strongest men in the college, +and so students of all classes looked to them for holding up the glory +of the college. + +There was another thing that made the tug of war team especially +interesting at this time. For two or three years Princeton had been very +successful in the tug of war, whether pulling against other colleges of +against outside athletic organizations. + +It had happened that three very strong men in a certain class had gone +onto the team in their freshman year and had stayed there ever since. + +That was greatly to the advantage of the Princeton team, for with three +men on it who were perfectly used to each other, and who had had a great +deal of experience, the team was not only powerful, but it made every +other team afraid of it. + +There is a great deal more in this than those who are not athletes +imagine. A team that has the reputation of always winning is apt to +strike terror to the hearts of its opponents and rattle them so that +they cannot do their best. + +Princeton naturally was very proud of its tug of war team and perfectly +confident of carrying off the prize for that event. This was understood +not only at Yale, but at Harvard and Cornell, and at each of these three +colleges there was a determination to "down" Princeton if possible. + +So it happened that when the managing committee at Yale announced that +they would examine candidates for the tug of war team, there was so much +interest in it that a perfect mob of students gathered at the gymnasium +eager for a place upon the rope. + +Rowland and Hill, the senior members of the committee, were inclined to +dismiss the whole crowd and then quietly pick out four men according to +their own judgment, but Merriwell opposed this policy. + +"There may be perfect giants concealed in that crowd," he said, "and if +there's only one, we want to discover him. Give them all a trial." + +"But it would take weeks," exclaimed Hill, "to arrange those men in +teams and make them pull against each other until we could sift out the +best four!" + +"I don't think we need to have them pull against each other to find out +what they're worth," Frank responded. + +"What other way is there?" asked Rowland. + +"I have an idea that I can sift that crowd in a week." + +"Well, then, you'd better try it." + +So it was agreed that Frank should undertake to examine the candidates +for the team, and to superintend its training. + +His plan for examining the applicants caused a good deal of amusement at +first, but it proved to be remarkably effective as well as a great time +saver. + +In a tug of war, as in many other sports, it is not only brute strength +that tells, but quickness and skill. Frank believed a good deal more in +the head work of tugging than he did in solid muscle. + +"If a man can't drop right every time," he declared, "he isn't fit for +the team. If he can drop right, he's got the making of a tugger." + +To test this he had a rope fastened securely to a post, and the +candidates in squads of four took hold of this rope and dropped half a +dozen times at Frank's command. He gave brief explanations of what was +necessary for them to do, to each squad before giving the word; then he +watched the men go down, showing them where they had been in error and +had them try again. + +It took no more than half a dozen minutes for as many trials and then +another squad was brought on. + +In this way he easily tested from thirty to forty men an hour, and so in +the course of three days had given every candidate for the team a +chance. + +After that it was an easy matter for him to strike off the list fully +three-quarters of the candidates; that left from twenty to thirty who +might still be useful. + +These men he tried in groups of four also, but continually shifted the +men from one group to another so as to find out which of them worked +together to the best advantage. + +At length, after ten days of patient examination in this way, he had +Rowland and Hill come behind the screen and watch the efforts of six men +who had been selected as the best team workers in the whole college. + +The matter was discussed very frankly, not only by the members of the +committee, but by the candidates themselves, for everybody was anxious +that the best possible team should be selected and nobody would have +been offended if he had been left off. + +It was decided at last that Bruce Browning should be the anchor of the +team. He had been Frank's choice almost from the start, for he was heavy +and cool, and from past experience Frank knew that Bruce could be quick +if it was necessary. + +It is the anchor in a tug-of-war who does the head work for the team. + +"I'd rather have a good anchor and three weak men," said Frank, +emphatically, "than three giants on the rope directed by an anchor who +is either excitable or slow." + +Everybody agreed that Bruce was just the man for the Yale anchor, and +after a good many trials Taylor, of the senior class, and Jackson, of +the sophomore, were assigned places on the rope; that left one vacancy. + +Merriwell recommended that the other three men who had stood the test so +far be trained equally, so that two at least could rank as substitutes +in case of sickness or other difficulty. + +The committee and the members of the team suggested that Frank himself +should take the vacant place on the rope. + +"Everybody knows you've got the muscle and the head, and with you and +Bruce on the rope, we'll have as perfect a team as possible." + +Frank hesitated a little before accepting this suggestion, but he +finally yielded, for without conceit he felt that he could be more +useful than the others, and he had a natural eagerness to take an active +part in the contest. + +Nevertheless, he continued to direct the training of the team, using +Rattleton as a substitute on the rope while he stood by and gave orders. + +In this way he got the men so that they could fall at the word and fall +right, and when this had been gained he took Rattleton's place and gave +over the direction of the movements of the team to the anchor. + +After that there was a good deal of practice in pulling at voluntary +teams from among the students. + +It proved that there were no four students in the college who could stay +on the cleats half a minute against the team that Frank had selected and +trained; so practice teams were made up of five, six, and sometimes +eight men. + +The dead weight of eight men proved to be a little too much for the +regular team, although the latter was never pulled off the cleats. + +All in all the Yale students were greatly satisfied with their tug of +war team, and as the time for the intercollegiate contests approached +their confidence grew. + +They believed that they would be able to get away with Princeton, and it +did not seem to strike them at all that the other colleges were in it. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +HUNTING FOR A FRESHMAN. + + +The contests were to take place on a Wednesday evening. On the Monday +previous all the Yale athletes went to New York. + +Special permission from the faculty had to be obtained for this absence +from the college, but there was no difficulty in getting that, as there +is hardly a professor at Yale who does not have a strong interest in +athletic events. + +As New Haven is but two hours' ride from New York, it might have been +possible for the students to attend to all their duties on the +Wednesday, and still get to New York in time for the events, but that +would never do for the contestants. + +Nobody knows better than men who train how easy it is for an athlete to +get thrown out of order by a change in diet and air. The finer the +training the greater care there has to be. + +Therefore, the managing committee for Yale felt that it was absolutely +necessary to give the contestants at least two whole days in New York +City, in order to get used to the slight change that would result in +their leaving familiar quarters in New Haven. + +Students who were not contestants in the intercollegiate sports were not +allowed to leave New Haven so early, and so it was a comparatively small +party that went with Frank and the other members of the committee to +rooms that had been engaged for them in the Murray Hill Hotel. + +It would probably have amused an outsider if he could have known the +great care taken to prevent those students from being harmed by illness +or anything else. + +They were grown men and able to take care of themselves ordinarily, but +from the time they went into training they were like so many children in +charge of a nurse. + +They were informed as to just what they could eat and what they must let +alone. Not one of them was permitted to smoke, and every one of them was +required to do just so many hours of exercise of some kind every day. + +While they remained in New Haven it was no very difficult matter to see +to it that every one of the contestants obeyed the regulations of the +managing committee. + +In New York it was not quite so easy, for the members of the committee +were a good deal occupied in discussing arrangements with the committees +from other colleges who were quartered at different hotels. + +When it happened that all the committee had to be away from the Murray +Hill at the same time, the oversight of the Yale crew was left to +Browning, who was the most experienced athlete among them. + +There was not much for him to do, for each one of the contestants had a +programme of exercise laid out for him. + +There was to be just so much walking, and at certain hours, and the rest +of the time, except for meals, was to be put in in resting. + +It was understood that as often as possible the entire crowd should walk +together, and this they did on the first evening after their arrival. + +They went up Fifth Avenue to Central Park, and walked rapidly for fully +an hour among its winding paths; then they returned to their hotel, had +baths, and went early to bed. + +During the next day, Tuesday, the contestants were left pretty much to +themselves, as the members of the committee were away most of the time. + +After one of the meetings with the committees from other colleges, the +Yale managers, finding that a number of things had to be done, divided +up the work and separated. + +Three or four hours later Rowland and Frank met on the way to the hotel +where their companions were staying. They reported to each other what +they had done, and then fell as usual into discussing the prospects for +victory. + +"I saw the Cornell tug of war team out for a run," said Rowland. + +"Ah! What do they look like?" Frank responded, without much show of +interest. + +"Beef!" said Rowland. + +"Not dangerous, then, eh?" + +"Why, no, I presume not. They look as if they could carry you fellows +around on one hand, but it seemed to me they were clumsy in their +running." + +"I don't fear them," said Frank; "I'd heard from some other fellows that +Cornell was counting on weight more than anything else, and as you know, +I take more stock in head work." + +"There's this to think of, though," remarked Rowland, "if a beefy team +gets the fall on you by the fraction of a second, you simply can't stand +it. That's the time when dead weight will tell." + +"The Cornell beefeaters won't get the drop on Yale," returned Frank, +quietly. + +"No, I guess not, and for that matter, so far as I can hear, there seems +to be no doubt in anybody's mind that the real contest will be between +Yale and Princeton." + +"Have you seen the Harvard men?" asked Frank. + +"No, but we know all about them, don't we?" + +"I think so. They're a game lot, but I don't think they can stand +against us. The fact is, Rowland, I'm thinking more of the other events +than of the tug of war just now." + +"So? I would have supposed you would be capable of thinking of nothing +else." + +Frank shook his head. + +"The tug of war doesn't worry me a little bit," he said, "but as one of +the managers I should feel pretty badly if we fell down on everything +else." + +"Oh, we're not going to fall down; there are two or three events, you +know, in which we are almost certain to win. The high leap, for +example----" + +"That's just what I've been thinking of," interrupted Frank. + +"Why, are you afraid of Higgins?" + +Higgins was a member of the freshman class who had shown most unusual +power in jumping, and had easily beaten all the other Yale students who +had tried for that event. + +"I hear that Cornell has a man named Stover," said Frank, "who thinks he +can beat everybody at the high jump." + +"Yes, I've heard of him, too," Rowland responded, "but what of it? +Higgins has broken the record in private practice----" + +"That doesn't make it certain that he will do as well at the armory." + +"No; but he's in good condition, isn't he?" + +"First rate." + +"Then I wouldn't worry about him." + +"I'm not worrying exactly, and in any case, if our fellows do their best +and we get beaten, there's nothing to complain of." + +At this point in their conversation the two arrived at the Murray Hill +Hotel. They went at once to the suite of rooms that had been engaged for +the athletes, and found most of the contestants reading or dozing. + +A few were out for a walk. All the students asked eager questions as to +the final arrangements and so on. After several questions had been asked +and answered, Rowland remarked: + +"There'll be hard times in Princeton this winter if the orange doesn't +get most of the cups." + +"Are the Princeton men offering odds?" asked Browning. + +"Not quite so strong as that, but they're putting up loads of money." + +"Is the betting any heavier than usual?" asked Frank. + +"Perhaps not," Rowland answered, "but if not I must have come across the +betting crowd. It seemed as if they had begged and borrowed every dollar +they could lay hold of and had brought it here to put up on the +different events." + +"How is the betting going?" asked Browning. + +"I didn't pay very much attention to it, but it seemed to be about even +as between Princeton and Yale on the tug of war, and on some of the +other events the Princeton men were asking for odds rather than giving +them. + +"What impressed me most was that it looked as if it was the Princeton +crowd that had the most money." + +"Why," asked Frank, in a surprised tone, "it wasn't the Princeton +contestants who were doing the betting, was it?" + +"No, but some of the students." + +"That's queer." + +"Why?" + +"Here it is Tuesday afternoon and the Princeton fellows who are going to +see the contests are not due before to-morrow afternoon. It doesn't seem +to me probable that the Princeton faculty would let the general run of +students come up here at this time any more than the Yale faculty would +allow our men to come." + +"Can't help that," said Rowland, "there's a raft of Princeton men in +town going around with orange ribbons in their buttonholes and hunting +for chances to bet money against Yale, Harvard and Cornell." + +Frank made no response, but remained for a moment in thought, while the +others continued to talk about the betting. Presently Frank asked where +Higgins and Mellor were. + +Mellor was another freshman athlete. He was a giant in stature, and one +of the best wrestlers that had ever been seen at Yale. + +There was a good deal of confidence that he would win the cup for +wrestling, for from all that could be learned of the wrestlers +representing the other colleges, there was no one who could compare with +him in strength, and his skill seemed to be all that would be needed. + +"They're taking in the town," answered Browning. + +"What!" exclaimed Frank, aghast. + +"Oh, not in any improper sense," said Browning. "They're just out for a +walk, and I didn't see any objection to their taking it in such a way +that they could see some of the principal streets." + +"No, that's all right," responded Frank, in a tone of relief; "when are +they due back?" + +"In about half an hour." + +More than half an hour passed, and neither Higgins nor Mellor had shown +up at that time. Rowland and Hill were away on some other business +concerned with the management. + +Frank was getting anxious. He could not have said exactly why, for so +far as Mellor and Higgins were concerned, he had a good deal of respect +for them, but he was fearful of accidents, as if they were little +children unable to care for themselves. + +He did not betray his anxiety to Browning or the others, but remarked +after a time that he had another errand to do, and went away, leaving +instructions that no contestant should leave the hotel until his return. + +Then he went down to Madison Square and stood for a moment looking +doubtfully at the several hotels in that vicinity. He knew that the +Princeton athletes had had rooms engaged at the Fifth Avenue, but this +thought was not in his mind at the moment. + +"The Hoffman House," he was thinking, "is one of the most celebrated +hotels in New York, and a place to which all strangers like to go." + +As it was the time of year when days are short, it was already dark as +night, although it was yet some time before the usual evening dinner +hour. + +Frank strolled across to the Hoffman House, and went in at the main +entrance. A number of men were in the lobby, but apparently there were +no students among them. + +He went slowly past group after group, and turned at length to the +barroom. + +This place was famous at that time for its remarkable collection of +valuable paintings and statuary; it was often referred to jocosely as +the "art gallery." Every stranger in New York regarded it as one of the +most interesting sights of the town. + +It was pretty well filled with customers when Frank entered, but +everything was quiet and orderly. + +At the farther side of the room, and partly concealed by the bar, which +took up the very middle, was a group of young men just on the point of +leaving by the door that opens upon Twenty-fifth Street. + +"Too bad you've got to hurry," one of them remarked in a pleasant voice. + +"I'm overdue at the hotel already," said another, "and must get back +before they become anxious about me." + +Frank could not see the speaker, but he recognized the voice as that of +Higgins. + +"He has no business in here, confound him!" thought Frank, angrily. "No +one but a freshman would go into a barroom even out of curiosity, at +such a time as this." + +He crossed the room, intending to speak to Higgins and walk back to the +hotel with him, and give him some earnest advice on the way. + +Higgins was a little in advance of the group as they went out, and so +Frank did not catch up with him before they were all out upon the +sidewalk. + +He noticed that all the men who had been speaking with Higgins wore +orange ribbons in their buttonholes, but it struck him, too, that +somehow they did not look like students. + +He had no time to reflect upon this doubt, for just as he stepped out +upon the dark street he saw one of the crowd pretend to stumble and fall +rather heavily against Higgins. + +"I beg pardon," this man said, quickly. + +"It's all right," Higgins responded, as he staggered to the curb under +the force of the shove. + +At that instant Frank saw another in the crowd making a movement which +showed that he was going to trip Higgins and cause him to fall. + +The attempt was not made, for acting instantly upon his impulse, Frank +leaped from the doorway and caught the fellow a terrible blow upon the +side of the face. + +It sent him reeling halfway across the street before he finally lost his +balance and fell full length. + +The attack was so unexpected and sudden that most of the others in the +group did not stir for a second. + +There was one exception to this. + +It was a man who had edged forward in order to make sure of tripping +Higgins if the first man should fail, and he was so intent upon +accomplishing this that he did not stop when Frank's form shot past him +to attack the other. + +Therefore when Frank wheeled about to defend himself in case the others +should fall upon him, he saw this man just in the act of giving Higgins +a violent kick upon the shins. + +It was all happening so quickly that at this instant Higgins had just +made his reply to the apology of the man who had shoved him, and was +only beginning to regain his balance. + +The kick in the shins did the business for him. He fell upon his hands +and knees, and just then Frank struck out again. + +He was never so thoroughly aroused in his life, and his blows fell like +rain upon the Princeton man's face and chest. The latter would have +suffered a square knockdown if he had not been standing so that he fell +against his comrades. + +The others, recovering a little from their first astonishment, made a +feeble effort to close in on Frank, but it would have taken more than +them to stop him then. + +He beat them off vigorously, striking without mercy at any one who came +within reach. + +"Cheese it, there's a cop!" exclaimed one of the party suddenly, and +they all took to their heels. + +Higgins by this time had got up and was supporting himself against a +lamp-post. + +"Can you walk?" asked Frank, quickly. + +"I guess so," responded Higgins, so surprised that he could hardly +speak. + +Frank took him by the arm and marched him back to the barroom, through +which they went to the lobby, and then out by the ladies' entrance upon +Twenty-sixth Street. + +The scrimmage had taken place so quickly and quietly that it had +attracted no attention within the barroom, and as Frank and Higgins were +not followed, it seemed probable that the cry of alarm about a policeman +coming was false. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE FINDING OF MELLOR. + + +"Now, Higgins," said Frank, rather sharply, as they were well out on +Twenty-sixth Street, "what have you been up to?" + +"Why," answered Higgins, hesitatingly, for he had not yet half recovered +from the surprise of the event, "nothing but swapping boasts with those +Princeton fellows and refusing to drink with them." + +"It's small business for a Yale student to boast of what he can do," +exclaimed Frank, in disgust. + +Higgins bit his lip and said nothing; although he was a freshman of but +few months' standing, he had already learned that in athletic matters +the word of a manager is law, and that a student in training would no +sooner dispute his manager or trainer than a soldier would dispute an +officer. + +"And did you refuse their drinks?" demanded Frank in the same sharp +tone. + +"On my honor, Merriwell, I did. Do you suppose I would take such risks +just previous to----" + +"Don't talk to me about risks," Frank interrupted; "here it is only the +day before the contests, and you're not back at the hotel at the time +you're ordered to be." + +"I know that," Higgins responded humbly, "and I'm sorry for it, but I +didn't realize how the time was going by after I got in with those +fellows. They're very pleasant chaps, and I must say that I can't +understand for the life of me why it was you sailed into them so." + +Frank was too irritated to explain for a moment. It was very seldom that +he spoke as sharply as this to a comrade, and he would not have done so +on this occasion if he had not been so anxious for the success of Yale +in every possible event. + +As they walked along he noticed that Higgins was perfectly steady, and +although there was a slight flush on his face, there was no sign that he +had been drinking. The flush undoubtedly was due to mortification and +excitement. + +"See here, Higgins," said Frank, at length, in a quieter tone, "don't +you know that those Princeton students, as you call them, were trying to +disable you?" + +"I never dreamed of such a thing." + +"It's a fact." + +"How do you know, Merriwell?" + +"I saw the attempt made, and for that matter you got kicked in the shins +and tumbled over, didn't you?" + +"Yes, but I supposed that was an accident of the scrimmage." + +"It was nothing of the kind; it was a put-up job, and if I hadn't sailed +in it might have lamed you so that you couldn't jump. That was what they +were after." + +"Whew!" exclaimed Higgins. "I think I'm a good Yale man, if I am a +freshman, and I hate Princeton and all the rest of them, but, on my +honor, Merriwell, I didn't think that a student of any college would +resort to such a low-down trick." + +"I don't believe it, either," said Frank. + +"Well, that----" + +"What made you think those fellows were students?" + +"Why, they said they were; they gave the year of their class, which made +them out to be seniors. They had big wads of money that they wanted to +bet, and they got into conversation with me by asking what odds would +put up on myself in the high jump." + +Frank grunted to express his disgust, and asked: + +"Did they talk like students?" + +"I thought so." + +"I don't believe they were," said Frank, "for there was something in +their manner that didn't make them seem like students, and besides that, +I can't believe any more than you that Princeton men would try to win +out in these contests by deliberately disabling any of our fellows. + +"Of course, I can understand how, in an exciting match like a game of +football, a man's temper might get the best of him, but to try to lame a +fellow in cold blood hours before the beginning of the event is a little +too much for me to think of when it comes to a student, whether he's +from Princeton, Harvard or anywhere else." + +"Then, who were these fellows?" asked Higgins. + +"They may be New York gamblers, for all I know," Frank answered, "but in +any case I think they are men not connected with Princeton in any way, +who are trying to make sure of their bets by disabling the leading +contestants in the other colleges." + +"Then but for you I suppose I might have been seriously lamed?" + +"I don't know, Higgins; I'm taking no credit for what I did, but I hope +you see that you made a grave mistake in not coming back to the Murray +Hill on time." + +"I do, and will look out that such a thing doesn't happen again." + +"Where's Mellor?" asked Frank, suddenly. + +"I don't know." + +"Didn't he start out with you?" + +"Yes, but we didn't keep together long." + +"Where did he go?" + +"We separated at the corner of Thirty-second Street and Broadway. I was +for going down Broadway, but he said that he wanted to see something of +the Tenderloin district." + +"The Tenderloin!" exclaimed Frank, with a groan. + +Instinctively he hurried his steps. + +"Hasn't Mellor turned up yet?" asked Higgins, hurrying along with him. + +"No, and unless he's more careful than you were there's no telling what +mischief he may have got into." + +Higgins looked as penitent as if he had been guilty of a serious crime. +The flush on his face had entirely gone now, and he was quite pale. + +"See here," exclaimed Frank, cheerfully, "you've had your scolding, so +now brace up and forget it. If you feel the slightest soreness from that +kick, give yourself a good rubbing when you get to the hotel, and go to +bed." + +"Aren't you coming?" asked Higgins, for Frank had stopped short. + +"No." + +"What shall I say to the fellows?" + +"Nothing; or you might tell them that I met you and ordered you to the +hotel; if they ask for me, you don't know where I am, and that's all +there is to it." + +Higgins nodded and went on obediently to the Murray Hill. + +Frank, boiling with indignation and sore with anxiety, set off toward +the corner of Thirty-second Street and Broadway. He had no foolish idea +that he would find Mellor there, but as that was the last place where he +had been seen, it seemed to be the most sensible point from which to +begin a search for him. + +When he arrived at the corner he looked about a moment and then entered +a hotel, and going to the telephone closet, rang up the Murray Hill and +asked for Browning. + +"Bruce," he said, when he heard a familiar hello in the receiver at his +ear, "has Mellor returned?" + +"No, but Higgins has." + +"All right. Good-by." + +"Hold on, Frank." + +"Well?" + +"Are you coming back soon?" + +"I don't know." + +"Rowland and Hill expect you to take a run with us up the avenue this +evening." + +"I'll be there if I can." + +"What are you up to, anyway?" + +"That's my business, old fellow; say nothing about it, but if I don't +turn up, go ahead with your run without me." + +With this Frank hung up the receiver without giving Bruce any further +chance to ask questions. + +His object in not explaining what he was about was to prevent any of the +contestants from worrying. He was pretty sure that Higgins would not +speak of his own adventure, and he did not care to have even cool-headed +Browning suspect that there was anything so serious in the wind as a +deliberate plot to disable Yale athletes. + +It seemed to Frank as if he had never been in so serious a situation. +There had been times in his travels when one adventure or another had +brought him in danger of his life, but at such times his mind was +usually easy; now he was oppressed by responsibility and anxiety for +others. + +The credit of Yale depended upon the good showing at the intercollegiate +games; whether they won or lost was not so much of consequence as that +the Yale crowd should do their best. + +As one of the managers, Frank felt responsible for the good condition of +every man in the party. + +He set out down Sixth Avenue looking to right and left and glancing in +at the door of every saloon he passed. + +Near the juncture of Sixth Avenue and Broadway are a number of places +where gamblers resort, and it was in one of these that Frank half +suspected and feared to find Mellor. + +Business was lively in all these places at this hour. Men of all +conditions were at the bar discussing all manner of sporting events. + +Once in a while, as Frank made his way through the crowded barrooms, he +overheard some remark about the coming college games, but it did not +seem as if the professional sports took very much interest in them, and +nothing occurred to give him any clew as to Mellor's whereabouts. + +He continued on down the avenue, running through every place he came +across, until he got as far as Twenty-third Street. There he paused, +feeling rather discouraged. + +It is worse than looking for a needle in a haystack to hunt for a man in +New York. + +Farther down the avenue there were other saloons, but he had already +passed out of the district most frequented by gamblers. + +He had no other theory on which to pursue his search, and it seemed to +him that it might be better to return to the hotel and let Mellor turn +up or not, as it might happen. + +A public telephone sign caught his eye across the way, and he again went +over and rang up the Murray Hill. This time it was Rowland that he asked +for, and when Rowland was at the 'phone Frank told him briefly that he +was on the hunt for Mellor. + +"Don't mention it to anybody," Frank added, quickly. + +"Have you any idea what's become of him?" asked Rowland. + +"Mighty little," answered Frank. "But if he hasn't returned to the hotel +yet I'll make another short trip before I give it up." + +Mellor had not returned, and the conversation with Rowland was not +continued. + +Frank retraced his steps up the avenue, but this time he did not make so +careful a search as he had before; he simply glanced in at various doors +and passed on. + +At length he turned in at Thirtieth Street, intending to call at a +drinking resort on Broadway, which was known to be popular with +gamblers. + +He had taken but a few steps when a sound of laughter attracted him and +he paused suddenly. It came from his right hand. + +He noticed that he was standing near the side door of a saloon which he +thought he had thoroughly investigated on his downward trip. + +He remembered then that he had not looked in at any of the so-called +private rooms at the back. + +This laughter evidently came from such a room, and he was quite certain +that he distinguished Mellor's voice. He waited a moment until the +laughter ceased and then he heard this in thick accents: + +"Shet 'em up 'gain! I c'n rasshle any man 'n Nighted Shtatesh, drunk er +shober." + +It was Mellor's voice, and Frank's heart sank like lead. For one +miserable instant he was in doubt as to what he had better do. + +His disgust and anger were so great that he felt like leaving Mellor to +his fate, for it would serve the freshman right to let him continue +filling himself up and so lose all chance of making a decent appearance +in the contests of the following evening. + +Then it occurred to Frank that after all there might be some little hope +that Mellor could pull himself together sufficiently to make a good +effort. + +In any event he was a Yale student, and as such Frank felt bound to look +after him; so after the slightest hesitation he entered the side door of +the saloon and opened a door leading into the small room from which had +come the laughter and the sound of Mellor's voice. + +He saw the big freshman with a silly smile on his face seated at a +table, holding an empty glass unsteadily in his hand, and trying to talk +with three companions, each of whom wore a rosette of orange-colored +ribbon upon the lapel of his coat. + +None of the three had been in the crowd with Higgins, so far as Frank +could remember their faces. + +They did not look up when Frank entered, for they supposed, as Mellor +himself did, that the bartender was coming in to get an order. + +"Fill 'em up!" said Mellor, stupidly, rapping his glass upon the table. +"Letsh have 'nother round." + +His eyes were bleary, and although he glanced at Frank he failed to +recognize him. The latter stood still for a second or two to control his +indignation; before he spoke the bartender entered with a bottle of +champagne, the cork of which was already drawn. + +"I suppose it's the same, gents?" he said, in a businesslike tone. + +"Shame old Shampaggeny water," returned Mellor, holding his glass upside +down. + +One of the men at the table reached over and righted Mellor's glass, +which the waiter promptly proceeded to fill. + +"Here'sh ter good ol' Yale!" stammered Mellor, bringing the glass to his +lips with the aid of the man who had helped him to hold it steady. + +Frank could remain quiet no longer. He reached over the table, and with +a sweep of his arm knocked the glass from Mellor's hand and sent it +flying against the wall, where it broke in a hundred pieces. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A REPORTER'S INFLUENCE. + + +The wine spattered in the face of the man who was helping Mellor. The +latter looked up in stupid wrath, and then it dawned on him suddenly +that the interruption came from his manager. + +He gasped, hiccoughed, sat back in his chair and tried to rise. +Meanwhile the other two fellows with the orange rosettes had sprung to +their feet, and were trying to push Frank from the room. + +In this the waiter joined them, and, for a moment, therefore, Merriwell +had his hands full. They were lively hands, though, and in much less +time than it takes to narrate it he had struck out right and left and +landed stinging blows upon the faces of two of his antagonists. + +The bartender, who was a heavy fellow, who had probably had plenty of +experience in dealing with tough customers, set down the bottle of wine +and attacked Frank with great fury. + +He made the mistake of supposing that he could hustle the intruder out +by mere force, and in so doing he put up both hands to catch Frank by +the shoulders. + +This gave the athletic student a better opportunity than he could have +asked for. In quick succession the bartender got two blows, one full +upon the mouth, and the other on his neck. + +He went down on the floor with a thump, and catching at the table for +support, overturned it. The bottle of wine fell upon him and drenched +him. + +The others, who had staggered back under the force of Frank's first +blows, now tried to push their way out. The room was a very small one, +and there was but one door. + +It was evident that they were not there for fighting, and had no wish to +defend their drunken companion, no matter what Frank's object in making +the attack had been. + +As Frank's only anxiety was in getting Mellor away, he did not attempt +to stop the others from going out. + +The rumpus attracted the attention of everybody in the main room of the +saloon, and by the time the bartender had been sent to the floor a dozen +or so others, most of them customers of the place, came crowding up to +see what was the matter. + +"Letsh not fight, Mer'well," said Mellor, with a tremendous attempt at +dignity. "Letsh not get mixed up in a row." + +He, too, tried to walk out, but the way was now barred with other +bartenders who had come to the relief of their comrade. + +They might have fallen upon Frank and beaten him badly, for they far +outnumbered him, if it hadn't been that at that moment a policeman took +a hand in the affair. + +He had been passing the side door of the saloon at the very moment when +Frank struck the glass from Mellor's hand. + +He had entered at the first sound of a ruction, and had been in time to +get a glimpse of Frank as he struck the bartender to the floor. + +There was a lot of excitement and confusion for a moment, during which +Frank stood with his fists still clinched and his jaws shut hard +together, waiting for the next turn. + +Everybody connected with the saloon denounced him as an intruder, and +the one who had made all the trouble. + +Frank thought hastily of explaining the real situation, but he refrained +from doing so, as that would surely make the whole thing public, and he +did not want any such disgrace to be attached to Yale's part in the +intercollegiate games. + +So when the policeman roughly put him under arrest he submitted quietly +and went to the station house. A couple of bartenders followed, dragging +the almost helpless Mellor with them. + +Yale's champion wrestler at that moment was too far gone to realize +fully what was taking place. He staggered along between the bartenders, +protesting that there had been a "mishundershtanding," that he was a +gentleman, and that as soon as the matter had been explained he would +return to the saloon and "set 'em up" for everybody. + +Frank walked in silence, feeling extreme humiliation, not for his +arrest, but for the disgrace that a Yale athlete was bringing upon his +college. + +When they stood before the sergeant in the station, the policeman told +briefly how he had heard a row in progress in the saloon and had got +there in time to see Frank doing all the fighting. + +The sergeant looked at the bartenders, and one of them said: + +"This man," pointing to Mellor, "was entertaining a party of friends in +the back room when the other chap came in, and without saying a word +tried to clean the place out. Everything was peaceable and quiet until +he came in." + +The sergeant took up a pen, and looking at Frank, asked: + +"What is your name?" + +"Frank Merriwell," was the quiet response. + +"Huh!" grunted the sergeant, as he wrote the name, "I thought from your +looks you would say Jones of nowhere. What is your residence?" + +"New Haven." + +"Have you got anything to say for yourself?" + +"Not at present." + +The sergeant looked surprised, and hesitated a moment before he asked a +number of other questions. + +They were such questions as are always put to prisoners concerning their +age, their reasons for being in the city, and their own account of what +had happened. + +Frank gave his age, but to the other questions refused to reply. +Accordingly the sergeant ordered both him and Mellor to be searched, and +after a vain attempt to get any information out of Mellor, both were +locked up. + +A considerable crowd had collected in the main room of the station house +during this, and Frank remained quietly in his cell until he felt +certain that all the curiosity seekers had gone out. + +Then he called to a doorman and asked if he might speak to the sergeant +or the captain. It took a little persuasion to get permission to do +this, but Frank got it finally, and was taken upstairs again. + +The main room of the station was then deserted by all except the doorman +and the sergeant. The latter looked at the young prisoner inquiringly. + +"I'd like to send for somebody," he said, "and will pay liberally for a +messenger. You've got my money, and therefore know that I can pay any +decent charge." + +"Yes," said the sergeant, "you're well heeled. Who do you want to see?" + +Frank thereupon gave the name of a Supreme Court judge. The sergeant's +eyes opened wide. + +"What do you want of him?" he asked. + +"He'll come down here in a hurry," Frank answered, "if he knows that I'm +locked up." + +The sergeant sat back in his chair and thought a moment. It was +perfectly plain to him that Frank was not intoxicated, and his whole +manner was that of a gentleman. + +The sergeant was probably wondering whether the name Merriwell might not +be a false one, and whether this prisoner might not be the son of the +judge mentioned. + +While he was wondering what he had better do about it, a young man +entered the station with a businesslike air, and stepping up to the big +desk, said: + +"Good-evening, sergeant, anything going on?" + +Then he caught sight of Merriwell, and exclaimed: + +"Great Scott, Merriwell, what are you doing here?" + +"I'm a prisoner, Mr. Matthews," Frank responded. + +The young man stared at Frank for just an instant, and then turning to +the sergeant, said: + +"Anybody in the captain's room?" + +"No," was the reply. + +"Come in here," said Matthews, taking Frank by the arm and walking him +across the room. + +When they were in the captain's room, Matthews shut the door, motioned +to a chair, and sat down opposite Frank. + +"Now, then," he said, "what's got into Yale?" + +"Mr. Matthews," Frank responded, "I hate to say that I'm sorry to see +you, but a newspaper man is the last man in this whole world that I +would care to tell this story to." + +"Well, but see here, Merriwell," responded Matthews, earnestly, "a +newspaper man isn't a born fiend, you know; I'm not likely to forget +that I'm a graduate of Yale, and I certainly am not going to hurry off +with an item to my paper that will bring you into any disgrace. + +"Yale graduates are getting to think a good deal of you, Merriwell, and +I brought you in here to see if there might not be some way to help you, +not to get a sensational item." + +"I beg your pardon, Mr. Matthews," said Frank, "but I had an idea that +when a man became a reporter he could think of nothing but news and +things to write about." + +"That's business," said Matthews, "sure enough, but I'm an old Yale man, +at least I'm older than you, but I graduated only a couple of years ago, +you know, so sing your song and let's see if there isn't something I can +do." + +Thereupon Frank told the reporter all about his difficulty. He explained +how Mellor was hopelessly drunk in a cell, and how he had got arrested +while making an attempt to get Mellor away from his companions. + +"By Jove!" said Matthews, under his breath at last, "I don't blame you +for doing what you did, Merriwell, but perhaps it would have been better +if you had avoided a row and simply induced Mellor to go out with you." + +"I don't think I lose my head very often," Frank responded, "but I must +confess I did then. It was just maddening to see him soaking there with +three scoundrels who had undoubtedly set out to get him filled up. +Anyhow, there's no use regretting what I did, for here I am, and next to +having Yale win in the contest to-morrow night, I'd rather keep this +thing from becoming public." + +"I can fix that easily enough," said Matthews, confidently. "The +sergeant doesn't know that you're a Yale man, and even if he should, +I'll prime all the other reporters who cover this district at night, and +get them to say nothing about it. You needn't worry on that score, +Merriwell, the only thing to do is to get you and Mellor away from the +station house." + +Frank then told how he had wanted to send for the judge referred to. + +"He's known me since I was born," he explained, "and was an intimate +friend of my father. There's no doubt that he would believe me, and I +suppose his word would go with the police." + +"Yes, it would, but it's a long way to his house, and he may not be at +home. The captain will be in in two or three minutes, and we'll see if I +haven't got influence with him." + +In less time than Matthews had supposed, the captain came in. To Frank's +great astonishment, the reporter easily persuaded the captain to release +the two students. + +It is not very often that a police captain has an opportunity to do a +favor to a newspaper man, and when a chance does occur, he's quick to +take it, for the reporters of New York newspapers can make or unmake a +policeman's reputation. + +The only thing in the way of letting the students go was the fact that +the bartenders in the saloon where the fight occurred had made a charge +against Frank. + +That was quickly fixed by the captain, who went himself to the saloon +and suggested that the charge be withdrawn. + +Of course the suggestion of the captain was enough. The bartenders were +glad to withdraw the charge if he advised it. + +Therefore Frank had not been a prisoner half an hour before he and +Mellor, accompanied by Matthews, were rolling across the city in a +closed cab on their way to the Murray Hill. + +When they arrived there they used a good deal of caution about going in, +for Mellor was quite as stupid as he had been at first, and both +Matthews and Merriwell were anxious to prevent anybody from becoming +aware of his condition. + +They got him into the Turkish bath there without observation, and gave +an attendant a liberal fee to look after him for the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +ON THEIR GUARD. + + +The other Yale men were out for their evening run when Frank was at last +ready to join them. + +He did not try to follow them, for he had been so disturbed by the +excitement of his adventure with the police, that he thought it best to +rest; so when the students returned they found Frank in bed, and no one +disturbed him. + +Next morning early he got Rowland and Hill together and explained the +whole affair to them. They were indignant, mad and disgusted all +together. + +"We'll send Mellor back to New Haven on the first train!" exclaimed +Hill. + +"It would serve him right," added Rowland, "if the faculty should hear +of this and expel him." + +"The faculty mustn't hear of it," said Frank, decisively. "The thing +I've worked for most in all of this is to prevent any sort of disgrace, +and if Mellor can be put into condition for making a wrestle, it'll be +better for all of us that he should go into the contest." + +"He'll never be able to last a single round," groaned Hill. + +"If he should go down at the first catch," said Rowland, "everybody +would suspect that he was out of condition, and then what would come of +it?" + +"Well, perhaps he isn't so badly off as you think," suggested Frank. "He +may be able to put up a good front. Let's go down and see how he is." + +The suggestion was adopted at once, and the three went down to the +Turkish baths. The assistants who had been feed to look after Mellor +said that the student was asleep on a couch. + +Frank and the others went to the sleeping room and stood by the couch +looking at Mellor in silence for a full minute. + +As he had been very carefully rubbed and thoroughly steamed the night +before, and as he had been sleeping for many hours, he looked now quite +as well as usual. + +The three managers looked at each other and nodded. They understood each +other; it was better that Mellor should be allowed to appear in the +wrestling match that night, even though he was almost surely doomed to +defeat. + +They were about to withdraw when the wrestler opened his eyes. + +"Hello, boys," he said, suddenly, and he sat up. + +"How are you feeling?" asked Merriwell. + +"Bully!" replied Mellor, with emphasis. Then his face flushed and he +looked down at the floor. + +"I guess you remember what has happened," remarked Hill, contemptuously. + +"Yes, I do," responded Mellor. + +"What do you think of yourself?" asked Rowland. + +"You're a fine man to carry Yale's banner to victory, aren't you!" +demanded Hill, savagely. + +"Hold on, fellows," interrupted Frank; "there's no use in rubbing it in. +How did it happen, Mellor?" + +"Oh, it's just my confounded foolishness," Mellor replied, with a groan; +"I wanted to see a little bit of city life, but I had no idea of +drinking. I had heard of a place where all sorts of toughs resorted, and +I went in there simply to look on." + +"Better have stayed in the hotel," muttered Hill. + +"Go on," said Merriwell. + +"Well, there was quite a crowd there, and among them were two or three +Princeton students." + +"How do you know?" + +"Why, I saw the orange colors that they wore, and I heard them offering +bets on Princeton to other men who were standing around." + +"Did you speak to them?" + +"Not until they spoke to me." + +"How did that happen?" + +"Why, one of them caught my eye, looked at me sharply, and then asked +politely if my name wasn't Mellor, and if I didn't belong to Yale. I +felt kind of flattered at being recognized----" + +"It made you think you were a great man, didn't it?" exclaimed Hill + +"Oh, keep still!" said Frank. "Let him tell his story; this is important +to all of us." + +Mellor ground his teeth and exclaimed: + +"You can't make me feel any worse about this than I feel already." + +"We don't want you to make any confession, Mellor," said Frank, gently; +"that isn't what we're after, for, unfortunately, I know only too well +what you'd have to confess to. + +"The point we want to get at is, what these Princeton men said, for I'm +inclined to think that there's something of a conspiracy on foot to down +Yale and the other colleges by unfair means." + +Mellor looked a little puzzled, but answered: + +"After I had admitted who I was, the fellow who spoke to me asked how I +felt about the wrestling match. I told him I was all ready to meet +Princeton's best man, and then he asked if I was betting any money on +it. I shook my head, and he said 'that's right.'" + +"What followed?" + +"Oh, there were a number of polite remarks, and the crowd got around; +the Princeton men suggested that it would be pleasanter if we were by +ourselves, and I felt that they were right. + +"They were so decent about it that I had no hesitation in going into a +back room with them. There they asked if I was taking anything." + +"Did you say you were taking everything that came your way?" asked Hill. + +"No, I didn't. I told them I was in training, and could take nothing but +Bass' ale." + +"Huh!" grunted Hill. + +"Did they set up a bottle?" asked Rowland. + +"Yes. It was about the dinner hour, at which time I was allowed to take +ale, and I thought that it would do no harm; of course it was wrong--I +admit it now, but at the time I thought a single glass of ale wouldn't +hurt me, and it would be more polite to these chaps to go through the +form of drinking with them. So they had a bottle of champagne, and I +drank ale." + +Mellor hesitated. + +"You seem to have had your head about you," remarked Frank. "How did you +happen to get to drinking champagne?" + +"I don't know," he answered, gloomily; "the ale seemed to make me half +drowsy, whereas usually I don't feel any effect from it at all, and I +guess I thought that a drop of wine would brace me up." + +"I see it all!" exclaimed Frank. + +The others looked at him inquiringly. + +"Knockout drops!" he said. + +"By Jove! I bet you're right!" exclaimed Rowland. + +"It was anything to get the Yale champion fuddled and they knew well +enough that he wouldn't take more than one glass of ale, so unless I'm +greatly mistaken they drugged his ale and got him completely +unbalanced." + +"It's a monstrous outrage!" cried Rowland. + +Hill looked contemptuous and said nothing. + +Merriwell turned to Mellor with the remark: + +"Lie still a while longer and get breakfast when you want it. I'll see +you in your room later, and if you think you're going to be fit, we'll +have you in the contest to-night just the same." + +"Great Scott!" cried Mellor, "you wouldn't bar me out of that, would +you?" + +"We were thinking of it," said Hill. + +"You'll have to pull yourself together, Mellor," said Frank, seriously, +"for unless you can make a good showing we don't any of us want you to +appear." + +Mellor bowed his head upon his hands, and the others left him. As soon +as they were out of hearing Hill said: + +"Perhaps it's nothing better than could be expected of a freshman, but +anyhow, we've got to bring this matter to the attention of the Princeton +managers at once." + +The others agreed, and they went to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where they +found the Princeton managers at breakfast. + +The case was not explained to the Princeton men in full, but enough was +said to make them certain that Yale had reason to suspect a trick on the +part of men wearing Princeton colors. + +The indignation of the Princeton managers was too great for expression; +one of them was so hot-headed that he wanted a row at once with +Merriwell for seeming to suggest that Princeton men could be capable of +such treacherous conduct. + +Frank hastened to assure him that no Yale man thought such a thing +possible. + +"We think some rascals are playing off under Princeton's colors," he +said. + +The Princeton managers were sure that this must be the case, for no +students had accompanied them to the city excepting those who were to +take part in the contests. + +They declared their intention of keeping their eyes open for men wearing +the Princeton rosettes, and promised to do everything possible to have +such men arrested, if any charge could be brought against them. + +So there the matter had to rest. There was no doubt that the Princeton +men were in earnest, and that they would do what they could, but that +did not seem to promise very much. + +The scoundrels who were anxious to make money by betting on Princeton +could not be arrested for simply wearing an orange rosette, and there +was no way of preventing further trouble, therefore, except for Yale men +to hang together and take the greatest care not to put themselves in the +way of strangers. + +It was agreed by Frank and his companions that nothing should be said to +the contestants about the matter, for fear that they might get nervous, +and so be unfitted for doing their best in the evening's games. + +The day passed, therefore, very quietly for the Yale athletes. They went +in a body to a gymnasium and had two or three hours' practice, and in +the afternoon they had a walk through Central Park. + +Mellor appeared to be quite himself, except that he was silent, and that +he looked solemn. The other students supposed that this was due to his +anxiety about the wrestling match, and no questions were asked, although +there were a few good-natured jokes about his nervousness. + +He took all the jokes quietly, and made no retort. + +Nothing happened during the day to give the Yale managers any new +anxiety. They kept their eyes open all the time for a sight of the bogus +Princeton men, but failed to see them. + +When at last evening came, and they went up to the Seventh Regiment +Armory for the great contest, they felt that with the possible exception +of Mellor, everything was in as good condition as could be hoped for +Yale victories. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE WRESTLER. + + +There was an immense crowd in the Seventh Regiment Armory that evening. +Nearly everybody present was a friend of one or another of the colleges +represented in the contests, and excitement ran high. + +The seating had been arranged so that Yale students and their friends +occupied a solid tier of seats upon the side of the hall near the +center. + +Directly across the hall, in a similar tier, were the students and +friends of Harvard. + +On the same side with Yale was the Cornell crowd, and directly opposite +them the Princeton crowd. + +The rest of the spectators sat as near their favorite college as they +could, with the result that long before any of the games began, the +building fairly roared with college cries mingled together, each crowd +trying to outdo the others. + +It seemed as if there would be no lungs or voices left to cheer the +athletes, but if any one had such a fear it must have been because he +was not acquainted with students' voices. + +An excited Yale or Harvard man can give the college cry somehow when he +would be unable to conduct a conversation above a whisper. + +The very middle of the hall was left vacant. All the contests were to +take place there, and, therefore, in full view of all the spectators. + +The athletes had their dressing-rooms at the ends and sides of the +building, and there were so many of them that each college had a number +of rooms for itself. + +The Yale managers took their men up to the armory about half an hour +before the call for the first event. + +Dressing-rooms had been picked out in advance, and the men belonging to +the tug-of-war were put into one room by themselves. + +The Yale crowd in the audience cheered frantically when they recognized +their companions marching across the floor to their dressing-rooms. + +Shortly after that the Princeton men came in, and then there was a wild +howling from the other side of the room. + +So it went on, and so it continued all through the evening, for there +was hardly a moment when there was not something going on to arouse the +enthusiasm of one college or another, and if by any accident there was a +hitch in the proceedings, there was plenty of excited students in each +faction to stand in front of the tiers of seats and lead their comrades +in cheering on general principles. + +As there were many events, and many entries in each one, the programme +was put through rapidly, and as often as possible, two or more events +were being contested at the same time. + +The object sought for by each college was to gain as many victories, or +in other words, first places, as possible, but in some events, like +wrestling and fencing, where only two men could contest at a time, it +was necessary to have two or three and sometimes four bouts in the same +event. + +This was not the case in such a sport as leaping, for there all the men +could compete at the same time, and one set of trials decided the +matter. + +In wrestling it was necessary to draw lots to decide which colleges +should compete first. + +Then lots were to be cast to decide which college the winner of the +first bout should wrestle with, and so on. + +Each wrestling bout consisted of three rounds, with a short rest between +each two. + +As three rounds at wrestling is likely to tire any but the very +strongest man, the next bout was set down a full half hour later on the +programme in order to give the winner time to rest. + +It was the same with the tugs of war. One tug was put upon the programme +early in order that the winners of it might have time to recover their +breath and be in condition to meet the next comers. + +It would be an impossible task to describe all the many events that +succeeded each other rapidly that evening. Every one had its interest +and importance, although in the audience at large, as it had been at +Yale, the tug of war was watched for with the greatest anxiety and +excitement. + +There may be space, however, to indicate the outcome of one or two minor +events in which Frank and his companions were especially interested. + +The first thing on the programme consisted of the contests in high +jumping and the first bout in wrestling. The jumpers went through their +work at one end of the floor, while the wrestlers struggled at the +other. + +The drawing of lots resulted in putting Mellor of Yale against Grant of +Cornell for the first try. + +The Yale managers almost groaned aloud at this piece of ill luck. If +there was anybody among the wrestlers representing the other colleges +that they feared, it was this same Grant. + +He was fully as large and muscular as Mellor, and had easily downed +everybody who had met him in his own college. + +With Mellor in good condition the Yale men would have believed that the +chances were at least even for his victory; as it was, those who +understood the case were certain that the Yale freshman would be turned +down quickly. + +Of course the managers said nothing openly after the lots were drawn, +but they exchanged views in private just before Mellor went out to begin +his work. + +"Tough luck," remarked Frank, between set teeth. + +"I wish we had sent him back to New Haven," grumbled Hill. + +"It's a confounded shame," exclaimed Rowland, "that Mellor couldn't have +had a chance to meet Sherman of Harvard first. He could probably throw +Sherman even if he were still half full, and that would give him some +kind of a standing, but now he'll go out there and get turned down so +dead easy that everybody will laugh at Yale, and the rest of our fellows +will get rattled." + +"I don't think the rest of us will get rattled," said Frank, "and +perhaps Mellor won't be such an easy victim as you think." + +"Let us hope that he gets at least one fall," muttered Hill. + +There was no time for further talk about the matter, and they went out +to the main hall to see the event. + +At the upper end of the floor Higgins was taking his first leap, but the +managers paid little attention to him. They hoped he would win, but they +were confident that whatever happened he would make a good showing, and +they could not take their eyes from their champion wrestler. + +Mellor was still looking as solemn as if he were at a funeral. His face +was rather pale, and he sat in a chair at one side perfectly motionless +until the call came to enter the ring. + +Grant of Cornell, on the other hand, was laughing and chatting with his +managers, and his face was pink with health. + +At the call he bounded from the chair and pranced into the ring nimbly, +and as the Yale managers looked him over they felt worse than ever. + +Mellor got up slowly and walked, as if he dreaded the ordeal, out to +meet his adversary. + +"That's right, Mellor," whispered Frank, as the wrestler passed, "take +it easy and don't get excited." + +Mellor gave Frank a grateful look. It was the only encouraging word he +had received from his managers since his foolish scrape. + +He shook hands with Grant, and then stepped quickly back to his +position. It was a catch-as-catch-can match, and for an instant the two +big fellows stood warily watching each other before they advanced. + +Meantime Yale and Cornell were setting up a chorus of howls to encourage +their respective champions. + +The two got together with a sudden jump that surprised everybody. + +It was expected that Grant would take the offensive, but it seemed that +Mellor decided upon the same policy, for the floor fairly shook when +they met and began a mighty struggle. + +Frank's eyes glowed, and his heart seemed to rise to his throat as he +watched the muscles stand out on Mellor's arms and back. + +"There's big stuff in that fellow," he said, half aloud. + +"If he only had staying power," retorted Hill, in disgust, "but he's +wasted all that in his jag." + +The words were hardly out of Hill's mouth before there was a heavy thud, +as the two wrestlers went down; then such a roar went up as the building +had not yet heard, for Yale's man was on top. Mellor rose quickly and +ran to his dressing-room, followed by his managers, who overwhelmed him +with compliments. + +He said nothing, but stood up to be rubbed and taken care of. + +"You took him completely by surprise that time, Mellor," said Frank. +"Now the next time he'll be on his guard for that, and you'll have to +pursue different tactics." + +Mellor nodded. + +He did not appear to be suffering from loss of breath or any sort of +exhaustion, so the managers left him with his trainer to see how the +jumping was getting on. + +They arrived upon the floor just as another terrific chorus of Yale +cries went up. + +Higgins had cleared the bar after every other contestant had failed. + +It was a grand start for Yale. One first place had been gained, and with +Mellor's success it looked as if another was certain. + +The floor was quickly cleared of the posts that had been set up for the +jumpers, and the Harvard and Cornell tug of war teams came on for the +first pull. + +In this, as in the wrestling, the order of the trials had been decided +by lot. + +Leaving the tug of war for the moment, we will glance at Mellor's +further work as a wrestler. + +While Harvard and Cornell were getting into position for their tug, he +went out again to the floor for his second set-to with Grant. + +As Frank had predicted, Grant was wary this time; he waited for Mellor +to take the offensive, and the latter was slow in doing so. They got +together at last, and for a few seconds each struggled vainly to +overcome the other. + +Then they stood still, and those who were giving their especial +attention to them felt the greatest excitement because the men were +evidently tremendously in earnest, and very evenly matched. + +After a good deal of dancing about the ring, and many a vain attempt to +bring on a fall, Grant got in a sudden trip that brought Mellor to his +knees. + +Then, exerting all his weight and force, Grant crowded the Yale man down +until his side was on the floor. + +No fall could be counted until Mellor's shoulders were both squarely on +the floor, and, therefore, Grant was crowding with all his might to +prevent his antagonist from turning on his face. + +When a wrestler lies over on his stomach with his arms outstretched, it +is almost impossible to turn him. + +It looked as if Mellor were trying to get into this position, for then +Grant would be compelled to stand off and give him a chance to spring +up. + +Grant, of course, was trying to do just the reverse, for having Mellor +so nearly down, he did not care to give him a chance to get on his feet +again. + +Just how it was done it was hard to see, but suddenly Mellor seemed to +rise as if he were on a trap that rose by the force of a concealed +spring. + +With a wonderfully quick movement he broke his hold and got a new one, +and before anybody realized what his attempt meant, he had turned his +antagonist over and brought Grant's shoulders squarely down upon the +floor. + +Then the building shook with howls. Yale had won the first bout in +wrestling, and at the same instant Harvard had beaten the Cornell tug of +war team. + +The Yale managers were happy. It seemed now as if Mellor were certain of +carrying off the cup for wrestling. + +According to the fall of lots he was to tackle Sherman of Harvard next. + +Sherman was a comparatively slender, but very wiry fellow. He was +considerably under Mellor's weight, and as the latter had shown unusual +skill it was thought that the Harvard man would prove an easy victim. + +So he did in the first round. Mellor downed him almost as easily as he +had turned down Grant, but as it proved that was the end of the Yale +freshman's staying power. + +He had put all his force into the two set-tos with Grant and the first +with Sherman; when it came to the second set-to with the latter there +was a long, exciting struggle, which ended in Mellor's going under. + +He showed his exhaustion plainly after that, and his limbs quivered when +he went out for the third set-to. + +He struggled well, and really made a good showing, but the Harvard man +downed him at last, and with that defeat Yale's chances for coming out +ahead in the general tournament were badly damaged. + +Nevertheless Frank and the other managers felt that Mellor had made so +good a showing that nobody would suspect that he had disobeyed +regulations and unfitted himself for making the contest. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A TRICK. + + +As might be expected, there was a big chorus of shouting when the Yale +and Harvard teams came out for their trial in the tug of war. + +Matters had been running rather evenly between the four colleges; each +had gained at least one first place, and there was no reason for the +friends of any college to be discouraged about the general result. + +The Harvard men seemed to be as fresh after their victory over Cornell +as if they had not exerted themselves. + +They appeared to have about the same weight as the Yale crew, and were +made up in much the same way; a particularly heavy man as anchor, and +three lighter but evidently very muscular fellows upon the rope. + +It had been decided that the fall should be at a pistol shot. + +As there are several ways of conducting a tug of war, it will be well to +explain that in intercollegiate games, when held indoors, the +contestants always brace themselves upon cleats. + +The rope which they hold lies loose upon the floor between the two +teams. At a point midway between the two sets of cleats there is a chalk +mark on the floor. + +A ribbon is tied around the rope at the point where it crosses this +mark. + +When the men have fallen it is their object to pull the rope away from +their opponents, and so bring that ribbon further and further toward +their cleats. + +In a closely contested match it sometimes happens that the position of +the ribbon will not vary more than two or three inches during the entire +tug. + +The time is taken, and at the end of four minutes the victory is awarded +to whichever team has the ribbon upon its side of the chalk mark. + +In this pull with Harvard, Frank's training proved to be of the greatest +value. He had laid the greatest stress upon the fall. + +When the pistol shot came the Yale team dropped like one man to the +general eye. + +It seemed as if the Harvard team dropped at exactly the same instant, +but when the excited spectators looked at the ribbon on the rope, they +saw that it was fully six inches upon the Yale side of the chalk mark. + +After the fall there was a silent moment of hard tugging upon each part, +but the ribbon did not budge. + +Meantime Bruce was manipulating the rope that ran around his belt, and +keeping his eyes fixed upon the Harvard anchor opposite. + +"How is it, Bruce?" whispered Frank. + +"We've got 'em," muttered Bruce, in reply. + +Frank said nothing, for in the course of training he and Bruce had +discussed this matter so many times that Frank knew well what policy the +anchor would pursue. + +It is often said that a miss is as good as a mile, and in the case of a +tug of war an inch is certainly as good as a yard. + +It might have been possible for the Yale team by constant tugging and by +occasional surprises to get the ribbon much farther over to their side, +but that was not the policy that had been decided on. + +If the team should win, there was Princeton still to be pulled, and +every ounce of strength would be needed then; so, having the advantage +of Harvard, the boys simply held to the rope, using only enough strength +to keep what they had gained. + +It cost them a good deal of effort to keep it. + +About a minute had passed since the fall, when the Harvard anchor +suddenly gave his men the word, and leaned far back upon the floor. + +It was a mighty tug. Slowly but apparently surely the ribbon moved +toward the Harvard cleats. + +Bruce caught the end of the rope in a knot, and muttered: + +"Hold hard!" + +The boys did hold hard, but in spite of that the rope gradually slipped +through their hands. + +"It can't last long," whispered Bruce, "keep cool." + +A few seconds of such mighty tugging was indeed all that any team could +stand, and presently the Harvard men rested, having gained three or four +inches. + +To many of the spectators it seemed now as if the ribbon was even with +the chalk mark, and the Harvard crew were setting tip wild cries of +triumph. + +The Yale team, however, had been lying low. Bruce and his men had simply +resisted the Harvard tug like so much dead weight, and the instant that +the Yale anchor saw that the Harvard team had come to rest lie +exclaimed: + +"Pull!" + +Then the Yale team gripped the rope and strained at it in earnest. + +Their effort came like a yank, and in less than three seconds all the +space that had been lost in Harvard's long tug was recovered. + +So the contest went on to the end. Harvard frequently made desperate +efforts to get the ribbon on its side of the line, and each time the +Yale team had to lose a little ground, but each time they made a +complete recovery, and at the end of four minutes the victory was with +the blue. + +The Harvard team got out of sight as quickly as possible, while the Yale +men went to their dressing-room, followed by the wild cheering of their +friends. + +For the next few minutes the Yale spectators paid little attention to +what was going on on the floor. They busied themselves in cheering each +member of their team. + +Puss Parker led the cheering. He stood in front of the Yale tier and +shouted: + +"What's the matter with Browning?" + +An immense chorus responded: + +"He's all right." + +"Nine cheers for Browning," demanded Parker, and then the rah-rahs came +rattling forth like volleys from a battery. + +Then Parker asked what was the matter with Merriwell, and so on until +the others in the team had been complimented in the same way. + +Frank was well pleased, but the complete victory was not yet won, and +besides that, as manager, he had a keenness in all the other contests. +So as soon as he could do so he returned to the main room and watched +what was going on. + +The other members of the team, with the exception of Bruce, also +returned. + +The anchor, with his usual indolence, preferred to remain in his +dressing-room and rest, although, to tell the truth, he did not feel the +slightest fatigue. + +Frank found nothing to be dissatisfied with, although victories for Yale +were not piling up as well as he could have wished. + +All the Yale athletes had made a good showing, and there was no blame to +be cast upon anybody for losing, with the possible exception of the +unhappy Mellor, but there proved to be good men in the other colleges, +and one by one events were decided with a first place now to Cornell, +now to Harvard, now to Princeton, and so also to Yale. + +The longer the evening grew the closer the contest seemed, and at +half-past ten, when nearly all the events had been decided, it was still +a matter of doubt as to which college would carry away the trophy. + +The tug of war between Princeton and Yale was set last on the programme, +not because it was thought that it would settle everything, but because +it was the event that created the most general interest. + +A good many unfinished bouts in other sports were being rapidly worked +off. + +As it drew near to eleven o'clock Harvard and Cornell gradually lost +their grip upon their chance for first place, and at last, when it was +time for the great tug, it proved that Princeton and Yale scored exactly +the same number of points. + +Therefore the result of the tug would decide whether Yale or Princeton +should carry away the tournament trophy. + +The thing could not have gone better for the spectators at large, but it +made the students representing the two leading colleges excited and +nervous. + +The moment the last unfinished bout was decided, Frank hurried to the +dressing-room, followed by the other members of the team and the +managers. + +He halted at the door with a great start of fear. Bruce lay across the +threshold, his right wrist in his left hand, and glaring across the room +savagely, while his jaws were shut hard together. + +"For Heaven's sake, Bruce! what's the matter?" asked Frank. + +"I've sprained my wrist," he muttered, "and by the feeling I guess I've +sprained my ankle, too!" + +"How did it happen?" + +"A dirty trick, Frank, and the scoundrel who did it is somewhere in the +room. I managed to get here at the door so as to grab him if he should +run out, and also to prevent you from taking the same fall I did." + +The other members of the team and the managers were now at the spot. + +"Be careful when you go in," said Bruce. "The floor has been soaped or +greased just in front of those lockers there, and it won't do for any +one else to get such a fall as I've had." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +OFF THE CLEATS. + + +"Did you say the fellow was still in the room?" asked Frank, in a low +voice. + +"Yes, I was sitting near the door with my head down when I heard a +rustling noise back of me. I supposed I was all alone, and turned about +to see who had come in. I caught sight of a fellow dodging behind that +middle row of lockers." + +"Who was he?" + +"I don't know. Never saw him before. I thought he was a thief who was +going through our clothes for watches and pocketbooks, so I made a jump +and went for him. Right at the corner of the lockers my foot slipped and +I went down full length. I could have helped myself from being hurt even +at that if it hadn't been that the floor was so thoroughly greased that +my hand slipped, and my whole weight came down on my right wrist. The +pain was fearful for a moment, and it don't feel very good yet. I saw +that it was a trick." + +"Didn't the fellow get out?" + +"No. I was bound that he should be caught somehow, and as there was too +much howling outside to make myself heard, I couldn't call for help. I +dragged myself to the door here, and if he had made any attempt to get +by I'd have held him if it killed me." + +"He may have got out of a window." + +"I think not, or I should have heard him." + +"We'll find out about this," said Rowland, emphatically, "but meanwhile +the call is on for the tug of war with Princeton. Can you----" + +The question was not completed, for Browning, with a wry face, held up +his right arm. + +His wrist was swollen to almost twice its usual size. + +"I couldn't pull a baby," he said, regretfully. + +The fellows looked blue, and Hill groaned dismally. + +"Rowland," said Frank, in a quick, decisive tone, "go back into the hall +and tell the committee of arrangements that our anchor is disabled, and +that we shall have to have five minutes to get our substitute in order." + +"Who in thunder can you substitute?" asked Hill + +"Rattleton." + +"But he never trained as anchor." + +"I'll put him on the rope." + +"Who will be anchor, then?" + +"I will." + +"You!" + +"Why not?" + +"You're too light, Merriwell." + +Frank shrugged his shoulders + +"If you can think of anybody else in the college," he said, "who is +better qualified than I am to meet this emergency, bring him along." + +"No, no!" exclaimed the others in chorus, "you're the man, Frank. This +is your event, and the team may win out with you after all." + +"It isn't a question of winning out now," he responded, "but of taking +our part in the tournament. Go on, Rowland, and when you've spoken to +the committee, call for Rattleton, and have him come here in a hurry." + +Rowland went away, and then Frank stepped over and lifted Browning into +a chair. + +"One of you fellows," he said, "find somebody to get a physician. There +must be a hundred of them in the audience." + +There were several other students not connected with the team about the +door at this time, and two or three of them started away at once. + +"Now, then, Hill," said Frank, quietly, "let's see what we can do about +this rascal that has tried to disable us." + +Hill nodded and stepped into the room. + +"The rest of you fellows," said Frank, "stay at the door and don't let +anybody out." + +"Look out for the greased spot," said Bruce, warningly. + +Hill and Frank went into the middle of the room, where there was a +double line of lockers extending nearly its whole length. There were two +windows at the end, one of which was down slightly at the top, the other +was closed. + +They looked up at it, and then at each other. + +"He hasn't gone out," said Frank, confidently, in a low tone. "Try all +the lockers." + +They started down, one on each side, opening first the doors of closets +in which they and their companions had placed their clothes. + +Nothing had been disturbed there. + +As they went they found nothing but empty lockers, but presently Frank +came to one the door of which he could not open. + +The handle was simply a knob, and the door was held fast by a Yale lock. +He looked at it a moment, then, drawing back, gave the door a terrific +kick squarely upon the lock. + +The thin wood broke at once, and another kick splintered it from top to +bottom. + +At that instant a man dashed out, tried to push Frank aside and make for +the door. Frank recognized him at once as one of the men he had seen +with Higgins at the Hoffman House. + +"No, you don't!" he exclaimed hotly, catching the fellow by the arm and +giving him a smashing blow on the side of the head. + +Hearing the rumpus, Hill came running around the corner just in time to +meet the two as they were staggering along. He promptly gave the +scoundrel a rattling series of blows that dropped him to the floor half +stunned. + +"Come in here," called Frank, and the other students came crowding into +the room. + +"Let's kick him to death!" exclaimed one, excitedly. + +The students were so angry that they might have put this suggestion into +execution if Frank had not called a halt. + +"Find a cord," he said, "and bind this fellow hand and foot; then we'll +notify the committee of arrangements and go on with the tug of war." + +A cord was quickly found, and the man was tied so thoroughly that there +was no possibility that he could escape. Then, while Frank and the +others were getting ready for the tug, Hill looked up the committee of +arrangements and explained the situation. + +It may be said in passing that the matter aroused a great deal of +indignation on all sides, and that an investigation was made, which +resulted in showing that the man Frank had captured was a common +gambler, and that there were several others who had put up a great deal +of money on Princeton, and then taken every means they possibly could to +bring about Princeton's victory. + +He could do this only by disabling Princeton's adversaries. It was found +that attempts had been made to injure both Harvard and Cornell men as +well as those from Yale. + +Two or three of the gambler's confederates were found in the hall and +put under arrest, and the next morning they were taken to police court +on a charge of malicious mischief, for which they were severely +punished. + +As it was perfectly certain that no Princeton man had any hand in the +matter, or any knowledge of it other than had been given to the managers +by the Yale team, nothing was said about it at the time, for everybody +was anxious that the tug of war between Yale and Princeton should be +pulled on its merits. + +The master of ceremonies announced that an accident had happened to +Yale's anchor, and that Merriwell would take his place, with Rattleton +as substitute on the rope. + +There was a good deal of dismay at this in the Yale ranks, for although +everybody had confidence in Frank, all knew that a change in the make-up +of a team at the last moment is likely to be disastrous. + +Nevertheless, Merriwell was greeted with a big cheer when he went out to +the floor and wound the end of the rope around his belt. + +He put Rattleton on the farther end of the line, and moved Taylor up to +his own old position. There was then a breathless moment, while both +sides waited for the pistol shot. + +When it came, the eight men went down at the same instant. It was +evident that the Princeton team had observed the success of Yale men in +dropping, and had determined not to let them get an advantage in that +way. + +The ribbon stood exactly at the chalk mark, and the first few seconds of +violent pulling failed to budge it more than a hair's breadth in either +direction. + +The great audience stood up and cheered as they had not done since the +evening began. It was a delight to see two teams of strong young men so +evenly matched in strength and skill. + +On the Yale side there was fear in spite of the enthusiastic cheering +that Merriwell's weight would be against them in the end, and not a few +called attention to the fact that the Yale team had already pulled once, +while Princeton was perfectly fresh. + +These things were thought of, too, on the Princeton side, and that made +the wearers of the orange more confident. + +As in the former pull, there was a short period of rest after the first +tug. The anchors eyed each other warily, and the men lay on the rope, +crossing their legs over it, and waiting for the signal to tug again. + +Frank saw the Princeton anchor whispering to the man in front of him. + +"If that's a command to pull," he thought, "it's given too openly, and +it's probably a dodge to throw us off our guard." + +It seemed to be so, for the Princeton men gave one sudden yank at the +rope, and then lay still. + +The yank did not stir the ribbon, and it did not call out any answering +pulls from the Yale men. Many of the spectators wondered at this, and +began to set up shouts to Merriwell to order a pull. + +He remained perfectly quiet, paying no attention to the shouts around +him, apparently not hearing them. In fact, he was not more than half +conscious that there was anybody in the room except the three men +directly in front of him and the four adversaries on the opposite team. + +A full minute passed, during which there was some pulling by each side, +and still the ribbon remained squarely over the chalk mark. + +The spectators left their seats, so great was their excitement, and in +spite of the efforts of the policemen who were stationed in the hall, +crowded down upon the floor until they were within a few feet of the +opposing teams. + +Old men in the crowd who had graduated from college before Frank and his +companions were born, were quite as excited as the younger men. + +"Don't let it be a draw, Merriwell," shouted one white-whiskered man, +waving his hat frantically. + +"Princeton! Princeton!" came in a big chorus from the other side of the +room, as the Princeton team lay closer to the floor and pulled at the +rope with might and main. + +The muscles of their arms and shoulders stood out like whipcords and the +perspiration started from their brows. They were doing their best, to +say the least, to prevent a draw. + +It was a splendid tug; the ribbon at last began to move. It took its +course slowly and by little starts and halts toward the Princeton side. + +The palms of the Yale men fairly burned as the cord slipped by. It was +not much, but as before, an inch at the end of four minutes would be as +good as a yard. + +Frank's face was set in an expression of intense determination, and the +perspiration stood out upon his brow, too, although he was exerting +little force. + +Inch by inch he was paying out the rope from his belt, a thing that had +to be done in order to prevent his crew from being pulled to their feet. + +Frank was waiting his opportunity; it came as he had foreseen, just at +the instant when the Princeton men had exerted all the force of which +they were capable. + +He knew when this minute had arrived, not by any expression upon their +faces, but by the fact that the Princeton anchor hastily caught his end +of the rope in a knot in order to hold the advantage that had been +gained. + +Then Frank said in a tone that could not have been heard by any of the +spectators: + +"Now, boys!" + +On that instant the three Yale men who had been lying almost on their +backs, sat up, made a quick grab at the rope a few inches in front of +where they had been holding it before, and then strained back suddenly, +and with all the force that they could muster. + +The Princeton anchor, who had supposed that the Yale men were exhausted +also, was taken completely by surprise. + +He had knotted his rope and could not pay it out as the opposing tug +came; the result was that while there was yet a full minute to spare, +the Princeton team stood up suddenly, pulled squarely off the cleats by +the victorious sons of Yale. + +The shouting changed on the instant; there had been a wild, triumphant +howling on the Princeton side because the ribbon had gone fully fifteen +inches beyond the chalk mark. + +Now it traveled so rapidly toward the Yale side that there was no +measuring the distance; that did not matter anyway, for when a team is +pulled squarely off the cleats, the tug is done. + +Frank, therefore, had the double satisfaction of seeing his college win +the general trophy and of meeting successfully a serious emergency that +had occurred in the special sport which he had undertaken to manage. + +It was a great evening for Yale, and one that all men who were students +in the college at that time will never forget. + +"I tell you, I wouldn't have missed it for a good deal," said Rattleton, +when they were on their way to Yale, the day following. + +"It's too bad Browning was hurt," answered Frank. + +"It's not serious," said the big fellow. "It will soon be all right, so +the doctor says." And this proved to be true. Inside of ten days his +wrist was as well as ever. + +"Another contest is on hand," said Rattleton, one morning to Frank. "Do +you know we are up for admission to the Pi Gamma Society?" + +"Yes," answered Frank. + +"We'll catch it hot soon--when they initiate us." + +"Oh, I reckon we can stand it," came from Frank, with a quiet smile. + +He did not dream of all that was in store for them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +BLACK MARKS. + + +There were about twenty students in a room that would comfortably hold +six; four of them, looking very solemn, were arranged along one side of +the room with their backs to the wall; the others were seated on such +chairs as there were or upon the floor. + +The study table in the middle of the room had been cleared of books, and +a covering of newspapers had been put on top of it. + +The air was thick with smoke from pipes, cigars and cigarettes. The four +who stood with their backs against the wall were not adding anything to +the fumes; they were the only ones present who were not smoking. + +Every window was down and the transom was closed. It is the theory among +students that the smoker can stand a thick atmosphere, but that if one +is not smoking it soon becomes very disagreeable to him. + +One would have said that this theory was correct if he had taken but a +glance into the room, for the four solemn persons looked far from well, +while the others were evidently enjoying themselves to the utmost. + +Each one of the others had something in his hand besides his pipe or +cigar; two or three had brooms, some horsewhips, some baseball bats, +some canes, others umbrellas, and so on. The one who was apparently the +leader had an iron poker. + +"Who is the next neophyte who wishes to become acquainted with the +mysteries of Pi Gamma?" he asked. + +"It's Merriwell's turn next," answered one of the others. + +"Very well, then, fetch him in." + +At the mention of Merriwell's name the four solemn students against the +wall glanced at each other. + +"Hi, there! Hi, there!" called several voices. "No talking to each +other!" + +All the other students turned furiously upon the solemn four and glared +fiercely. One of the four opened his lips as if to say something, then +thought better of it, and shut them again. + +"If you want to make a link in the mystic chain of the Pi Gamma," +exclaimed the leader, sternly, "you'd better keep your mouth shut!" + +The student thus addressed looked as if he was aching to say that he had +not said anything, but his eyes simply wavered and otherwise he remained +perfectly still. + +"I guess they'll behave themselves," declared the leader. "Go out and +bring in Merriwell." + +Frank was about to take his first step in the long and trying initiation +into the secret society known as the Pi Gamma. These are the two Greek +letters standing for P and G, respectively. + +What they mean is known only to the members of the order, but the +society is generally known by an abbreviation of its initials. + +In this way, with the characteristic humor of college students, the +order of Pi Gamma is generally known as the "Pig." So, too, members of +the order are sometimes referred to as "Pigs." + +No one is supposed to take any offense at this, for, on the contrary, it +is a mark of honor to be a member of the order, and if a man can say +after he has graduated that he belonged to the "Pig," he makes it known +that his social standing was very high. + +No one can become a member of this society until he has reached the +junior year; then students are elected from the junior class by the +members of the senior class in blocks of five. The initiation of each +block of five covers a period of one week. + +The juniors elected at the same time with Frank were Harry Rattleton, +Jack Diamond, Bartley Hodge, and John Henderson. It was these four who +formed the quartet of silent students with their backs to the wall. + +They had received their notification of election on the evening before, +and with it certain instructions. From that moment until the end of the +initiation the neophyte was forbidden to laugh, or to speak aloud unless +addressed by a "Pig" in good standing or a member of the faculty. + +If he was spoken to by one of his companions, not a member of the order, +the neophyte was not to answer. + +He was to attend strictly to all his college duties, and whenever he set +foot upon the campus, he was to run at full speed and not stop running +until he had left the college grounds. + +He was to do without question anything commanded of him by any member of +the Pi Gamma during the week. + +In Frank's case this last rule had been put to the test at once by +commanding him to go to a well-known store in the city and buy one match +and one toothpick and bring the articles to the student who asked for +them. Frank had complied promptly. + +He went into this thing, as he did into everything, in a good-natured +but businesslike way. + +He knew that it was the custom for students to be put in embarrassing +situations during the initiation, and he made up his mind to stand his +share of it without grumbling. + +Besides the rules already noted, each of the neophytes was told to write +an essay upon a given subject and have it ready for reading on the +following evening when the senior members of the society would meet the +neophytes in Baker's room. + +Baker was the president of the "Pig," and it was he who held the poker +during the deliberations. + +The neophytes had assembled promptly, and then had been conducted to the +room of a senior named Rowe, from which they were called one by one to +read their essays. + +Frank's turn had come last, because there was so much respect for his +nerve that the students wanted to give him a particularly hard test, and +they believed it would be more effective if they made him wait until +toward the end of the evening. + +Accordingly, Rattleton and the others had been through with their essay +reading before Frank was summoned. + +A couple of seniors went out after Baker gave the order, and presently +returned with Merriwell. + +The latter looked as unconcerned as if he were attending an ordinary +recitation. He coughed a little as he entered the smoky room, and then +said, "Good-evening, gentlemen," in his pleasantest tone. + +"Ah, ah! Put down one black mark," exclaimed Baker, severely. + +Frank looked surprised. He had been told when notified of his election +that black marks would be entered against the name of every candidate +for every disobedience of the rules, and that if a neophyte got as many +as ten black marks he would not be permitted to become a member. + +"The neophyte has evidently forgotten the rule about speaking aloud," +remarked Baker. + +Every one of the seniors present took out a little memorandum and made a +mark against Merriwell's name. + +Frank had really forgotten the rule for the moment, and his lips parted +to say, "Beg pardon," or something of that kind, when it occurred to him +that that would bring him another black mark. + +In fact, the instant his mouth opened, out came the memorandum books, +but he shut his lips hard together, and the books went back into the +students' pockets. + +"We will begin with a little music," remarked Baker. "Neophyte +Rattleton, come forward." + +Rattleton at once stepped up and stood in front of Frank. Their eyes +met, but each kept his face steady. + +"Neophyte Merriwell," continued Baker, placing his hand upon Rattleton's +shoulder, "this is a bass viol. This is your bow," and he handed him an +umbrella. "We want you to play Mendelssohn's Wedding March." + +Frank took the umbrella and looked from Rattleton to Baker in amazement. + +"Play, neophyte," thundered Baker. + +Frank was not certain whether he caught the idea or not, but after a +little further hesitation, he took Rattleton by the shoulder and moved +the umbrella back and forth across that young man's stomach two or three +times. + +"We don't hear any music!" bawled the seniors in chorus. + +"Give him a black mark, then!" commanded Baker. + +Out came the memorandum books, and down went another black mark against +Frank's name. + +"Whew!" he thought, "this won't do! I must be slow or stupid; if I don't +catch on pretty soon I'll get more black marks against me than I can +stand." + +"Give us something that we can hear!" roared the seniors. + +The three juniors who had been through it and who were still standing +with their backs against the wall, were having a particularly hard time +of it just now. Their lips were twitching with an almost uncontrollable +desire to laugh. + +Frank caught Rattleton again by the shoulder and again sawed the +umbrella back and forth across his stomach, at the same time grunting in +a wheezy way to imitate the sounds of a bass fiddle. + +"You're out of tune!" cried one of the seniors. + +"Play louder!" shouted another. + +"He's playing on the open strings all the time!" exclaimed a third. +"Make him move his fingers, won't you?" + +Frank caught this idea at once, and, throwing his left arm around +Rattleton's shoulders, he moved his fingers up and down on Rattleton's +chest as if he were touching the strings of an instrument. Meantime he +kept up his grunting and humming as loud as he knew how. + +The seniors roared with merriment. Rattleton was shaking with laughter, +and the three solemn juniors against the wall looked as if they would +explode. + +Frank was perspiring in the effort to do the thing as ridiculously as he +knew how, and yet keep his face straight. + +"Oh, but look here!" cried Baker, suddenly, "this won't do!" + +He took out his memorandum book, and all the students followed suit. + +Frank stopped fiddling. + +"Keep on until I tell you to stop!" cried Baker. "That's a black mark, +anyway." + +In despair of ever doing anything right, Frank began to saw away again +for dear life. + +"I call your attention," shouted Baker, above the uproar, "to the fact +that this neophyte is making loud sounds with his voice." + +"That must be a black mark, then!" declared the other seniors, taking +out their books. + +Frank wanted to protest that he had been told to make a noise, and that +he could not very well obey one rule without breaking the other, but he +thought it best to keep quiet. + +He learned later that the complaint against his making a loud noise was +made for the very purpose of causing him to protest, for that would have +brought another black mark against him. + +As he kept his mouth firmly closed the seniors failed to catch him +there, but they put a black mark down nevertheless, so that within the +first five minutes of his initiation Frank had had four points scored +against him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE TEST OF NERVE. + + +Frank felt really worried about it, although it did seem to him that the +marking was absurdly unfair. + +"These fellows haven't any reason to complain of a professor's marking +of examination papers," he thought, "if this is the way they treat a +fellow student." + +"It's nearly time for the test of nerve," remarked Baker, "and we'd +better have the essay read before this neophyte gets so many black marks +that his case will be hopeless. Get up on that table, Merriwell." + +Frank started to climb up on the table, but as soon as his knee was upon +it a half dozen of the seniors yanked the table from under him and he +fell to the floor. + +There was a great roar of laughter at this, but Merriwell kept his face +straight and did not so much as grunt. + +"No black mark that time!" he thought. + +"I told you to get on the table!" roared Baker. + +Frank obeyed this time by making a sudden jump that brought him squarely +upon the center of the table before it could possibly be yanked from +under him. + +There was a roar of applause at this, and the students gathered around +to listen to the essay. + +Frank took his manuscript from his pocket. + +"What was the subject you were told to write on?" asked Baker. + +Frank looked at the paper and read: + +"Why is a Hen?" + +The four other juniors exchanged winks; each one of them had been told +to write upon the same topic. + +Just then there was a knock at the door, and, after a moment, Bruce +Browning was admitted. + +Browning was already a member of the order, although he was a classmate +of Frank's. He had become so by being dropped at the end of his freshman +year, as already related in this series of stories. + +When that happens a popular student keeps up his society relations with +his former classmates, so that Bruce, although he was a junior in the +standing of scholarship, was a senior when it came to society matters. + +The fact that he was still a classmate of Merriwell's had led him to +decide that he would take no part in the initiation. The students, +therefore, were surprised to see him enter. + +"I thought you weren't to be here!" exclaimed Baker. + +"I wasn't," Browning answered, "but I've got something important to say +to you." + +He spoke in such a serious tone that Baker at once went over to him, and +after a few whispered words they shut themselves into Baker's bedroom, +which adjoined the study. + +"You remember Miller?" asked Browning. + +"You mean the tough customer that sells cigars?" + +"Yes." + +"I do remember him; what of him?" + +"He's got a grudge against Merriwell. I think Frank at some time or +other interfered in some dirty work he was up to, and so he's laying for +Frank." + +"Well, what of it?" + +"He's heard that Frank has been elected to the 'Pig,' and he declares +that he'll take advantage of the initiation to raise hob with him." + +"Huh!" + +"I thought I ought to let you know about it." + +"Well, yes, but I don't see what Miller can do." + +"Nor I, either, but it'll be just as well to be on your guard, you +know." + +"All right, and we'll try and look out for it." + +"How's Merriwell getting on?" asked Browning. + +Baker grinned. + +"He's standing it like a man," was the reply, "just as we supposed he +would, but he'll get black marks enough to sink a ship before the +night's over." + +Browning chuckled. + +"I'll bet he takes those black marks seriously," he said. + +"Well, why shouldn't he?" returned Baker. "It's the last time we'll get +the chance to roast a good fellow like Merriwell, and we're going to +make it hot for him, I tell you." + +"Go ahead, he'll stand it," said Bruce. + +Having delivered his message of warning, Bruce left the room. Then Baker +returned and ordered Frank to begin his essay. + +"Speak up loud and clear," he said, "for when you're told to talk, we +expect you to talk." + +Frank unfolded his manuscript and began to read: + +"The problem of the hen is one of the most interesting subjects in +ornithology." + +"Hi! hi! hi!" yelled the seniors, rapping the floor with their clubs, +umbrellas, brooms and so on. + +"It seems to me very appropriate," continued Frank, reading from his +paper, "that this subject should be discussed by a 'Pig'----" + +This word was a signal for the most terrific uproar that the room had +yet witnessed. All the seniors made a dash at Frank with their clubs, +brooms, umbrellas and so forth, raised in the air. + +They brought them down in great whacks upon the table; he stood as still +as a statue. If he had attempted to dodge he would certainly have been +hit. + +"The idea of a neophyte using that word!" they cried. "Give him a black +mark!" + +Accordingly, the memorandum books came out and down went another black +mark. + +It then flashed upon Frank that it must be a rule of this order that no +neophyte should refer to it as the "Pig," and unhappily in his essay he +had done so a dozen times or more. + +He quickly decided to pretend to read, but really to speak offhand and +so avoid using the troublesome word, but there came another knock at the +door. + +This time it was Prof. Adler, whose room was in the building, and who +called to protest against so much noise. + +"You see what it is, professor," said Baker, throwing the door wide +open. "You were once a 'Pig' yourself, I believe." + +"Yes, I was," the professor answered, trying hard to repress a smile as +he looked at Merriwell and the four solemn juniors, "but really it's +getting late, gentlemen, and I think you ought to take your initiation +elsewhere." + +"Well, perhaps we have gone far enough at this stage," said Baker. "At +any rate, professor, we won't trouble you any more to-night." + +"I hope you won't," said the good-humored professor, "for I should hate +to report you." + +With that he went away, and the next stage in the initiation began +immediately. + +Each of the five neophytes was blindfolded with a towel tied around his +head; his hands were then bound behind his back, and a long cord +attached to them; then they were sternly ordered to remember the rule of +obedience. + +"If you obey you'll come to no harm," said Baker, earnestly, "but the +slightest act of disobedience may run you into serious trouble." + +When the blindfolding and binding had been completed the neophytes were +taken out to the campus and so to the street; there three or four +seniors went with each neophyte in different directions about the city. + +The seniors kept hold of the rope and walked several yards behind the +neophyte, telling him when to turn to the right or the left. + +In this way Frank was made to pass close to moving wagons, and to go to +the very edge of embankments where if he had taken another step he would +have had an unpleasant fall. + +For more than an hour he was kept moving about in this way, completely +baffling the efforts of the seniors to rattle him. He did everything +they told him promptly, and never a word escaped his lips. + +He had made up his mind that come what would he would not get another +black mark. At last as he was crossing a street he was told to halt. He +did so, feeling under his feet at the moment the rail of a street car +track. + +Then his "mentors," as his companions were called, gathered around him, +threw the loose end of the rope over his shoulders and told him to stay +where he was. + +"Remember, neophyte," said one of them, slowly, "the command is to stand +still, no matter what happens." + +Frank made no response, but it was evident that he understood them. + +A moment later the mentors went away, where, or how far, Frank could +only guess. + +It was late in the evening, and the street was very still, but somewhere +in the distance Frank could hear the rumbling of a car; it drew nearer +and nearer, and at length he could hear the buzzing of the trolley wire. +It seemed directly over his head. + +"I see what this is," he thought; "they have put me between the double +tracks of the line so that I'll think that a car is going to run me +down. + +"Of course, these fellows are not going to injure me, and so if I stand +perfectly still the car will pass close beside me. If I should move I +might get run over. I can imagine that some fellows might be completely +unnerved by this test." + +The rumbling of the car became louder and louder; then there was a +single clang of a bell and it stopped a short distance away; some +passenger evidently was getting out. The bell rang again, and the car +started. + +The motorman kept up a loud clanging of his footbell as he approached +Frank; the latter, remembering his instructions, stood perfectly still, +confident that the car would rush past him without touching him. + +Suddenly, just as the car was upon him, Frank was pushed violently and +fell face forward in front of it! + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +FRANK WANTS MORE. + + +The car was going at full speed when Frank fell. On the instant the +motorman reversed the current and applied the brake hard, but although +the wheels immediately began to turn in the other direction, it was +impossible to check the advance of the car completely. + +It slid for a few yards along the rails, sending up a shower of sparks, +and pushing Frank's body along ahead of it. + +Frank's first impression was, when he felt the push, that it was a part +of the initiation. The mind acts with marvelous quickness under such +circumstances, and what he thought was that, instead of being placed +beside the car tracks, he was really directly upon them and thus in the +way of the car, and that this push had been given him at the very last +minute in order to knock him out of the way. + +It was but the fraction of a second, of course, before he realized his +mistake, for he received a severe blow from the car platform. + +Knowing then that this was either a mistake in the initiation, or +something not on the programme, and that at all events he was in serious +danger, he made the most desperate effort to help himself. + +Naturally this was no easy matter, for his hands were tied behind his +back and his eyes were blindfolded. + +The knots had not been tied with the greatest skill, but the line was a +stout one and in the short time he had to make the effort, Frank could +not release his hands. + +He was more than half stunned by the collision, but he kept his wits +sufficiently to roll over and over in front of the moving car, trying +the best he could to kick himself out of its way. Meantime the car was +rapping him repeatedly. + +It was all over in a second or two, but the time seemed terribly long to +the neophyte. + +He was only half conscious of what happened, but he knew that the noise +of the wheels upon the rails had ceased, and that he was picked up in +strong arms and carried somewhere; then his brain whirled and everything +became a blank. + +That was the way the event seemed to Frank. The way it appeared to his +mentors was this: + +Following the usual custom of such initiations, they had stood Frank +close to the car tracks, but not so close that the passing car would +have so much as brushed him. + +Such events were not so uncommon in New Haven as to make them dangerous +when conducted in the ordinary way. Motormen get used to the pranks of +students and accordingly send their cars past blindfolded figures at +full speed, oftentimes clanging the footbell furiously in order to help +out the joke by alarming the neophyte as much as possible. + +Sometimes a motorman who is new to the business gets so disturbed at the +sight of the blindfolded figure near the rail that he stops the car just +short of him. + +In any event no trouble had arisen before this from this feature of +"Pig" initiation. + +Having left Frank beside the track, as we have stated, the mentors +withdrew and stood in the shadow of a big elm from where they could see +the result of the test without being observed by the motorman or anybody +else in the vicinity. + +They were watching the affair with great interest, although pretty well +convinced that Merriwell's nerve was so strong that he would stand the +test without trouble. + +They were disappointed when the car stopped to let off a passenger, but +were satisfied when it proceeded again and rapidly gained full speed. + +Then they were amazed to see a figure dart rapidly out from the shadow +of another tree not far away and make straight toward the neophyte. + +They wondered at it, but were not alarmed, for their first impression +was that it was some man who was unfamiliar with students' doings, and +who believed that the blindfolded figure was in real danger. + +They rather expected, therefore, to see this stranger catch Merriwell up +and drag him aside. Their horror may be better imagined than described +when they saw the stranger push Merriwell in front of the car and then +leap across the tracks just missing the car himself, and disappear. + +The alarmed and indignant seniors dashed from their hiding place and ran +with all possible speed to Merriwell's assistance. They came up to him +just as the car stopped sliding forward, and began to move back under +the force of the reversed current. + +The excited motorman was jabbering curses upon the foolish conduct of +students generally, and altogether too busy with his apparatus and too +rattled to get down from the platform. + +The conductor and the few passengers in the car, disturbed by the slight +collision, were moving toward the platform to see what was the matter. + +Rowe, who was in charge of the party of seniors, immediately picked +Frank up and carried him toward the sidewalk. + +"Get a move on, boys!" he exclaimed, under his breath. "We must get +Merriwell out of sight as quick as possible." + +"Shan't I go for a doctor, Dick?" asked one of them. + +"Yes," answered Rowe, hurriedly; "bring him to my room, but keep mum." + +One of the seniors sped away down the street, another took hold of Frank +with Rowe to help carry him, while the last member of the party fell in +behind his companions, determined if they were followed to beat off +pursuers. + +This action on the part of the seniors might seem rather peculiar to +those who are not wholly familiar with secret society matters. + +They did not stop to discuss it, for each one of them knew in a flash +just what must be done. + +Secret societies at Yale are very powerful organizations. In past years +there were some efforts to disband them and prevent the students from +organizing them. + +All these efforts failed; the more the faculty tried to suppress the +Greek letter orders, the more firmly the students clung to them, until +at last the faculty had to let the societies alone. + +The students knew, however, that there were plenty of men in the +government of the college who would be glad of any excuse to suppress +the societies and no better excuse could be found than the fact that a +student had been injured in the course of an initiation. + +Therefore, when Frank was knocked in front of the car, Rowe and his +companions knew that it would not do at all to let the accident become a +matter of public knowledge. So, before the people on the car half +realized what had happened, they had carried Frank across the street, +got over a fence into the grounds surrounding a private house, and were +rushing along toward a thick clump of shrubbery. + +When they were concealed in this they paused for an instant to get their +breath and make a hasty examination of the neophyte. + +By that time Frank was wholly unconscious. There was a red spot upon his +forehead, his clothing was torn and his hands were bleeding a little +from scratches. + +The wounds and bruises would not have disturbed the seniors +particularly, but Frank's unconsciousness gave them genuine alarm. + +"We must keep moving!" exclaimed Rowe. + +"Let me take my turn at carrying, then," said the one who had been +acting as rear guard. + +This was done. They proceeded across the lawn, climbed another fence +into a garden and, having crossed this, came to another street. + +They were now fairly safe from pursuit by the passengers on the trolley +car, who, as a matter of fact, gave the matter no further thought when +they were told by the motorman that the affair was a lot of students' +nonsense. + +As it was now very late in the evening the streets were almost deserted +and by acting cautiously the seniors succeeded in getting Frank to +Rowe's room without interference. + +There they laid him upon a bed and hastened to apply restoratives as +well as they knew how. + +"It would be simply awful if it should prove that he was dead!" +exclaimed Rowe, with a groan. + +"He isn't dead," said one of the others; "we'll fetch him around----" + +At this moment the student who had gone for a doctor burst into the room +bringing the physician with him. + +The doctor laid a case of instruments upon the table as he passed and +bent over the bed where Frank lay. At that moment Frank opened his eyes +and, seeing a strange face above him, said in a surprised tone: + +"Hello, what do you want?" + +"Humph!" muttered the doctor, "I thought I was going to have a fine +chance to set broken limbs or do some other clever job in surgery. I +guess you've cut me out of an operation, young man." + +"Hey?" said Frank, trying to sit up. + +His bones ached and he gave up the attempt. + +"What's the matter, anyway?" he asked. + +"How do you feel, Merriwell?" asked Rowe, anxiously. + +"Kind of sore," returned the neophyte. "I should think I'd been in a +football scrimmage. Oh!" + +His eyes brightened as he remembered what had happened to him. + +"Something went wrong with the----" he began, intending to say "with the +initiation," when he caught sight of the doctor's face. + +Seeing that a stranger was present and remembering his instructions to +keep the initiation a secret, Frank hesitated an instant and then said: + +"Machinery." + +"Yes," answered Rowe, understanding the point, "the machinery broke +down, but it wasn't our fault." + +"I took that for granted," Frank remarked. "How did the car get along?" + +The seniors laughed. This question showed them better than anything else +could that Frank was not dangerously injured. + +"The car seemed to stand it pretty well," Rowe answered. "How is he, +doctor?" + +"Well," answered the physician, who had been making an examination, "I +don't see any evidence of broken bones, and what is more surprising +still, the young man's brain doesn't seem to have suffered under the +strain to which you have subjected him." + +"I can stand more than that!" muttered Frank. + +"There's nothing for me to do here," said the doctor. "I should advise +him to go to bed and lie still for the rest of the night. If he feels +badly in the morning you can send for me." + +With this the doctor took himself off. Frank then slowly sat up. + +"There are some aches about me," he said, with a wry grimace, "but I +suppose the more I talk of them the more black marks I'll get." + +"Oh, hang the black marks!" exclaimed Rowe. "There's been initiation +enough for you, old fellow, and there isn't a doubt that when the matter +is explained to the rest of the 'Pigs,' that you'll be excused from any +further test." + +"No, siree!" exclaimed Frank, emphatically. + +"Eh, what's that?" + +"If you think," responded Frank, "that I'm going to do the baby act and +crawl out of the rest of the circus you're mistaken." + +"But----" + +"There's no 'but' about it! I've been through worse things than this and +if you fellows don't put the initiation through just as if nothing had +happened, I'll be hanged if I'll join the society." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE LEAP INTO THE RIVER. + + +"That's the right kind of talk anyway!" said Rowe, "and it's just what +we might have expected from you, but really, Merriwell, this was the +last thing on the programme for to-night, and even if that scoundrel +hadn't pushed you in front of the car we should have made you go to bed +at this time." + +"Well, I'm bound to obey you in any case," said Frank, "but speaking of +that, am I at liberty to talk?" + +"Of course, for you're in the presence of members of the Pi Gamma in +good standing." + +Rowe grinned when he said this, for he thought of the black-mark +nonsense and realized that Frank took it in earnest. He added: + +"Out of consideration for this accident, Merriwell, I shall ask the +president to score off the black marks already entered against you and +let you begin with a clean record." + +"Well, I can't object to that," said Frank, "for I must say it struck me +that some of those marks were chucked on rather harshly." + +"You'd better not make any criticisms of the way this society is run," +declared Rowe, sternly. + +"That's so; I take that all back, but what I wanted to say was that it +seemed to me as if somebody had interfered with the game." + +"That was it exactly, Merriwell, and it was something that we shall have +to take a hand in before long." + +"How did it happen?" + +The others told Frank what they had seen. He listened thoughtfully and +remarked: + +"Some fellow evidently had a grudge against me." + +"It looks that way," responded Rowe. + +"Who do you suppose it could be?" + +Before Frank could answer there was a knock at the door and Baker +hurried in. + +"Ah!" he said, in a tone of relief, "I see you've got through all right. +There was something I meant to tell you, Rowe, and I forgot all about +it." + +"What was it?" asked Rowe. + +"Why," answered Baker, "Browning came in, you remember, just before we +started in on Merriwell's essay?" + +"Yes. I wondered what he wanted." + +"Well, he came in to say how he had heard that Miller, the cigar dealer, +had it in for Frank, and that we'd better look out lest Miller take +advantage of the initiation to put up some dirty job. Of course I meant +to tell you about it before you took the neophyte to the street, but +Prof. Adler's interruption drove it clean out of my mind. I didn't think +of it until I was half through with Rattleton, who was the neophyte in +my party. + +"I see you've got through to-night all right, but it'll be just as well +to look out----" + +Baker stopped, for there was something in the expression of the faces +before him that aroused his curiosity. + +"What's the matter?" he asked, suddenly. + +They told him and he listened with growing indignation. + +"It must have been Miller!" he exclaimed, at last. "Didn't any of you +fellows recognize him?" + +Now that Miller's name was mentioned the students thought that they did +recognize him, but they could not be sure of it. + +"We must find out about it!" said Baker, earnestly. "This thing has not +only endangered a student's life, but it has put all secret societies at +Yale in danger of their existence. + +"If Frank had been seriously hurt the faculty would surely hear of it +and nothing would convince them that we weren't to blame for it. Miller +must be prevented from doing anything of this kind again." + +"Probably he won't try it again," Frank remarked, "for if he saw how +successful his trick was, he must be convinced at this minute that I was +maimed for life, if not killed." + +"Merriwell insists on going on with the initiation," said Rowe, "and I +have told him that, under the circumstances, we would erase all the +black marks against him." + +"That's right," responded Baker, solemnly. "I think we'd better go on +with the initiation just as usual, and meantime some of us will look up +Miller and see what we can do about him." + +"I rather wish," suggested Frank, "that you could wait on that until the +initiation is over, so that I can take a hand in it." + +"It won't do to lose any time," returned Baker. "You go to bed, +Merriwell, for you'll probably find that you need rest; the rest of us +will go and have an interview with Miller." + +As Frank was bound to obey, he made no further objection to this plan, +and accordingly went to his room. Baker and Rowe and the others +proceeded to the little shop where Miller did a cigar business. + +They found it closed. Usually it was open until after midnight. By +patient inquiry they learned where Miller lived and they went there. +Miller was not at home. + +The students rather wished that they could report the matter to the +police, but that would have brought the Pi Gamma affairs into public +notice and so they decided not to do so. + +It might be said right here that during the rest of the week of +initiation they made vain efforts to get track of Miller. He had +disappeared. + +An assistant was in charge of the shop, who pretended to be very much +mystified at his employer's absence. Whether he was telling the truth or +not could not be proved. + +The main fact was clear; Miller had played his trick so successfully on +Frank that he was afraid of the consequences and was keeping out of +sight. + +Frank was a little lame on the following day, but not sufficiently so to +be kept from going about as usual. The initiation, therefore, proceeded +during the week according to regular custom. + +During the daytime Frank attended lectures and recitations with +regularity, and as he afterward said, did rather more studying than at +any other week during his college career. + +Every evening there was a meeting of the "Pigs" in the room of some +senior member, where exercises of a more or less ridiculous nature, +similar to those already described, were had. Usually, too, there was an +excursion upon the street, but in these instances the neophyte was not +blindfolded. + +Frank had had to do numberless small errands, and one evening was +devoted almost wholly to sending him from house to house to ask for a +piece of cake or a slice of bread. + +His mentors always stood near to see that he followed out the +instructions literally, and in every case he complied. + +Rattleton and Diamond suffered more from the experiences of these +evenings than they had on the occasion when their nerves were tested by +being driven blindfolded through the streets. + +Diamond lost his temper several times and flatly refused to go on with +the initiation, whereupon the seniors would give him a host of black +marks. + +He took the black marks as seriously as Frank did, and always became +very penitent. + +"I suppose I can do what other fellows have had to do," he grumbled, +"but I can't see any sense in such tomfoolery." + +Then the seniors would discuss the matter gravely, and decide that as +Diamond was a well-meaning fellow, they would let the black marks go +this time, so that he could start over with a clean score. + +Before the week was over Frank began to see through the black-mark +farce, and he realized that it was a part of the scheme to make a +neophyte get as many black marks against himself as possible, and then +as a special favor allow him to start over again; nevertheless, he +continued to obey instructions as carefully as possible. + +The most trying experience he had in this line was when the seniors +arranged matters with several young ladies who were acquaintances of +Frank's, so that they should meet him one after another, speak to him, +and try to engage him in conversation. + +On each of these occasions a senior member of the order happened to be +near, and Frank was compelled to put his hand to his lips and shake his +head at every pretty girl who spoke to him. + +Some of the girls understood the situation, and others were mystified. +The result was, therefore, that as every one of them appeared to be +indignant and offended, Frank accumulated a lot of trouble which it took +him several calls later to overcome in the way of making apologies and +explanations. + +He never complained, however, and at last the final night of the +initiation arrived. + +Up to this time not one of the neophytes had been near the society's +rooms. These were known to be on the top floor of a high building not +far from the college. No student not a member was ever admitted to them, +and what there was there was one of the mysteries of the society. + +On this evening Frank and the other neophytes were again blindfolded and +dressed in long gowns that had hoods attached to them. + +The hood was pulled over the neophyte's face. His hands were then bound +behind his back, and half a dozen mentors accompanied him on his trip. + +On this occasion each of the mentors had a long horsewhip. They walked +at some distance from him and guided him in the way he should go by +touching his face on either side with the end of the whip; when Frank +felt the lash brush his right cheek he turned to the right, and _vice +versa_. + +The mentors, as before, left him alone sometimes for half an hour at a +stretch. On each of these occasions he had no idea where he was or what +was being done. + +As a matter of fact, warned by their previous experience, the mentors +kept within sight, but no effort was made to do Frank an injury. + +The object of the long waits was to try the neophyte's nerves as much as +possible, so that he should be in proper condition for the final test. +The most trying of these consisted of the jumping from the bridge. + +After having been driven this way and that until his head was completely +turned, Frank knew that he was approaching the railroad tracks, for he +heard the sounds of passing engines. + +Presently two of the members stepped beside him in order to prevent him +from stumbling, for he was now upon the sleepers themselves. + +They walked beside him thus for some distance until at length the +neophyte knew that he was on a bridge; he remembered the place then, or +thought he did. + +Several railroads that pass through New Haven enter the street by +crossing the Quinnepiac River on a drawbridge. + +Frank was certain that he was on this bridge, and for that matter his +guess was a correct one. + +The students conducted him to the middle of the bridge, and after +halting him, told him to move forward very cautiously by shuffling his +feet along on the boards. + +He did so, and presently was aware that his toes were projecting over +the edge of the bridge; that meant that the draw was open. + +Just below him he could hear the gurgling of the water as it flowed past +the piles. + +He stood there in silence for a few minutes, and then another party +approached, bringing with them Rattleton, Diamond, Henderson and Hodge. +The five neophytes were then together. + +A whispered consultation took place among the seniors. Apparently they +were trying to prevent the neophytes from hearing them, but as a matter +of fact the neophytes heard every word, which was exactly what the +seniors intended. + +The discussion was as to whether the tide had risen far enough, whether +the ropes were all right and would hold, and whether any of the +neophytes were too nervous to risk the plunge. + +Of course the waiting neophytes understood it all. They realized that +they would be ordered to jump into the water. It was not a pleasant +thought. + +There was not one of the juniors who would not have relished a dive if +he had had his eyes open and had been dressed for the occasion, but it +is quite another thing to stand bound and blindfolded above a rushing +current and leap out into the darkness. + +At last it was decided that Rattleton should go over first. The seniors +talked in low tones and acted generally as if they were greatly excited +by the seriousness of the occasion. + +Even Frank, who was perfectly cool through it all, wondered if +everything was so arranged that no accident could occur, and he felt a +little sorry for Rattleton, who was so excitable that the sudden shock +of jumping and landing in the water might produce unpleasant results. + +With it all the seniors were very slow in their procedure and every +minute of suspense made it harder for the waiting neophytes. + +At last Baker, in a low tone, reminded Rattleton of his promise to obey +orders, and then told him to jump. + +Frank, of course, could not see a thing, but he heard a little grating +sound as Rattleton's feet left the planks. An instant later there was a +loud splash in the water. + +"Pull him in quick!" exclaimed the voice of Rowe, "we don't want him to +catch cold. Hurry it up!" + +"There, he's coming to the surface!" said another voice. + +This remark was followed instantly by a loud coughing and sniffing. + +"Poor Harry's got his mouth full of water," thought Frank. "I'll look +out for that when I go over." + +With a great bustling about and a lot of excited exclamations the +seniors pulled Rattleton up and started him off as fast as he could go +toward the college. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE LAST STAGE. + + +It was Diamond's turn next, and he went off the edge as promptly as +Rattleton had. The same sort of action followed his jump, and Frank was +surprised that Diamond appeared to have swallowed as much water as Harry +had. + +"I should have thought Diamond would keep his mouth closed," thought +Frank. + +Hodge's turn came next, and he, too, left the bridge promptly. + +Henderson weakened when the command came to him. Instead of jumping he +drew back with a little gasp. + +"Jump, neophyte!" exclaimed Baker, in a low but stern voice. "It's too +late for you to hope for any special consideration now. What others have +done you must do, too!" + +"Great Scott!" muttered Henderson. + +Frank heard his steps wavering upon the planks, and then, with a little +quivering cry, the frightened neophyte jumped over. The splash that +followed his jump was very loud, and it was followed by a lot more of +splashing. + +"Thunder and Mars!" cried Baker, "the rope's broken." + +"Do you suppose he can swim?" inquired the voice of Rowe, anxiously. + +"How can he with his hands tied?" + +"Then he'll drown." + +"We mustn't let him!" + +"Did one of you bring along that boat hook that I told you to bring?" + +"Yes, here it is." + +"Catch it into his clothes before he floats too far." + +"Whew! how fast the tide runs!" + +"Have you got him?" + +"Yes. No! the hook's got loose." + +"Try again, then, quick!" + +"Good Lord! suppose he's become unconscious from fear, there'd be no +saving him then." + +Frank ached to have his bandage removed and his hands unbound so that he +could go to the help of his companion. + +"When it comes my turn to conduct an initiation I'll bet I'll fix things +so that there won't be any such accident as this," he thought. "It's +outrageous to put an unoffending fellow like Henderson through this sort +of trial and then let a slip occur." + +It was a great temptation to Frank then to forcibly release his hands +and jump into the water after Henderson, but he reflected that after all +there were plenty of seniors present who had courage and who knew the +water well. + +He decided that it was best to leave the matter in their hands, but he +listened anxiously for some sound of Henderson's voice to assure him +that all was well. + +He did not hear Henderson's voice, but he did hear a great many more +exclamations of anxiety and doubt as the seniors seemed at last to get +the big hook securely fastened in the neophyte's clothing. + +Then there was a lot of tugging and hauling, and after a time the sound +of retreating footsteps. + +"I guess Henderson will come out of it all right," thought Frank, "for +it seems that he can walk." + +"It's nearly time to close the draw," said Baker, hastily. "Now, +Neophyte Merriwell, it's your turn. Remember your instructions, and when +I give the word, jump." + +Frank shrugged his shoulders. It was a slight action, but the seniors +could see it, for a big electric lamp upon one of the bridge pillars +lighted the scene brilliantly. It was very evident that Merriwell's +nerve had not been shaken. + +"Be ready to pull him out at once, boys, and don't let the rope slip +this time!" said Baker. "One--two----" + +Baker spoke very slowly, and although he appeared to be perfectly +unmoved, Frank's heart nevertheless was beating fast He wondered how far +he would fall before he struck the water. + +He dreaded the chill that would come upon him suddenly, but he had no +fear of the result, and he was fully determined that he would do his +share in this as promptly and boldly as any man who had ever been +initiated. + +"Three!" said Baker. "Jump!" + +Frank leaped at once, far out from the bridge. He had his lips tightly +closed, and he held his breath to avoid taking in a lot of water. + +To his immense surprise he did not touch the water at all. He could not +have fallen two feet before he was caught in strong arms and lifted back +to the bridge. + +Nevertheless he heard a loud splash and a voice saying: + +"Pull him out at once." + +"Oh, come off, Rowe!" exclaimed Baker, in a loud tone of voice, "have +you forgotten that there's nobody to follow Merriwell?" + +"Yes, that's so," was the reply, "I'd clean forgotten that." + +"Well, I'll be hanged!" exclaimed Frank, "if this isn't a worse shock +than jumping into the river itself. Was that the way you treated the +rest of them?" + +"Give him a black mark for talking," said Baker, with a hearty laugh. + +Frank said "Humph!" but nothing else as the students hurried him across +the bridge back to land. + +He was immensely amused by the experience, and on the way to the society +rooms he thought it all out, and came to a conclusion on the matter that +was very nearly correct. + +At high tide the water in the Quinnepiac River comes almost to a level +with the bridge. + +The boys always arrange their initiations in such a way that the bridge +test shall take place at high tide, and they choose an hour when no +trains are due to pass. + +Then a small fee persuades the bridge keeper to open the draw. A big, +flat-bottomed boat is procured and made fast to the bridge just in front +of the open edge. + +Half a dozen of the students get into this boat; some of them receive +the leaping neophyte in their arms and clap their hands over his mouth +so that he shall not cry out. + +At the same time other students topple a big log into the water so as to +make a splash. + +The rest of the farce is carried on as described, with the result of +making the waiting neophytes believe that their companion has had a cold +plunge into the river. + +Time was when the students made the neophytes really jump into the +water, but it was found that many a student whose nerve was supposed to +be perfectly good, suffered such a shock from sudden contact with the +water that he became seriously ill, so that test was modified in the +manner described. + +The last stage of the initiation that can be described was one of the +most ridiculous. + +Frank was still blindfolded and bound. He was led, he knew not where, +but at last halted within a doorway. There his hands were untied and he +was told to kneel. + +He did so, and found that he was at the foot of a flight of stairs. + +"You are now going to ascend," said Baker, solemnly, "to the mystic +regions of Pi Gamma. It is becoming that a neophyte should enter there +in a modest attitude, therefore you will go on your hands and knees +until commanded to rise. Proceed." + +Frank immediately began to climb the steps upon his hands and knees. The +moment he began to move his ears were fairly deafened with a hideous +uproar. + +It seemed as if a tribe of demons had been let loose around him. There +was an infernal clatter, made, as he afterward learned, by beating upon +tin pans and shaking large squares of sheet iron. + +There was a chorus of savage yells and shrieking. The air was foul with +the odor of firecrackers that were exploded close to his ears. Every +kind of barbaric noise that student ingenuity can invent was brought +into play. + +"By the bones of Cæsar!" thought Frank. "If I hadn't been pretty well +seasoned by adventures before this, I believe I should be scared." + +As it was, far from being scared, he shook with laughter as he slowly +and patiently climbed up the stairs. It seemed as if they would never +end. + +It was a winding stairway, and went from the ground clear to the top of +the high building. + +Later he learned that this was a back stairway built expressly for the +students, whose society rooms were in the top of the building. + +It seemed to him as if he had climbed higher than the top of the +Washington monument when at last he found no steps in front of him, and +the diabolical racket ceased as suddenly as it had begun. + +He was told to rise, and he did so with a sigh of relief. He was then +led two or three paces and ordered to sit down. + +He did so, and felt that he was in something like a swing. There were +chains at each side of him, holding the seat. He was told to grasp these +chains tightly, and hang on, lest he be dropped the entire distance to +the ground. + +"That would be a pretty long fall," thought Frank, who at the moment +really believed that there was a well beneath him that extended clear to +the bottom of the building; so he gripped the chains and heard the voice +of Baker crying: + +"All ready, send him up." + +"I'd like to know how much farther up I can go," thought Frank. + +He heard the creaking of a windlass and knew that he was rising. As he +went up his seat swung back and forth a little, making him feel all the +more how important it was that he should hang on securely. + +This journey was as long, and in one sense as trying as the climb +upstairs had been. There was no noise in connection with it, except the +constant creaking of the windlass. + +Blindfolded as he was, it really seemed as if he had been hauled up at +least a hundred feet when at last the creaking ceased and he was lifted +from his seat. + +Then he was laid upon an inclined plane, feet downward. It seemed steep, +too, and when his fingers accidentally touched the little rail at the +side he noticed that it was well greased. + +He did not need to be told then what was to happen, for he knew that he +would be sent whizzing down this plane to land--somewhere. + +"Is the tank all ready?" asked somebody, who was holding Frank by the +shoulders and thus keeping him from sliding down. + +"Yes," came a muffled voice that seemed far, far below. "Let him go!" + +The hands on Frank's shoulders were released, and he promptly began to +rush down the plane. + +In less than a second his feet had come in contact with a mattress, and +as the force of his fall brought him to an upright position, a glass of +water was flung into his face. + +At the same instant the bandage was torn from his eyes, the hood raised, +and he found himself standing in a well-lighted room surrounded by a +group of laughing and interested seniors. + +He turned with an expression of the utmost amazement to the plane down +which he had slid. He saw that the distance up which he had been slowly +raised by the windlass was less than ten feet. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +MAKING THINGS INTERESTING FOR MILLER. + + +"It's funny," remarked Frank, with a smile, "how far a man seems to be +going when his eyes are shut." + +There was a chorus of laughter at this, in which Rattleton and the other +neophytes, who were present, joined. + +Order was quickly restored by Baker, the president, who announced that +there was yet one more step in the initiation to be taken. What this +step was cannot be described here. + +It must be remembered that the order of Pi Gamma is a secret society, +and every member of it is sworn to keep its secrets sacredly. Among the +things that they are not allowed to tell are the very tests which have +already been narrated, but such secrets are really common property in +New Haven. + +So much of the initiations are conducted upon the public streets and in +a public manner that there has been no violation of the rules of the +order in telling of Frank Merriwell's experience. + +What followed in the rooms of the society, however, must be omitted out +of respect to the serious character of the proceedings and the fact that +the members of the order regard them all as of considerable importance. + +It is proper to say that no further tests were required of the +candidates; they had passed their week's ordeal successfully, and the +other proceedings were conducted with their eyes open. + +The end of it all was conducted with vociferous cheering on the part of +the old members of Pi Gamma, and each of the new members came in for a +lot of hearty handshaking and congratulations. Then the whole affair +wound up with a supper in the society's largest room. + +At this there were not only the seniors who had initiated the first +block of juniors, but also a number of graduates who had paid a visit to +New Haven for the sole purpose of taking some part in an initiation +ceremony. + +Two or three college instructors, who had been members during their +student days, were present, and no one there appeared to enjoy the +occasion more than did Prof. Adler, the one who had warned the boys that +they must conduct their initiation more quietly as long as it took place +in a college room. + +On such an occasion as that the students and professors are pretty much +on the same terms. The professors, to be sure, are addressed by their +titles, and spoken to respectfully, but there is none of the restraint +of the classroom, and no fear whatever that any of the professors +present will report unpleasant things to other members of the faculty. + +The supper was a good one, and naturally enough it was thoroughly +enjoyed by the new members, the more so as a part of their trial during +the week of initiation was the fact that they had been compelled to +limit their eating to the plainest articles of food. + +All pies and cakes had been forbidden, and in fact nothing that could be +called a luxury was allowed to pass their lips. Those who smoked had +been deprived of that habit also. + +Now the seniors who had been the most severe in compelling an obedience +to these rules fairly overloaded their new associates with attention. + +They made a point of heaping the junior's plates with more good things +than they could possibly eat, and a plentiful supply of cigars and +tobacco was placed before them. + +After the eating was finished speeches were in order. Pres. Baker called +upon one after another of the older members, and eventually each one of +the new members had to make remarks. + +Prof. Adler spoke briefly but with undoubted sincerity of the pleasure +it gave him to be associated with the students' society in this way, +declaring it as his belief that they were helpful to the college and +that it was a mistake to try to suppress them. + +This from a member of the faculty was especially interesting to the +boys, and it brought out thunders of applause. + +The younger members got through their speeches very well, being greeted +with loud cheers whether they said anything of consequence or not. + +As was to be expected, Rattleton twisted his words hind side forward a +good many times, and at last sat down, blushing and feeling that he had +never made such a fool of himself. + +The older members apparently thought differently, for they applauded +long and heartily until the abashed student had to rise and bow. + +Frank spoke easily and quietly. He made no attempt at oratorical +effects, but declared that he felt it an honor to be a member of Pi +Gamma, and assured them that he should look forward to the time when he +could get even for the miseries he had endured for a week in inflicting +the same tortures upon another fellow. + +This was the spirit that the members appreciated best, and of course +they cheered tremendously. + +The most effective part of Frank's speech, however, and the one that +created the greatest interest, was not applauded at all. + +"Perhaps you don't all know it," he said, "but some of you will remember +that there was an incident connected with my initiation that was not on +the programme." + +The room became very quiet. All the seniors had been informed of +Miller's attempt to do Frank an injury, and the only ones there who did +not know it were the graduates and a few members of the faculty. + +"I think my friends know me well enough," Frank continued, "to believe +me when I say that I haven't the slightest desire to be revenged upon +the man who put me in such danger of my life. It was a low-down, +dastardly trick and the work of a coward." + +There was a low murmur of assent at this. + +"A man who would do such a thing as that," Frank went on, "is really +unworthy the contempt of a Yale student and so from one standpoint it +might be well enough to let the matter drop. + +"On the other hand, we are bound to consider the possibility of such a +thing happening again. If the man who did the trick escapes without any +sort of punishment, he may attempt it again, or he may boast of it to +some companion as cowardly and mean as himself, and the result may be +that at some future time a student may be treated in a similar way and +not have the luck to come out of it as well as I did." + +Frank paused a moment, for the deathly silence with which his hearers +listened was a little embarrassing. + +"I have said that I didn't care for revenge," he said, in a moment, "but +now that I am a full-fledged member of Pi Gamma, I feel that I have a +right to look at it as an offense against the society rather than +against me as an individual." + +"Right!" exclaimed one of the seniors, in a low tone. Others nodded +approval. + +"I think it would be dignified and proper," Frank continued, "for the +society to take some kind of action on the matter, and if it is +allowable I should like to make a suggestion." + +"Go ahead," said Baker, promptly; "there is no member from whom a +suggestion on this matter would be more fitting. What do you think we +should do?" + +"I'm not thinking," Frank answered, "of passing any vote to do one thing +or another, but it strikes me that in a perfectly harmless way we can +take the law into our own hands a bit and fix Miller, for there's no +doubt that he was the guilty one, so that he will never molest a student +again as long as he lives. + +"You see," and he smiled good-humoredly, "I'm fresh from my experience +with the tortures of Pi Gamma." + +All the listeners smiled broadly. + +"It is one thing," he added, "to endure these tortures with a feeling +that you are in the hands of your friends, but quite another, I should +think, to go through such an ordeal with a feeling that the fiends and +demons surrounding you are hostile. + +"I can tell you frankly that for my own part, during the worst parts of +the initiation, I felt always that you were friends of mine and that I +was perfectly safe to trust myself in your hands no matter what +extravagant things you seemed to be doing. + +"I think that if Miller should be put through some such proceeding it +would--well, it would likely tear what little nerve he has into +tatters." + +Frank hesitated a moment and then sat down. The room was perfectly still +while the members of the order looked at one another doubtfully. + +"I don't quite see," remarked Baker, presently, "how the society of Pi +Gamma can put a man who is not a student through an initiation." + +"Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that," responded Frank, hastily, but +without rising. "I was only thinking that the society has such means for +terrifying a man that it ought to be easy for us to devise a plan for +giving Miller a good scare." + +"Yes, that's the scheme!" exclaimed Rowe, earnestly. "I wouldn't favor +putting him through anything like the farce with which we treat +neophytes, but it does seem to me that we might give him a dose in +earnest somehow." + +Other members gave their assent to this suggestion and then somebody +asked: + +"But what can you do about it if you can't find Miller?" + +"That's a damper!" responded Rowe, gloomily. "I understand that he's +skipped." + +"He's come back," said another senior. + +"So?" + +All eyes were turned upon the speaker. + +"I saw him in his shop on my way to the rooms this evening," said the +senior. + +"Then he's got over his scare. Probably he may have heard that Merriwell +wasn't seriously injured and so thinks the thing's blown over." + +"We'll show him the contrary!" growled Baker. + +"But how shall we do it?" + +After a moment of thought Baker rose and said: + +"I think as Merriwell has suggested that it is just as well that the +society should not pass any vote on this matter, but with your +permission I'll appoint a committee to take the matter in charge. + +"They can meet after the ceremonies of this evening are over and decide +what to do about it. It is probably too late to undertake anything +to-night." + +"Miller keeps open until after midnight," somebody suggested. + +"Yes, but it's after midnight now and we don't want to act without being +thoroughly prepared. Unless there is some objection I will appoint the +five new members with Rowe and myself to act as a committee to consider +this matter and take such steps as we think best." + +There was no objection to this and so the matter was considered settled, +but the interest of the students in it was so great that they had little +desire to talk of other matters, and before long the meeting adjourned +for the night and the members of the committee assembled in one of the +smaller rooms to lay plans for Miller's punishment. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +MILLER'S NERVES. + + +There is no need to give an account of the long discussion held by the +committee; what they did in the matter is of more importance. + +A good many wild plans were suggested; hot-headed Rattleton was in favor +of severe measures that would have given Miller pain if they had not +produced serious injuries. + +Jack Diamond, too, who had lost his temper more than once in the course +of his initiation, argued in favor of giving Miller a punishment +something like a flogging at the stake. + +Frank resolutely sat down on all propositions of this kind. + +"I don't care to have any hand in it," he said, "if it comes to taking +this man when he's only one against a good many and giving him a +drubbing. If that was the question I'd tackle him single-handed and give +him a chance to defend himself. + +"What we want to do is to give him an experience that he won't forget as +soon as he might a licking." + +It took some argument for Frank to bring his loyal friends around to his +view of the case, and they were not fully satisfied until he himself had +mapped out a plan that promised good sport and success. + +In accordance with this plan Frank did not leave his room on the +following day. There were lectures and recitations to be attended to, +but he cut them and did not even show his face at the window. + +Meantime the other fellows were busy in making preparations for the +serious work of the night. + +Most of these preparations were done in one of the rooms of the society, +but a little took place elsewhere; for example Baker and Diamond +arranged to meet as if by accident in front of Miller's cigar store. + +They chose an hour when Miller was certain to be behind the counter. He +was there, and after the two students had said good-morning, as if they +had just met for the first time during the day, Baker remarked, in a +loud voice: + +"I got up so late this morning that I had to run to lectures after +breakfast without a smoke and I haven't had time for one since. I guess +I'll burn a cigar. Will you join me?" + +"Thanks," responded Diamond, in the same tone, "I will." + +Accordingly they entered the store and Baker called for cigars. Miller +set a couple of boxes on the counter while the students made their +selection. + +"I never smoked this brand," remarked Baker, "but it looks pretty good." + +"It'll do if it will burn," responded Diamond, biting off the end and +turning to the alcohol lamp for a light. + +"How's Merriwell getting on?" asked Baker, as he handed out a bill for +Miller to change. + +Diamond's back was toward the cigar dealer, but he was facing a mirror, +and in it could keep careful watch of Miller's face. Meantime, Baker was +studying Miller also. + +The cigar dealer's face was very grave, and if any one not interested in +the matter that was weighing upon the students' minds had been present, +he would probably have noticed nothing. + +Both students, however, were convinced that Miller was greatly +interested in the question and anxious for the answer. + +Diamond drew a long breath. + +"He's in a mighty bad way," he said. + +"Why!" exclaimed Baker in surprise, "I thought the doctor reported that +he was doing very well?" + +"You forget," said Diamond, "that the doctor always said that he was +doing very well under the circumstances." + +"Oh! and I suppose that under the circumstances meant that the situation +was very serious, eh?" + +"Serious! Why, man alive, you don't seem to realize that Merriwell +narrowly escaped death outright!" + +"Huh! I hadn't thought it was as bad as that." + +"Well it was!" continued Diamond, and it seemed to take him a long while +to get his cigar lighted, while Baker was slowly counting his change. + +Miller was fussing with the cigar boxes with his head bent down. + +"If Merriwell's muscles hadn't been as tough as steel," continued +Diamond, "he would have croaked before this." + +"Oh, no! Oh, no!" returned Baker, as if incredulous. "I'm sure you're +exaggerating the matter, Diamond, on account of your interest in your +friend." + +"Exaggerate nothing!" retorted Diamond, indignantly. "I guess I've spent +hours enough with Merriwell to know his condition." + +"And you say he's worse this morning?" + +"Decidedly! The critical stage in his trouble has come on and the doctor +has cleared the students out of his room. That was why I was out for a +walk instead of watching by his bedside. I'm going back there now, for I +can't bear the thought of being so far away." + +"Well, it would be simply awful," remarked Baker, with long breath, "if +he should----" + +"Why don't you say die and have it out!" blurted Diamond. "That's what +he's in danger of, poor chap." + +"Well, if he should die," added Baker, "there ought to be a lot of +trouble for the chap who pushed him in front of the car." + +"Ah! if we only knew who that was!" said Diamond. + +"I suppose that will always be a mystery," said Baker, and with this +both left the shop. + +"The miserable scoundrel!" exclaimed Diamond, under his breath, as soon +as they were well outside. "There isn't any doubt that he was the fellow +that did it." + +"Of course there isn't," responded Baker, "but what makes you so +emphatic in saying so now?" + +"Why this! If Miller had had a spark of manhood in him he would have +made some inquiry about Merriwell while we were talking about him. The +very fact that he kept his mouth shut showed that he was afraid to speak +for fear of giving himself away." + +"Oh, he's the one, sure enough," Baker declared, "and I don't think +there's any doubt that we've given him a good bit of fright for a +starter. Now if he doesn't skip the town----" + +"Rattleton and the others will look out for that," interrupted Diamond. + +At that moment they saw Hodge idling in a doorway across the street and +they knew that Rattleton must be loafing in a similar way in some other +spot. + +These two had been detailed to keep watch of Miller, dog his footsteps +wherever he went, and if he made any attempt to leave town, keep him +back by force if necessary. + +Miller did not attempt to leave town. Probably he was too cautious to do +so, for that might have been the means of bringing suspicion upon him. + +Baker and Diamond in his shop had declared that the attack on Merriwell +would probably remain a mystery; therefore it is likely that Miller +reasoned that it would be safer for him to stay where he was as if he +were entirely ignorant of the whole matter. + +Although Rattleton and Hodge kept their watch on him faithfully +throughout the day, no other of the students interested in the case went +near him until early in the evening. + +Then Rowe and Henderson dropped in. Rowe went in first and bought a box +of pipe tobacco. While he was waiting for his change Henderson came in +with a very gloomy face. + +He nodded silently to Rowe, laid a coin on the counter and asked for a +cigar. + +"Why! Henderson," exclaimed Rowe, jocosely, "what's gone wrong with you? +Has the faculty suspended you, or is it simply stomach ache?" + +"Oh! don't joke about it!" responded Henderson, dismally. + +"Joke about what?" + +"Haven't you heard?" asked Henderson, in the same melancholy tone. + +"Heard what?" + +"About Merriwell." + +"No. That is, nothing since morning. Has he----" + +"Yes. He's gone!" + +The two students looked at each other as if in great consternation. Rowe +drew a long breath and remarked: + +"Great Scott! that's awful." + +Henderson sighed too, and both went out together without another word. +Then they got around the nearest corner and burst into a perfect fit of +laughter. + +"Say! but he looked as if he'd seen a ghost," chuckled Henderson. + +"Gee whiz!" returned Rowe, "but he was blue. How will he look to-night, +eh?" + +"I'm just burning up to have the fun begin," answered Henderson, "and we +shall have to wait until midnight." + +"Yes, later than that if he shuts up at the usual late hour, but perhaps +he'll start home earlier." + +"I shouldn't wonder," remarked Henderson, "if this should work on his +nerves through the evening and cause him to try to skip the town." + +"We shan't lose him," returned Rowe, in a satisfied tone, "and the only +thing we've got to do now is to kill time until the hour comes for +business. Let's play billiards." + +Accordingly they went to a billiard hall and knocked the balls around +until they were tired of walking about the tables. For the others +interested, as well as those, the time passed slowly. + +A number of students, including Merriwell, who were to take part in this +affair, assembled at the society rooms about the middle of the evening, +thinking that possibly Miller might take fright and shut up his shop +earlier, but the hours passed and Miller still stuck to his counter. + +Hodge and Rattleton, who, now that it was dark, stood nearer to the +cigar store, could see that Miller was growing nervous as the time +passed. + +He paced restlessly up and down back of his counter and occasionally +shifted the position of boxes and did other things to indicate that he +was suffering from extreme anxiety. + +When customers came in he greeted them gruffly and had little to say, +whereas his usual custom was to talk freely. + +After eleven o'clock, when the store happened to be free from customers +for a moment, the boys saw him empty his cash drawer into his pockets +and also take what money there was in his safe and stow that in his +clothes, too. + +From that time on he put whatever money came in into his pockets instead +of into the drawer. They judged from this that he had made up his mind +that he must leave town, and that he was taking all the money that he +could lay his hands on with him. + +Finally, a little before midnight, he seemed to feel that he could stand +the strain no longer, and prepared to shut up the shop. + +He turned the lights down hastily, as if he feared that some customer +might enter and detain him longer. He went out, locked the door behind +him, and started rapidly toward his lodgings. + +He lived at some distance from his shop, and had to pass through a long, +quiet street to get there. Even in the daytime few persons were usually +stirring upon this street, and at this hour it was entirely deserted. + +Miller went along part of the time with his head down, and part of the +time turning his eyes in every direction. + +He was just approaching an intersection with another street when two +figures in long, black robes with hoods drawn over their heads seemed to +rise from the ground in front of him. + +As a matter of fact, they had simply stepped from behind a tree, but +Miller's mind was in no condition to take things as they were. + +He gasped with fright the minute he saw them, stopped short and then +tried to run back. The figures leaped after him, and clutched him by the +arms, while one clapped a hand over his mouth. "It'll be safer for you," +said one of them, sternly, "to make no resistance, for if you do you'll +be beaten to a pulp in less than no time." + +Miller chattered with fear. In spite of this threat he might have tried +to break away, but he saw other figures apparently rising from the +ground. + +He was quickly surrounded by not less than a dozen, all in black cloaks +and hoods. He could not see the faces of any of them clearly. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +TRIED BY THE "PIGS." + + +If Miller had not been guilty of the assault upon Frank, he might +possibly have had faith that no Yale student would do him a serious +injury, though that is doubtful, for he had the idea which many ignorant +people hold that students are nothing short of young barbarians when +they get to playing pranks. + +As it was, he was fully convinced that he was in for the most horrible +tortures, even if he were permitted to escape with his life. + +He was in such an agony of fear that if he could have done so he would +have disregarded the threats of the leader and yelled at the top of his +lungs, but his very fear prevented this, to say nothing of the fact that +one of the students kept his hand ready to close over Miller's mouth. + +The cigar dealer was so paralyzed with terror that he could only +chatter. A few disjointed words came out which seemed to be to the +effect that he hadn't done it purposely. + +If the students had needed any further proof that he was the guilty +party, this would have settled it. + +They were sufficiently satisfied, however, before they began their +operations, and this partial admission merely stimulated them to more +active work. + +The dozen or so who had come out in hoods to capture the man, surrounded +him and walked him rapidly toward the building in which the Pi Gamma had +its rooms. + +In so doing they passed more than one person on the streets, but no more +than a little curious attention was paid to them. + +Whoever saw them supposed that some process in a secret society +initiation was going on, and if they caught sight of the unhooded figure +in the middle of the group, they undoubtedly supposed that it was a +neophyte. + +Miller longed undoubtedly to cry for help whenever the party met +anybody, but with a student clinging to each arm and hands raised to +choke his voice, he dared not so much as whisper. + +So at length he was brought without interruption to the back entrance of +the building, where he was hustled into the doorway and blindfolded. +There, strangely enough, he found his tongue for a moment. + +"You fellers let me alone, or you'll all go to jail for it," he +muttered. + +A chorus of hoarse, long-drawn "ahs!" was the answer to this. + +The outer door was closed then, and Miller was told to kneel. + +"I won't do it!" he protested. "I'm not going to have my head struck off +with an ax----" + +"Kneel, you scoundrel!" cried the voice of Baker, who was the leader of +the party. + +They did not wait for him to kneel, but pushed him to his knees. He +found himself as the neophytes did, at the bottom of a stairway; then +they told him to mount, and prodded him in the back and legs to make him +start on. + +Miller started, for he could not help himself. His journey upward then +was like that described in the case of Frank during his initiation. + +What he felt cannot be described, for Miller, so far as is known, never +told anybody about it. + +He arrived at the top of the long, winding flight of stairs in a state +of almost complete collapse. The noise had been more deafening and +hideous than ever had been endured by any neophyte. + +The whole force of the Pi Gamma were out to make the thing a success, +and every kind of racket that ingenuity could devise was added to the +usual programme. + +When at last Miller found that there were no other steps ahead of him to +be climbed, he stumbled forward, face downward, and lay upon the floor +gasping and groaning. + +The noise suddenly ceased, for Baker had held up his hand and the +students who understood the programme obeyed his silent command +immediately. + +"The mystic gates have been passed," remarked Baker, in a solemn tone. +"It is understood that the person who has thus entered within the circle +of Pi Gamma is not a member and that he has been permitted to come here +simply that he may defend his own life. + +"We will, therefore, proceed to try him at once. Set the prisoner on his +feet." + +A couple of students lifted Miller up, and obeying another sign from +Baker, took the bandage from his eyes. + +Miller looked around then with a stare of fright and surprise. The +hooded figures had disappeared and in their places were students dressed +just as he was accustomed to seeing them. + +The room was a large one, but what it contained besides the students he +was too frightened to notice. His knees were shaking and his lips +quivered, although in the presence of these rather familiar faces he +tried to pull himself together and look cool. + +"Miller," said Baker, sternly, standing squarely in front of him, "you +are in a very serious situation, and it is necessary for your safety +that you should have as good control of yourself as possible. We intend +to give you every chance for your life." + +"I ain't done nothing!" muttered Miller. + +"That will be found out later," was the stern reply; "meantime you're in +no condition to defend yourself. We'll give you a bracer so that you may +be able to understand what goes on and take part in it the best way you +know how." + +With this Baker nodded to a senior, who immediately came forward with a +glass filled with some kind of liquor. + +"Drink this," said Baker. + +He held it out to Miller, who took it with a trembling hand. + +"You're going to poison me," he stammered. + +"In the presence of all these witnesses?" returned Baker, sharply. +"Hardly. The stuff will not harm you; if you don't drink it you'll be +worse off." + +Miller still hesitated. He looked doubtfully at the liquor, smelled of +it and then stared helplessly at the faces around him. + +Baker raised his hand. At the signal every student seized a club of some +kind and got in a circle around Miller, holding the clubs up. + +"We don't want any nonsense about this," said Baker then. "You can +either drink that dose now or the clubs will fall." + +The instant he had spoken every student brought his club down hard upon +the floor close to Miller's feet. The man fairly danced in an agony of +fear, and a part of the liquor fell from the glass. + +"Drink!" thundered Baker. + +The cigar dealer then put the glass to his lips and poured it down with +one gulp. Baker nodded in a satisfied way. + +"Now put him in the prisoner's chair!" he said. + +Two of the students then led Miller trembling and more than half +convinced that he had taken deadly poison, to the swing in which the +neophytes had been drawn up to the ceiling. + +Miller was seated in the chains and told to grip the chain and then the +windlass was worked, and he was raised three or four feet from the +floor. + +The students grouped themselves in front of him, seated on chairs; Baker +alone remained standing. + +It seemed to Miller then as if everybody moved very slowly. He thought +he could count a hundred between every two words that were uttered. +Before many minutes had passed it seemed to him as if he had been a year +in this place. + +This sensation on his part was due to the liquor he had drunk. It was a +harmless preparation of hasheesh, a well-known Indian drug that, taken +in sufficient quantities, is poisonous, but in small doses produces +simply a half dream-like effect upon the mind that causes the time to +seem intolerably long. + +It is a dangerous drug to fool with, but the preparation of it in this +instance had been made by a senior who was the best student in college +in the department of chemistry. + +He knew just how to put it together so that the effect on Miller's brain +would not endure for more than two hours and would leave him entirely +uninjured. As he expressed it: + +"It won't do him half as much harm as an ordinary jag, and he'll +remember everything that occurs during the time that he's drugged, and +everything that's done will impress him most seriously." + +Taking his fear and the influence of the drug together, therefore, +Miller was in very ripe condition for the trial that then took place. + +It was really very brief, for knowing that the time was passing slowly +to the victim, the students hurried through the proceeding in order to +get more quickly to the climax. + +"Miller," said Baker, sternly, "you are accused of pushing Frank +Merriwell in front of a moving car. What have you to say for yourself?" + +"I--I--I----" stammered Miller, very slowly. + +"If you're going to tell the truth," interrupted Baker, "you can take +less time about it. We know the facts, for you were seen by four of us +and recognized. We should have let the matter pass if it hadn't resulted +fatally." + +"I didn't go for to do any real harm," answered Miller, the perspiration +breaking out upon his face. + +"But you admit that you did do it?" + +"I just thought I'd give him a scare." + +"Very well, gentlemen," said Baker, calmly, "what's your verdict?" + +"Guilty!" thundered the students in chorus. + +Miller trembled so that the chains to which he was clinging rattled. + +"See here," he said, feebly, "I don't see how it could be fatal, for I +heard that Frank Merriwell was seen around on the streets day before +yesterday." + +"Then you doubt, do you, that your cowardly trick has proved fatal?" + +"How could it," asked Miller, "if he was going around just as usual? I +think this is some infernal trick of you students----" + +"You'd better speak respectfully." + +"Well," stammered Miller, "I don't want to cause no offense, but you +told me I could defend myself, and I ain't going to believe that Frank +Merriwell was seriously hurt. I'm sorry for it if he was, and I won't do +it again." + +"Take him down and let him see the body of his victim!" said Baker, in a +solemn tone. + +Miller started so when he heard this that he almost fell out of the +chain loop. The windlass creaked, and he was set down on the floor. + +Baker's command had set his fears going afresh, and he trembled so that +he could hardly stand upright. A couple of students caught him by the +arms and pushed rather than led him to one of the small rooms of the +order. + +A door was opened and Miller was forced inside. He gave a loud gasp when +he entered, fell upon his knees, and beat his hands helplessly upon the +floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUMPERDINK TO THE RESCUE. + + +What Miller saw was this: + +A room lighted by one solitary candle and rendered more gloomy by heavy +curtains hanging before the windows; a cot bed was in the middle, and +upon it was a body all covered over with the exception of the face, and +the face above it was that of Frank Merriwell. + +It need hardly be said here that Frank was as much alive at that moment +as he had ever been in his life, but his face had been covered with +chalk so as to resemble that of a dead man. + +Miller was thoroughly convinced that Frank was dead, and he was not too +frightened to realize that he had admitted having been the cause of it. + +"Oh! what shall I do? What shall I do?" he groaned. "I never meant that +it should be as bad as this!" + +"It isn't a question of what you shall do," remarked Baker, sternly. + +The other students had come into the room and now stood around, looking +on solemnly. Not one of them so much as winked at another for fear that +the spectacle would lose some of its force upon the mind of the +frightened victim. + +"The point is," continued Baker, "that you are not in a position to do +anything; the question is, what shall we do?" + +"He ought to have his head chopped off where he is!" muttered Bruce +Browning, gruffly. + +Miller started and edged away from the spot where he was kneeling. + +"No!" exclaimed Baker, sternly; "that would be too easy; I should rather +think that it would be better to boil him in a vat!" + +"Or might burn him alive out on the marshes!" said another. + +"I think a good straight forward hanging is the best thing for him!" +muttered Jack Diamond. + +"Oh, for Heaven's sake, gentlemen!" groaned Miller, "don't let it be +to-night. Give me a chance to make up for this!" + +"How can you make up for it?" retorted Baker. "Do you know any way of +restoring a dead person to life?" + +"No, I don't, but I never would have gone to do it if I'd supposed that +it would be serious, so help me, I never would!" + +"I don't think that that makes any difference." + +At this moment there was a stir in the room back of the students. Baker +turned inquiringly. + +One of the students who had really been present all the time now +pretended to be coming in from the outside in a hurry. + +"Prof. Humperdink," said this student, "is on the way, and will be here +in a minute or two." + +"Ah!" responded Baker, in a tone of relief, "perhaps then that may make +things better, for, of course, while we are bound to punish this man +Miller, we want Merriwell restored to life if such a thing can be done." + +"Humperdink can do it if anybody can!" said Rowe. + +"Do you mean to say, gentlemen," gasped Miller, "that there's a chance +that Merriwell may be restored?" + +"We can't tell until Humperdink comes," responded Baker, solemnly. +"Haven't you ever heard of Humperdink?" + +"I don't think he buys his cigars at my store," responded Miller. + +"No, he probably doesn't," responded Baker, significantly. "Humperdink +doesn't indulge in ordinary tobacco; he smokes the root of snake plants +found in the wilds of Africa. One whiff of it for an ordinary man is +fatal." + +Miller stared in a way that showed he believed every word. He was not in +a condition to doubt anything that was told to him. + +That is one of the effects of hasheesh, but even without the drug it is +more than likely that he would have believed everything said to him on +this occasion. + +"Humperdink," continued Baker, "knows all the mysteries of nature. He +has experimented with all poisons, and eats them as readily as the rest +of us do ordinary food. In the old days he would have been called a +magician. Really he's a very great scientist, and if there's any +possible hope for Merriwell he'll know it. Ah! here he is." + +At the moment when Miller had been taken into the room where Merriwell +lay apparently dead, another student had slipped into the dressing-room +of the little theatre, which was a part of the society's quarters, and +had put on a long gown, white wig and beard, and concealed his eyes with +dark glasses. + +He now came tottering feebly across the room toward the students. + +"What have ye here?" he asked in a high, cracked voice. + +"One of the students has died, professor," responded Baker, in a tone of +deep respect, "and the circumstances were so peculiar----" + +"Dead, eh?" returned the "professor," stopping short in his walk, "then +I can't do anything for him." + +He turned about as if he would go away. + +"Oh! don't give it up!" screamed Miller, "come in and give him something +to bring him back to life; do it, I beg you, for my sake!" + +"Your sake," sneered the "professor," "you are not worth the turn of a +thumb!" + +"Oh, but you don't know how much depends on it!" cried Miller. + +"I don't know!" fairly shouted the professor. "I know everything! I know +that you caused that young man's death; I know that you pushed him in +front of a moving car; I know that you didn't mean to kill him, but that +you would be glad to do so if you could do it safely; I know that you're +a cold-hearted wretch!" + +Miller again beat his hands upon the floor helplessly. + +"Yes! Yes!" he groaned, "I'm all that, but I don't want him to die! Do +save him if you can, professor." + +"It's this way, professor," said Baker, quietly. "This man groveling on +the floor is not worth the turn of a thumb, but the rest of us are very +fond of Merriwell, and would like to have him restored to life if such a +thing can be done. + +"Do it for our sakes, and the sake of science, professor." + +"Well," grumbled the "professor," after hesitating a moment, "for the +sake of science I'll take a look at him. The rest of you clear out." + +He turned slowly into the dark room, while the rest of the students +withdrew, taking Miller with them; then a long ten minutes passed. + +Meantime, acting according to their former programme, the students in +the main room discussed various plans for the punishment of Miller. + +The victim of their fearful proceeding squatted on the floor, rocking +his body back and forth, moaning and wringing his hands. + +At last "Prof." Humperdink appeared in the doorway and started slowly +across the room. Miller jumped to his feet, ran to him, and caught him +by his robe. + +"Tell me," he cried, frantically, "will he recover?" + +"Bah! don't touch me!" returned the "professor," giving the cigar dealer +a vigorous kick. + +Miller fell over on his side, while the "professor" went slowly out of +the room. + +"Why don't you ask him," said Browning, anxiously turning to Baker, "has +he succeeded or failed?" + +"He must have failed," responded Baker, sadly, "or he would have said +something about it. We'll take the prisoner in there again and decide +what to do with him." + +By this time Miller was a complete wreck. He could not possibly stand +upon his feet, and students picked him up to carry him to the darkened +room. + +Just then the door of that room opened again, and Frank appeared in the +doorway. + +He had rubbed some of the chalk off his face so that he appeared more +natural than before, but he leaned against the doorpost as if weak. + +"Well, fellows," he said, feebly, "what's the matter?" + +The students set up a great shout, ran to Merriwell, grasping his hand +and congratulating him warmly. Frank appeared to be dazed by the +proceeding. + +"What's the matter, anyway?" he asked. "What am I here for in this +condition?" + +"You've been dead!" shouted the students, in chorus. + +"Dead, is it?" + +"Yes, and Prof. Humperdink has restored you to life." + +Frank looked as if he did not believe it. + +"This is some joke," he said. + +"Joke? Why, we thought you were going to tell us what happened in the +other world." + +"I'm not going to tell anything until I understand this!" he retorted. +"Hello, there's Miller." + +During this Miller had been half lying in a chair where the students had +dropped him at sight of Frank. He was staring in speechless astonishment +at the figure in the doorway. + +The probability is that he was still so frightened that he believed that +Frank had not really come back to life, but that it was his ghost that +was speaking. + +"What's Miller doing in the Pi Gamma rooms!" exclaimed Frank, starting +toward him. "He's the fellow that pushed me under the car! Did you bring +him up here for me to give him a thrashing?" + +This was said in such a perfectly natural tone, and Frank appeared to be +so much in earnest, that Miller was restored to a good deal of his +ordinary condition. + +He jumped up from the chair, and tried to make for the door; of course, +he was caught before he could get out. + +Then while he was held there, Baker pretended to explain to Frank that +death had taken place and that Humperdink had restored him by some +secret scientific process. + +"We had Miller here," he concluded, "so that we might punish him for +causing your death." + +Frank listened very gravely. + +"Well," he said, "the main thing is that I'm alive again. As for you, +Miller, you deserve to be hanged just as much as if you had succeeded in +what you tried to do, but I'm so much alive again that I'm inclined to +beg the boys to let you off." + +"Oh, don't let them hurt me, Mr. Merriwell!" groaned Miller. "On my life +I didn't mean to do you any harm, and I'll never do anything wrong again +as long as I live." + +"I think it's safe enough to take his word for that," said Frank, +turning to the others. + +They looked a little doubtful, but Baker answered for them. + +"Well, Merriwell is the most interested party, and what he says ought to +go. You may get out, Miller, but remember if there is ever any sign of +you attempting dirty work with a student again, we'll be after you, and +next time we won't give you any chance for a trial, either." + +"I'll behave myself for the future, I will, so help me!" stammered +Miller, as he made for the open door. + +After he had been seen well out of the building the students indulged in +an uproarious laugh at the success of their plan, and all declared that +it was a much better way of getting even with the cigar dealer than any +of the plans suggested by the other students. + +They had another supper on the spot to celebrate the event, and they +were not surprised a day or two later to learn that Miller had disposed +of his cigar business and left New Haven forever. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +FRANK HAS A VISITOR. + + +After the affair with Miller matters went along quietly for some time +with Frank. + +He turned to his studies with a will, paying particular attention to +mathematics, so that no complaint might be made against him by Prof. +Babbitt. + +One day he was deep in a problem in geometry when there came a loud rap +on the door. + +"Come in." + +The door opened, and in walked Ben Halliday. Frank looked up in +surprise. + +"Hello! Hally," he called. + +"Hello! Merriwell," said the other, a trifle stiffly. + +"What's the matter, old man? You are not usually in the habit of +knocking in that manner. Usually you walk in without being invited." + +"Perhaps I have been a little too free in that respect," said Ben, +significantly. + +"Free! Not at all. You know any of my friends are welcome here at any +time. This is Liberty Hall." + +"That sounds all right, Merriwell," said Ben, remaining standing; "but, +if you mean it, why should you say I am too fresh and take too many +liberties?" + +"I say so? Why, I never said anything of the sort Has any fellow +reported me as saying that?" + +"I heard it." + +Frank came to his feet instantly. + +"Heard me say so?" he cried. "Is that what you mean, Hally?" + +"No; I mean that I have heard you did say so." + +Merriwell advanced and placed his hands on the shoulders of his visitor, +looking straight into Ben's eyes. + +"Halliday," he said, slowly, "have I ever been anything but a friend to +you?" + +Ben moved uneasily, and then answered: + +"I do not know that you have." + +"Did you ever know me to say anything behind the back of either friend +or foe that I did not dare say to his face?" + +"No." + +"Did you ever know me to lie?" + +"No." + +"Then you will believe me, I think, when I tell you I did not say you +were too fresh and took too many liberties. Some chap has been trying to +make you my enemy. I have seen of late that you acted strangely but did +not know why. Now I understand it. But I am surprised that you could +believe such a thing of me." + +Halliday was confused. + +"Well," he falteringly said, "you see it's this way: I knew you hated to +throw up your grip on the football team and drop out entirely, and +somebody said you were jealous of me because I did such good work +against the Indians. You know my run in that game was compared with your +famous run in the Princeton game last season. And you have not been just +like yourself lately. Sometimes you have not looked at me when we met." + +"Is that so?" asked Frank, in surprise. "I didn't know it. Must be my +mind is on my studies too much. And still I made a dead flunk the day +after the Carlisle game. There had been so many reports that the Indians +had a new trick that was sure to enable them to win, and, knowing as I +did what bulldogs they are to play, I was all nerved up with anxiety. +Couldn't seem to keep my mind on my studies for a week before the game, +and it grew worse and worse the nearer the time came. After it was over, +I found I might as well have taken part in the game." + +"That's just it!" cried Halliday, quickly. "That's why I dropped around +to see you." + +"Eh? What do you mean?" + +"Why don't you get back on the team?" + +"Get back? What are you driving at? You're doing good work. + +"I don't want to crowd you out." + +"You wouldn't. They need you as full-back." + +"You played that position in the game with the Indians." + +"But I am not to play it again. I am quarter-back now." + +"Is that right?" cried Frank, in surprise. "Your position has been +changed? How did that happen?" + +"Quigg is out of it for the season. You know he was hurt in the last +game. Doctor says he must not play any more this year. I have been +shoved into his place in a hurry." + +"What's that for?" + +"Forrest did it. A new man is going to be tried at full-back--Rob +Marline. Forrest is desperate. He says the team is broken all to pieces, +and stands a poor show with either Harvard or Princeton. This will be a +dismal season for Old Yale." + +Frank turned pale and seemed to stagger a bit, as if he had been struck. +It was a shock for him to know that Yale was in danger. He had supposed +she was all right and everything was running well. + +"We did not make the showing against the Indians that we should have +made, although we beat them," Halliday went on. "But for my lucky run, +we might have been beaten." + +"I didn't know----" began Frank, falteringly. + +Ben made a fierce gesture. + +"What's the matter with you Merriwell?" he savagely cried. "Didn't know? +You should know! You are the fellow of us all who should know. You have +changed, and it has not been for the better. I tell you we stand a slim +show with Harvard and Princeton, and you are needed just as you were +needed at the tug of war. That being the case, you have no right to shut +yourself up here in your room and plug away, seeming to take no interest +in anything but your studies and recitations. You have been the most +popular man in college, but your popularity is on the wane. I'll tell +you why, if you want to know." + +Frank was still whiter, if possible. Was this Halliday talking to him in +such a manner--Halliday, who had ever seemed to stand in awe of him? It +was plain enough that Ben was giving him a "call down," but what shook +Merry the most was the fact that he began to feel that it was merited. + +"I should like to know," he said, slowly. + +Ben could not tell what effect his words might have on Frank, but he was +reckless, and he did not care. + +"You can punch my head, if you want to," he said, "but I am going to +talk plain. Don't seem to be anybody else who dares to talk to you. They +kick and growl and say things behind your back, but they don't come +right at you with what they want to say. They are saying that you are +afraid to play on the eleven this year." + +Frank stiffened up. + +"Afraid?" he said, hoarsely. + +"Yes." + +"How can they say that? Have I ever shown fear?" + +"They do say it," came doggedly from Halliday. "They say you made a +lucky run in the Princeton game last year, and you know it was a case of +dead cold luck. It gave you a great rep., and you are afraid of taking a +fall down if you play this season. That's exactly what they are saying, +and," added Ben, for himself, "I'll be hanged if it doesn't look that +way from the road!" + +Frank bit his lip and stood staring at Halliday. He showed no anger, but +it was plain that he was astonished. Up to that moment he had not +realized he stood in a position where he could not withdraw from +football, baseball, or anything else in that line of his own desire +without being regarded as cowardly. Now he saw it plainly enough. + +Halliday had been doubtful as to the manner in which Frank would take +his plain talk, but he was determined to tell Merry what was being said, +and he would not have hesitated had he felt certain it would produce a +fight. + +But Frank saw Ben was speaking the truth, and, instead of being angry, +he experienced a sensation of gratitude. Still he was determined to know +all about it. + +"How long have they been making this kind of talk, old fellow?" he +asked. + +"Ever since it was known for sure that you had decided not to try out +for the eleven this fall." + +"And this is the first I have heard of it!" + +"They didn't talk so much at first," explained Ben. "It wasn't known +then but your place could be filled easily." + +"You were put in my place." + +"Yes, but I should have been placed elsewhere if you had come on." + +"And they think that would have strengthened the team?" + +"Of course it would! I tell you the fellows have a reason to growl when +they see Yale putting out a weak eleven while the best man in college +refuses to get into gear and give a lift." + +"What sort of man is this Marline?" + +"A good runner and a pretty punter." + +"Sand?" + +"Guess so." + +"Then what's his weak point?" + +"Temper." + +"Quick tempered?" + +"Like a flash of powder. Loses his head. Forrest says he may lose any of +the big games for us by getting mad at a critical point, but still he is +the best man we have." + +Frank walked over to his window and looked out, his back toward +Halliday. Ben stood watching him with no small anxiety. + +Now it was over, and he had relieved his feelings by speaking out +plainly, Ben wondered at his own boldness. He had been flushed with +excitement, but he felt himself growing pale and cold. + +"Lord, what a crust!" he thought. + +Three minutes passed this way, and then Frank whirled around with +startling suddenness. + +"Do you practice to-day?" he asked. + +"Yes." + +"I'll come out to the park." + +"What for?" + +"Don't know yet. I'll look on, anyway." + +"Shall I tell Forrest?" + +"No, you needn't say anything about it." + +"All right." + +Halliday was well pleased with the result, for he felt sure Merry was +aroused. + +"How do I know I am wanted on the eleven?" Frank asked. "It's all made +up now, and----" + +"Heard Forrest say he'd rather have you for full-back than Marline." + +"Well, I'll come out and see you practice." + +So Ben left. At one time he had been envious of Merriwell, but now, like +others, he realized that Merry was too good timber to be lost from the +eleven. Halliday overcame his selfishness, and, for the interest of Old +Yale, desired to see Merry back on the team. + +Besides that, Ben was not pleased to be changed from full-back to +quarter-back and have a fellow like Marline given the position he had +played very well thus far that season. He felt that he had much rather +be put off the eleven entirely to give room for Frank. + +After Ben left, Frank attempted to return to his studies, but he could +not fix his mind upon them. He went down to recitation in a dazed +condition, and made a flunk, much to the surprise of those who knew he +had turned into a "greasy grind" of late. + +Frank's mind was uneasy, and it wandered constantly. The knowledge that +he had been regarded as cowardly in declining to go on the eleven was +gall and wormwood to him. + +He was glad Halliday had come to him and let him know how matters stood, +and surely no one could have closer at heart the welfare of Yale in all +directions. + +He began to understand that he had won a position in athletics from +which he could not voluntarily withdraw without being misunderstood and +maligned. + +That afternoon Halliday came around for Frank, and found him with his +sweater and rough clothes on, ready to leave his room. + +"I was afraid you would forget," said Ben, in a confused way. + +"Little danger of that!" muttered Frank. "I haven't been able to +remember anything else but what you said to me this forenoon." + +"Hope you didn't lay it up against me, Merry." + +"Don't take me for a fool, old fellow!" came rather sharply from Frank. + +They left the college grounds and took a trolley car out to the park. +Forrest and the team were there ahead of them. A hundred spectators were +watching the men catch punts. + +Bob Cook was there. He was not coaching; he was standing at one side by +himself, watching the men, something like a disconsolate look on his +face. This was not like him; it was significant. + +As they entered the gate, Halliday touched Merriwell's arm, quickly +saying: + +"There he goes!" + +"Who?" asked Frank. + +"Marline. He's getting out to take some punts." + +Frank knew Marline by sight, but he had never given the fellow much +attention. Now he deliberately sized him up. He saw a well-built, +healthy-looking lad, who carried himself gracefully, almost arrogantly. +There was more than a suggestion of conscious superiority in Marline's +manner. + +Punk!--a strong leg sent a twisting ball sailing toward Marline. He ran +under it with an air of confidence, and caught it easily, gracefully. + +"I take it he is one of the fellows who show up well in practice, at +least," said Frank. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS. + + +The appearance of Frank on the ground soon attracted attention. Of late +there had been much talk about Merriwell and there was not a college man +interested in football who had not expressed an opinion concerning his +ability or his withdrawal from the sport. + +Early in the season Walter Gordan had made a try for the eleven, but had +soon been turned down. Sport Harris could not have been induced to play +football, but he took much interest in the team, as he wished to know +how to place his "dough" on the great games. + +Harris and Gordon were watching the men at practice, but the latter saw +Merriwell as soon as he entered the park. + +"Well, hang me!" he muttered, staring. + +"What's the matter?" asked Sport. + +"Look there--with Halliday!" + +"Yes, I see--why, it's Merriwell!" + +"Sure." + +"What's he out here for?" + +"Don't ask me!" + +"Thought he was out of it. Hasn't seemed to take any interest in the +eleven this season." + +"Perhaps he thinks he's stayed away till it is so late he'll not be +asked to come on the team. He couldn't keep away any longer." + +"Well, he's needed on the eleven, and that is a fact. He has disgusted +his friends by pulling out of the game." + +Gordan laughed. + +"He seems to think he can retire on the laurels he has won." + +"Well, he never made a bigger mistake in his life," said Harris. "Yale +doesn't have any use for shirks. If he thinks he can retire because he +made a great run in the Princeton game last fall, he is mistaken." + +"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." + +"If he's played on the eleven this fall, I should have been forced to +put my money on Yale. Now we've got a weak team, and I have put up +something on Harvard as soon as this. I am getting all the bets I can +before it is generally known that Yale is weak." + +"What if Merriwell should be taken on?" + +"There is no danger of it, and he couldn't play the whole game, anyway. +As full-back, however, he would have strengthened Yale's weakest point. +It is remarkable, but we haven't a man besides Merriwell this season who +is fully qualified to play the position." + +"What's the matter with the new man?" + +"Marline?" + +"Yes." + +"He's a grand-stand player. All he cares about is to do something pretty +to win the admiration of the ladies. He will work for Marline, and not +for the team. Mark what I say. The team was weak enough when it went +against the Indians, but it is weaker still with Halliday at quarter and +Marline at full. Harvard is better than she was last season, when we +beat her by a fluke, and she will walk right over our team. Put your +money on Harvard, Gordan, and you will win everything." + +"Hello!" exclaimed Walter, suddenly. "What's up now?" + +"Cook is talking with Merriwell, that's all." + +"That means something." + +"Get out! Cook is coach, but he isn't running the team." + +"I tell you it means something! See--Cook calls Forrest. Now the captain +of the eleven is coming over. See that! They are talking together. I +tell you that means something, Harris!" + +Gordan was excited, and he seemed to impart his excitement to his +companion. With the greatest eagerness they watched the little group. + +Perhaps the trio spent ten minutes talking, and then there was a move +that added to the excitement of Gordan and Harris. + +"What's Merriwell going to do?" asked Sport, catching his breath. + +"Do!" exclaimed Walter, in deep disgust. "Can't you see? He's going to +practice!" + +"Practice? Great Scott! That means----" + +"That means that he is sure to play on the eleven!" + +Gordan and Harris were not the only ones interested in Merriwell's +movements. + +Tom Thornton, who had once been an enemy to Frank, and was now very +friendly toward Rob Marline, the new man, who was expected to play +full-back, was watching Cook, Forrest and Merriwell. + +In catching a ball, Marline ran past Thornton, who asked: + +"What's up over there, Rob? Why are those fellows talking with their +heads together?" + +"I don't know," was the answer. "Maybe Merriwell wants to get onto the +eleven." + +"If he wants to, he'll do it." + +"He can't. Positions all taken." + +"Somebody'll be fired." + +"'Twon't be me." + +"Don't be so sure of that," thought Tom, but he did not speak the words +aloud. + +After a little Merriwell was seen preparing to practice. Halliday was at +it already. Happening to be near Ben, Thornton heard him observe to a +player: + +"I've done the job for Yale this time. Got Merriwell back. They will +have to thank me for that." + +"Got him back?" said the other. "Why, how is that? Where will he play?" + +"Full-back, of course." + +"But Marline." + +"Marline will be given a chance to rest." + +Thornton nodded. + +"Knew it!" he muttered. "Rob is a good fellow, and this isn't a square +deal. He won't be given a show. Merriwell is all right as a player, but +he has no right to refuse to play and then come on after things are +fixed and knock some other chap out. I'll tell Rob." + +So, at the first opportunity, Thornton told Marline what he had heard +Halliday say. + +Marline was from South Carolina, and he was proud as Lucifer. In fact, +his manner of always speaking of South Carolina as the "one" State in +the Union was often little short of exasperating. He was haughty and +overbearing, proud of his birth, inclined to boast, and utterly blind to +his own shortcomings. + +No one questioned Marline's courage. He came from a family noted for +courage and daring. His great-grandfather was a patriot officer of +Revolutionary times, and his father had won a commission in the +Confederate Army in the War of the Rebellion. The blood of fighters and +heroes ran in Marline's veins. + +For all that, there was no one at Yale who could make himself more +offensive than the boy from South Carolina. He had a way of sneering at +everybody and everything outside his native State, and when he set out +to call anybody down, the most withering and biting sarcasm flowed from +his tongue. + +Marline was smart intellectually, but whimsical and set in his notions +and beliefs. Once let him express an opinion and he would not confess +himself in the wrong even when absolute proof lay before him. Instead, +he was pretty sure to want to fight the fellow who offered the proof. + +As an orator the youth from South Carolina had no superior in college. +He was strong in argument, and it was through him that Yale had +succeeded in wresting from Harvard the honors in the annual debate. + +With the professors he stood unusually well, as he was regarded as a +brilliant scholar, and he had never been known to take part in any of +the students' carousals. + +Marline's face grew dark as he listened to Halliday. + +"They can't drop me without playing me at all," he said, harshly. + +"Can't! Guess you don't know Walt Forrest. He wouldn't hesitate a second +if he thought he could improve the team. He doesn't allow his feelings +to interfere at all with the discharge of what he thinks is his duty." + +"If they try to kick me out, there'll be a hot time, sah!" flashed the +boy from South Carolina. "I'll show somebody that I'm not to be used +like I am a dog!" + +"Don't blame you," nodded Tom. "It is a dirty trick." + +Marline was rattled. Three times he tried to catch a punted ball, and +three times he dropped it, something remarkable for him to do--something +that made the boys stare at him in surprise. + +In the meantime, Merriwell was on the gridiron, and he was taking all +kinds of twisters with his old-time confidence and skill. Three balls +were in use, and, after a time, it happened that, in running under two +of them sent into the air at the same time, Marline and Merriwell +collided. + +Frank struck Rob in such a manner that he was thrown to the ground, but +he flopped over, sat up, and took the ball that belonged to him, +laughing in a good-natured way. + +Marline paid no attention to the ball he had started after, but stood +looking down at Frank, his face utterly bloodless and his eyes gleaming. + +"Sah," he said, after a few seconds, as Frank was getting up--"sah, you +ran into me!" + +"Believe I did, old man," laughed Merriwell. "No harm done, I hope. +Didn't upset you, and you did me. I'm all right." + +"But you ran into me, sah!" + +"Couldn't help it, you know," declared Frank, with unfailing good +nature. "Accidents will happen." + +"Accidents, sah, may often be avoided." + +"It is difficult to avoid them on the gridiron." + +"You may apologize, sah." + +Marline was standing there, his arms folded, his dark eyes looking +daggers at Merriwell. His pose was graceful, and he really looked +handsome, for all of his arrogant bearing. + +Frank whistled his surprise. + +"Apologize?" he said, slowly. "Do you really mean that?" + +"I certainly do, sah." + +When Rob Marline addressed anybody as "sah" in that manner it was a +warning. The word was one seldom used by him since coming to Yale. To a +great extent he had adopted the manners of the North, and had suppressed +any little peculiarities of speech that might indicate his Southern +blood. Now, however, he felt that he was a South Carolinian, and the +dignified and haughty "sah" of the South suited his mood. + +Frank paused a moment, looking straight into the eyes of the hot-blooded +youth who had demanded an apology. He seemed in doubt, but quickly made +up his mind. + +"I never heard of an apology on the football field," he said; "but, as +you seem to think me to blame for this little accident, I ask your +pardon. I trust that is satisfactory." + +To this Marline made no answer, but with a contemptuous movement of his +body, turned about and stepped away. + +A few of the players near at hand had seen and heard everything. All +were astonished. To them it seemed that Marline had cowed Merriwell, and +a feeling of disdain for the latter mingled with their astonishment. + +"That beats the band!" said one to another. "Is this the same Merriwell +we have thought such a lion?" + +"It's plain," said the other, "that the fellows who have been claiming +he really has less nerve than is generally supposed were right. He is +afraid of Marline--I can see that. Marline comes from a fighting family, +and he would challenge Merriwell to meet him in a genuine duel. +Merriwell can scrap, but he has no relish for swords or pistols. He has +been cowed by the fellow from South Carolina." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HALLIDAY IS PUZZLED. + + +Two teams were made up, and a short game was played, while the coachers +kept at the men like relentless slave drivers. + +The appearance of Frank on the field had seemed to awaken Bob Cook. He +opened up on everybody, and the men seemed to find it inspiring to have +him scold them. + +During the first half Merriwell played full-back on the eleven that was +pitted against the regular 'Varsity team. He went into the game as if it +was of the utmost importance. Once he went through the center of the +opposing team, and once he went around the left end. Had he been well +backed up, the regular eleven would have found difficulty in securing +two touchdowns, one of which was made by Marline. + +On the last half, much to his disgust, Marline was taken off the regular +eleven and placed at full-back on the other team, while Merriwell was +given his place. + +Then the 'Varsity eleven seemed to have new life, and the men played +like so many tigers. The "irregulars" could do nothing with them. +Merriwell kicked a goal from the field, besides making one of his +surprising and bewildering runs. + +Marline played desperately, but he gave up in disgust before the end, +realizing he could not make a good showing under such conditions. In his +bosom his heart was heavy and bitter. + +"If I am pulled off the team without having a show, somebody shall +suffer!" he vowed. + +The practice game over, the men pulled on their coats and started for +the two trolley cars which were waiting at the entrance to the park. +Halliday got a seat beside Frank on one of the cars. + +"You're right in it, old man!" said Ben, enthusiastically. "Why, you +worked as if you were in training!" + +Frank smiled. + +"I suppose I forgot the possibility of making myself lame. Til feel it +to-morrow." + +"Never mind. You showed everybody that you are as good as ever. Marline +will get walking papers." + +Merriwell's face suddenly became sober. + +"I don't know as that will be using him square, Hally," he said, in a +low tone of voice. "I presume he has been told he should play half-back +on the eleven." + +"Told nothing!" snorted Ben. "Forrest don't tell us fellows we can play +anywhere, and there's not a man but knows he's likely to be dropped any +time. He told Marline to come and practice, and I'll go my last dollar +that is all." + +"Still Marline has every reason to suppose he'll be given a show in some +sort of a game." + +"Huah! If he supposes too much, he'll get left." + +"I don't like to crowd anybody. You know that, Hally." + +"You are too careful about crowding somebody. You are forever preaching +that any fellow must fight his way through this world, but you never +fight unless forced to do so. By the way, how could you apologize to +that overbearing cur?" + +"Well," said Frank, deliberately, "I permitted my good judgment to +govern my action." + +"Good judgment be hanged! Why, he was insulting!" + +"A trifle overbearing, perhaps, but it's natural with him. You know he +comes from South Carolina." + +"What of that? Is he any better for that reason?" + +"Not in the least, but it is probable that he has been brought up to +think so. And it is certain that he has sand. He can't be driven into +his boots, and I'll bet on it. South Carolina produces tigers, and +Marline is one of them, or I have taken his measure wrong." + +Halliday looked at Frank in doubt and astonishment. + +"Is it possible you are afraid of Robert Marline, Merriwell?" he asked. + +"No," was the calm reply; "but I think you will remember that I had a +little trouble with one hot-blooded Southerner since entering college. +The Southern aristocrat seldom fights with his fists, but he is none the +less ready to fight. I am willing to confess that I do not care to +become involved in a duel with pistols or swords. Can't afford to take +the chances of being found out and expelled, even though honor should be +satisfied without the death of either concerned. I have been hot-headed +in my day, but I'm trying to hold myself down. I'd rather apologize for +the accident to Marline than to have him challenge me to a duel. That's +the whole of it, and----" + +"What will the fellows think?" + +"Let them think what they like!" exclaimed Frank, flushing. "A person +who is forever considering what some one will think if he does this, +that or the other is forever miserable and uneasy." + +"But they'll say Marline cowed you." + +"Let them." + +"They'll say it is proof you have not the courage every one has +thought." + +"Let them." + +Ben looked hard at Frank, and then slowly observed: + +"Thought I understood you, Merriwell, but I'm blowed if I do!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +FRANK'S VISITORS. + + +Despite himself, Frank was somewhat disturbed by what had taken place +that afternoon. He knew Halliday was right in saying it would be +believed he had apologized to Marline through fear of the proud +Southerner. + +Merriwell was no more than human; he did not fancy being thought a +coward. + +Who does? + +Had it been simply one or two persons who thought him afraid of the lad +from South Carolina he would not have minded, but for nearly every one +in college to think so--well, that was different. + +And the peculiar combination of circumstances made the situation more +trying than otherwise it could have been. + +Frank could not help feeling some sympathy for Marline, for all of the +fellow's natural arrogance and overbearing manner. It was easy for +Merriwell to imagine himself in Marline's position. + +"It would cut me," he thought. "I might hold my temper, but it would cut +me to have any fellow step in and shove me out without letting me have a +show to see what I might do." + +Sentiment demanded that Marline should be given an opportunity to play +full-back on the Yale team; but sentiment should not enter into college +sports, and no one knew that better than Frank Merriwell. The football +or baseball team that is run on sentiment can never be a winner. + +Yet it seemed to Merry that, under any circumstances, he would be placed +in a false position before every one. He had refused to take an interest +in football, and had held aloof till the very day that it was known +Halliday had been changed from full-back to quarter-back and Marline had +been given Ben's former position. Then Merry had suddenly appeared on +the scene and seemed to oust the new man before the latter had a show to +prove his capability. + +To Frank this seemed a cowardly thing to do, and nothing but the +knowledge that the eleven was weak and really needed him could have +induced him to go on the field. + +He did not want to fight Marline, and he was determined not to fight +Marline if he could avoid it. Still he realized that his enemies would +say he feared the lad from South Carolina, and his friends might believe +it was true. + +"Well," thought Frank, after meditating on the situation, "it will not +be the first time I have been thought a coward. I can stand it. If +Forrest says he needs me I shall play for the love of dear old Yale. +Rather than have Yale lose through my failure to do everything in my +power, I'd be branded a coward for life!" + +This settled in his mind, he went to bed that night and slept +peacefully, quite unaware that at Morey's a gay party had gathered about +Rob Marline, who was "opening things" and vowing publicly that he would +drive Frank Merriwell off the gridiron forever. + +In case Frank showed a determination to get into the game again, Marline +swore he would never give him a moment of peace till they met face to +face on the "field of honor." + +"I come of fighting stock, gentlemen," said Rob, his face flushed, his +legs unsteady, his tongue unloosed, and a glass of "velvet" held aloft. +"My grandfather killed his man, and my father has been concerned in more +than one affair of honor. I am an expert with the sword, and I can shoot +as well as the mountaineers of my native State--the fairest spot on the +American continent Merriwell will not have a chance with me if we ever +do meet. With the blades, gentlemen, I'll run him through in less than +thirty seconds; with pistols I'll lodge a ball in his heart at the first +fire. But he'll never dare to meet me. The way he took water to-day +proved that. He will crawl like a whipped dog." + +If Marline had not been drinking freely he would not have said so much. +The wine was in his head, and he was not responsible. But he meant every +word he spoke, and he did not require "Dutch courage" in order to back +up his talk. + +In the morning Frank awoke refreshed by a good night's sleep, took a +cool dip, scrubbed down hastily, got into his clothes in a hurry, and +was away to chapel, looking as fresh and rosy as a healthy youth should. + +Merriwell took such care of himself that he was in perfect condition. He +had not given up physical exercise, although he had thought of keeping +out of football that season. Every day he spent a certain amount of time +in the gym, and not a minute of that time was wasted. + +Under no circumstances did Merriwell believe in radical dieting. At the +same time he believed in common sense, and he knew a fellow could do +himself no more harm than by overloading his stomach. The gourmand makes +himself heavy of body, and dull of brain. + +Frank had quite forgotten the unpleasant occurrence of the previous +afternoon, and he dipped into his studies after the earnest manner that +had marked him of late. + +On returning from recitation in the middle of the forenoon, he found +visitors in his room. They had been admitted by "Honest John," the +colored porter. + +"Lor' bress yeh!" grinned the white-headed old darky, showing his teeth +in a broad grin--"Lor' bress yeh, Mistah Merriwell! Nebber see no +purtier gal in all mah bawn days!" + +"Girl!" cried Frank, astonished. + +"Lor' bress yeh, yes! Purty's a picter, Mistah Merriwell." + +"Girl in my room?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"You let her in, John?" + +"Yes, sah; but dar's a lady wif her, sah." + +"Oh, ha!" + +"Yes, sah--got a face dat'll stop a trolley car, sah. Looks like it war +cut out of wood, sah, an' mighty hard wood at dat. De gal smile, but de +ole woman nebber smile at all." + +Frank looked puzzled, and Honest John began to look troubled. + +"Hope Ah ain't done no harm, sah?" he faltered. "De ladies said dey +knowed yeh, sah, an' dey war yeh friends." + +"But I do not know of any friends in New Haven who would come to my +room." + +John showed alarm. + +"Lor', sah! hope dis ain't no scrape, sah! Mebbe yeh don't want teh see +'em? I'll jes' go an' 'splain yeh ain' heah--I'll say yeh been called +away sudden by de deff ob yeh grandmam." + +"Never mind, John. My grandmothers died years ago, and my visitors may +be aware of the fact. I'll see them myself, although I don't care to be +bothered by visitors at this time of the day." + +"Hope it's all right, sah," said John. "Yo' boys hab to be careful, sah. +If yo' git too wild----" + +But Frank was hurrying to his room, regardless of the darky's words. + +Honest John followed. He listened outside the door after Frank entered. +He heard a girlish cry of delight, and an exclamation of pleasure from +Merriwell. + +"Lor' sakes!" he chuckled, holding one crooked hand over his mouth, as +he stood crouching at the door. "Suah dat don' soun' lek trubble! Yo' am +all right, John. Jes' yo' watch fo' Mistah Merriwell when he come out, +an' yeh'll get a tip fer lettin' de ladies in. Hey--what am dat?" + +He held his ear close to the door and listened again. Then the crooked +black hand was pressed still closer over his mouth, and his whole body +shook with emotion as he tiptoed away. + +"Lordy! Lordy!" he exploded, when he considered himself at a safe +distance. "I know dat soun' any time Ah heah it. Smack! smack! Dat war +kissin'! Heuh! a-he-uh! a-he-uh! If Mistah Merriwell don' make dat tip a +whole dollah, dis coon ain't took his size an' suckumfrence!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +AN UNWILLING PROMISE. + + +When Frank stepped into his room he was astonished to find himself face +to face with his old-time sweetheart, Inza Burrage, and her aunt, Miss +Abigail Gale. + +Inza hurried toward him, uttering a joyous cry, and an exclamation of +surprise and delight escaped his lips. + +In a moment, regardless of the presence of her aunt, the girl flung her +arms about Frank's neck and kissed him. + +Miss Gale's hard face did not soften, but she turned her back toward +them, and pretended to be greatly interested in a strange crooked +dagger, having a point smeared with some green substance, the dagger +being locked in a case with a heavy glass door. Upon the glass of the +case was pasted a slip of paper bearing these words: + +"The Snake Knife of the Pampas." + +"Inza!" exclaimed Frank, as if somewhat in doubt. "Inza--here?" + +"Yes!" she cried. "Isn't it a surprise? I knew I would surprise you, +Frank." + +"A surprise indeed! Why, you didn't let me know you were coming." + +"No." + +"How does it happen?" + +"Aunt Abby knows some friends in New Haven, and she wished to visit them +while she was in the East, so she asked me to come with her. You may be +sure I was ready enough to come, and, as father is getting along very +well, we were able to leave him." + +"Then your father--he is improved?" + +"A great deal since getting back to America. He raced all over Europe +looking for health, but continued to get worse till he returned home. +Now he says he believes this the healthiest country on the face of the +earth." + +"And he is right. If a person is not strong enough to endure the rigors +of our Northern climate, there is the perfect climate of California. But +I don't suppose you came here to talk climate." + +Frank said this with a laugh, and they advanced, hand-in-hand, toward +Miss Gale, who had turned her attention from the queer knife to some +still queerer images and ornaments that adorned the mantel. + +"Aunty says you'll be a museum manager if you keep on," laughed Inza. +"Says she never saw so many queer things." + +"Goodness, no!" exclaimed Miss Gale, severely, turning to look at Frank +over the rims of her spectacles. "I hope you ain't a crank, Mr. +Merriwell." + +"I trust not, Miss Gale," smiled Frank, with extended hand, which +Abigail rather awkwardly accepted, but shook with a heartiness that was +expressive of her esteem for Merry. + +"What be some of these horrid-looking things?" asked the spinster. "What +be they good for?" + +"Some of them are mementoes, and some of them are simply for the purpose +of decoration. Those little images, those odd vases, the pottery on that +shelf--I gathered those things as ornaments." + +"Do tell! I want to know if that ain't just like some folks! Them things +are so hombly I'd want to hide 'em or put 'em all in the fire if I had +'em in my house. Some real pretty chromo pictures would look so much +better in place of them. If you want vases, why you can get pretty glass +ones almost anywhere from fifteen to thirty cents each, and land knows +they'd look better than them things! Then there's that great stuffed +tiger. Goodness! It scared me awful when I saw it standing there in the +corner of the room. I thought it was living, and was shooing at it when +Inza ran over and put her hand right on it. Whatever in the world can +induce you to have such a thing in your room?" + +"At first I found it difficult to induce Aunt Abby to remain in this +room," laughed Inza. "She wanted to go outside and wait for you. I am +afraid she has obtained an unfavorable impression of you by coming +here." + +"I sincerely trust not," said Frank, who had worked hard when he first +met Miss Gale in Santa Barbara to win her good esteem, a task at which +he had been most successful. "I should regret it very much if I thought +such was the case." + +Miss Abigail's hard face did not soften, but she immediately said: + +"I suppose we all must have some weak point, and it seems to be Mr. +Merriwell's weakness to gather such hideous truck. I'm sure he's a +gentleman, and I think just as much of him as I ever did." + +Frank bowed gracefully and expressed his thanks. + +"Can't help looking at the stuff," said the spinster, readjusting her +spectacles and turning her back squarely on Frank and Inza. "I like to +see what crazy notions they do get up." + +She appeared to be very busy examining the collection of bric-a-brac and +curiosities. + +Frank and Inza looked at each other a moment, and then their hands met. +He drew her to a seat on the sofa. + +For some time they chatted of various matters that interested them +alone, Miss Gale being strangely taken up with the trinkets in the +meantime. + +"Is this the way she usually chaperones you, Inza?" asked Frank, after a +while, smiling. + +"Goodness, no!" replied the girl. "If you were any one but Frank +Merriwell she would be sitting stiff and straight on a chair, never +taking her eyes off us for a moment. But you--she thinks you are the +finest young man in the world. You have completely won her withered old +heart, Frank. You should hear her praise you to papa." + +"I'm lucky to have such a champion. Has your father given over the hope +of marrying you off to some rich man?" + +"I don't know about that. He hasn't mentioned it of late. I think his +ill luck has discouraged him." + +"Two years after this will take me through college, and then----" + +"And then----" + +His hand found hers once more, and the look that he gave her she could +not misunderstand. Her eyes drooped, and the warm color surged into her +cheeks. + +To Frank it seemed that Inza grew more handsome each time he saw her. +Certainly she was destined to become a strikingly attractive woman. + +After a little their conversation drifted onto the subject of college +sports, and Inza suddenly said: "I am so glad you are not playing +football this season, Frank." + +"Glad?" questioned Frank, surprised. "Why?" + +"Oh, just because--because--I am." + +This was unlike Inza. She had ever taken a great interest in manly +sports and games, and, in the old days at Fardale, her smiles and +encouraging words had fired him with enthusiasm to do his best in many a +contest. + +"I don't think I understand you," he said, slowly. "You used to be glad +for quite the other reason." + +"But--but it's different now." + +"How?" + +"Oh, I can't tell; but it is." + +"Well, Inza, I have not played football this season, but I am thinking +of playing in the two principal games--the ones with Harvard and +Princeton." + +Inza appeared startled. + +"Don't do it, Frank--don't play football this year!" she exclaimed. +"Promise me that you will not." + +"Oh, I can't do that, Inza. Yale is not as strong as she should be this +fall, and, if I can do anything to help her win, I feel that I must." + +Inza secured both his hands, leaned toward him, and looked straight into +his eyes, as she deliberately asked: + +"If I didn't want you to play, would you do so?" + +Frank's position was rather unpleasant, and he showed confusion. + +"If there was a reason why you did not want me to play----" + +"There is." + +"Tell it to me." + +"Not now--sometime. But I want you to promise me that you will not go on +the field this season. Will you promise?" + +In her dark eyes there was a command, as well as an entreaty. He felt +that he could not resist her if he looked into those eyes, and he turned +his head away. + +Instantly Inza sprang up. + +"I think we had better go, Aunt Abby," she exclaimed. + +Frank was on his feet instantly. + +"Now, Inza," he exclaimed, "I know you are angry. It seems to me that +you are unreasonable. If you would tell me why you don't want me to +play, I--I----" + +"It is very plain that I have been mistaken in you," she said, severely. +"I thought of you when my father was trying to force me into marriage +with an Englishman with a title--and I ran away from the Englishman. +Perhaps, if I had known you would refuse me such a little thing as +this--perhaps I might have married that odious old Englishman out of +spite!" + +Her eyes flashed, and she stamped her small foot. + +She was right; he felt it. She had done much for him, and truly he might +please her in this matter. Marline could play full-back all right, and +it was no more than fair that Marline should have a chance. He had not +intended to play football, but Halliday had tried to drag him into it. + +"Don't be angry, Inza," he said. "Let's talk it over. Perhaps I will +promise." + +"I have talked enough," she said, without relenting. "If you care for me +as I fancied you did, you will promise without another word." + +One more moment of hesitation, and then Frank said: + +"That settles it--I promise." + +"You will not play football this season?" + +"No." + +"You are a dear, good boy!" + +Then she suddenly kissed him again. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +"FALSE TO HIS COLORS." + + +As the hour to start for the park that afternoon approached Halliday +came hurrying into Merriwell's room, and found Frank digging away at his +Greek again. + +"Hey, there!" cried Ben. "Have you forgotten, old man?" + +"Hello!" said Frank, looking up with an uncertain smile. "Forgotten +what?" + +"Practice." + +"No." + +"But you're not ready." + +"No." + +"Forrest wants us there on the dot. Come, Frank, get into your old suit, +and we'll make a rush for the car." + +Frank put down his book, saying: + +"I'm not going, Ben." + +"Hey?" cried Halliday, staggering. "Come again." + +"I'm not going." + +"Not? Come off! What are you giving us? Don't try any funny business +with me, Merry!" + +"There is no funny business about this. I have decided not to go." + +"You can't afford to miss an afternoon if you are going to get in shape +for the same with the Cambridge fellows." + +"I am not going to try to get into shape." + +That was another staggerer for Halliday. He gasped for breath and stared +at Merriwell. + +"Not going to try?" he slowly repeated. "Why--why, it can't be that----" + +"Yes it can, Hally; I'm out of it. I have decided to stick to my studies +and let football alone." + +Ben groped for a chair, upon which he weakly dropped. + +"Is this a dream?" he muttered; "or did my ears deceive me? It can't be +that I heard aright!" + +"There is no joking about this," said Frank, getting up and standing +before his visitor. "I have decided at last, and my mind is made up." + +Ben was silent, but he stared and stared and stared at Frank. He seemed +trying to comprehend it. + +"I wouldn't have believed it," he muttered--"I won't believe it now! It +isn't Frank Merriwell! He wouldn't do a thing like that. He has a mind +of his own, and he does not change his mind with every change of the +wind." + +Frank flushed painfully, but said: + +"Only fools never change their minds, Hally. Men of reason and good +sense are forced to change their minds occasionally." + +As soon as he seemed able to comprehend it fully, Ben got up and +approached Merriwell. + +"Look here, Merry," he said, entreatingly, "don't be a fool! I'm going +to talk plain with you! By Jove! Somebody should talk plain to you! I +don't care if you kick me out of your room! If you whiffle around again +you'll be the butt of ridicule for everybody. You'll never again have +any standing in Yale. Man, you are throwing away your reputation! Can't +you see it?" + +Frank paled somewhat, but a firm look settled about his mouth, and he +was unmoved. + +"Surely, I have a mind of my own, and I have a right to do as I please +in this matter," he said, his voice cold and steady. "I am my own +master." + +"Yes," confessed Ben, desperately, "but you must listen to reason. I +haven't an idea why you have whiffled around again, but I do know it +will ruin your reputation. Word has gone out that you will play +full-back in the Harvard game. Forrest has the same as stated that he +should put you in at the start, with Marline as substitute. Now +think--think what it will mean if you again withdraw! Cæsar's ghost! +Merry, you will be a dead duck in athletics and sports. You will be +regarded with contempt." + +"Can't help it." + +Holiday's desperation increased. + +"Think of Marline." + +"I have." + +"They'll say he cowed you--say you backed down because you feared him." + +"It will not be true." + +"But it will go, all the same." + +"Can't help it." + +"You must have a reason for this new move." + +"My studies." + +"That's the old reason. There must be another." + +"Perhaps." + +"Will you tell me what it is?" + +"No." + +"And do you want me to go out to the park without you?" + +"You will have to go without me, for I am not going." + +"And I have been bragging about getting him back on the eleven!" +muttered Ben. "They'll jolly me to death, and I shall be so ashamed that +I'll want to crawl into some sort of a hole." + +"I am sorry about that, Hally," said Frank. "Believe me, I care more +about it than about anything else." + +"You do not mind the ruin of your own reputation?" + +"I scarcely think my reputation will be damaged so badly." + +"But it will--it will! If you were sure it would, wouldn't you go along +with me?" + +"No!" + +That was like the blow of a hammer, and it took the last bit of hope +from Halliday's heart. + +"I think more of my word of honor than anything else," said Frank, +grimly. "If I always stand by that, I'll risk my reputation." + +"They'll say he is a traitor to Yale," muttered Ben, as if Frank could +not hear. "They'll say he refused to do his duty--refused to fight for +the honor of old Eli. They'll say he is false to his colors." + +Frank winced somewhat. He could not help it, for he was touched on a +tender spot. + +"No fellow can have the interest of Old Eli more at heart than I," he +declared. "But I think the importance of playing me full-back on the +eleven is overestimated. There are several fellows who are able to play +the position. Marline did excellent work in practice yesterday, and I +believe he will show up finely in a game. I won't crowd him out--that's +all. It's no use to talk to me." + +He sat down and picked up his book. + +Halliday stood looking at Frank, his face showing wrath and disgust, +then turned and left the room. As he passed out Frank heard him mutter: + +"False to his colors!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +FRANK IS MISERABLE. + + +Frank was expecting a call from Forrest. It came. The captain of the +eleven brought Yates and Parker with him. He did not beat about the +bush, but immediately asked Frank why he had not come out to practice. + +With equal directness, Merriwell told him he had finally decided for +good and all that he could not play football that season. + +Parker looked dismayed; Yates looked disgusted. Forrest did not give up. + +"You can't refuse," he said. "We need you, and you must play." + +But Frank was determined, and persuasion proved of no avail. He firmly +refused to think of playing. + +"Come away!" exclaimed Yates, with a sneer. "It's no use to talk to him. +I did think he was all right, but this settled his case in my mind." + +Frank bit his lip, and all the color left his face, while his eyes +gleamed dangerously. + +"Mr. Yates," he said, "you are in my room, and I cannot lift a hand +here. Any time you see fit to insult me outside I'll do my best to +resent it." + +"Bah!" cried Yates. "If you haven't the courage to face Marline, you'll +never stand up to me. I have discovered that you are a big stiff! You're +a case of bluff!" + +Merriwell quivered, and his hands were clinched till his finger nails +cut into the palms of his hands. It was plain that he was making a +battle to restrain himself. + +"Mr. Yates," he said, hoarsely, "you and I have had our troubles before, +and, if I remember correctly, you did not come off with flying colors. +It is plain you delight in this opportunity for retaliation, but I warn +you to take care. There is a limit, and you may overstep it. If you +do----" + +"What then?" + +"You'll find you have made a big mistake." + +"Bah!" + +Duncan Yates was withering in his scorn. With a contemptuous gesture he +turned toward the door. + +It seemed that Merriwell was on the point of leaping after him, but +Frank still managed to hold himself in restraint. + +Puss Parker seemed grieved. + +"It's too bad!" he said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't have believed it. +You are done for here, Merriwell." + +"That's right," nodded Forrest. "You can never recover after this. It's +the greatest mistake of your life, man." + +"Come!" cried Yates from the door, which he was holding open. "You are +foolish to waste further breath on him." + +Then all three went out, not one of them saying good-by. + +When they were gone Frank felt like tearing up and down the room and +slamming things about, but he did nothing of the sort. He believed in +controlling his emotions, and so he stood quite still till the first +fierce anger had left him. + +Then came regret and doubt. He was sorry he had shown himself on the +football field, and he regretted that he had given Inza his promise not +to play the game. + +But it was too late for regret. He could not quell his doubts. He was +not certain he had done right, and that was enough to make him wretched. + +That night Frank was the most miserable fellow in Yale. It did not seem +any fault of his that had brought him into such a wretched predicament, +and yet he was thoroughly disgusted with himself. + +He could not study, he could do nothing but think. Sometimes he was +determined to go to Inza and ask her to release him from his promise, +and then he would think how his enemies would say he had been driven +into it. + +Then came another thought. If he were to come out now and offer to fill +a place on the eleven, would he be accepted? He had fallen so in the +esteem of Forrest that it was quite likely the captain would refuse to +take him on the team. + +He tried to devise some way of setting himself aright, but could think +of none. + +Had any one told him two days before that he could be so utterly +miserable, he would have laughed at them. + +Only a short time before this turn in events he had been the best known +and most popular student in the college. His fame had spread all over +New Haven and gone abroad to other college places. He was regarded with +awe as a great traveler and a wonderful athlete. + +Now--well, it was different now! + +Finding he could not rest, study or think of anything but his wretched +position, Frank went out for a walk. He tried to tire himself out +physically, so that weariness of body would force his mind to rest. +Miles he tramped, far out into the country. He drove along like one +walking on a wager, paying no attention to the frosty air which nipped +his nose and ears. + +It was eleven o'clock when Frank was passing Morey's on his way to South +Middle. In front of the place he paused. He remembered the many jolly +times he had enjoyed in there. He remembered when he was the chief one +of any little circle that might gather in that famous resort. Now he +felt like an outcast--an outsider. + +Three students came out. They did not see him, and they were chatting +and laughing merrily. He watched them as they strolled away, his heart +growing heavier and heavier. + +"Anderson, Cobb and Nash," he muttered. "They're always jolly--never +seem to have any troubles. They drink and sport too much to stand high +in their classes, but they will get through college all right, and every +one will call them first-class fellows. Isn't that better than to be +valedictorian and a hermit? I was getting along all right, although I +was not showing up brilliantly in Greek. I'd have scrubbed through and +held my position on the football team if I had tried. It's plain I made +a big mistake." + +It seemed plainer and plainer the more he thought about it, but he could +see no way of turning back now and taking the path he had abandoned. He +had burned his bridges, and he must go forward. + +A great curiosity seized him. He knew well enough a party of students +would be gathered in Morey's little back room, and he longed to know how +he would be received among them. + +"I'm going in there," he muttered. "Haven't been around for a long time. +Here I go!" + +In he went. He was known the moment he appeared. Straight for the famous +back room he made his way, and he was immediately admitted, his face +being his passport. + +He was right in thinking a party was gathered there. At least a dozen +fellows were sitting about drinking ale. They were not laughing or +talking loudly, but as Frank entered the room, he distinctly heard his +name spoken by one of them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +"THE MARBLE HEART." + + +"Hello, fellows!" called Merriwell, attempting to Be cheerful. "Thought +I'd drop in." + +There was a sudden silence. All turned to look at him. Two of them sat +with their half-lifted glasses suspended. + +Then somebody muttered: + +"Speak of the devil----" + +Frank was embarrassed. There had been a time when his appearance at +Morey's was greeted with a shout of welcome. The silence was freezing. + +Marline was not there. Frank felt relieved when he discovered this, and +still, for the first time in his life it seemed that there was a +cowardly sensation in his heart. + +He knew he was not a coward, but the position in which he stood at that +moment made him feel like one. + +The silence was maddening. His soul revolted against such a reception. +For the first time in his life he fancied he understood what it was to +be regarded with universal contempt. + +And the injustice of it was what cut him to the heart. A little more and +the limit would be reached. He would go forth ready to fight, and he +knew that his first blow would be aimed at Rob Marline. + +Thoughts like these flashed through his head in a moment, then he +advanced into the room with old-time grace. + +"A jolly party you have here," he said. "I'm glad to see you making +merry. Drink up--drink up, everybody, and have a round with me." + +Charlie Creighton was there, and Frank was sure he had a stanch friend +in Charlie. + +The fellows fell to speaking together in low tones, casting sidelong +glances toward Frank. None of them seemed eager or ready to accept his +invitation. They seemed to draw a barrier about him, as if they intended +to shut him out. + +Frank felt it--saw it plainly. He was quick to understand the situation, +but he was not satisfied. + +"They shall be put to the test," he mentally vowed. "I'll find out who +are my friends and who are my enemies." + +Then, one by one, he asked them what they would have to drink. Some had +excuses, some flatly declined to take anything at all. Some showed their +partly emptied glasses, and some said they had quite enough. + +Frank's face grew hard and cold as he progressed and met with nothing +but refusals. He was coming to Putnam, Stubbs and Creighton. Surely they +would not refuse to drink with him! + +Putnam saw he was to be asked in a moment. He hastily dashed off half a +glass of ale and got up, remarking that he must be going. + +"Hold on a moment, old man," said Frank. "I am going to have a +lemon-seltzer. Have a drink with me." + +"Excuse me," mumbled "Old Put." "I don't care for anything more." + +"But you will have one drink with me?" urged Frank. + +"No," said Putnam, shortly, "I've had enough." + +Then he sauntered toward the door. + +Merriwell bit his lips and turned on Stubbs. + +"You'll have something, Bink?" he said, huskily. + +"No, thanks," said the little fellow. "I'm going, too." + +He followed Putnam. + +Creighton was Merriwell's last resort. As old readers know, he had been +a guest at Charlie's home in Philadelphia. + +"Come, Creighton, you surely will not decline to take something with me, +old fellow?" + +Charlie hesitated, flushed to the roots of his hair, looked at Frank and +at the others, then got up quickly, saying: + +"You'll have to excuse me, too, Merriwell." + +With that he bolted out of the room, and all the others followed, +leaving Frank there alone. + +For some moments the stunned and astonished lad stood as if turned to +stone, staring with distended eyes toward the door by which they had +passed out. His hands were clinched, his nostrils dilated, his head +thrown back and his attitude that of a warrior wounded to the heart, but +still unconquered in spirit. + +He was aroused by a touch on the arm, and the smooth, almost sneering +voice of a waiter asked: + +"What will you drink, sir?" + +Frank lifted one hand to his head and seemed to awaken from a dream. He +looked at the waiter doubtfully, as if he did not understand the +question that was put to him, then, after a bit, said: + +"Thank you, I never drink." + +The corners of the waiter's mouth curled upward in the faintest smile--a +smile in which pity and scorn seemed to mingle. That aroused all the +fury in Frank Merriwell's heart, and, with his eyes blazing, he +half-lifted his fist as if he would strike the man in the face. Then he +as quickly dropped his hand at his side, shivering as if he had been +touched by a sudden chill. + +The waiter had shrunk away with Merriwell's menacing movement, but when +he saw there was no danger, he softly said: + +"I beg your pardon--I thought you were going to drink, as you asked the +others to have something with you." + +How the words cut and stung! It was as if the man had struck him across +the face with a whip. He fell back, half-lifting his hand, and his chin +quivered. + +"I did ask them!" he hoarsely whispered--"and they refused! Not one of +them but would have considered it a high honor to have me ask them a +month ago! And I have come to this!" + +His words were incoherent, but his face told the story of his wounded +pride. He remembered how many times he had been welcomed with a shout in +that little room where the famous tables hung upon the wall. He +remembered how his admirers had gathered about him, eager to listen to +every word he might speak, and roar with laughter at his stories and +jests. He remembered the songs, the speeches, all the jolly times in +that room. + +Little had he dreamed the time would come when the very ones he had +counted as his warm friends would refuse to drink with him there and +turn their backs on him in disdain. + +Nothing could have hurt him more than that. His pride was cut to the +core, and his spirit was shaken as it had never been before. + +His first thought was that he would find a way to get even with them +all. Then he realized how great a task that would be. He saw himself +scorned and ostracized by the whole college, and, for a fleeting moment, +he thought of leaving New Haven forever that very night. + +His brain began to whirl. The waiter was standing there, looking at him +in a manner that seemed rather insolent. + +"What do you want?" he snapped. + +"I beg your pardon," returned the waiter; "what do you want?" + +"Whiskey!" cried Frank Merriwell--"bring me whiskey, waiter, and bring +it quick!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +"FOR THE HONOR OF OLD YALE." + + +The order was filled, the whiskey was brought. It was placed on the +table at which Frank sat. He stared at it in surprise. + +"What's that?" he asked. + +"Why, sir, it's the whiskey you ordered," answered the waiter. + +"Whiskey?" said Merriwell, in a dazed way. "Did I order that?" + +"Yes, sir." + +He paid for it. + +Later, when a gay party dropped in, he was sitting at that table, with +the untasted whiskey before him. He sat there staring and scowling at +the table, but paid no attention to any one. The expression on his face +made him look like anything but his old jolly self. + +No one spoke to him. Newcomers drank, joked, laughed and went out. Still +he sat there, scowling and staring at the table. + +The report spread that Merriwell had been cut by his old friends. +Curious ones strolled in and ordered a drink just to get a look at him. +He seemed quite unaware of this. + +Never in his life had Frank tasted whiskey, but for one moment he had +weakened and thought of easing the blow to his pride by resorting to the +stuff. + +Merriwell was human, but still that weakness lasted no more than a +moment. Then he came to himself, and he was ashamed to think that he had +contemplated such a course. It seemed cowardly. + +"They say I am a coward," he thought; "but I am not a coward enough for +that." + +For more than an hour he sat there at the table. Finally he seemed to +come out of the stupor that had seized upon him. + +"Waiter," he called. + +His voice was calm and natural, the scowl had vanished from his face, +and he was himself once more. + +"Waiter, you may remove this whiskey and bring me a lemon-seltzer. I +don't care for this stuff." + +When this order was filled, he calmly drank the lemon-seltzer, paid for +it, rose to his feet, pulled on his gloves, and left Morey's with an air +of combined nonchalance and dignity. + +He was his own master once more. He had been insulted by fellows he +formerly believed friends, but he was still Frank Merriwell. He felt +within himself that he was a man and the equal of the best of them. Some +day they should be ashamed when they remembered their act. He felt +confident that day would come. + +That night he slept as peacefully as a child, and arose in the morning +refreshed and undisturbed. He would not permit his mind to dwell on what +had happened, but resolutely set himself at his studies. + +Those who had thought Merriwell, having once been so popular, would be +crushed, soon found out their mistake. He was calm, quiet, and +dignified. He did not seek the society of his fellows, but seemed the +same old Merriwell to those who came to him. He was perfect in his +recitations. He attended the gym., as usual, taking his daily exercise. +He paid not the least attention to sneering words and scornful looks. + +Frank's bitterest enemies were dissatisfied. They had fancied he would +be utterly broken by his downfall, and they could not understand his +dignity and disregard for public opinion. + +Those who had reluctantly turned against him were impressed by his +strength of spirit and dignity. He carried about him an air of manliness +that won their admiration, despite themselves. + +But every one had not turned against him. Bruce Browning was stanch and +true, although he fiercely berated Merriwell for his course. + +Harry Rattleton tried to remain unchanged, and never a word of reproach +did he utter, no matter what he thought. + +Jack Diamond did not say anything, but it was because he could not trust +himself to speak. In his heart he felt like punching Frank and whipping +his enemies and traducers; but he knew enough to let Merry alone. + +Halliday held aloof. He was thoroughly disgusted with Merriwell. At +first he said as much, and then he became silent and would say nothing +at all. + +So the days went by. Frank called on Inza, but did not mention what had +happened. He had thought of telling her everything, and then he decided +that it would do no good, and he would tell her nothing. It was too late +for him to change his course, and it could do no good to talk it over. +He preferred not to think about it. + +The football team continued to practice and get ready for the great game +at Cambridge. It was said that Harvard had the strongest eleven put on +the field by her in five years. Her games with the higher teams had +shown she was "out for blood." There was doubt and uncertainty in the +Yale camp. + +Ott, Marline's substitute, was not satisfactory. Those who understood +the situation best said that an injury to Marline early in the game +would ruin Yale's prospects. + +The anxiety increased as the day of the game approached. Some claimed +the eleven had not been properly trained, others asserted they had been +overtrained. + +From Frank Merriwell's manner one could not have suspected he had ever +taken the slightest interest in football. He did not seem to know +anything of the general gossip. + +It was the night before the game. Merry had been studying. He was alone +in his room. At last, feeling exhausted, he flung open the window and +looked out. + +It was a perfect night, cold, clear and light. The sky was filled with +stars. From across the campus came the sound of a rollicking song. + +Directly beneath Frank's window was a group of students who were +excitedly discussing something. Their words attracted Merriwell's +attention. + +"It's settled," said the voice of Paul Pierson. "Yale will not be in the +game for a minute. What can a team do without a first-class full-back?" + +"Isn't there a chance that Marline's ankle will be all right in time for +the game?" asked another of the group. + +"Not a chance," positively asserted Pierson. "The doctor says he'll not +step on it for three days, at least. It is a bad sprain." + +"Such beastly luck!" growled Randy Robinson. "Now if Merriwell----" + +"Don't speak of that fellow," exclaimed two or three. + +"He is the only hope for Yale," declared Pierson. "Ott isn't in it for a +minute. Frank Merriwell must be appealed to for the honor of old Yale." + +"Who'll appeal to him?" + +"I will, if they'll give me authority. I know he will play when he +understands the situation." + +Merriwell drew in his head and closed the window. His face was pale. Up +and down the floor he walked. + +"For the honor of old Yale!" he muttered. + +Then he suddenly cried: + +"For the honor of old Yale I will do anything!" + +Then came a knock on his door. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +A SENSATION ON THE FIELD. + + +The day of the great football game between Harvard and Yale had arrived. +The hour approached. + +Jarvis Field was ready for the great struggle. The white marks of the +gridiron were regularly and beautifully made. + +The sun shone down from a clear sky. There was no breeze, but the air +was crisp, for all of the sunshine. + +At either side the stands were filled; hundreds upon hundreds were +standing; hundreds upon hundreds were coming. A better day for the game +could not have been ordered, and spectators were turning out in force. + +Harvard students were there in a body. They flaunted the crimson and +sung their songs of glee. Their faces were radiant, and they were +confident of victory. + +Yale had sent her representatives by hundreds. They wore the blue, they +waved the blue, they cheered for the blue. + +Everywhere the blue and the crimson could be seen. Everybody was +partisan; everybody had a favorite. + +Back of the dark mass of human beings, beyond the limit of the field, +were the trees and the great buildings with their many windows, upon +which the sunshine glinted coldly. + +Policemen kept back the standing mass of spectators, or those in the +rear would have pressed those in advance forward upon the field. + +A few of those in the rear had obtained boxes or stools, upon which they +were standing in order to look over the heads of those before them. A +wagon was covered with spectators; they were standing on the spokes of +the wheels. + +The excitement and the eager anticipation was most intense. It betrayed +itself on every face. + +Not far from the point where the mass of Yale blue was thickest two lads +were talking. One wore the blue, the other wore the crimson. The first +was Sport Harris, and the other was Rolf Harlow, who had been forced to +leave Harvard after being exposed as a crooked gambler. + +"Every dollar is up," said Harlow, gleefully. "We are in to win a good +pile on this game if what you say is right." + +"What I have told you is straight." + +"Marline can't play?" + +"No." + +"Ott is a poor man?" + +"Sure." + +"And there is no chance that Frank Merriwell will be run in?" + +"Bah!" exclaimed Harris, disdainfully. "Merriwell is a dead duck at +Yale. He'll never count in anything more. He is an outcast now. What do +you think?--he's universally rated as a coward." + +"Oh, say!" exclaimed Harlow; "that's too much! You don't expect me to +believe that about Frank Merriwell?" + +"Believe it or not, it's true." + +"I don't understand how it could come about, for you and I know there is +not a drop of cowardly blood in Merriwell. Confound him! If there had +been, some things that have happened would not have taken place." + +"Circumstances have conspired to put him where he is, and he'll never +dig out. He has a few enemies who will take care to keep him down, now +he is down." + +"Well, I'm glad he's not on the team. We'll make a fat thing out of +this, old man." + +"Yes, I gave you every dollar I could raise, so you must know I am dead +sure Harvard will win. If, by any fluke, Yale should happen to pull off +this game I shall be busted." + +"Same here." + +"In that case, we'd have to stand in together and catch some suckers. +We've done it before." + +"And been exposed in it by that cursed Merriwell! Oh, I'd like to get a +good rap at that fellow! He has spoiled a number of good, soft things +for me since we first met." + +"You can't hate him more than I do." + +"I don't know about that; but he has been a lucky devil. I'm glad he's +not going to play for Yale to-day." + +"He couldn't win the game alone." + +"No, but it would be Yale's luck to win if Merriwell played. He has been +a mascot for Yale in almost everything." + +Harris believed this, for he remembered how many times Frank Merriwell +had been the instrument by which Yale had snatched victory from +apparent, certain defeat. + +Suddenly a band struck up, and out upon the field came the Harvard +eleven on the trot. What a cheer went up--what a wild roar of greeting! + +For the moment it seemed that the crimson was everywhere. The band +hammered away, and the blood was leaping in the veins of the thousands +of spectators. + +Harvard immediately took a bit of preliminary practice. + +"They are the boys to polish Yale off this year!" laughed Harlow. "It's +going to be a snap for Harvard." + +"I believe it," grinned Harris. "We'll have money to burn after this +game." + +Suddenly another kind of a cheer rent the air, and now the blue was +waving everywhere. Onto the field came the Yale eleven at a sharp trot. + +Harris and Harlowe laughed and nudged each other with their elbows. + +"See the little lambs!" chuckled the sport. + +"Coming to the slaughter!" grinned Rolf. + +"Too bad!" + +"It's a shame!" + +"I feel for them." + +"I expect to feel for that money. Where's Ott?" + +"Why, he's right over--over there--where the dickens is Ott?" + +"Can't you see him?" + +"Can't seem to, but he must be there. Yes, there he is with the group +out to the right." + +"Those are the substitutes. Why is he with them?" + +Harris stared, quite as much puzzled as Harlow, for he had understood +that Ott was to be put in as full-back for Yale at the very start. + +"It must be--it can't be--it can't be Marline is going to try it!" + +"You said he couldn't step on his foot." + +"He can't." + +"Then he isn't in it." + +"Of course not." + +"Who is?" + +"You tell!" + +Then, all at once, Harlowe caught Harris by the shoulder, and, pointing +toward the field, almost screamed in his ear: + +"Ten thousand furies! Look there--look there, you blunderer! See +him--see that tall, straight fellow?" + +"Where?--who?" + +"Where? Who? Right there, with the Yale captain--with Forrest! By all +the living fiends, it is----" + +"Frank Merriwell!" gasped Harris. + +"Yes, and he is going to play full-back for Yale! He'll hoodoo Harvard! +Yale will win this game!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +STOPPING A TOUCHDOWN. + + +Frank Merriwell was there. His appearance was a surprise to nearly all +the Yale crowd; it created a sensation. + +"Merriwell has been taken in to fill Marline's place!" was the excited +statement that went around. + +"It's a foolish move," declared scores. "He has not been practicing with +the team. He's not in condition." + +They did not know Frank Merriwell thoroughly, for he kept himself in +condition constantly. + +At first his appearance seemed to create doubt and uncertainty among the +spectators who were interested in Yale. Gradually, however, enthusiasm +grew. It was remembered how he had carried the ball right through +Princeton's center in the game the year before, making the most +remarkable run ever known on a football field. Yale had felt her chance +was a desperate one; surely it could not be any worse. Perhaps it might +be bettered by the placing of Merriwell at full-back. It was a desperate +resort, but who could say the result would not justify the move? + +Forrest was talking to Merriwell, having drawn Frank aside. They were in +earnest conversation. + +A little negro boy came on the field. How he escaped the vigilance of +the officers was a mystery, but he reached the group of substitutes. + +"Heah!" he called, flourishing something in his hand: "heah am suffin' +to Mistah Merriwell. Where am he?" + +It was a folded scrap of paper. One of the substitutes took it and told +the boy to "chase himself." + +"I's done got mah pay fo' bringin' it," he chuckled, as he scudded off. + +The note reached Merriwell when he had finished talking with Forrest. He +took it in surprise, and then opened it hastily. A gasp came from his +lips when he saw the writing. + +"From Inza!" he whispered. + +This is what he read: + + "DEAR FRANK: Did not receive your letter till this morning. Too + late then to answer. Had left New Haven for Boston before I + read it. You asked me to release you from your promise not to + play football. No, I will not! You must not play! If you do, + I'll never speak to you again! I know Yale will win if you + play! You must not play! Hastily, + + "INZA." + +"Line up!" + +The game was about to begin! + +Frank tore the note into many pieces, and those pieces he tossed aside. +His face was stern and determined. + +"It's for old Yale--dear old Yale!" he muttered. "She has no right to +ask so much of me without giving me a reason for it. I must play--I will +play!" + +Out to positions went the two teams. They lined up for business, and a +great hush came over the mighty jam of spectators. + +Yale had the first kick-off, and Merriwell balanced himself for it. + +Pung!--away sailed the ball clean through Harvard's goal posts, causing +the uninitiated to tremble, as it was an exquisite exhibition of +kicking. + +But this kick really gave Yale no advantage, for the rule gives the ball +to the opponents on such a play. + +Harvard's full-back sent it spinning back into the center of the field. +It looked like another kick by Merriwell, but, instead of that, Yale +tried Mills, the right-half, who could make only two yards against +Harvard's heavy forwards. + +The game was on in all its fury, and the excitement was intense. Kick +followed kick in quick succession, but that style of play did not seem +to gain anything worth gaining for either side. + +Yale got the ball and tried the revolving wedge on Harvard. They could +not make a big gain, for the Cambridge lads were like a stone wall. + +Again and again was this style of play tried, till Harvard got the ball +on downs. + +Then came Harvard's turn to see what she could do, and the first attempt +was a try at the tandem play, made famous by Pennsylvania. + +Yale seemed ready enough for that, and the way she cut through and broke +Harvard's line showed immediately that the tandem was not likely to +prove very effective. + +Then Harvard called on Benjamin, her right-half, and a moment later the +rush line did a fine piece of work, opening Yale's center and letting +the little fellow through. + +Benjamin had the speed of the wind. He also had the ball. Away he went +with it, and there was a clear field before him. + +Harvard admirers roared from all over the field. The crimson flaunted +everywhere. + +It looked like a sure touchdown for Harvard. Every Yale spectator held +his breath in racking suspense. + +Benjamin was flying over the ground. It seemed that his feet scarcely +touched the turf. + +Where is Yale now? What chance has she to stop the little fellow with +wings on his feet? + +Three seconds of suspense seemed like three hours of torture. It was +awful! + +A Yale man was after little Benjamin--was gaining! Could he stop the +little fellow in time? It must be a tackle from behind, if at all, and +the slightest slip would bring failure. + +Behind them came all the others on the run, strung out raggedly. + +Benjamin would make it--he was sure to make it. His pursuer could not +reach him in time. + +Then it seemed that the Yale man had springs in his legs, for he sailed +over the ground like a frightened rabbit. He closed in on Benjamin and +flung himself headlong at the little fellow. + +Down slipped the tackler's hands, down from the hips to the knees, to +the ankles. Down went Benjamin with a hard thump, stopped within three +yards of Yale's line. + +Twenty men piled upon tackler and tackled. + +Deep down beneath that mass was Frank Merriwell, his hands clinging like +hooks to Benjamin's ankles. + +He had stopped what seemed to be a sure touchdown for Harvard at that +early stage of the game. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +WON BACK. + + +Beside Inza Burrage, in a splendid position to watch the game, sat a +pretty girl with fluffy hair. She wore Harvard's colors, and seemed +greatly excited. + +"There he is!" she exclaimed, at various stages of the game--"there is +Jack! See him, Inza!" + +"Yes," said Inza, "I see him." + +But her eyes were not on the one meant by her companion. She was +watching Frank Merriwell, and she bit her lip as she watched. + +She had seen him receive her note, she had seen him read it, tear it in +pieces, cast the pieces aside. + +"He will play!" she muttered. "He will break his promise to me!" + +Her companion heard her words. + +"You said Merriwell would not go into the game," she cried. + +"Yes, I said so, but I was wrong. He gave me his promise not to play, +and last night he sent me a letter asking to be released from that +pledge. The note I sent to him a short time ago was a reminder of his +promise, and a refusal to release him." + +"Yet he will play?" + +"He is going into the game." + +"Then it can't be that he thinks as much of you as you supposed." + +"He does not. This has settled that point." + +"I'm afraid Harvard will not win, Inza. Jack says Frank Merriwell has +been Harvard's hoodoo in everything. He was sure Harvard would obtain +this game if Merriwell did not play. You said he did not mean to play, +but I wanted you to ask him not to do so." + +"I did ask him, something I should not have done had we not been such +friends, Paula, although I was curious to know how much influence I had +over him. Oh, I think he is the meanest fellow! I shall hate him now!" + +Inza's eyes were flashing and her face flushed. She was intensely angry, +and she showed it. + +Paula Benjamin was startled. + +"Oh, you musn't be too hard on him!" she said. "You know how much Jack +loves Harvard, and how crazy he is for Harvard to beat Yale in this +game. I was almost as crazy myself, and that is why I wanted you to ask +Mr. Merriwell not to play." + +"I shall never trust him again," whispered Inza, hoarsely--"never! He +has broken his promise to me." + +"It is certain he loves Yale as dearly as Jack loves Harvard. He may +think it is his duty to break his word for the sake of Yale." + +"I don't care! I don't care! I do hope Harvard will beat!" + +With breathless interest the two girls watched the game. They were +nerved to a point of intense excitement. They saw Harvard stand like a +stone wall against Yale's repeated assaults. It was a battle of +gladiators. + +Then came Harvard's tiger-like assault upon Yale's center, and Jack +Benjamin went through with the ball. The great crowd of spectators rose +as one person, seething with excitement, as Benjamin flew toward Yale's +line. + +"Hurrah!" cried the sister of the little fellow. "That is Jack--my +brother Jack! He'll make a touchdown! They can't catch him--they can't +stop him!" + +"Wait a bit!" palpitated Inza Burrage, who was clinging convulsively to +Paula's arm. "Look--look there! Frank is after him! See them run! Frank +is gaining!" + +"He can't catch Jack--my brother Jack! I know he can't do it! Jack has +the start! Hurrah! Hurrah!" + +"He will catch him! He's gaining! See--see him again! He is getting +nearer--nearer! Now--now----Oh-o-o-oh!" + +Frank Merriwell had flung himself at the Harvard man and pulled him +down. Then the other players piled upon them. + +"I knew it!" cried Inza, with a hysterical laugh. "I knew he could not +get away from Frank!" + +"Oh, the brute!" sobbed Paula--"the brute to throw my brother like that! +Jack was right! Frank Merriwell will keep Harvard from winning! I hate +him!" + +"Yes," fluttered Inza, "he will do it if it is in his power. Oh, he is a +wonderful player! But he thinks more of his old college than he does of +me! I'll never speak to him again!" + +Paula sat down and cried, while Inza did her best to comfort her friend. + +Soon the game was on again, as fierce as ever. Yale fought desperately, +driving Harvard back a little, but it seemed that Harvard had the +superior team. All the fighting was on Yale's territory. At last, as the +first half drew to a close, Harvard's left half-back went around Yale's +end, and the most masterly interference prevented Yale from stopping +him. He crossed the line and made a touchdown. Then Harvard's full-back +had time enough to kick a goal, and the first half ended with Harvard +triumphant. + +"Har-vard! Har-vard! Harvard! Rah-rah-rah! Rah-rah-rah! Rah-rah-rah! +Harvard!" + +It was a sense of wild rejoicing. Crimson fluttered all over the great +throng. + +Where was the blue? + +"Yale isn't in the game for a minute," said some who were supposed to be +experts. "The Yale fellows found they were butting against a stone wall +every time they tried a rush. This is Harvard's year." + +Ralph Harlow was beaming with triumph. + +"It's going to be an easy thing for our money, Harris," he chuckled. +"Yale can't do anything with Harvard to-day." + +"That's the way it looks," admitted Harris; "but the game is not over." + +"The game will run the same way till, it is over. Yale's rushers could +do nothing with Harvard's line. Frank Merriwell is the only man who has +distinguished himself for Yale, and he could do nothing but delay the +inevitable for a short time." + +"That was the only real good opportunity Merriwell has had," said Sport. +"He showed what he could do then. You remember his run through +Princeton's line last year?" + +"That's all right. Yale can't break an opening to let him through +Harvard's line this year." + +"I hope not, but I shan't feel sure of it till the game is over." + +The Harvard crowd cheered and sang songs till they were hoarse. They +hugged each other, tooted horns and indulged in wild antics to give vent +to the exuberance of their feelings. + +The sons of Old Eli who had come up from New Haven to see the game were +dolefully silent. They had seen Yale fling herself upon Harvard time +after time and rebound as a ball rebounds from a solid wall, and their +hearts were weak within them. + +Paula Benjamin was almost crazy with joy. She laughed and cried by +turns. + +"Oh, the dear fellows!" she exclaimed. "I could hug every one of them!" + +Inza Burrage said nothing, but upon her face there was a look of +unspeakable disappointment and dismay. In her heart she was crying: + +"Will Yale let them beat? Will Frank be beaten? If he is, I am sure I'll +never speak to him again!" + +Soon the men formed for the beginning of the second half. Harvard went +into the game on the jump, and Yale was forced to resort to defense +play. It seemed that there was no stopping the crimson in its onward +march to victory. Foot by foot and inch by inch Yale was beaten back +till the ball was on the twenty-yard line. + +Then Halliday revived hope in a measure by taking it back to the center +of the field, where he was downed with such violence that he was picked +up quite unconscious, and another man had to be put in his place, while +he was carried from the field, limp and covered with dirt and glory. + +It seemed that Halliday's desperate do-or-die break gave Yale courage +and hope. For some time she held Harvard at the center of the field, not +allowing a gain of a foot. Then Old Eli got the ball and rushed it into +Harvard's territory. + +What a glorious fight it was! Now every Yale man in the crowd was on his +feet cheering like mad. Those cheers seemed to make fiends of the +defenders of the blue. They played, every man of 'em, as if they were in +battle and ready to sacrifice their lives without a moment of +hesitation. They were irresistible. Harvard's stone wall was broken at +last. Merriwell was in the thick of it. Four times he advanced the ball. +Others took turns, and, at last, the ball was on Harvard's +twenty-five-yard line. + +Then there was a hush, for it suddenly became plain that Merriwell would +try to kick a goal from the field. It was a desperate expedient. Yale +feared to lose the ball and have it carried back to the center in a +minute. Such a loss would be fatal, and Forrest knew it Frank had been +given the signal to kick. + +"He can't do it!" cried scores. + +Then they thought of the beautiful kick he had made at the very +beginning of the game and were silent. + +Frank advanced to the proper position, exactly the right blade of grass. +There he poised himself. + +Cross fiddled with the ball between his legs. The suspense became +intense. + +Suddenly the ball was snapped and passed back. Punk--Frank kicked it. +Away it sailed. + +He did it before those Harvard tigers could down him. It was a glorious +kick. Through the goal posts and over the bar it sailed. + +Then the Yale yell was heard. + +But the game was not over. Harvard had secured a touchdown and a goal. +Yale had secured a goal. It seemed that she had feared utter defeat, +else she would have fought for the touchdown. + +The Harvard crowd remained confident. They crowed, for they said Yale +had displayed her own lack of confidence by kicking a goal from the +field. + +The time was growing short, and there seemed little chance for Yale to +do anything more. Harvard men laughed and said Harvard would obtain +another touchdown and goal before the end. + +Little time was lost in putting the ball into play again. Harvard +immediately started out with rushes. Now, to the astonishment of all, +Yale was the stone wall. + +Soon the ball went to Yale. Mills took it around Harvard's end for +fifteen yards. Powell bucked the center with it and gained some ground. + +Harvard men began to get anxious. Things had changed since the first +half. Harvard was on the defensive now. What had caused the change no +one could tell. + +Back and still back the Harvard line was forced. Would Yale try to +secure another goal from the field? That was the question. + +Paula Benjamin was almost crying. + +"It's Frank Merriwell!" she said. "Jack said he would hoodoo Harvard, +and he has!" + +"It is Frank!" thought Inza. "He has put life into the Yale men. He has +given them confidence somehow. He must win now--he will!" + +The ball was getting dangerously near Harvard's line. The Cambridge men +fought to hold it during the last few minutes of the game. + +Then, with a sudden movement, a man was sent through Harvard's center, +although an around-the-end play had been anticipated. It was a tricky +move, and took Harvard by surprise. + +Like a shot that man went through Harvard's line. He ran with wonderful +speed, with interferers on either side and a bit in advance. + +It was Frank making a last desperate effort for a touchdown! + +One by one the interferers were flung aside till he was alone, hugging +the ball, running as if for his life. + +Three men came down on him while he had fifteen yards to go. They flung +themselves on him like famished wolves. They thought to crush him to the +ground. + +Then ten thousand people gasped with astonishment, scarcely able to +believe what they saw. + +It did not seem that Merriwell slackened speed much, and he still went +forward, carrying those three men on his back and shoulders. They tried +to drag him down, and others tried to reach him. They could not break +him to the ground, and, with them all on his back he carried the ball +over the line. Then he fell, and the ball was beneath him. + +It was a touchdown for Yale! Besides that, it was the most wonderful +touchdown ever made on a football field. A mighty roar went up from the +spectators when they realized what had happened. Never before had they +witnessed anything like that. They knew the man who made the play had +won fame. To-morrow his picture would be in every Boston and New York +newspaper. + +Oh, how the Yale men shrieked, and screamed, and roared! They were like +human beings gone mad. They were crazed with their admiration for the +man who had done that trick. They longed to take him in their arms, to +bear him on their shoulders, to do him every honor. + +Gloriously had Frank Merriwell won back his lost prestige! Let a man +breathe a slur against him now and there would be a hundred ready to +knock that man down. + +When the mass untangled Merriwell was seen lifted to his feet. He stood +up, wavering a bit, supported by Forrest, who had an arm around Frank's +body. + +Then Frank pushed Forrest off. Time was precious, and his soul was +strong. + +Hasty preparations were made, and, for all of what he had just passed +through, Merriwell kicked a goal. + +Three seconds later the game was over, and Yale had won. + +Then all Merriwell's admirers rushed upon the field to surround him, to +fight for a look at him, and to roar their delight. + +"Rah for Yale!" + +"Three cheers for Frank Merriwell!" + +"They can't down Old Eli!" + +So the cries rang on. + +It was truly a scene never to be forgotten. + +But at that moment Frank did not think of the game. + +He was wondering what Inza would say. + +Would she forgive him for what he had done? + +"Oh, I hope she does," was his thought. "If she doesn't----" And he +could think no further. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +INZA BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND. + + +"How did the game come out?" asked Miss Abigail Gale, Inza's aunt, as +the two girls returned to Paula's home, which was a handsome house in an +aristocratic portion of the Back Bay. + +Miss Gale was knitting. For all of her luxurious surroundings, she was +plainly dressed, and she was practicing economy by knitting herself some +winter stockings. Reputed to be comfortably rich, Miss Gale was +"close-handed" and thrifty. + +"Yale won, of course!" cried Inza, who had not recovered from her +enthusiasm. "Oh, Aunt Abby, you should have seen it!" + +"No, no!" exclaimed the spinster, shaking her head. + +"You would have gone crazy over it!" + +"It's brutal. I have no sympathy with such brutal games. I didn't want +to see it, and I stayed away." + +"But it was such a splendid spectacle. Twenty-two young gladiators, clad +in the armor of the football field, flinging themselves upon each other, +struggling like Trojans, swaying, straining, striving, going down all +together, getting up, and---- + +"Land!" cried Miss Abigail, holding up both hands. "It must have been +awful! It makes my blood run cold! Don't tell me any more!" + +"At first Harvard rushed Yale down the field. Yale could not hold them +back. It was easy for Harvard. Jack got the ball--Jack Benjamin. He went +through Yale's line. The coast was cleared. He made a touchdown. He ran +like a deer. How his legs did fly!" + +"Good!" cried Miss Abigail, getting excited and dropping her +knitting--"good for Jack!" + +"But a Yale man was after him, and the Yale man could run. The crowd was +wild with excitement. Jack tore up the earth. The Yale man tore up the +earth----" + +"He couldn't catch Jack!" exclaimed the spinster. "It wasn't any use for +him to try." + +"He did catch him--jumped at him--caught his ankles--pulled him down!" + +"You don't say! He'd ought to be walloped!" + +"Then the others came up, and they all piled on Jack and Frank." + +"Frank? Frank who?" + +"Why, Frank Merriwell, of course." + +"Was he the one that caught Jack?" + +"Yes." + +"I might have known it. No use for Jack to try to run away from Frank. +He couldn't do that. But I thought Frank wasn't going to play?" + +"He broke his promise to me--he did play." + +"Do tell! I'm surprised!" + +"So was I. He stopped Jack, but Harvard scored in the first half, and +Yale didn't get a thing. Then came the other half. Yale went at Harvard +with new life. Frank seemed to give it to them. He rushed the ball down +the field. Harvard couldn't hold him." + +"Of course not." + +"He got the ball close down to Harvard's line. Then he kicked a goal." + +"Hurrah!" cried Miss Abigail, with an astonishing burst of enthusiasm. +"Go on, Inza." + +"The ball was put into play again. Again Yale got it and rushed it down +through Harvard's line. Harvard made a furious struggle to hold it back. +Frank got it at last--he broke through--they couldn't stop him. +Then--then, with three Harvard men on his back, he carried the ball over +the line for a touchdown, kicked a goal, and won the game." + +Miss Abigail was palpitating with excitement. + +"Goodness me!" she gurgled. "And Frank did all that? I didn't see him do +it, either! Goodness me! It must have been grand--it must have been! +What a fool I was to stay at home!" + +Inza laughed, and then became sober, suddenly. + +"Yale won," she said, "but I'll never speak to him again." + +"Him? Who?" + +"Frank." + +"Won't speak to Frank Merriwell?" + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +"He broke his promise to me. Harvard would have won if he hadn't. Look +at Paula! She is heartbroken! It was mean of Frank--just as mean as it +could be!" + +"It was mean," said Paula, "and Frank Merriwell ought to be ashamed. I +think he must be an awfully cheap fellow to do anything like that." + +Miss Abigail's face grew hard as iron. + +"Now, you hold right on, Paula Benjamin!" she said, severely. "Don't you +talk about him! Your mother and me was schoolmates, but I won't stay in +this house to hear Frank Merriwell traduced! I know him, and he's a fine +young man." + +"He may be," reluctantly admitted Paula, seeing Miss Gale was thoroughly +aroused; "but it seems to me that a fine young man should keep a +pledge." + +"You don't know his circumstances. There must have been a good reason +why he broke his pledge." + +"I presume he was called on to play when Mr. Marline injured his ankle." + +Inza looked at Paula quickly. + +"Mr. Marline?" she said. "I think Frank spoke of him. Who is he?" + +"He was to play full-back for Yale, but he sprained his ankle, and so he +could not play." + +"Do you know him?" + +"I have been introduced to him. Jack knows him very well. We met him +when we were South two years ago." + +"How do you know he sprained his ankle?" + +"Jack heard of it last night." + +"Then word must have been sent from New Haven. Did it come through a +traitor or a spy?" + +Paula flushed, and then said: + +"Through neither. Mr. Marline expected to see us after the game, and he +sent word that he could not very well, as he had sprained his ankle and +might not be able to come on. I saw him with the Yale boys, though. He +was on crutches." + +"I begin to understand Frank's position," thought Inza. "He was forced +into the game. Well, I have said I'd never speak to him again, and I +shall keep my word. I don't care if it breaks my heart! I know he thinks +more of his old college than he does of me." + +Jack Benjamin came home bruised in body and crushed in spirit. Paula met +him at the door, and drew him into the sitting-room, where Inza and Miss +Gale were. + +"It's too bad, Jack!" cried his sister, her sympathetic heart wrung by +the look of pain on his face. "I think it is just awfully mean that +Harvard didn't win!" + +"Harvard would have won if it hadn't been for that fellow, Frank +Merriwell!" growled Benjamin. "I said he'd hoodoo us, and I was right. +We can't down Yale at any game he is in. It's no use to try. Why, we +out-classed Yale all around to-day, and still he won the game for them. +That's what I call infernal luck!" + +Inza repressed her elation, but something like a grim smile came to Miss +Abigail's hard face. + +"If Marline hadn't hurt his ankle, we'd been all right," declared Jack, +as he sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, +looking down at the floor. "Rob is a good man, they say, but he could +not have done the things Merriwell did. Why, hang it!" he suddenly +cried, getting on his feet, sinking his hands deep in his pockets, and +stamping around the room, "that fellow actually carried Woodbury, +Stanton and Glim on his back for more than fifteen yards! They couldn't +pull or crush him down. I wouldn't believe it possible if I hadn't seen +it. He's a terror!" + +Inza's eyes sparkled. + +Paula followed Jack and took his arm. + +"I hate him!" she cried. "I saw him pull you down, the big, strong +ruffian!" + +"Yes," nodded Jack, "and a pretty tackle it was. He didn't pile upon me +like a wooden man, but his hands went down to my ankles and flipped me +in a second. If he'd bungled the least bit, I'd made a touchdown. Oh, he +is a terror!" + +"But I hate him!" persisted Paula. "I was so sure you would make a +touchdown. What right had he to grasp you that way and throw you so +hard?" + +"That's the game, sister mine. Any Yale man would have done it--if they +could." + +"I don't care! Why was he playing?" + +"That's right!" cried Jack, turning to Inza. "I thought he wasn't in the +game this season? I thought he gave you his promise not to play?" + +Inza flushed with shame and embarrassment. + +"He did," she confessed. + +Jack whistled. + +"And broke his promise--I see! It can't be that he thinks much of his +word." + +It seemed for an instant that Inza would defend him, but she did not. +For the first time Frank had broken a promise to her, and she felt it +keenly. She turned away. + +Miss Gale looked grim, but remained silent. She knew herself, and +realized she might say too much, if she spoke at all. + +It was an hour or so before Jack could cool down, so stirred up was he +by the result of the game. Finally, he went upstairs to take a bath. + +Before dinner there was a ring at the bell, and a servant brought in a +card, which she gave to Jack, who was enjoying his first smoke of weeks, +now that the game was over. + +"Hello!" he cried. "Rob Marline! I didn't expect him." + +"Rob Marline!" exclaimed Paula, in no little confusion. "Gracious! I +must be looking like a fright! Come up to my room with me, Inza, and see +that I am presentable." + +So the girls ran up to Paula's room, and Jack directed that Marline be +brought directly to the smoking-room. + +"I want to look my best when Mr. Marline comes," said Paula, when they +were in her boudoir. "I am sure my hair looks bad, and I must be a +perfect fright." + +Inza laughed. + +"It seems to me you are very particular about Mr. Marline." + +"I am," confessed Paula, busying herself before the mirror. "You know, +he is Jack's particular friend." + +"Oh, he's Jack's particular friend!" + +The manner in which Inza said that brought a warm flush to Paula's +cheeks, and she endeavored to hide her confusion, but in vain. + +"I've discovered your secret, dear!" cried Inza, with her arm about her +friend's waist. "Now I know why you take such an interest in Robert +Marline." + +"Nonsense! I like him, because--because----" + +"Just because you do." + +"No; because he is Jack's friend." + +"Now, don't try to deceive me, Paula!" cried Inza, holding up one +finger. "You can't do it. You would like Rob Marline just as much if +your brother was not in it." + +"Oh, it's no use to talk to you," fluttered Paula. "You are one of the +girls who will have your own way." + +"No, not always. I did not have my way to-day. Frank Merriwell played +football. But, Paula, I think I am beginning to understand more fully +just why you were so anxious Mr. Merriwell should not play on the Yale +eleven. He was Mr. Marline's natural rival for the position of +full-back. If Frank Merriwell played, Rob Marline could not. I'm sure I +am right. You did not tell me the entire truth, but I have found it +out." + +Paula was more than ever confused, but she could not deny Inza's charge. + +"If I told you that," she confessed, with sudden frankness, "I feared +you would not try to induce Mr. Merriwell not to play. Now, don't be +angry with me, Inza! I know it was Rob's--I mean Mr. Marline's ambition +to play full-back on the Yale team, and I wanted him to do so. That's +all. Perhaps I ought to have told you in the first place. Do forgive me, +dear!" + +It was not in Inza's heart to be unforgiving, and so the girls hugged +each other, kissed and assisted each other in getting ready to go down +and meet the visitor. + +They found Jack and Marline in the library. The Yale lad arose with +difficulty. His crutches were lying on the floor beside the chair on +which he sat. + +Paula blushed prettily as she shook hands with Marline, and then she +presented Inza. + +Thirty minutes later, while they were chatting, there was another ring +at the bell, and the servant brought a card to Inza. + +"Gentleman wishes to see you, miss." + +Inza looked at the card, turned pale, and then, her voice quivering a +bit, said: + +"Tell Mr. Merriwell I will not see him!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +A BLOW FOR FRANK. + + +"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed Miss Abigail, who entered the library just +in time to catch Inza's words. + +"Frank Merriwell has had the impudence to call here to see me--as soon +as this!" flared Inza, her face flaming. + +"Eh?" exclaimed Miss Abigail, once more. "Impudence?" + +"Yes--insolence! After he did not keep his promise to me!" + +Rob Marline was greatly interested, although he pretended not to notice +what was going on. + +"Oh, well, dear," said the spinster, "you must not blame him." + +"But I do!" + +"You do not know the circumstances." + +"I know he broke his promise, and I know I'll never speak to him again +as long as I live--never!" + +"You think so now, but----" + +"I shall think so always." + +"Don't be foolish, child! Mr. Merriwell is a splendid young man, and +you----" + +"I will not see him! That is all." + +Then Inza again instructed the servant to tell Mr. Merriwell that she +would not see him. + +"If you won't see him, I will," said Miss Abigail. "Is he in the parlor? +I'll go to him." + +"Now, aunt!" cried Inza, catching her arm, "you need not try to fix +anything up. He broke his promise to me, and I said I'd never speak to +him again. I meant it! He may just stay away, for I don't want to see +him. Tell him so for me." + +"All right, I will, but I'm going to tell him you're all fluttered, and +don't know what you're talking about." + +So Miss Gale went to see Frank in the parlor, while Inza remained in the +library. + +Paula was not hard-hearted, for all that she had declared she hated +Frank Merriwell, and, when she saw Inza was in earnest about not seeing +Frank, she drew her aside, and said: + +"Perhaps you had better see him. I don't want to be the cause of a +misunderstanding between you." + +"Don't let that worry you," said Inza, with affected lightness. "I don't +want anything to do with a fellow who cares so little for me that he +will break a pledge the way Mr. Merriwell did." + +"But--but he was loyal to his colors and his college." + +"Which shows he thinks more of his old college than he does of me. I +have said I'd never speak to him again, and you shall see that I can +keep my word." + +Paula was distressed, for she began to think herself responsible for the +misunderstanding between Frank and Inza. She knew Inza well enough, +however, to realize it was useless to attempt to reason with her when +her mind was set on anything. The more one tried to reason, the more set +she became. + +Rob Marline had taken in all that passed, although he pretended to be +interested in Jack Benjamin's talk about the football game. + +Marline felt elated, for he saw Merriwell had done something to turn +against him this pretty girl, who was Paula's friend. At first glance, +this Yale student from South Carolina had been strongly impressed by +Inza's appearance, and there was something about her spirit and her +manners that impressed him more and more. + +"If I could cut Merriwell out with her!" he thought. "Ah! that would be +a rich revenge! But Paula might object! Never mind; I've given Paula no +particular reason to think I am stuck on her. If she is stuck on me, +it's not my fault. There is no reason why I should not try to catch on +with Miss Burrage." + +He compared Inza and Paula, and he saw that the former was far the +handsomer girl. She had a strikingly attractive face with large dark +eyes, red lips and perfect teeth, while the color that came and went in +her cheeks told the tale of perfect health. He could see that she was +destined to become the kind of a young lady who always creates a +sensation when she enters a drawing-room and causes men to turn and look +after her on the street. + +The more Marline thought it over, the firmer became his determination to +do his best to win Inza from Frank Merriwell. He laughed to himself when +he thought what a revenge that would be upon the fellow he hated. + +"What are you laughing at?" cried Benjamin, somewhat offended. "I tell +you Harvard would have won in a walk if it hadn't been for that fellow +Merriwell." + +"Beg pardon," said Marline, quickly. "Did I laugh? Excuse me. Still, I +think you overestimate Merriwell." + +"Not a bit of it. He's the best man on the Yale eleven. Besides that, he +is one of the best baseball pitchers who ever twirled a ball. He has +done more for Yale sports and athletics than any one man ever did before +in the same length of time." + +"He had the opportunities to-day," said Marline. "That's how he happened +to do so much." + +"He made the opportunities," declared Benjamin. "What kind of an +opportunity was it when three of our men piled upon him and he carried +them more than fifteen yards? That was something wonderful!" + +"Don't speak so loud, Jack," cautioned Paula. "He is in the parlor, and +he might hear you." + +"Well, I'm sure I'm not saying anything that could offend him." + +"It might give him the swelled head," put in Marline. + +Inza turned on him like a flash. + +"It is evident you do not know him very well, Mr. Marline," she said, +severely. "Frank Merriwell never gets the swelled head." + +Marline was somewhat embarrassed, but, with the utmost suavity, he bowed +to her, smoothly saying: + +"It is possible I do not know him very well, as you say; but I am sure +almost any fellow might be in danger of getting a touch of swelled head +had he done the things Mr. Merriwell did to-day." + +He said this so gracefully that Inza's threatened anger was averted, and +she fell to chatting with him, much to his satisfaction. + +They were standing close together, talking earnestly, Marline supporting +himself by leaning on the back of a chair, when Frank left the parlor, +saying to Miss Gale that he must hasten to catch a train back to New +Haven. + +The library door opened into the hall, and Frank saw Inza chatting with +Rob Marline in a manner that seemed very friendly and familiar. The +sight gave him a start, and the hot blood rushed to his cheeks. + +Inza knew Frank had seen them, but she did not turn to look at him. She +began to laugh in her most bewitching manner, as if amused very much at +something Marline had said, and leaned a little nearer her companion. + +Frank seemed dazed. The sight of Rob Marline in that house chatting thus +with Inza seemed a revelation to him. All at once, he fancied he +understood the situation--fancied he knew why Inza had not wished him to +play on the Yale football team. + +"We shall be in New Haven the last of the week, Mr. Merriwell," said +Miss Abigail. "She'll get over it by that time, and we'll call. It's +nothing but a foolish whim." + +She spoke the words just loud enough for Frank to hear, but he did not +seem to understand. Like one in a dream, he took his cap from the rack +and turned toward the door. + +"Good-day, Mr. Merriwell," called the old maid. + +"Eh? Oh! Good-day!" + +Frank paused at the door and looked back; then he spoke, loudly enough +to be heard in the library: + +"I shall be pleased to see you at any time, Miss Gale, but, if you call +on me, perhaps it would be well not to bring a certain person with you. +It might be embarrassing and unpleasant. Good-day." + +Bounding down the steps, Frank walked swiftly away. There was a hard, +set look on his face, which had grown singularly pale. + +"Yes," he muttered, "I understand it all now. She would not tell me why +she did not wish me to play on the eleven, but I know now. Somewhere she +has met Rob Marline, and she is stuck on him. He wanted to play +full-back for Yale, and she aided him all she could by inducing me to +promise that I would not play. I see through the whole game! She was +playing me for a fool! I did not think that of her, but it is as clear +as crystal." + +And Marline had cut him out with Inza! He felt sure of that. + +"Well," he grated, "I have been easy with that fellow. Now we are +enemies to the bitter end! Let him look out for me!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY. + + +"What's the matter with Merriwell?" asked Lewis Little, speaking to a +group of jolly lads who were on the train that bore the Yale football +team out of Boston on its way to New Haven. "He's grouchy." + +"Is he?" cried Paul Pierson. "Well, he ought to be ashamed of himself! +Why, he's the hero of the day! All the papers will have his picture +to-morrow. I saw at least five persons snapping him with cameras on the +field. Grouchy, is he? Well, confound him! He has no right to get a +grouch on." + +"Not a bit of it!" cried Charlie Creighton. "What's the matter with him? +Where is he?" + +"He's sitting back in the end of the car, looking fierce enough to eat +anybody." + +Creighton, Pierson and several others sprang to their feet and looked +for Frank. They saw him. + +He was staring out of the window in a blank manner, although he did not +seem to notice anything the train passed. He was paying no attention to +the gang of shouting, singing, laughing students, who filled the smoker +and were perched on the backs of the seats and crowded into the aisles. + +"Hey, Merry!" shouted Creighton. "Shake it, old man--shake it! Come up +here! Get into the game!" + +Frank looked around, shook his head, and then looked out of the window +again. + +"Well, hang him!" growled Charlie. "Any one would think he had played +with Harvard, instead of winning the game for Yale! What can be the +matter with him?" + +No one seemed to know. Creighton went down and talked to Frank, but +could get no satisfaction out of him. + +As soon as he was let alone again, Merriwell fell to gazing out of the +window, seeming quite unaware of the shouts and songs of the jolly lads +in the car. + +When strangers crowded into the car to get a look at the man who had won +the game for Yale, having heard he was on the train, he still continued +to gaze out of the window, and it was not apparent that he heard any of +their remarks. + +"Tell you what," said Creighton, as he returned to Pierson and the +others of the little group, "Merriwell is sore." + +"Sore?" cried Tom Thornton, "he can't be any sorer than I am! Why, I was +jumped on, kicked, rammed into the earth, and annihilated more than +twenty times during that game. A little more of it would have made a +regular jellyfish out of me. I'll be sore for a month, but I believe in +being jolly at the same time." + +Then he broke forth into a song of victory, in which every one in that +car seemed to join, judging by the manner in which the chorus was roared +forth. + + "Boom-to-de-ay, boom-ta-de-ay, + Boom-to, de-boom-ta, de-boom-ta-de-ay; + We won to-day, we won to-day, + We won, oh, we won, oh, we won to-day." + +Any one who has not heard a great crowd of college lads singing this +chorus cannot conceive the volume of sound it seems to produce. When +they all "bear down together" on the "boom-ta," the explosive sound is +like a staggering blow from the shoulder. + +But even this song of victory did not seem to arouse Frank in the least. +He remained silent and grim, being so much unlike his usual self that +all who knew him were filled with astonishment. + +"I did not mean that he was sore of body," said Creighton. "I think he +is chewing an old rag." + +"What do you mean by that?" + +"Well, you know, we all gave him the marble heart when we thought he had +decided not to play football because he was afraid for certain reasons. +I think he is sore over that, and I don't know that I blame him. I +swear, fellows, we did use him shabby!" + +"That's it," nodded Pierson; "that's just it. And he is proud and +sensitive. He would not show he cared a continental before the game, +but, now he was the means of saving the day for Yale, I fancy he is +chewing over it a little." + +"Never thought of that," said Bink Stubbs. "Bet you're right, fellows. +We'll have to get down on our hulks to him to make it all right. I'm +ready to say I'm ashamed of myself, and ask him to forget it." + +The others expressed themselves as equally willing, and so it came about +that Frank was much surprised to have them come to him, one after +another, and confess they had used him shabbily. He was ready enough to +shake hands with them all, while he assured them he did not hold the +least hardness. + +They saw he was in earnest, they were satisfied he was willing and ready +to forget they had ever treated him with contempt, and yet he did not +cheer up, which was something they could not understand. + +"Better let him alone," advised Creighton, after a little. "It may be +something we don't know anything about, that he is chewing. Anyway, he's +not himself." + +Bruce Browning, big and lazy ever, was one of the group. He had been +keeping still, but now he observed: + +"That's right, let him alone. I've traveled with him, and I never saw +him this way before. I tell you he is dangerous, and somebody may get +hurt." + + "Keep away from the window, my love and my dove-- + Keep away from the window, don't you hear! + Come round some other night, + For there's gwine to be a fight, + And there'll be razzers a-flyn' through the air." + +Thus sang Bink Stubbs. + +"Look at Harris!" laughed Thornton, nudging the fellow nearest him. +"Don't he look sour? They say he got hit to-day." + +"Got hit?" + +"Yes." + +"What with?" + +"A roll." + +"A roll of what?" + +"Bank notes." + +"You mean he has been betting?" + +"Sure." + +"But you don't mean he bet on Harvard?" + +"I understand he put his last cent on Harvard, and went broke. He was +fortunate enough to have a return ticket to New Haven, so he didn't have +to borrow money to get back on." + +Harris was sitting in a seat, looking sulky and disgusted, fiercely +trying to chew the end of his short black mustache. His hat was pulled +over his eyes, and he did not seem to take much interest in what was +going on in the car. + +Stubbs and Creighton got a crowd together to jolly Harris, and they +descended on him in a body. + +"Hello, old man!" cried Charlie, gayly. "Is it straight that you won +three hundred on Yale to-day?" + +"I heard it was five hundred," chirped Bink Stubbs, "What a pull to +make! Congratulations, old man!" + +"You'll have to ball the crowd when we get to New Haven, Sport," said +Lewis Little. "You can afford to open fizz." + +Harris smiled in a sickly way, and tried to say something, but Paul +Pierson got him by the hand and gave him a shaking up that literally +took away his breath. + +"Good boy!" cried Paul. "I'm glad you stuck by old Eli! But did you have +the nerve to bet every cent you had that Yale would take that game? My, +my! You are a nervy fellow, Sport, old chap. You were the only man who +had all that confidence." + +"Sport never goes back on old Yale," laughed Little. "He knew the chance +of Yale's winning looked slim, but still he backed her up. That's what +makes him look so cheerful now." + +"You would have felt bad if you had bet your money on Harvard, now +wouldn't you?" cried Thornton. + +"Oh, yes, I certainly should," gasped Harris, who was suffering +tortures. + +"What a jolly time we'll have drinking fizz on you, old man!" exclaimed +Bink Stubbs. "I feel as if I might get away with about four quarts." + +"Oh, we'll make a hole in your winnings!" laughed Pierson. "I am so dry +this minute that my neck squeaks." + +"So are we all!" shouted the others. + +Harris could not repress a groan. He wondered if they were fooling with +him, but they seemed so much in earnest that he could not tell. Perhaps +they really thought he had won a big roll on Yale. He couldn't tell them +he had bet on Harvard. What could he do? + +He was forced to pretend that he was delighted, but over and over he +promised himself that he would give them the slip, even if he had to +leap from the train while it was running at full speed. Pay for fizz! +Why, he didn't have enough left to pay for a glass of plain beer! + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +REJOICING AT YALE. + + +Harris found his opportunity to slip away when the train drew into the +station at New Haven. + +A band of music was on hand to meet the returning conquerors. A wild mob +of screaming, cheering, horn-tooting students was there. + +It was evening, and the Yale lads had come down to the station with +torches, prepared to give the eleven such a reception as no other +football team had ever met. + +When the train drew into the station, the band was hammering away at a +blood-stirring tune. When the train stopped, the great crowd of young +men and boys presented a perfect sea of upturned faces beneath the +flaring light of the torches. Blue was everywhere. It was Yale's great +day, and all New Haven wore the color. + +The train stopped. Then there was a fierce swaying and surging of the +crowd, a flutter of flags, followed by a mighty cheer that was like a +savage yell of joy over the downfall of a defeated and slain enemy. + +How they shouted for Yale! How they swayed and surged! How like lunatics +they were! + +The sound of the band was drowned, and not a strain of music could be +heard. The musicians continued to play, but they might have saved their +breath. + +The crowd knew well enough that the eleven would be on the smoker. That +was the car in which the victors could disport themselves as hilariously +as they pleased. + +The smoker began to discharge its passengers. Paul Pierson was the first +to get off, and he was followed closely by a stream of Yale men. + +The general cheering had died down, but almost every man who stepped +from the train was greeted in some peculiar manner. + +"What's the matter with Yale?" howled a voice. + +Then a thousand throats seemed to roar back: + +"She's all right! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Yale!" + +Bruce Browning appeared. + +"Hey, Brownie!" cried some one on the platform. "How's your corns?" + +"Sore," answered the big fellow. "Strained 'em cheering for Yale." + +Bink Stubbs came forth riding astride Puss Parker's shoulders. Somewhere +on the train he had captured a silk hat that was much too large for him, +and it had dropped down over his head to his ears, which were lopped +forward by the weight of it. In the hatband was stuck the short staff of +a small flag. Bink had a horn, and he blew a hoarse blast the moment he +was outside the car. + +"Where'd you get that horn?" called a voice. + +"This horn's nothing," returned the little fellow. "I've had about +twenty horns besides this, and still my neck is dry." + +Four fellows came off the car, carrying a fifth. They held their caps in +their hands, and were as mournful and sad-appearing as possible. The one +who was carried had a big white placard on his breast. On the card were +these words: + +"I bet a dime on Harvard, and dropped dead after the game!" + +It was not an easy thing to carry him down the steps, but the +mournful-appearing bearers succeeded in doing the trick. + +Dismal Jones came forth from the car. He was holding a handkerchief to +his eyes and pretending to weep. + +This brought a shout of delight, and some one yelled back: + +"Weep for poor old Harvard. She needs it." + +Then Capt. Forrest of the eleven appeared. + +A mighty roar went up the moment he was seen. It was a great shout of +admiration and welcome. It brought a hot flush of satisfaction to his +cheeks, and he stood bowing and smiling on the platform. + +"What's the matter with Forrest?" shrieked a voice, when the noise +lulled somewhat. + +"He's a lulu!" shrieked another voice. + +"He's all right--he is!" roared the crowd. + +Then they cheered for him in the regular manner. + +Each player was received with an ovation as he came out of the car, and +they must have felt themselves well repaid for their weeks of hard +training and practice. + +Frank Merriwell was nearly the last one to show himself. The crowd had +been waiting for him. + +What a shout went up! The torches flared, and it seemed that the very +stars quivered with the volume of sound. + +"Merriwell! Merriwell! Merriwell!" roared the vast throng. + +Roar! roar! roar! It seemed that they would never stop. It was an +ovation that might have pleased a monarch. + +Frank would have been less than human had he not thrilled with +satisfaction as he heard them cheering him thus. He took off his cap and +bowed again and again. He tried to descend from the steps and mingle +with the throng, but some of them held him back. They seemed to want him +up there where they could look at him. + +It was some time before the cheering subsided. At last, somebody began +to shout: + +"Speech! speech! speech!" + +Frank shook his head, but it was useless. They were determined he should +say something. He saw he could not escape, so he held up one hand. + +Silence fell on the great crowd beneath the torchlights. + +Then Frank spoke--a single sentence: + +"Every man of us did his level best for dear old Yale!" + +That was enough. They went mad again, and again they roared till they +were hoarse. They cheered for Yale, they cheered for Forrest, they +cheered for Merriwell. Of everything for which they cheered, Merriwell +created the greatest enthusiasm. + +Then he was lifted from the steps and carried away on the shoulders of +his admirers, while the mob swarmed after him. + +The band got out and formed to head the parade of triumph. The crowd of +students fell in behind. The band struck up, and away they went, with +the Yale eleven close behind them. + +Great crowds had turned out to witness the spectacle, knowing the +students meant to give their victorious team a rousing reception. All +along the line the spectators cheered and waved hats, flags and +handkerchiefs. + +A committee had raised a fund for fireworks, and Roman candles began to +pop up balls of fire, while rockets went whizzing into the air from the +head of the procession. + +No one interfered with the rejoicing students. It was their night, and +the city fathers remained in the background and permitted them to have a +glorious time. + +Some of the business places were prepared for their appearance with +illuminated windows. All New Haven seemed delighted. + +This year every one had seemed to expect Harvard would "wipe up the +gridiron" with Yale, and this victory was so unexpected that it set the +people wild with delight. + +All along the line the students sang and cheered. Now and then the band +could be heard pounding away industriously. + +In this manner they marched to the college grounds. As they drew near +the college, Browning suddenly descended on the trombone player and +captured his horn. + +That was a signal for a general rush upon the band by the boys, and, +within three minutes, every instrument was in the hands of a Yale +student. + +Some of the boys could play on the instruments they captured, and some +could simply make a noise. + +"Attention!" roared Browning, who seemed to have awakened from the +lethargy that had been on him so long, and was once more a leader in a +genuine racket. "We will play the 'Star-Spangled Banner.' All ready! Let +her rip!" + +They played! Such a wild medley of sounds never was heard before. Puss +Parker had a cornet, and he was playing the air of the "Star Spangled +Banner," while Browning was putting in the variations with the trombone. +But the others played anything they could think of and some things they +could not think of! "John Brown's Body," "Yankee Doodle," "Marching +Through Georgia," "Suwanee River," and "Hail Columbia," were some of the +tunes that mingled in that medley. Those who could not play anything at +all added to the hideous din by making the captured horns bleat forth +horrible sounds. Bink Stubbs had secured the bass drumstick, and the way +he hammered the big drum was a caution. He did his best to break in the +head--and finally succeeded! + +In this manner the rejoicing students marched right in upon the campus, +regardless of policemen, professors, rules or regulations. + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +A CONTRAST IN ENEMIES. + + +It was a wild night on the Yale campus. Even the worst old "grind" in +the college came out and looked on while the hilarious students made +merry, even if he did not join in the riotous proceedings. + +A bonfire was built. Once there had been rules prohibiting such fires, +but of what use were rules now! Boxes, barrels, lumber, fencing, almost +anything that would make a blaze was brought in and heaped up there. It +was done in a rush in a manner that showed all preparations had been +made in advance, although the combustible material had not been piled up +till the time arrived when the fire was required. + +Around the great fire the students with the instruments belonging to the +band marched and tooted and sang. Bink Stubbs had knocked in one end of +the bass drum, but he continued to hammer away on the other end, +apparently doing his best to break that in also. Bruce Browning "tore +off" music and other sounds with the trombone, while Puss Parker +astounded those who knew him best by his skill with the cornet, for he +really could play at some tunes. + +About twenty fellows tied handkerchiefs over their faces, turned their +coats, and attempted to rush the band and capture the instruments. + +Then there was war, and the real owners of the instruments looked on in +horror, wondering what would become of the horns. + +The police were called upon to regain the instruments for the proper +owners. A dozen of them attempted to do the trick, but they were not +permitted to come onto the campus. + +There were rumors of a rush. It was reported that the freshmen were +coming out with canes. + +But the freshmen were not fools, and they knew it was a bad time to +bring about a cane rush. They mingled with the rejoicing crowd, but +sported no canes. + +Some of the band instruments were ruined in the struggle, but a cheap +band had been engaged, and the instruments were of poor grade, so the +boys did not mind their destruction, although all felt that somebody +would have to settle the bill for damages. + +Some one placed Danny Griswold on a box and yelled for a speech. Danny +never made a speech in his life, but he felt elated, and he started in +to say something. The moment he opened his mouth everybody cheered. When +they stopped cheering, Danny started again. + +"This is----" + +Not another word was heard. Again they cheered, drowning his voice. He +waited for them to stop. They stopped. + +"This is----" + +"'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Whooper up! whooper up! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah!" + +Danny waited again. Now he felt that he wanted to make a speech. He was +determined to make a speech. + +"This is----" + +He couldn't get beyond "is," and he was growing disgusted. He longed for +a fireman's hose and good head of water. + +As they began to cheer all at once, they stopped all together. + +Once more Danny tried it: + +"This is----" + +It was no use. The mere sound of his voice seemed to arouse them to the +wildest enthusiasm. He shook his fist at them. + +"Go to thunder!" he screamed, getting black in the face. + +But they laughed and cheered so he could not hear the sound of his own +voice. + +Some fellows found Frank and carried him around and around the fire. +They tried to induce him to get on the box in Danny's place, and say +something, but he was too shrewd to try that, even if he had wished to +do so. + +Sport Harris, holding aloof, his heart sour with disappointment and +disgust, saw a fellow swinging himself along on crutches, but refraining +from taking any part in the celebration. + +"It's Marline," thought Sport. "He must be somewhat sore himself." + +Then he approached and spoke to the unlucky student, who had lost the +opportunity to play full-back when he sprained his ankle. + +"Hello, Marline!" called Harris. "Why aren't you whooping her up with +the others?" + +Marline looked at him in doubt, and then remembered that Harris and +Merriwell had never been good friends. + +"Why should I celebrate?" he asked, sourly. + +"Yale won." + +"Yes, and I sat where I could see the fellow who filled my place secure +the opportunities to win, which must have been mine had I played." + +"It was hard luck for you to be knocked out in such a manner." + +"Hard luck! It was beastly! But it was worse luck to have that fellow, +Merriwell, run into the game and get all the opportunities to cover +himself with glory." + +"Well, he got 'em, and he improved 'em." + +"Any fellow fit for the position could have done the same thing." + +"Think so?" + +"I know it." + +"How about carrying three men on his back the way Merriwell did?" + +"That was nothing." + +"Everybody seems to think it was a great trick." + +"It was nothing, I tell you. Those Harvard chumps tackled him in the +most foolish manner possible. Not one of them tried to get low down on +him, but all piled upon his back." + +"Still, it seems that three of them ought to have crushed him into the +ground." + +"Not if he had any back at all. You could have stood up under it." + +"Thanks!" said Harris, dryly. "I don't care to try." + +"I know I could." + +"But Merriwell carried them right along on his back." + +"What of it?" + +"Wasn't that something? He scarcely seemed to slacken his speed in the +least, for all of their weight." + +"Rot! They came upon him from behind, and when they leaped on him they +hurled him forward still faster than he was going, if anything." + +"It's a wonder they didn't hurl him forward on his face." + +"Wonder--nothing! Are you stuck on that fellow?" + +"Well, I should say not! I have no reason to admire him." + +"Nor I! I despise him, and I am willing he should know it. Wait till my +ankle gets well." + +"What will you do then?" + +"I am making no talk about what I'll do," said Marline, lowering his +voice and hissing forth the words; "but Frank Merriwell had better steer +clear of me." + +"He is a bad man to have for an enemy," said Harris, "I know, for he is +my enemy." + +"How does he happen to be your enemy?" asked Marline. "You are not in +athletics. What made him your enemy?" + +Harris hesitated, and then said: + +"Some time ago he wrongfully accused me of cheating at cards. I have +hated him ever since." + +A sudden change came over Marline. He remembered now. He had heard +something about it at the time, but it had slipped his mind. He +remembered that he had heard from a reliable source that Merriwell had +exposed Harris in a crooked game. + +Involuntarily, Marline drew away from Harris. The lad from South +Carolina had very high ideas of honor, and he could feel nothing but +contempt for a card sharp. Sometimes he played cards himself, but he +would have died rather than do a crooked or dishonorable thing. A moment +before, he had seemed to feel a bond between himself and Sport, as they +were both enemies to Merriwell, but now there was a feeling of +repulsion. + +No matter what Rob Marline's faults might be, and he had many of them, +there was not a dishonest streak in him. + +Harris seemed to see the change come over the other, and regretted that +he had told the truth, for he knew Marline was "encumbered" by a fine +sense of honor. He tried to set himself right by fiercely declaring he +had been unjustly accused by Merriwell. + +"That's what makes me hate the fellow so," he said. "He has injured me +by leading some fellows to think I was crooked, and that is the worst +injury he could do anybody." + +"I agree with you on that point," nodded Marline. + +"Some time I'll square it up with him," grated Harris. "We both hate +him, and I see no reason why we shouldn't pull together." + +Marline hesitated a moment, then shook his head. + +"No," he said, "I'll not make a compact with any one against him. I hate +him, and I am willing he should know it. I'll meet him face to face and +man to man, and I'll make him crawl, or I'll fix him so he won't play +football for a long time to come!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. + + +The day after the great game the Boston and New York morning papers gave +columns to a full report of the contest. All the evening papers of the +day before had contained reports, but on the following morning the story +was told more fully and accurately. + +Not a morning paper appeared in either city that did not contain Frank +Merriwell's picture. It made little difference if some of the pictures +were poor, Frank's name was beneath each and every one of them. + +The papers gave him glaring headlines. He was called "The Yale Trojan," +"The Sensation of the Season," "The Boy of Iron," and many other +complimentary things. + +All Yale was reading the papers, and Frank was more than ever the topic +of conversation, for his fellow-students began to realize that he had +played an even more important part in the game than was at first thought +possible by those who had not witnessed it. + +If Frank had smoked or drank he would not have found it necessary to buy +a cigar or a drink for weeks to come. Scores of fellows would have +considered it a great honor to buy smokes and drinks for him. + +But Merriwell neither smoked nor drank. He had never indulged in tobacco +or liquor. Who knows how much that was responsible for his wonderful +strength, nerve and wind? + +At the fence a group gathered early and read and discussed the newspaper +reports. Rob Marline seemed to be the only man who did not have a paper. + +"What's the matter with you, old man?" asked Tom Thornton. "You are +looking as blue as if we had lost yesterday." + +"I'm feeling grouchy," confessed Marline. + +"Ankle?" + +"Has something to do with it." + +"Too bad! It was tough to be knocked out just before the game, but you +can feel satisfied that your place was filled by a good man." + +Marline seemed to turn yellow. + +"That is it, sah--that's just it!" he exclaimed, "Look at all the stuff +in the papers about him! And I might have had the opportunities he had +if I had played." + +"Perhaps not." + +"Why not?" + +"The change might have made considerable difference in the play. You +know as well as I, no two men will play just the same under the same +circumstances. They may attempt similar plays, but they do not carry +them out in precisely the same manner." + +"I don't like the way you use that word 'attempt,' sah!" said Marline, +flaming up a bit. "It seems like an insinuation that I might have failed +in the attempt, while Merriwell succeeded." + +"You are altogether too suspicious and sensitive, Marline. I did not +hint anything of the sort, although even you cannot be sure you would +have succeeded as well as Merriwell. Indeed, what he did in that game +was phenomenal." + +"Rot, sah!" + +"I believe you are jealous of him, Marline. If you are, take my advice, +and conceal it, or the boys will jolly you to death." + +Rob Marline drew himself up with as much haughtiness as possible, +considering his lame ankle. + +"Sah," he said, hissing the words through his white teeth, "the boys had +better be careful. I am in no condition to be jollied on that point, +sah." + +Had any other fellow at Yale taken such a stand, it would have produced +shouts of laughter. As it was, not a fellow of the group grinned, and +Burn Putnam observed: + +"If you don't want to be jollied, you'd better keep still about +Merriwell. All the fellows will be onto you if you keep it up." + +Rob flashed Old Put a cutting look, and then haughtily returned: + +"My tongue is my own, sah!" + +"All right," grunted Burn. "Use it as you please. You'll find I've given +you a straight tip." + +"I presume, sah, a man has a right to criticise the playing of any +fellow on the eleven?" + +"Sure; but it doesn't come very well from you, as you and Merriwell were +rivals." + +"We were not rivals, if you please. He was substituted to fill my place +after I was injured. But for this ankle, he would not have been on the +team." + +"But that he refused to play football this season, you would not have +been on the team," put in Bandy Robinson. + +"Oh, I see all you fellows are standing up for him and are down on me!" +fiercely cried Marline. "I don't care if you are. I think Frank +Merriwell is----" + +"Is what, sir?" + +It was Merriwell himself, who had approached the group without being +noticed by any of them. He now stepped forward promptly and faced +Marline. + +Rob turned pale, and his eyes gleamed. For some moments he did not +speak, but he did not quail in the least before Merriwell's steady gaze. + +At last, gaining control of his voice, he sneered: + +"So you were listening. Well, there is an old saying that eavesdroppers +seldom hear good of themselves." + +"So you call me an eavesdropper?" + +"You heard what was not meant for your ears." + +"Because I happened to be coming here to join this party. You were +talking loudly and in public. There was no reason why I should not have +heard, and I did so in anything but a sneaking manner. Your insinuation +that I eavesdropped is an insult." + +"What are you going to do about it, sah?" + +"Demand satisfaction!" shouted back Frank, who was aroused to such a +pitch that he was ready to quarrel with his rival on the slightest +provocation. + +Marline grinned sarcastically. + +"Very well, sah," he said, something like exultation in his voice. "I am +ready to give you all the satisfaction you want, sah, as soon as my +ankle will permit." + +"You will fight me?" + +"With pleasure, sah." + +"All right; it's settled. I'll agree to give you a pair of nice black +eyes." + +"No, you won't, sah." + +"Eh? You won't be able to stop me." + +"Only ruffians and prize fighters use their fists." + +"Eh? What do you mean?" + +"I mean business, sah!" shot back the boy from South Carolina, drawing +himself up, with the aid of his crutch. "You have seen fit, Mr. +Merriwell, to consider yourself insulted by me, and you have demanded +satisfaction. You shall have it, sah--all you want! We will fight, but +not with our fists. I am the challenged party, and I name swords as the +weapons!" + +Marline's words produced a sensation. Of all who heard them, Frank +Merriwell seemed the least startled or surprised. Danny Griswold near +fell off the fence. All the boys looked at each other, and then stared +at the boy from South Carolina, as if seeking to discover if he could be +in earnest. + +He was in deadly earnest; there could be no doubt of it. His face was +pale, and his eyes gleamed. The fighting blood of the Marlines was +aroused. + +Then the other lads of the group remembered the record made by the +Marlines, the famous fighters of South Carolina. They remembered that +Rob Marline's ancestors were duelists before him, and every one of them +on record had killed his man! + +With such an example in his own family, and with certain notions of the +proper course for a man to defend his honor, it was certain Marline +meant business when he named swords as the weapons. + +But such a meeting could not take place. It was unlawful. Besides that, +dueling was not popular in the North, and it was not believed that a man +showed cowardice if he refused to consider the challenge of an enemy. + +What would Merriwell do? He could not accept Marline's proposal, and +still it would not be easy for him to back down, after demanding +satisfaction. He was in a trying position, and the boys wondered how he +would get out of it. + +"Mr. Marline," said Frank, and his voice was perfectly calm and cool, +"you must be aware that such a thing as you propose is utterly +impossible." + +"I am not aware of anything of the sort, sah." + +"Then I will tell you so now." + +"That means you are afraid--you dare not meet me face to face and man to +man! You show the white feather!" + +"It means nothing of the sort." + +"You can't get out of it, sah." + +"I am a Northerner, and I do not believe in personal encounters with +deadly weapons, after the rules of the code duello." + +"A Northerner!" flung back Marline, with a curl of his lips and a proud +toss of his head. "Well, I am a Southerner, and we do believe in the +code duello. It is the only way for a man to satisfy his honor." + +"It is evident that is a point on which we cannot agree." + +"Then, you are going to back down--you will play the coward?" + +"You are making your language very strong and offensive. Will you be +good enough to remember you are on crutches, which makes it impossible +for me to strike you now?" + +"No man ever struck a Marline without spilling his blood for the blow! +It is a good thing for you, sah, that I am on crutches." + +"If you were not crippled, you could not use the language you have +within the past few moments, without getting my fist between the eyes." + +Marline sucked in his breath with a hissing sound through his teeth. + +"Never mind my condition, sah--hit me! Nothing would give me greater +satisfaction, sah!" + +"It is impossible. You will not be crippled long." + +"I shall recover as swiftly as possible. You may be sure of that, sah!" + +"There will be time enough to settle this little affair between us +then." + +"But the preliminaries can be arranged in advance, Mr. Merriwell. My +representative will call on any friend you may name, sah." + +It was plain enough to all that Marline intended to force a duel or +compel Merriwell to back down squarely. + +"If I decline to name a friend--if I decline to meet you in a regular +duel----" + +"I shall brand you as a pusillanimous cur, sah!" + +Frank's face paled a bit, but still his eyes met Marline's steadily. + +"You seem to forget you are not in the South," he calmly said. "If you +were on your own soil, you might be justified in pushing this thing as +you are, for that is the not entirely obsolete custom among Southern +gentlemen. But you are in the North, where duelists are criminals who +have not even the sympathy of the public in general. Under such +circumstances, you have no right to try to force such an encounter with +me." + +"You demanded satisfaction, sah, and I named the weapons. I know nothing +of your Northern ideas, and I care less. I do know that a man of honor +in your position would name a representative and have this affair +settled properly." + +"You have raised a point of honor on which we cannot agree, that is +all." + +"Then you refuse to meet me? You take water? Ha! ha! ha! I swear I did +think you were a coward all along! A short time ago all Yale said you +were a coward, but now, because you made two or three lucky plays in the +football game, all Yale is praising you to the skies. Well, sah, I will +show them the kind of a man you are! I will show them that you +challenged me, and then dared not meet me. I will brand you as the +coward you are, sah! It will give me great satisfaction, I assure you." + +"Look here, Marline," broke in Burn Putnam, "you are carrying this thing +beyond the limit. Merriwell has explained to you his position and made +it clear that such a meeting as you propose is utterly impossible." + +"That's right, that's right!" chorused the others. + +"Mr. Merriwell knew me at the beginning," said the boy from the South, +unrelentingly. "He knew I did not take any stock in fist-fighting--that +I made no pretensions of being what you call a scrapper. Yet he demanded +satisfaction of me for what he chose to consider an insult. That gave me +the chance to name the weapons, and I named them. It seems that he +sought to take an unfair advantage of me, thinking to force me into a +fist-fight, about which he knew I knew nothing, and, having the +advantage of me thus, give me a drubbing. It was a brutal attempt to +take advantage of me, but he was check-mated. Now, under the +circumstances, I have a right to push this matter as far as possible, +and I will do it! He'll meet me in a regular duel, or I will take great +trouble to brand him as a craven." + +"You'll get yourself into a very bad scrape, Marline," said Thornton. +"Sympathy will not be with you." + +"Bah! What do I care! I can stand alone! I am a Marline!" + +"Besides that," continued Tom, "there is another point to be +considered." + +Rob made a gesture of disdain, but Thornton hastened on: + +"Suppose you two would fight a duel and one of you should be seriously +wounded, what then? Why, an investigation would follow, and the truth +would come out That would mean expulsion for you both--it would mean +disgrace." + +"Bah!" cried Marline, once more. "I presumed I was dealing with a man of +honor, and that every person here was a man of honor. In such a case, if +one of us should be wounded, he would keep his lips closed, even if he +were dying. Not a word of the truth would he disclose, and no amount of +investigation would discover the truth. The victor would be safe." + +"That is much easier to talk about than it would be to put in practice. +I, for one, am against anything of the sort." + +"You do not count, sah." + +"Don't, eh? Well, we'll see about that! Frank Merriwell can't meet you, +and that settles it. If you try to force him, I'll report the whole +matter to the faculty, and the chances are about ten to one that you +will be fired from college. There, Mr. Marline, you have it straight +from the shoulder, and I trust you are satisfied." + +Thornton was astonished with himself for taking such a stand, as he was, +as a rule, a good follower, but no leader. He had a way of thinking of +things after others put them into execution, but now he was the one to +take the lead. + +Marline made a gesture of scorn. + +"Yes, sah, I am satisfied," he said; "I am satisfied that Mr. Merriwell +is a coward. He was looking for a loophole to crawl through, and you +have provided him with that loophole. He should feel very grateful to +you, sah!" + +"Marline," said Frank, sharply, "you can make a mistake by heaping this +on too thick! I can't stand everything, and you'd better drop it." + +"Yes, drop it, Marline!" cried some of the others. + +"Oh, I'll drop it for the present," said Rob, with deep +significance--"for the present, you understand. But I am not done with +Mr. Merriwell. My ankle will be all right in a short time, and then----" + +He paused, giving Frank a stare of hatred. Then, without another word, +he turned and swung himself away, aided by his crutches. + +All felt sure that the affair was not ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION. + + +"Great Scott!" gurgled Old Put, staring after Marline. "But he is a +regular fire eater!" + +"He's a bad man--a blamed bad man!" fluttered Danny Griswold. + +"That's right," nodded Lewis Little. "He really wants to fight with +swords, I believe." + +"Of course, he does," nodded Andy Emery, who had not said a word during +all the talk between Merriwell and Marline. "Jack Diamond was another +fellow just like him when he first came to Yale." + +"So he was," said Putnam. "And it seems to me I have heard that +Merriwell met him." + +Frank smiled a bit. + +"We had a little go," he said. "He put up a fierce fight, too, for a +fellow that knew nothing about the science." + +"Oh, everybody knows about that!" said Put. "It was the other affair I +was speaking of. Didn't he force you into a duel with swords?" + +"That affair was not very serious," said Frank, evasively. + +"But I know it took place. He was a fire eater, and he had just such +ideas of honor as Marline holds. Thought it a disgrace to fight with +fists, and all that. You couldn't get out of meeting him in a regular +duel, and you did so. I've heard the fellows talking it over. Let's see, +who got the best of it?" + +"It was interrupted before the end," said Frank. "The sophs came down on +us, and we thought them the faculty. Everybody took to his heels." + +"And Diamond would have been captured if it hadn't been for Merriwell, +who stayed behind to help him out," put in Thornton. "The duel was never +finished." + +"Don't try it again, Merry," cried Danny Griswold. "The next one +wouldn't come out as well as that." + +"But what am I going to do?" asked Frank. "This fellow Marline will not +let up on me." + +"Don't pay any attention to him," advised Little. + +"That's right, ignore him," said the others. + +"That will be a hard thing to do. I am no bully, as you all know, but I +cannot ignore a man who tries to ride me." + +"Better do that than get into a fight with deadly weapons, and be +killed," said Put. + +"Or kill him," added Griswold. + +"Never mind if he does try to brand you as a coward," advised Emery. "He +can't make the brand stick. You are known too well here." + +Frank flushed a bit. + +"I don't know about that," he asserted. "It was only a few days ago that +almost everybody here seemed to think me a coward because I declined to +play football. They would be thinking so now if I had not played through +absolute necessity." + +"But what you did in that game has settled it so no man can call you a +coward hereafter, and have his words carry any weight," said Putnam. "I +believe you can afford to ignore Rob Marline. He is sore now because he +was unable to play in the game, and because you put up such a game. +He'll get over that after a time, and it's quite likely he'll be ashamed +of himself for making such a fuss. He's not much good, anyway." + +"Right there is where I think you make a big mistake," said Frank. +"Marline has been underestimated by many persons. He has sand, and +plenty of it. He is not responsible for his peculiar notions as to the +proper manner for a man to settle an affair of honor, for he was born +and brought up where such settlements are generally made with pistols." + +"Well, you can't fight him in the manner he has named, and that's all +there is to it. Nobody will blame you for not meeting him. Let him go it +till he cools off." + +"Perhaps he will be cool by the time his ankle gets well," said +Griswold. + +Others came along and joined the crowd, and the talk turned to football. +Everybody seemed to want to shake hands with Frank, and his arm was +worked up and down till it ached. He was congratulated on every hand. + +Sport Harris stood at a distance and saw all this, while his face wore a +sour, hateful sneer. + +"It makes me sick to see them slobbering over him!" he muttered. "He'll +swell up and burst with conceit now. Hang him! He beat me out of my last +dollar yesterday, and now I'll have to take some of my clothes down to +'uncle' and raise the wind on them. Ain't got even enough for a beer +this morning, and my account is full at Morey's. This is what I call +hard luck! Wonder how Harlow feels this morning?" + +Rolf Harlow had formerly been a Harvard man, and he was an inveterate +gambler. Through him Harris had placed all his money on the Harvard +eleven. Sport had tipped Harlow to the condition of the team, and the +apparent fact that Harvard was sure to win, on which tip Rolf had +hastened to stake everything on the Cambridge boys. At the close of the +game Harris got away from Harlow as quickly as possible, finding him +anything but agreeable as a companion. + +Harris knew Marline hated Merriwell, and he felt sure the boy from the +South had nerve and courage, but, to his wonderment and disgust, Rob +would not enter into any sort of a compact against Frank. + +"Together, we might be able to do up Merriwell," thought Harris. "The +only man I ever, found who had the nerve to stick by me against +Merriwell was Hartwicke, and he was forced to leave college. I'll get +the best of the fellow some day." + +Later on, Sport heard something of the encounter between Merriwell and +Marline that morning. He listened eagerly to this, and he was seized by +a few thoughts. + +What did he care about Marline? If Merriwell could be led into a genuine +duel with the lad from South Carolina, it might result in the expulsion +of both from Yale, either if neither should be seriously injured. + +If Merriwell should be injured, all the better. If he wounded Marline, +the whole story might come out on investigation, and that would put him +in a bad box. + +Anyway, a duel between the two might bring about Merriwell's downfall. + +Harris set about stirring the matter up. He reported that Marline had +driven Merriwell "into his boots." There were a few fellows who "took +some stock" in Sport, and through them he worked to spread the story. + +Harris was industrious, and before another night all sorts of tales +concerning the encounter between the rivals were in circulation. + +Harry Rattleton, Frank's old-time chum, heard some of the reports, and +he lost no time in telling Frank just what was being said. Merriwell +smiled grimly, and said nothing. + +"What are you going to do about it?" asked Harry, excitedly. + +"Nothing," said Frank. + +"What's that?" shouted Rattleton. "If you don't do anything, lots of the +fellows will think the stories are true." + +"Let them." + +"I wouldn't stand it! I'd hunch somebody's ped--I mean, punch somebody's +head." + +"The fellows who heard it all know if Marline drove me into my boots." + +"All right!" said Rattleton. "If you don't do anything about it, I +shall. I'm going to find out who started the yarns, and then I'm going +to punch him!" + +And Rattleton went forth in search of some one to punch. + +And he was not the only one, as we shall see. + +Within three days Marline was able to get around, with the aid of a +cane. His ankle was improving swiftly, and he expected it would be +nearly as well as ever in less than a week. + +Marline had a following. There were some rattle-brained young fellows in +the college who looked on him with admiration, as it was known he came +from a fighting family, and was just as ready to face a foe on "the +field of honor" as any of his ancestors had been before him. + +Marline considered himself a "careful drinker," for he took about a +certain number of drinks each day, seldom allowing himself to indulge in +more than his allowance. + +He always took whiskey. Beer and ale he called "slops." Such stuff was +well enough to boys and Dutchmen, but "whiskey was the stuff for a man." + +Rob did not know he was forming one of the worst habits a man can +acquire--that of "drinking moderately." The moderate drinker becomes the +steady drinker, and, in time, he gets his system into such a condition +that he cannot get along without his regular allowance of "stuff." The +moment he tries to cut down that allowance, he feels miserable and "out +of sorts." Then he "throws in" a lot of it to brace up on. Perhaps it is +some time before he realizes what a hold drink has on him, and, when he +does realize it, in almost every case it is too late to break off the +habit. Gradually he increases his "allowance," and thus the moderate +drinker becomes a slave to liquor, and a drunkard. + +The only "safe way" to handle liquor is not to handle it at all. + +Marline had a father with plenty of money, and he was provided with more +than a liberal allowance while at college. He had money to spend, and +now, knowing the value of popularity, he began to spend it with unusual +liberality. As a result, there was a crowd of fellows who clung to him +closely in order to get as many drinks as possible out of him. + +Although Frank did not drink, he often went around with fellows who did. +He had a strong mind, and it was not difficult for him to resist +temptation. + +Thus it came about that Merriwell and Marline sometimes saw each other +in Morey's or Treager's, two well-known students' resorts. At first, +they seemed to avoid each other. Then Marline got the idea that +Merriwell was afraid of him, and he took to flinging out scornful +insinuations and staring at Frank contemptuously. + +It was difficult for Merriwell to restrain his passions, for never had +he known a fellow who could anger him like Marline, but he held onto +himself with a close hand. + +Jack Diamond heard of the affair between Frank and the boy from South +Carolina. Although Jack was from the South, he knew Merriwell as well as +anybody at Yale, and his knowledge told him Frank was in the right. + +It galled Diamond to think that anybody could sneer at Merriwell, and +not be called to account. He did not say much at first, but, after a +time, he began to feel that he had stood it about as long as possible. + +"Look here, Merry!" he exclaimed, as he stalked into Merriwell's room +one evening; "how long are you going to stand this?" + +Frank had been studying, but he flung down his book immediately. + +"Stand what?" he asked, smiling. + +"Why, the insolence of this fellow from South Carolina. I heard him in +Morey's last evening when he made that sneering remark about you, and it +has been galling me all day. I expected you would jump him on the spot, +but you never moved an eyelash." + +"What did you think I'd do?" + +"Punch him, confound it!" + +"How can I?" + +"How can you? With your fist, of course." + +"But I can't do it, you know. He has acknowledged publicly that he is no +fighter with his fists, and I'd seem like a bully if I hit him." + +"Oh, rot!" exploded Jack. "Think I'd let any fellow insult me and then +rub it in without giving him a thump on the jaw? Not much!" + +"Your ideas on that point seem to have changed since you came to Yale. +You will remember you did not believe in fighting with fists when you +came here." + +"That's right," nodded Jack. "I thought gentlemen never fought in such a +manner, but I have found out that even gentlemen are occasionally forced +to do so." + +"Marline holds just the same ideas as you held. I demanded satisfaction +of him, and he said he'd give it to me, with swords." + +"He's a chump! What he really needs is a good drubbing, and you ought to +give it to him." + +"And be called a bully. They would say it was a cowardly thing to do. +Really, Jack, I'm in a confounded nasty place!" + +"I believe you are," admitted Diamond, slowly. "But you must do +something." + +"Suggest something." + +"Fight him with the weapons he named!" cried the Virginian, hotly. "You +can do it, and I know you can get the best of him. I haven't forgotten +our little duel. Not much! Why, Merriwell, you disarmed me twice! You +can do the same trick with him." + +"Perhaps not." + +"I know you can. If you disarm him twice, you can call him a bungler, +and refuse to continue the duel. Do it, Merry!" excitedly urged Jack. +"I'll stand by you--I'll be your second." + +"Thank you, old man; but aren't you afraid of getting into serious +trouble? If the faculty----" + +"Hang the faculty! We'll have to take chances. You can't stand his +insults, Merry, and you'll have to fight him with the weapons he has +named. That's the only thing you can do." + +"You may be right," said Frank, slowly. "I am getting sick of the way +the thing is going, but I don't want to make a fool of myself." + +"You won't; but you'll make a monkey of Rob Marline, and I'll bet on it. +Why, Merry, you are wonderfully clever with the foils, and you have +nerves of iron." + +"Still, there might be a slip, you know." + +"Are you afraid he'll do you up?" + +"Not that," said Frank, "although I know he might. I'll tell you the +truth. I hate Marline, and I might do him up. A sword is a nasty weapon. +What if I should run him through?" + +"I never saw the time yet when you were not your own master. I don't +think there is any danger that you will kill Marline, but you pink him, +just so he would remember you. He wouldn't blow. He's from the South. He +wouldn't blow if you pinked him for keeps." + +"I think you are right about that. Well, Jack, there's no telling what I +may be driven into. If I have to meet him in a duel, I shall call on you +to act as my second." + +"You may depend on me. I'll serve you with great satisfaction. Call him +out, Merry--call him out!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +STUDENTS' RACKETS. + + +Inza Burrage came back to New Haven with Miss Gale. Frank discovered she +was there by seeing her on the street. He started to join her and speak, +but she entered a store, and he lost her. + +That evening he started out to call on her, resolved to have a talk with +her and come to a complete understanding, if she would see him. + +He knew where Miss Gale was stopping, and he made his way to the house +by a roundabout course, thinking over what he would say in case Inza +consented to see him. + +As he approached the house he saw some one ascending the steps. The +person going up the steps carried a cane. + +Frank halted abruptly. + +"Marline!" he whispered. + +It was his rival. + +Rob rang the bell and was admitted to the house. + +Frank turned about and walked swiftly away. + +"That settles it!" he grated. "I don't want to see her now, for I am +sure she was playing double with me. She is stuck on Rob Marline. It's +all right! it's all right! I'll have to take Diamond's advice. Marline +shall have all the satisfaction he desires." + +On his way back to his room he met Browning, Diamond, Rattleton and +several other fellows, who were starting out for a jolly time. They were +singing, "Here's to Good Old Yale," and he immediately joined in with +them, his beautiful baritone adding to the melody which floated out on +the crisp evening air. + +"Hurrah!" cried Rattleton. "It's Merry! Come on, old man, and we'll have +some sport." + +To the surprise of all, Merriwell joined them, without asking where they +were going. He seemed ready enough for any kind of sport, and his +laughter rang the loudest and merriest of them all. He was overflowing +with jokes and witty sayings, so that the boys began to say to each +other that he was like the Frank Merriwell of old. + +They made the rounds of the "places." Nearly all of them drank beer, +but, although Frank seemed in a reckless mood, not a drop of beer or +liquor touched his lips. He seemed to enjoy the sport as much as any of +them, and still he remained sober. + +In fact, Frank was a leader in wild pranks that night. Before the +evening was over, the boys got two policemen after them, and were forced +to run to escape arrest. + +Rattleton was somewhat slower than the others in starting, and he soon +found one of the policemen was close upon him. + +"Stop!" cried the officer. + +"Go to thunder!" flung back Harry. + +"Stop, I tell yer!" + +"Save your wind! You can't catch me in a thousand years." + +"Can't?" + +Whiz--something flew through the air. It struck Harry between the +shoulders, knocking him forward on his hands and knees. + +Then the officer pounced upon him, picking up his stick, which he had +flung at the boy. + +"Oh, I've got yer!" grated the policeman. "I'll teach yer to be tearin' +down an' shiftin' round people's signs! I saw yer when yer pulled down +the sign in front of the Chinese laundry, and the charge'll be larceny. +We're goin' to fix some of you frisky students." + +The police had been sore ever since their ineffectual attempt to get +upon the campus and arrest the students who were parading with the horns +captured from the band. Word had gone the rounds among the students that +the "cops" were watching for an opportunity to retaliate. Evidently this +policeman fancied his opportunity had come. + +Larceny! Harry realized the full meaning of the charge, and he knew it +would go hard with him if he were convicted. Thoughts of making a +desperate effort to slip out of his coat, and leave it in the officer's +clutch, flashed through his head; but the blow of the club had knocked +the wind out of him, and, just then, he did not have the strength to +make the effort. + +Where were the others? Had they all escaped? Had they abandoned him? + +"Git up!" ordered the policeman, releasing his grip on Harry a bit, in +order to change his hold. + +Swish! thump! bump! + +A dark body came out of the shadows and struck the policeman with the +force of a catapult. + +The officer was hurled through the air, his hold on Harry being broken. +He struck the stone paving heavily. + +A hand fastened on Rattleton's collar, a strong arm jerked him to his +feet, a familiar voice hissed in his ear: + +"Run!" + +It was Merriwell! Harry's heart leaped as he realized that. Frank had +not deserted him. Frank never deserted a friend. + +Rattleton was somewhat dazed, but Merriwell's hand directed him, and +away they sped. They heard the policeman behind them, heard him shout +breathlessly for them to stop, but they had no thought of obeying. + +Into a narrow space between two buildings plunged Frank, telling Harry +to follow. Merriwell came to a gate, but he seemed to see it, for all of +the intense darkness. + +"Over here!" he called to Harry. + +They heard the policeman plunge in behind them. Over the gate they +scrambled, not daring to pause long enough to find the way it was +fastened. Out into a back yard they dashed, hearing the officer run into +the gate and grunt as he was flung backward. + +There was a high fence around the yard, and it seemed that they might be +in a trap. + +Frank felt for a clothesline and found it. He seemed to see in the dark. + +"Over the fence, Harry--over the fence!" he whispered. + +"Come on!" + +"In a moment." + +"What are you doing?" + +"Lowering this line, so it will just catch Mr. Officer under the chin. +Get over the fence." + +Rattleton obeyed. He found a place where he could scramble to the top of +the fence, and there he sat, calling to Frank: + +"Come on--hurry!" + +The policeman came out into the yard. It seemed that Merriwell had been +waiting for him. Frank started to run, and the officer started after +him. + +"I have yer now!" grated the policeman. + +Frank led him directly toward the clothesline. Just before the line was +reached, Frank seemed to stumble and nearly fall. He did it in order to +duck under the line. + +A triumphant exclamation broke from the officer. It was cut short by +another sort of exclamation. + +The clothesline caught him under the chin. It snapped his head backward +and his heels forward. He went down flat on his back with a terrible +thump, and there he lay. + +With a triumphant laugh, Frank shinned up the fence and perched on the +top beside Rattleton. + +The officer was sitting up. He had seen more stars and fireworks than it +had ever been his fortune to behold before. + +"Ta, ta, old chappie!" tauntingly called Merriwell. "We'll see you some +other evening." + +"Stop--stop right where you are!" ordered the policeman, in a bewildered +way, looking around for the speaker. "You can't get away. It's no use +for you to try." + +"You're twisted, old man," laughed Frank. "Good-night, and pleasant +dreams! We certainly had you on a string to-night. Ha! ha! ha!" + +Then the boys dropped down from the fence into the next yard, made their +way to the street, and hastened toward Morey's. + +"Christopher? what a racket!" laughed Rattleton. "Why, I haven't been in +anything like this since I was a freshman." + +"It's good for a fellow once in a while," said Frank. "It stirs up his +blood." + +"But I was in a hard place when you came to my rescue, Merry. The cop +had me pinched, and he said the charge would be larceny. I thought I was +in for it." + +"I wasn't going to leave anybody to be locked up." + +"You never do, Merry; you always stick. It does me good to see you out +on a time like this, for you have not been like yourself in weeks. Now +you seem like the old Frank Merriwell." + +They reached Morey's safely. Entering, they discovered nearly all the +others of their party there ahead of them. + +And Rob Marline was there, drinking whiskey. + +As soon as Frank and Harry appeared, the others of the party surrounded +them, asking about their adventures. + +Bruce Browning was wiping the perspiration from his flushed face, while +he growled: + +"Haven't done anything like that for a long time. It was awful! Wouldn't +done it then if it hadn't been to escape arrest. Cæsar's ghost! think of +being arrested." + +"I was arrested!" said Rattleton. + +"What?" cried the others. "Come again!" + +"A cop pinched me." + +"No? How did you get away?" + +"Merriwell came to my rescue. He didn't desert me, if the rest of you +did. He saw the cop nail me, and he sent his buttons flying by running +into him. That gave me a chance to skip. I tell you, it took nerve to +tackle a cop like that." + +Rob Marline laughed sarcastically, but did not say anything. Rattleton +flushed with anger, but Merriwell did not seem to notice it. + +Harry went on with his story, telling of their adventures, and the party +shouted with laughter when he related the clothesline incident. + +The fellows were gathering about Merriwell, and Marline found that he +was being deserted, which added to his bitterness. He saw the boys +listening to the story of Merriwell's attack on the officer and the +trick with the clothesline, and the soul of the boy from the South was +filled with bitterness. + +"He's cutting ice with the gang again," thought Marline. "That must be +stopped." + +But how could he stop it? He thought of calling to those who had been +with him before Merriwell came in, and asking them to have another +drink. Then it seemed that he would humiliate himself by doing so, for +he would cause everybody to notice how he had been abandoned. So he +ordered another drink for himself, and drank it sullenly. + +Every time the boys laughed Marline grated his teeth. Things had not +gone right with him that night, and he was in an ugly mood. He had +called to see Inza Burrage, and had attempted to make himself "solid" +with her. In the course of his conversation he had made some disparaging +remark about Frank Merriwell. + +That remark was like a spark of fire in a keg of powder. In a moment +Inza flared up and exploded. She told him Frank Merriwell was a +gentleman. She told him Frank Merriwell was too much of a man of honor +to malign an enemy behind his back. She showed deep scorn and contempt, +and Marline left the house crestfallen and raging with anger. + +He had been touched on a tender spot. To have any one insinuate that +Frank Merriwell was more honorable than he, was like stabbing him to the +heart. + +The whiskey made Marline desperate. Little did he know that the boy he +hated was in a most reckless mood. Had he known it, he would not have +cared. There was not a drop of cowardly blood in Marline's body. He +longed for an encounter with Merriwell. + +At length, when he could stand it no longer, he arose to his feet. Some +one was complimenting Merriwell on his nerve. Marline had not tasted the +last glass of whiskey brought him. He took it in his hand, made two +steps toward Frank, and flung the stuff full into Merry's face! + +"If Mr. Merriwell has so much nerve, let him resent that!" rang out the +hoarse voice of the boy from South Carolina. "We'll see how much nerve +he has!" + +Frank took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the liquid from his face. +He was very pale, and his eyes gleamed with a glare that his best +friends had never seen in them before. But he laughed, and those who +knew him best shuddered at that laugh. + +"Mr. Marline," he said, his voice calm and modulated, "will you be kind +enough to name your friend?" + +Marline looked around. Sport Harris was at his side in a moment. + +"I'll serve you!" Sport eagerly whispered. + +Marline felt that almost any one was preferable to Harris, but he saw +the others had drawn away. Harris seemed to be the only one with nerve +enough to stand by him. He felt forced to accept Sport. + +"Mr. Harris is my man," he said. + +Frank bowed gracefully. + +"Mr. Diamond will wait on him." + +A gleam of exultation came into Marline's face, for he felt that he had +driven Merriwell to the wall at last. + +Frank and Jack immediately withdrew from Morey's, and, later, the +Virginian sought Harris in his room. + +Frank awaited Diamond's return. He came back in about an hour + +"To-morrow, at sunrise," he said. + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +THE DUEL. + + +"Are you ready, gentlemen?" + +The sun was just peeping over the horizon. + +Beyond the city limits, near a strip of timber far down the Sound, five +persons had met. + +Two of them were Frank Merriwell and Robert Marline, who were to fight a +deadly duel there that beautiful morning. + +Two more were their seconds, Jack Diamond and Sport Harris. + +The fifth was a young collegian named Morton, who was studying medicine +and surgery. He had brought along a case of instruments, although he was +not certain this was to be a duel in deadly earnest. + +Merriwell and Marline, despite the fact that the morning air was keen +and cold, had stripped off their coats and vests and were in their shirt +sleeves. + +Now they stood facing each other, weapons in hand. + +Frank's face was calm and confident, as if he had not the least doubt +concerning the outcome of the affair. His nerves were under admirable +control. He was a trifle paler than usual. + +Marline, on the other hand, was flushed and nervous. He had taken +several drinks of whiskey to brace him, and Merriwell's calm confidence +was something he could not understand. At that moment, Frank seemed like +the duelist and Marline like the novice. + +The sun shot a single lance of light across the world, and then Diamond, +who had been chosen to give the signal, spoke the word that set the +rivals at each other. + +Clash! clash! clash! The bright blades clanged sharply on the morning +air. The sunshine glittered coldly on their polished lengths. + +At first the work was of a very scientific order, for each man seemed +feeling of the other to discover just how much skill he possessed. + +Marline was more than ever astonished, for he had scarcely fancied Frank +could be an expert with such a weapon. Now, however, he saw by the +manner in which Frank handled himself, by his every move, that he was a +skillful swordsman. + +The boy from the South attempted to force the fighting. The whiskey went +to his head, and he fought savagely, his teeth set and his eyes +gleaming. Deadly determination was in his every move. The seconds and +the surgeon watched breathlessly. + +Suddenly there was a cry. By a twisting movement of his wrist, Frank had +disarmed his enemy, sending Marline's blade spinning into the air. + +The sword fell with a clang on the frozen ground at Rob's feet, and he +instantly snatched it up. Then he came at Frank with the fury of one +driven mad. + +Merriwell was forced to give ground before the fierce onslaught of his +enemy. He knew well enough that Marline was exceedingly dangerous, for +he had flung discretion to the winds and was exposing himself in all +ways by his fierce desire to get at Frank. + +Merriwell did not wish to wound Marline, but hoped to humble him. +However, it began to look as if Frank would be forced to do his best in +self-defense. + +He had remarkable control of himself, and watched his chance. It came in +a short time, and again he twisted the sword from Marline's hand. + +Marline fell back before Merriwell's half-lifted sword. + +"Kill me!" he passionately cried. "Kill me now, or I'll kill you!" + +Merriwell lowered his blade. + +In a moment Marline sprang to the spot where his sword had fallen, +caught it up, and turned on Frank again. + +"On guard!" he shouted. + +Like a whirlwind, he came at Merriwell. + +Clash! clash! clash! It was a terrific battle now. The young surgeon was +excited and frightened. + +"It must be stopped!" he cried. "Marline is determined to kill him! We +must stop it!" + +Snap!--Frank Merriwell's blade broke within a foot of the hilt! + +With a hoarse shout of victorious fury, Marline thrust straight at +Frank's breast! + +Merriwell succeeded in foiling the thrust with the part of his weapon +that remained in his hand, but Marline's sword passed through Frank's +shirt sleeve at the shoulder. + +The seconds and the surgeon had started forward to interfere, but, with +a gasping curse, Marline flung his sword on the ground and covered his +eyes with his hands, his whole body quivering. + +Diamond caught up the weapon the Southerner had flung down, muttering: + +"There's no telling what he may try to do next. I'll keep this out of +his reach." + +But Marline had no thought of resuming the duel. When he lowered his +hand from his face, his shame was betrayed. + +"Mr. Merriwell," he said, his voice quivering, "I wish to apologize to +you." + +All were astonished. + +"For what?" asked Frank, calmly. + +"You have shown yourself more honorable than I," said Marline, although +every word cut him like the stroke of a knife. "Twice you disarmed me +and took no advantage of it. But when my turn came, my hatred for you +was so great I lost my head. I tried to kill you. I offer a humble +apology, and say what I never expected to say to any living being--you +have shown yourself more honorable than I." + +That was enough to touch Frank, and all the past was forgotten in a +moment. With an impulse of generosity, he held out his hand. + +"Take it!" he cried. "Let's call the past buried." + +Marline shook his head. + +"I can't!" he exclaimed. "I can't be a hypocrite. You have shown +yourself the more honorable, Merriwell, but I hate you still. I shall +try to forget it, but, with my disposition, it will not be easy. If I +conquer myself, some day, perhaps, I'll accept your hand--if you care to +offer it then." + +"When the time comes," said Frank, "my hand will be open to you." + +Then the dueling party broke up. + +When Frank reached his room, he found a letter from Inza awaiting him. +This is what he read: + + "DEAR FRANK: I have been a foolish girl, and I am ashamed. I + can't say more this way, but will explain everything when I see + you. Please come to me. Come as soon as possible. + + "Inza." + +Frank's heart gave a great bound as he read this communication. He could +not go to see Inza at once, but he sent word that he would call that +evening. + +When he arrived, he found Inza awaiting him alone, the girl's aunt +having wisely withdrawn. + +"Oh, Frank--I--I----" she began, and then she could not go on, for he +caught her in his arms and gave her a tight squeeze. + +"Don't let's talk about it," he said, cheerily. "I guess it was all a +mistake." + +"I had no right to bind you down, Frank," said Inza, softly. "It has +been a lesson to me. You know what is best, always, and after this you +shall have your own way in everything." + +"Are you quite sure of that?" he said, softly, looking into her clear +eyes, which immediately dropped. "Then, I'm going to have my way now." + +And a kiss followed, which seemed to be a complete forgiveness all +around. + +Then she told him of Marline, and he understood something of what had +led to the duel. + +But he did not tell Inza of that terrible encounter, and the girl did +not learn of it until some time later. + + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. + +A STUDENTS' CONFAB. + + +The days passed, and Frank turned again to his studies. He was anxious +to prove to the professors that he could learn his lessons, as well as +play football. + +To be sure, he did not give up his sports entirely, nor his recreation +at the gym. + +As the days slipped by, many of the students became more or less +interested in a big, burly freshman, who went by the name of Hock Mason. + +Mason had proved himself a regular bruiser on more than one occasion, +and he was such a thoroughly "bad man," that some of the boys grew +afraid of him. + +One night there was a crowd gathered in Frank's room, and it was not +long before the conversation turned upon the "bad man," who was hardly +known to our hero. + +"He's a terror!" + +It was plain Halliday thought so. The manner in which he uttered the +words showed that he was fully satisfied on that point. + +"Is he scientific?" asked Merriwell. + +"No; but he is a bulldog," answered Halliday. + +"And a brute!" exclaimed Harry Rattleton. + +"That's right," nodded Danny Griswold. "Look at my eye. I hadn't an idea +that he thought of hitting me till he let me have it. Knocked me flat. +Felt as if I'd been kicked by a mule." + +"What did you do to cause him to strike you?" asked Frank. + +"Nothing. Just looked at him." + +"If he keeps this up," grunted Bruce Browning, who was stretched on the +couch, puffing away at a cigarette, "his career at Yale will be short." + +"That's right!" cried Jack Diamond, showing his teeth. "Some one will +kill him. If he struck me, I'd shoot him in a minute--in a minute!" + +Diamond meant it. There was hot blood in his veins. Frank's example had +taught him to control his fiery temper to a certain extent, but there +were times when it would blaze forth and get the best of him for all of +anything he could do. + +"It's a pity some fellow can't get at him and lick the stuffing out of +him," said Bandy Robinson. "That's what he needs." + +"Well, who is there that can do it?" cried Griswold. "He's a perfect +giant, over six feet tall, and must weigh nearly two hundred pounds, +though there's not an ounce of fat on him. He's all bone and muscle. He +strikes a regular prize-fighter blow, and he can't be hurt. I tell you, +he is a good man to let alone." + +"That's right," agreed Halliday. "I saw him do up those coppers the +other night, four of them, and they all had their clubs out." + +"Did they hit him?" asked Merriwell. + +"Hit him! Well, I should guess yes. They cracked him eight or ten times +over the head and shoulders." + +"Somebody said it didn't have any effect on him," observed "Uncle" +Blossom, who was chewing gum as if his life depended on it. + +"Not a bit more than it would if they had hammered a block of wood," +declared Halliday. "It made me sick the first time they cracked him on +the head, and it sounded exactly as if they struck a piece of hard wood. +I expected it would lay him out stiff." + +"But he kept on his feet?" + +"He never staggered! Cut his scalp open in three places, and he bled +frightfully, but that only seemed to make him worse." + +"Very interesting," commented Frank, his eyes sparkling. "It would be an +honor to subdue such a fellow as that." + +"Honor?" cried Halliday and Griswold. "It would be a miracle!" + +"If he lives, he'll become a prize fighter," said Blossom. "He has their +brutal instincts, and still he seems to have some brains." + +"That's what makes him such a bad man--his brains," cried Halliday. "He +fights with his head, as well as with his hands." + +"I must say, you interest me greatly in this freshman," said Merriwell. +"What did you call his name--Mason?" + +"Yes, Hock Mason. You've seen him. He's that big, red-headed bruiser, +who----" + +"Yes, I've seen him," nodded Frank. "I know him by sight." + +"It's a wonder he hasn't jumped on you yet. You must have attracted his +notice, for you are the most popular man in college." + +"Oh, he'll get at Merry in time," grinned Griswold. "All he is waiting +for is the opportunity." + +Frank laughed. + +"I don't know as I care about having any trouble with this freshman +bully," he confessed. + +"I should say not!" cried the others. + +"But I shall not run to get out of his way." + +"You'd better." + +"Perhaps some of you are aware that I can put up a good, stiff fight +myself." + +"Yes, but you can't lick a fellow you can't hurt." + +"There is no man living that can't be hurt--if you find out his tender +spot. If I were forced into trouble with this Hock Mason, I should try +to find how I could hurt him." + +"While you were finding it, Merry, he would kill you." + +Frank laughed again, showing not the least annoyance. + +"You think so, and you may be right. As I said before, I don't know as I +care to have any trouble with him; but, at the same time, I am not going +to run away from him. I never saw a genuine bully yet that was not a +squealer when he knew he had met his master, and I'll wager something +Mr. Hock Mason can be cowed, for all of his famous fight with the +policemen." + +"If you'd seen that fight, you might have a different opinion," put in +Halliday. "All he had was his bare fists, and he knocked those four cops +out. Why, when he struck one of them fairly, the man went down like a +stricken ox, and lay quivering on the ground. He knocked out two of +them, and then he grabbed the others by the collars. Both let him have +it with their clubs, but he just thumped their heads together and +dropped them. They were knocked out, and I wondered if their heads were +cracked. That made him a king among the freshmen. They're so scared of +him that they shiver when he looks at them. I don't believe there is a +freshman who likes him, but they pretend to, and they got him to his +room after the fight, washed him up, plastered up his head, and then +went forth and swore they knew nothing about the affair. The cops +couldn't spot their man when they tried, for Mason came out the next +morning looking as if nothing had happened. He wears his hair long, and +he's had it clipped away around the wounds on his head, plastered the +cuts up, and then combed his hair over the plasters. I tell you, he is a +bad man!" + +"Every bad man meets his match some day," said Frank. + +"Mason's match is not to be found in Yale." + +"Perhaps not." + +"He's bound to be cock of the walk." + +"And are freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors going to allow this +brutal bully to walk on their necks?" + +"What else can they do?" + +"Kill him!" cried Jack Diamond, fiercely--"kill him, by the eternal +gods! He can't walk on my neck! If he tried it, I'd kill him, though I +hung for it!" + +"I don't think it is necessary to kill him," smiled Frank. "There's +always some way of subduing a bully. That way must be discovered, and he +must be subdued." + +"We'll owe you a vote of thanks if you discover it and do the job," said +Griswold. + +"Well, you are liable to owe Merriwell a vote of thanks, then," grunted +Browning. "I've traveled all over with him, and I never saw him take +water for anything that stood on legs. There are a few bad men out West, +but they didn't faze him." + +"Merry is all right," said Halliday. "He's a corker, and athlete, and is +built of pure sand, but he'd have to be built of iron to go up against a +big ruffian like this Mason. About the only way to subdue that fellow is +to kill him, as Diamond suggests." + +"He is growing more and more insolent and aggressive every day," said +Griswold. "If something isn't done to check him, he and his crowd of +followers will run over us. They are all getting insolent, and we have +received notice that they'll appear in a body to-night with tall hats +and canes. Mason will lead them, and they don't think we'll dare tackle +them." + +"We'll rush them, if we're killed!" cried Diamond, springing to his feet +and wildly pacing up and down the floor. "Are you in it, fellows? +Hark--what's that? They're out now! They're singing! It's a challenge! +Oh, there'll be a hot time around here to-night!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. + +DIAMOND STRIKES A BLOW. + + +Forty freshmen, with tall hats and canes, commanded by the giant, Hock +Mason, were singing, "That Bully." In the most belligerent manner +possible, they shouted the line: + + "We're lookin' for that bully, and he must be found." + +Behind them were more freshmen without silk hats and canes, but prepared +to take a hand in the scrimmage, if the juniors tried a rush. + +The freshmen had grown bold and saucy. Hock Mason bullied them, and they +were afraid of him, but they knew the juniors were afraid of him, too. + +They sang and shouted. They marched up and down with Mason leading. They +began to express their fears that the juniors would not dare try a rush. + +The juniors saw the freshmen were out in force, and they were not hasty +about making an assault. They seemed to lack a leader. They kept +gathering, but held aloof. + +The freshmen grew bolder and bolder. They invaded the campus. The +juniors were gathered at their fence. It was plain the freshmen meant to +rush them, and attempt to take the fence. The juniors prepared to +struggle to the bitter end. + +On came the freshmen. The others were outnumbered. It looked as if many +of them were afraid, and were keeping out of the _mêlée_ that must come. + +The freshmen marched past the line along the fence. They were insulting. +They turned and marched back. Then, at a signal from their giant leader, +they attempted to sweep the juniors from the fence, and take it by +storm. + +There was a charge, a clash, and the battle was on. + +But it afterward developed that the juniors were far more crafty than +the freshmen thought. They had not concentrated their entire force at +the fence, but their main body were keeping out of sight and waiting for +the onset to begin, knowing the freshmen were in a mood to try something +desperate and unusual. + +The moment the freshmen made a rush for the fence, the second body of +their antagonists came with a wild charge. + +Frank Merriwell led them! + +In a moment such a battle was taking place there at the fence as had not +been witnessed since the old days at Yale--the good old fighting days. + +Almost immediately the freshmen were on the defensive, doing their best +to retain their hats and canes. + +Frank singled out Hock Mason, believing the best course was to engage +his entire attention without delay. He was urging the freshmen on, and +no one seemed to stand before him. + +With all the nerve he could command, putting all his strength and skill +into the effort, Merriwell went at Mason. He came upon the fellow like a +tornado. + +Frank did not try slugging tactics, but he caught Mason's cane with both +hands, and, giving it a twist and a whirl, snapped the big freshman into +the air and fairly flung him over his shoulder, tearing away the cane. + +It is possible that never before in all his life had Hock Mason been +handled in such a summary manner. He struck the ground with a thump, +bewildered beyond measure by what had happened, for he had not dreamed +any man at Yale could handle him that way, even if he were taken by +surprise. + +But Mason was not hurt in the least, and he was furious. + +Laughing triumphantly, Frank Merriwell spun the cane into the air and +caught it with the skill of a baton-thrower when it came down. + +Roaring like an enraged lion, Hock Mason scrambled to his feet. Somebody +gave Merriwell a push from behind, nearly throwing him down, and Mason +struck him behind the ear. + +It was one of the giant freshman's sledge-hammer blows, and Frank +dropped like a log. + +"Cuss ye!" snarled the bully. "I'll fix ye!" + +The brute in his nature was aroused, and he kicked the fallen lad in the +ribs with his toe. + +"Shame! shame!" cried a score of voices. + +Bruce Browning, with a roar of rage, tried to reach the brutal fellow, +but Jack Diamond was quicker. + +Jack had torn a heavy cane from a freshman, and now he wielded it, butt +foremost, with all the strength he could command. + +Whack! + +The blow might have been heard anywhere on the campus. It fell just +where the furious Virginian had intended it should--across the side of +Mason's head and behind his ear! + +The fellow who had stood on his feet before the blows of the policemen's +clubs now fell as if he had been shot, pitching headlong over Frank +Merriwell. + +Frank sat up, still grasping the cane he had captured from the bully. +Jack caught his hand and pulled him to his feet. + +Hock Mason lay at full length on the ground, gasping for breath. + +"He's dying!" cried somebody, horrified. + +The rush was over, freshmen and juniors stopped struggling in a moment, +and all gathered around the spot where the giant lay. His heavy rasping +breathing was terrifying. + +"He is dying, Diamond!" whispered Browning, in Jack's ear. + +"I don't care!" returned the Virginian, passionately. + +"But think--think what that means!" + +"I don't care!" repeated Jack. "He struck Frank--kicked him when he was +down! You know, Browning--you know how Merriwell stood by me on our trip +when all the rest of you turned against me, because I was out of sorts. +You know how he stood by me when I raved at him. Another fellow would +have told me to go to the Old Nick. I haven't forgotten those things. I +am ready to do anything for him!" + +"But if it should happen that you have killed this freshman----" + +"What then?" + +"It will go hard with you. A little while ago, in Merriwell's room, you +were saying you would kill him. It will look like a premeditated +murder." + +This hit Jack hard, but it did not stagger him. + +"I can't help it. I did the trick to keep him from killing Merriwell. +Merry was down, and that brute was kicking him. No one would dare try to +stop Mason with bare hands. I used the best and only means to stop him. +If he dies----Well, I'll take my chance with a jury of honest men." + +Browning felt that Diamond had nerve, for all that he was hot-headed and +passionate. + +"Well, we'll hope the fellow isn't hurt much." + +Some one was bending over Mason, fanning him, while others were pushing +the crowd back. + +"Get back--give him air! Do you want to smother him to death?" + +"Smother time, perhaps," chirped Danny Griswold, who could not hold back +the pun, for all of the gravity of the situation. + +The rush had begun and ended so quickly that the faculty did not seem to +be aroused. Some of the students were watching for the expected +appearance of the professors, however. + +Water was brought, and Mason's temples were bathed. He continued to +breathe hoarsely for some time, plainly drawing his breath with the +utmost difficulty, but the sound gradually lessened, and he finally +struggled to sit up. + +"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he growled, harshly. "Let me +alone! Let me get up!" + +Some one offered to help him. + +"Get out!" he snarled, flinging the fellow off. "What do I want of help? +What's the matter with my head? It is whirling." + +He got up, although it was with the utmost difficulty he could do so, +and there he stood in the midst of the crowd, swaying and putting his +hands to his head. + +Some could not believe their eyes. They had not thought it possible Hock +Mason could betray weakness. + +"Somebody struck me!" he harshly grated, glaring around. "Where is he? +I'll wring his neck as if he were a chicken! Where is the fellow?" + +All were silent. + +"Oh, I'll find out who it is," declared the bully, "and when I do, +I'll make him weep tears of blood. I'll make him wish he never had +been born. I'll----What's the matter with my head? It's going +around--around--around----" + +He would have fallen, but some of the freshmen caught hold of him, and +he was led from the campus toward his room. + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. + +FACING THE BULLY. + + +The events of that night created a sensation, forming a topic of general +conversation. + +Strangely enough, very few seemed to know who had struck Mason, and +those who did, kept silent, not wishing to be drawn into the affair, +being friendly toward Diamond. + +Jack was not at all excited or alarmed over it, and he did not show +concern when he was told over and over that the giant freshman would be +sure to make good his threat, if possible. + +"Let him try it!" said the lad from Virginia. "Next time I will finish +him. I do not propose to fool with a beast like him." + +From the campus a party of students went direct to Frank's room. Frank +had the cane he had taken from Mason. + +"It will make a fine ornament for my room," he laughed, as he placed it +conspicuously over the mantel. + +"Jove!" cried Danny Griswold. "You should be proud of it. You took it +from Mason so quick that the fellow was dazed." + +"That was the flittiest pring I ever saw--I mean the prettiest fling I +ever saw," excitedly declared Rattleton. "How did you do it, Merry?" + +"Oh, that was a simple trick," smiled Frank. + +"It would have bumped the wind out of any other fellow, but it didn't +seem to damage Mason much," observed Charlie Creighton. + +"It was Diamond's little rap that damaged him," grunted Browning, who +had again captured a couch. + +"That was a corker!" broke forth Banny Robinson. + +"A corker!" echoed Halliday. "I should guess yes! It dropped him in his +tracks, and I saw the cops hammer him over the head with their clubs +till they were tired without bringing him to his knees." + +"I intended to lay him out when I struck him," said Jack, his eyes +flashing. "I hit him on exactly the right spot." + +"I'm sorry you did it, old man," said Creighton, soberly. + +"I'm not!" returned Diamond, instantly. + +"He is sure to make it hot for you." + +"Let him try it! He was kicking Merry, and Merry was down. If I'd had an +iron bar, I should have cracked him with it, after seeing him sink his +toe into Frank's ribs." + +Merriwell took a long step toward Jack and grasped his hand. + +"Thank you, Diamond," he said, soberly and sincerely. "It is a true +friend who stands by a man when he is down." + +He glanced around at the others a moment after saying this, and the eyes +of some of them failed to meet his. They remembered how, a short time +before, Frank had been somewhat unpopular because of his refusal to play +on the football team, and many of them had turned against him. They knew +well enough that Merriwell had not forgotten it, and he thought of it +when he spoke. Diamond was one of the few who had stood by him when he +was most unpopular. + +"The time has come," said Browning, slowly, "when this bully must be +shown that he is not cock of the walk." + +"Who'll show him?" cried several voices. + +"Merriwell didn't hesitate about tackling him to-night--and got the best +of him in a fair way. He struck a foul blow, and----" + +"A terrible blow it was," confessed Frank, soberly. "I felt as if I had +been kicked in the head by a mule." + +"Oh, he'll kill a weak fellow with a fair blow of his fist!" exclaim +Halliday. + +"If we can't do anything else," said Browning, "we'll have to organize +against him. If we were to do that, we could bring him to time after a +while." + +Danny Griswold lighted a cigarette, and perched himself on top of the +table. + +"If Merry will be our leader we may do something," he said. + +"I am not in favor of the scheme," declared Frank. + +All regarded him in surprise. + +"You are not?" they cried. + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +"It seems cowardly for several fellows to band together against one." + +"But it's all the way he can be subdued. What can we do?" + +"I am not certain it is the only way he can be subdued." + +"Suggest another." + +"I won't make any suggestions to-night, but I will think it over." + +"We should organize for the protection of Diamond," suggested Creighton. +"He is bound to find out Jack struck him the blow that knocked him out, +and then----" + +"Don't worry about me," broke in the Virginian. "I am not afraid of Hock +Mason. He might kill me, but he'd never be able to make me squeal." + +This was not boasting. Those who knew Jack Diamond best realized that he +spoke nothing more than the simple truth. Brute force might conquer him +physically, but his heart could not be conquered in such a manner. + +Creighton was in earnest about forming some sort of a combination, +offensive and defensive, against Mason, but Merriwell would not go into +it, and the scheme failed to go into effect. + +Some one suggested that Mason might be hurt more severely than they +supposed, and Robinson went out to find out, if possible, about it. He +finally returned, but brought no information. + +"It would be a good thing if he couldn't get into bed for a day or two," +said Halliday; "but you'll see him about as well as ever to-morrow." + +Ben was right. Mason came forth to chapel in the morning, and, from his +appearance, no one could have told that he had been knocked out in such +manner the night before. + +Straightway the giant freshman set about trying to discover just who it +was that struck him, but those he questioned did not know, or lied by +saying they did not know. + +Mason grew more and more furious as time progressed and he failed to +learn what he desired. He swore that he would find out before night, and +the fellow should suffer. + +At noon a crowd gathered at the fence and talked the matter over. +Charlie Creighton was there, and again he was in favor of organizing +against the freshmen. + +While they were talking, Mason was seen approaching. + +"Here he comes!" was the general exclamation. + +"And he's out for blood!" declared Creighton. "His manner shows that. +There is going to be trouble." + +Before reaching the fence, Mason encountered Danny Griswold. Instantly +he collared the little fellow. + +"Griswold," he said, "I know that you know who struck me last night. If +you don't tell, I'm going to give you the worst drubbing you ever +received." + +Danny shrank away, saying: + +"I didn't see the fellow hit you." + +"But you know who did it. You can't deny that. Who was it?" + +"I can't tell." + +Mason raised his heavy fist. + +"Tell, or I'll break your pretty little nose!" he grated. + +There was a step near at hand, and a calm voice said: + +"Drop it, Mason! You should be ashamed to bully a man smaller than +yourself. Don't dare to strike him!" + +Hock looked around in astonishment. + +Frank Merriwell was close at hand, coolly standing there, with his hands +thrust into his pockets. + +"Hey?" cried Mason, in surprise. + +"You heard what I said, freshman," spoke Frank, as coolly as ever. + +There was a stir at the fence, for the students there saw all and heard +all. + +"Jingoes! Merriwell has a nerve!" gasped one. + +"Mason will thump him, sure!" said another. + +"If he does----" + +"Hark!" + +"Yes, I heard what you said," flung back the bully; "but what you say +chops no frost. If I want to thump this chap I'll thump him, and twenty +fellows like you can't stop me." + +"You overestimate your ability, freshman," said Frank, and his coolness +was most exasperating. "If you thump that chap, one fellow will thump +you." + +"Jee whiz!" palpitated one of the students at the fence, "Now he's in +for it!" + +"There'll be gore spilled!" muttered Creighton. + +"I'm sorry for Merriwell!" said another. + +"Eh?" gurgled Hock Mason, more astonished than ever. "Is that a fact?" + +"That is." + +"Well, I'm going to thump him!" + +Again he lifted his fist, and Danny Griswold cowered before it. + +"Stop, Mason!" cried Frank, his voice hard and cold. "Strike him, and +I'll give you a mark to remember me by!" + +"Ho, ho!" sneered Mason, and he smashed Griswold in the face. + +The moment the bully struck the little fellow, he released his collar +and whirled toward Frank. + +Merriwell kept his word. + +Crack--Frank's fist struck fairly on Hock Mason's left eye, and the big +bully was knocked down in a second. + +The witnesses gasped with astonishment. + +With a roar of rage, Mason leaped to his feet and came at Merriwell, +somewhat blinded and dazed, but raging like a mad bull. + +With the utmost ease Frank avoided the big fellow, and then he struck +Mason again. + +The second blow did not knock the giant down, but it stopped him a +moment, and the blood began to run down his face. + +Frank's fist had cut a long gash over the bully's right eye, and the +blood quickly began to blind Hock, for already his left eye was swelling +swiftly, showing it might be entirely closed in a few moments. + +Mason wiped away the blood with his coat sleeve, and went at Frank with +another rush. + +Merriwell dodged, thrust out his foot, and tripped the freshman, sending +him to the ground with a thud. + +Over by the fence a little party witnessed all this with astonishment +unspeakable. + +Was this Mason, the freshman bully, who was being handled in such a +manner by Merriwell? Was this the man who had knocked out four New Haven +cops? + +Mason had struck at Frank savagely enough to lay him out, but Merriwell +easily dodged the blow. + +Now the bully got upon his feet the second time. Blood was streaming +down his face, and he was fast going blind. He looked around for +Merriwell, but saw him dimly and indistinctly. + +"Oh, hang you!" he cried. "You took me by surprise, and I can't see you +now. If I could get hold of you----" + +"But you can't do it, you know," said Frank, cheerfully, as he skipped +out of the reach of his enemy's long arms. + +Mason whirled around dizzily. He began to realize that it would be +foolish to attempt to get the best of Merriwell then. + +"Oh, I'll fix you for this--I will!" he grated. + +"You think you will, but you won't," was the calm reply. "I shall be on +the watch for you, and this is but a taste of what you'll get the next +time you go up against me. Your days as a bully around here are over. I +told you I would mark you, and I have. Whenever you look in a mirror for +some time to come you will see something to remember me by." + +"Whenever I look in a mirror for some time to come I shall remember you, +and I'll repeat my vow to make you regret the day you ever saw me. Next +time we meet to fight, I'll hammer you within an inch of your life!" + +Then, holding a blood-stained handkerchief to his bleeding eye, he +turned and hastened away. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. + +TO THE RESCUE. + + +Danny Griswold danced and crowed with delight. + +"Oh, scissors!" cried the little fellow. "I don't mind the crack he gave +me a bit. It was worth it to see him get done up like that. And it was +done so quick!" + +The fellows at the fence rushed forward and gathered around Merriwell. + +"Never touched you at all, did he?" asked Creighton. + +"Didn't come within a hundred miles of me," smiled Frank. + +Then they got him by the hand, shook it, congratulated him, complimented +him, expressed their wonder, and some of them almost seemed to doubt if +they had actually seen Hock Mason done up in less than two minutes. + +"Quickest job on record," declared Silas Blossom. "Biff--biff--it was +over. Didn't suppose he could be licked like that." + +"He wasn't licked," said Frank. "It is a mistake to think that. I took +particular pains to give him the first soaker in the left eye, and that +eye was closing up on him so he couldn't see out of it very well. Then I +let him have the next one on the right eye, and skinned my knuckles, +see? Those knuckles cut him over the eye, and he bled as if he had been +stabbed. The blood got into his eye, and he was more than half blind. +That was what stopped him, and I hoped all the time that I might do it, +for I will confess that I have no desire to receive one of his +prize-fighter thumps. I was lucky to do the trick just as I planned it." + +"And you had a nerve to stand up to him at all," said Deacon Dunning. +"Especially here on the campus at this time of day, when it would mean +something serious if the faculty knew of the fight." + +"That was another thing I was thinking about," said Frank. "I wanted to +end the scrap as soon as possible, so we'd not be seen at it by anybody +who'd make trouble for us. Hope it won't kick up a muss and get us +hauled over the irons." + +They were astounded by Merriwell's coolness. He did not seem in the +least ruffled by his encounter with the "bad man" of the freshman class, +and was not particularly elated by his easy victory. He seemed to take +it as a matter of course--a thing he had known would end just as it did. + +It was not long before every freshman and junior knew what had happened, +but all alike were slow to believe it possible. Frank Merriwell, +single-handed, had got the best of Hock Mason--no, no, that could not be +true! + +The most of them wished to believe it, but could not at first. Mason was +not popular among the freshmen, although he was their leader. He had +bullied them too much, and he had many secret enemies, who pretended to +his face that they were his friends. + +The eyewitnesses of the encounter were forced to tell the story over and +over till they were tired. Every one seemed to desire to know to the +minutest particular just how Merriwell had gone to work to do the trick. + +Some said it was pure accident, while others declared Hock Mason could +not be knocked out by an accident. The latter were inclined to give +Frank credit for all he had done, but the most of them prophesied that +Mason would kill Merriwell as soon as his eyes were in condition to +allow him to see properly. + +Diamond had not seen the encounter, a fact which he bemoaned very much. + +"Oh, Christopher!" he cried. "It was just my luck not to be around, and +I'd given ten dollars to see it." + +Frank told him how Danny had refused to divulge the knowledge Mason had +desired. + +"That shows little Gris has sand," said Jack. "But I'm sorry he didn't +speak right up and tell Mason who it was. I don't want anybody to get +thumped for keeping my secrets." + +"It's all right. I don't think Mason slugged him hard. Anyway, he only +made a sore place on Danny's cheek bone." + +"I am going to take pains to let Mason know who it was thumped him with +the cane. You're not going to fight him alone, Merry." + +But that did not please Frank at all. + +"You're going to do nothing of the sort, Diamond," he promptly declared. +"The fight is on between Mason and Merriwell now, and you will keep out +of it. I haven't made any talk about it, but it's my object to subdue +this fellow, if possible, so there will be no further trouble with him." + +"You may need help." + +"I think not. It will be better for one man to do the job, as that will +humiliate him, while he is such a bull-headed chump that he would never +submit till he was killed if there was a party against him." + +Diamond seemed to feel sorry that he could not get into it somehow. He +even accused Frank of crowding him out. He had formed such a strong +hatred for Mason that he felt as if it would be the greatest +satisfaction of his life to do something to humble and crush the fellow. + +But Frank knew Jack well enough to be sure it would not do for the +hot-blooded Virginian to be deeply mixed in the affair, as he would not +hesitate at anything in order to get the best of the freshman he hated. + +Diamond's soul rose up in scorn and contempt for a brutal fellow like +Mason. He actually felt that it would be a desirable thing to call Mason +out and shoot him in a duel. + +Merriwell's popularity rose to the flood when it was known that he had +not hesitated to face the freshman bully in defense of Danny Griswold, +and had got the best of the encounter. Every one congratulated Frank, +and shook hands with him till he was tired of it all, and felt like +keeping out of sight in his room. + +But he knew it would not do to keep close in his room, for then it would +be said that, although he had faced Mason once, he was afraid of the +vengeance of the infuriated bully. + +Frank went out more than had been his habit for some time. He had been +devoting himself with unusual closeness to his studies, his main object +being to stand so well in the spring that there would be no drawback +about going onto the baseball team. + +Mason kept close in his room, had a doctor, and made the excuse that he +had inflammation of the eyes so he could not appear at recitations and +found it impossible to study. + +To those who knew all about it, the bully's excuse provided great +amusement. + +Three evenings after the encounter a jolly party gathered in Traeger's. +Ale was freely consumed, stories told and jokes sprung. + +Frank Merriwell was one of the party, and, as usual, he drank nothing +but "soft stuff." Under no circumstances could he be induced to take a +drink of liquor. + +Frank's temperance principles were so well known that it was seldom any +one urged him to drink anything. Occasionally they would jolly him, and +he was often spoken of as the "Worthy Chief of the Good Templars." He +did not mind this, however, and he often said that, as he never drank +anything but raw alcohol of the rankest kind, and he couldn't get that +at the places he patronized, he refused to take anything at all. + +But he could be as jolly as any of the rest, and his stories and songs +always "took." He was the life of any party, and, naturally, his society +was much sought. + +While the party was making merry in Traeger's, Dismal Jones wandered in. +He paused and regarded them sadly, then said: + +"Feasting, song and merriment within; cold, bitterness and misery +without." + +"Without what?" chirped Danny Griswold. + +"Without yonder portal," solemnly returned Jones. "As I approached this +gilded snare of Satan, I chanced to behold one who hath lately removed +from one eye a beef-steak poultice, and whose other eye is in the +neighborhood of several strips of plaster." + +"Mason?" cried several. + +"Verily thou hast named him," bowed Dismal. "He stood there shivering in +the bitter cold, while about him gathered his wretched followers. It was +a sad and heart-rending sight. I was touched--no, I mean I was afraid I +would be touched, and I hastened hither to seek something that would +drive from me memory that sad spectacle. Hot toddy, please." + +"Mason?" exclaimed Diamond. "I wonder why the fellow is hanging around +here?" + +"Looking for Merry, perhaps," laughed Paul Pierson. + +"He wants to look out, or he will get merry thunder," laughed Lewis +Little. + +"He got that the last time," said Andy Emery. + +"Boys," said Danny Griswold, with sudden seriousness, "I believe there +is something in the air." + +"What?" asked several. + +"Dust," chuckled Danny. "There's a high wind to-night." + +"Hit him quick!" cried Halliday. "Hit him hard!" + +"A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!" laughed Joe Gamp, a big, hulking fellow from New +Hampshire. "Darned if that little runt ain't alwus doin' that. A-haw! +a-haw! a-haw!" + +Gamp had a laugh that was infectious. He seldom burst into a hearty roar +that every one in hearing did not roar also. On this occasion Dismal +Jones was the only man who did not join in the laughter. Dismal sipped +his hot toddy, and looked sad and reproachful. + +Mason was forgotten. Jokes and stories followed. Merriwell sang a song. +The party showed no signs of breaking up, and Frank decided that he must +get some sleep, so he reluctantly bade them good-night. + +"I'm going along," said Rattleton, rising. + +"Don't want us all to go to protect you from Mason and his gang, do +you?" asked Puss Parker. + +"I think not," smiled Frank. "I am not afraid of Mason himself, and I +hardly think he'll call on any of his friends to help him lick me. +Good-night, fellows." + +"Good-night!" + +"Good-night, Merry!" + +"So long, old man!" + +"Good luck, Frank!" + +Any one hearing them bid him good-night would have known he was a very +popular fellow. Every man there joined in the general chorus, and Frank +went out laughing, his heart warm within his bosom. + +"A jolly lot of fellows, Rattles," he said, "and white men, every one of +them." + +"Oh, they are jolly enough," admitted Harry; "but I hope you have not +forgotten that almost every one of them turned his back on you when they +fancied you were afraid of Rob Marline and did not dare play on the +football team." + +"It is best to forget such things as that," returned Frank. "It seemed +to all of them that I showed the white feather, and, not knowing me as +well as they might, they were disgusted. It also seemed that I was +willing to let Yale go on the field with a weak team when it might be +strengthened if I would play. Yale men are loyal to old Eli. They will +forgive a personal affront quicker than anything that looks like +cowardice or treachery toward Yale." + +"Oh, well, if that's the way you look at it, I have nothing to say." + + + + +CHAPTER L. + +AGAINST ODDS. + + +Five minutes after Merriwell and Rattleton left Traeger's the latter +came rushing back, hatless, excited and out of breath. He burst in upon +the merry party, gasping: + +"Quick? quick! They've got him!" + +"Hey?" cried several, astounded. "Got who?" + +"Merry!" + +"Who's got him?" + +"Gang with--masks--over--faces!" palpitated Rattleton. + +"What's this?" shouted Paul Pierson. "The deuce you say!" + +"It's right," declared Harry. "Mason's gang--know it was--Mason's gang!" + +Every man was on his feet. + +"To the rescue!" shouted Jack Diamond. + +Out of Traeger's they poured. Rattleton led them. He took them to the +dark street where the gang had suddenly jumped out and pounced upon +Merriwell and himself. + +"It was right here," he said. "Yes--here's my hat. I got a soaker in the +jaw--knocked me stiff for a moment. They piled onto Merry. Had a cab +waiting--bundled him into it. Before I could give him a hand, they were +carrying him off in the cab." + +"How many of them?" asked Pierson. + +"I don't know--six or seven." + +"Well, they have got away with him. They're gone. There is no cab in +sight. What are we going to do?" + +"Try to follow some way!" cried Diamond. "We must find them! We must +stand by Merriwell! Oh, curse it! We might have known something was up +when Jones told us he saw Mason outside." + +"Sure!" agreed the others. + +"I said there was something in the air," put in Griswold, but no one +paid the slightest attention to him. + +"We should have gone along with Merry," grated the excited Virginian. +"Then, if the gang had tried to jump him--oh, we'd given them a hot +time!" + +"What do you suppose they'll do with him?" asked somebody. + +"Do?" palpitated Rattleton. "The infernal skunks will do something +dirty! Mason is playing to get square. He has sworn to hammer the life +out of Merry, and he'll try to keep his word." + +"It's a dirty trick!" fluttered Diamond. "If Merry is harmed, we should +stand together and tar and feather Mason." + +"We will!" + +Every man there uttered the shout, and they were in earnest. + +For some moments they lingered near the spot, and then they started +along the street in the direction Rattleton said the cab had taken. They +found a policeman after a time, and he had seen a closed cab go past in +a hurry. He told them the direction it had taken. + +They tried to trace the kidnaped junior, but the attempt was a failure. +At last they gave it up. Vowing vengeance on all freshmen in general and +Hock Mason in particular, they went back to Traeger's. + +The story spread. It was not long before every junior abroad that +evening knew what had happened. Fierce were the threats made against the +freshmen. + +The hour grew late, and some of the fellows decided to go to Merriwell's +room and wait for him. They anticipated that he would be released after +Mason had obtained his revenge. + +To their astonishment, Merriwell's door was not locked. They opened it +and walked in. + +Merriwell was there! + +"Come in, fellows!" called Frank, cheerfully. + +He was examining some of his clothes. They were the clothes he had worn +that evening, and a glance showed they were torn and ruined. + +"Just looking over this suit, to see how much it was damaged," Merriwell +laughed. "It strikes me it is knocked out. Won't ever be able to wear it +again." + +Then he saw them standing and staring at him in astonishment, and he +asked: + +"What's the matter?" + +"Rattleton must have been stringing us!" exclaimed Puss Parker. + +"Lot on your nife--I mean not on your life!" spluttered Harry. "I gave +it to you straight." + +"But Merriwell is here--all right." + +"How long have you been here, Merry?" asked Browning. + +"Came in about ten minutes ago," answered Frank. "Just had time to +change my clothes before you chaps drifted in." + +"Then they did carry you off?" + +"Rather." + +"But you're all right?" + +"Never was better." + +"Mason didn't get revenge on you?" + +"Not this evening." + +"Tell us about it!" cried Browning and Halliday, together. + +"Yes, tell us," urged Parker. "You've been in some kind of a scrimmage. +That's evident by the appearance of the clothes you have taken off. Tell +us what happened." + +"I suppose Rattles has told you how they jumped us?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, they had me before I could do a thing. I rather think Mason got +his hands on me. Anyhow, it was some big fellow with the strength of +Samson. Before I could strike for myself I was bundled into a cab, and +two or three of them were in there with me. They told me to keep still. +My hands were twisted behind my back and tied. Then they carried me +off." + +"Didn't I give it to you straight?" cried Harry. + +"Where did they carry you?" asked Halliday, eagerly. + +"Somewhere out of town. They didn't talk much--didn't want me to +recognize their voices, I suppose. I kept still, as they told me, but I +was trying to work my hands free all the time. I found I could do it, +but I waited till they stopped and bundled me out of the cab. Then----" + +"Then?" cried the listening boys, eagerly. + +"Then I slipped my hands out of the ropes and sailed into them." + +"Wish I'd been there," grunted Browning, with unusual animation. + +"Go on, Frank--go on!" cried the others. + +"It was a right tight little scrap," laughed Merriwell; "but they were +taken by surprise, and that gave me a show. One or two of them got hold +of me. They tore my clothes. Once they got me down, but I managed to get +away and got onto my feet. I told them I was going to mark the whole +crowd so I would know them in the morning, and I think I did it for the +most of them. It was dark, or I should have known them, for I ripped the +masks off nearly all of the gang. Every time I could, I slugged a fellow +in the eye, and some of them will have their peepers decorated +to-morrow." + +Rattleton fell to laughing. + +"Oh, gee!" he cried. "They were monkeying with a cyclone! They'll +remember you, Merry!" + +"I intended that they should. At last, seeing I could not lick the gang, +and they were bound to get the best of me in the end, if I persisted in +trying to do so, I took to my heels and ran for it. One fellow gave me a +red-hot chase. He was a sprinter, fellows. I found I had drawn him on +ahead of the others, and I slacked till he was close at my heels. He +thought he was overtaking me. All at once I stopped short and turned on +him. He couldn't stop or dodge, and he ran against my fist. Well, I am +dead sure he'll bear my mark to-morrow." + +Merriwell was congratulated. Alone and single-handed he had bested his +enemies, a feat that was sure to add to his record. + + +THE END. + + + + +THE FAMOUS Frank Merriwell Stories + +By BURT L. STANDISH + +"_BEST OF ALL BOYS' BOOKS_" + + +No modern series of tales for boys and youths has met with anything like +the cordial reception and popularity accorded to the Frank Merriwell +Stories. + +There must be a reason for this and there is. Frank Merriwell, as +portrayed by the author, is a jolly, whole-souled, honest, courageous +American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the boys. He has no bad +habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea that it is not necessary +for a boy to indulge in petty vices to be a hero. Frank Merriwell's +example is a shining light for every ambitious lad to follow. + + +_Twenty-four volumes ready_ + + Frank Merriwell's School Days + Frank Merriwell's Skill + Frank Merriwell's Chums + Frank Merriwell's Champions + Frank Merriwell's Foes + Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + Frank Merriwell's Trip West + Frank Merriwell's Secret + Frank Merriwell Down South + Frank Merriwell's Loyalty + Frank Merriwell's Bravery + Frank Merriwell's Reward + Frank Merriwell's Races + Frank Merriwell's Faith + Frank Merriwell's Hunting Tour + Frank Merriwell's Victories + Frank Merriwell's Sports Afield + Frank Merriwell's Power + Frank Merriwell at Yale + Frank Merriwell's Set-Back + Frank Merriwell's Courage + Frank Merriwell's False Friend + Frank Merriwell's Daring + Frank Merriwell's Brother + + + + +_THE MOTOR POWER SERIES_ + +Donald Grayson's Famous Motor Stories for Boys + + +Mr. Grayson is an accomplished writer of up-to-the-minute juvenile +stories which are eagerly read by modern American lads. + +In his new series, his characters have exciting adventures with every +kind of motor-driven machines--motor cycles, automobiles, aeroplanes and +submarines. + +You may readily see what a vast field for adventures Mr. Grayson has +chosen. + + +_Now Ready_ + + BOB STEELE'S MOTOR CYCLE + BOB STEELE ON HIGH GEAR + BOB STEELE FROM AUTO TO AIRSHIP + BOB STEELE AFLOAT IN THE CLOUDS + BOB STEELE'S SUBMARINE CRUISE + BOB STEELE IN STRANGE WATERS + BOB STEELE'S MOTOR BOAT + BOB STEELE'S WINNING RACE + BOB STEELE'S NEW AËROPLANE + BOB STEELE'S LAST FLIGHT + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale, by +Burt L. 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Standish + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + +Author: Burt L. Standish + +Release Date: February 1, 2011 [EBook #35127] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h1>FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE</h1> + +<h2>BY BURT L. STANDISH</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF "Frank Merriwell's Schooldays," "Frank Merriwell's Trip West," "Frank +Merriwell's Chums," "Frank Merriwell's Foes," "Frank Merriwell Down +South," etc.</h3> + + +<h3>PHILADELPHIA.<br /> +DAVID MCKAY, PUBLISHER,<br /> +604-8 SOUTH WASHINGTON SQUARE.</h3> + +<h3>Copyright, 1897 and 1904<br /> +By STREET & SMITH</h3> + +<h3>Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/front.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"The door opened and in walked Frank Merriwell."</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. GREETINGS ON THE CAMPUS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. IMPRISONED IN A CHIMNEY.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. TURNING THE TABLES.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. READY FOR THE TEST.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. ONE OF THE MISSING PAPERS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. THE PROFESSOR'S CASE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. A FORCED CONFESSION.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. PICKING OUT A TEAM.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. HUNTING FOR A FRESHMAN.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. THE FINDING OF MELLOR.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. A REPORTER'S INFLUENCE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. ON THEIR GUARD.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. THE WRESTLER.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV. A TRICK.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV. OFF THE CLEATS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI. BLACK MARKS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII. THE TEST OF NERVE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII. FRANK WANTS MORE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX. THE LEAP INTO THE RIVER.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX. THE LAST STAGE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI. MAKING THINGS INTERESTING FOR MILLER.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII. MILLER'S NERVES.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII. TRIED BY THE "PIGS."</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV. HUMPERDINK TO THE RESCUE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV. FRANK HAS A VISITOR.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI. SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII. HALLIDAY IS PUZZLED.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII. FRANK'S VISITORS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX. AN UNWILLING PROMISE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX. "FALSE TO HIS COLORS."</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXI">CHAPTER XXXI. FRANK IS MISERABLE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXII">CHAPTER XXXII. "THE MARBLE HEART."</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIII">CHAPTER XXXIII. "FOR THE HONOR OF OLD YALE."</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIV">CHAPTER XXXIV. A SENSATION ON THE FIELD.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXV">CHAPTER XXXV. STOPPING A TOUCHDOWN.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVI">CHAPTER XXXVI. WON BACK.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVII">CHAPTER XXXVII. INZA BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVIII">CHAPTER XXXVIII. A BLOW FOR FRANK.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIX">CHAPTER XXXIX. THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XL">CHAPTER XL. REJOICING AT YALE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLI">CHAPTER XLI. A CONTRAST IN ENEMIES.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLII">CHAPTER XLII. A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLIII">CHAPTER XLIII. AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLIV">CHAPTER XLIV. STUDENTS' RACKETS.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLV">CHAPTER XLV. THE DUEL.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLVI">CHAPTER XLVI. A STUDENTS' CONFAB.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLVII">CHAPTER XLVII. DIAMOND STRIKES A BLOW.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLVIII">CHAPTER XLVIII. FACING THE BULLY.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XLIX">CHAPTER XLIX. TO THE RESCUE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_L">CHAPTER L. AGAINST ODDS.</a><br /><br /> +<a href="#THE_FAMOUS_Frank_Merriwell_Stories">The Frank Merriwell Stories</a><br /> +<a href="#THE_MOTOR_POWER_SERIES">The Motor Power Series</a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>GREETINGS ON THE CAMPUS.</h3> + + +<p>"Ah, there, Merriwell!"</p> + +<p>Frank Merriwell was crossing the campus at good old Yale, and this cry, +in a familiar voice, sounded from Durfee Hall.</p> + +<p>He turned his eyes toward the favorite dormitory, and seated at an open +window on the ground floor he saw his classmate, Jones, he of the famous +nickname, "Dismal."</p> + +<p>"Hello, Dismal," called Frank, "aren't you going to come out and shake +hands with a fellow?"</p> + +<p>"I would if it wasn't for the shower," responded Jones, whose usually +solemn face was graver than ever.</p> + +<p>"Shower?" repeated Frank, looking up in surprise at the perfectly clear +sky.</p> + +<p>"I see that you've just arrived, so that you probably haven't noticed +it," said Dismal, coming out of his window to avoid going around through +the hall.</p> + +<p>He came slowly across the grass plot that lay between him and Frank and +held out his hand, saying:</p> + +<p>"How are you, Frank? I'm glad to see you."</p> + +<p>Frank, who had just come from the railway station, had a gripsack in +each hand. He set them down upon the grass and shook Dismal's hand +warmly.</p> + +<p>"There it goes!" exclaimed Dismal, with something like animation, "the +shower's begun again."</p> + +<p>Frank's brows wrinkled in perplexity.</p> + +<p>"I don't see any signs of a shower," he said.</p> + +<p>"That's because you haven't been here all the morning," returned Jones, +solemnly. "I've been sitting there in my window for fully three hours +watching it; it's been a perfect rain of gripsacks on the campus. Every +fellow that comes along stops to shake hands with everybody he meets, +and every time he stops, down goes his gripsacks."</p> + +<p>Frank laughed.</p> + +<p>"You're the same old cheerful joker, Dismal," he said. "But you're +beginning early. If you keep up this sort of thing you'll actually get +caught laughing before the end of the junior year."</p> + +<p>There was a faint shadow of a smile on Dismal's face as he responded:</p> + +<p>"Well, anyhow, Frank, I'm glad to see all the fellows come trooping +back. Are you glad to get here yourself?"</p> + +<p>"Why, of course I am."</p> + +<p>"Had a good time during the vacation?"</p> + +<p>"I always have a good time," said Frank. "Don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, in my way. To tell the truth, I spent most of the summer +dreading the day when I should have to come back to the confounded old +books, and lectures and examinations; but I got here yesterday, and now +I'm dreading the time I shall have to go away again."</p> + +<p>"Then I see that you're sure to enjoy yourself during the junior year," +said Frank, stooping to pick up his gripsacks.</p> + +<p>"When I've got my room in order I'll come around and go to luncheon with +you."</p> + +<p>"Do!" replied Dismal. "I'll go back to my window seat and watch the +shower. Hello! there comes Browning, and he's loaded down with +gripsacks, too. My, but there'll be a perfect torrent!"</p> + +<p>Big Bruce Browning came up with friendly words of greeting, and as +Dismal had predicted, he set down his gripsacks in order to get his +hands free.</p> + +<p>"It's getting worse and worse!" remarked Dismal, as if worried about it, +"for here comes Rattleton and Diamond from one direction and Harold Page +from another."</p> + +<p>The last named students were on their way, just as Frank had been, to +their respective rooms, and each carried more or less baggage, except +Diamond, who, being something of an aristocrat, had sent all his traps +to his room on a wagon.</p> + +<p>Seeing Frank standing near Durfee, they all turned toward him, and in a +moment there was a lively exchange of greetings and small talk.</p> + +<p>Four of these students, Merriwell himself, Jack Diamond, Bruce Browning +and Harry Rattleton, had not been long separated, to be sure, but after +a sporting trip which they had undertaken across the continent, it was +like meeting after a long absence to find themselves together again at +Yale.</p> + +<p>It was the beginning of a new college year, and members of all classes +were trooping back to begin their work.</p> + +<p>While these juniors were discussing all manner of things that interest +students, such as the prospects of the football eleven, the make-up of +next year's crew, and the coming elections into secret societies, +members of other classes were scattered about the campus chatting in +much the same way.</p> + +<p>Among those who appeared upon the famous quadrangle were many who +belonged to the incoming freshman class. It was easy to recognize them, +for, as Rattleton observed:</p> + +<p>"You can tell a freshman with the naked eye."</p> + +<p>They were either proceeding in a fearful hurry, as if they thought they +were in danger of getting in late to an examination, or they were +standing in awkward idleness looking at the strange buildings and +evidently not knowing which way to turn and dreading to ask anybody a +question.</p> + +<p>The juniors smiled indulgently as a group of three or four candidates +for the freshman class passed them.</p> + +<p>The newcomers were discussing an examination from which they had just +come, telling each other how they had answered certain questions and +wondering if they would get marked high enough to pass.</p> + +<p>"I can sympathize with them," remarked Diamond. "I know just the kind of +shivers they're suffering from."</p> + +<p>"What jolly good subjects those fellows would be for a quiet hazing," +remarked Page.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't forget," said Frank, "that we're juniors now, and therefore +out of it so far as hazing is concerned."</p> + +<p>"That's right," added Browning, "the freshies are nothing to us; they're +far beneath us."</p> + +<p>"Except in one sense," said Frank. "The sophomores, you know, will get +even for the hazing we gave them, by taking it out of the freshies, and +so it becomes our duty, in a way, to take care of the freshmen and see +that they get fair treatment."</p> + +<p>Speaking of this it may be well to explain that in all colleges the +juniors take this attitude toward the freshmen.</p> + +<p>As a rule the freshman receives the attention of a junior with a great +deal of gratitude, but also as a rule he does not find that it amounts +to very much.</p> + +<p>The junior is ever ready to give him a good deal of solid advice, and a +great deal more ready to get the freshman to do errands for him, and all +manner of odd jobs that the freshman is quite sure to do, until, as the +boys say, he tumbles to the fact that after all the junior is really +making game of him.</p> + +<p>"Speaking of hazing, though," said Page, suddenly, "I've got a new +room."</p> + +<p>"Have you? Where is it?" asked Rattleton.</p> + +<p>"It's up High Street a way, in one of the oldest houses in New Haven."</p> + +<p>"Good room?" asked Browning.</p> + +<p>"Capital! I've got to do some grinding this year and the room will suit +me exactly for that, but there'll be hours when the books can be +forgotten, and then you fellows'll find that the room is a corker for +cards or any sort of jollification."</p> + +<p>"I don't see what that's got to do with hazing," remarked Merriwell. +"You said that the hazing reminded you of it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'll tell you why, or rather I'll show you. There's something +about that room that would be perfectly immense if we were sophomores +now. Come down and see it, will you?"</p> + +<p>"Better wait a week," said Browning, picking up his bags, "I'm busy +now."</p> + +<p>"How extraordinary!" remarked Dismal Jones. "If the faculty should hear +that Browning was busy they'd give him a warning!"</p> + +<p>Browning frowned in mock anger and Frank, putting on an expression quite +as solemn as Dismal's own, and laying his hand on Dismal's shoulder, +said:</p> + +<p>"The fact is, boys, Jones has become ambitious. He knows that the +election of class-day officers is only a little more than a year away, +and he's getting himself into training for one of the positions."</p> + +<p>"Oh, go on, it isn't so!" exclaimed Dismal.</p> + +<p>"That's just his modesty," continued Frank, "for of course he doesn't +want to push himself forward, but he's quietly waiting for his friends +to recognize his great ability, and as we're his friends we just want to +boom him from now on, and I take this occasion of nominating Dismal +Jones, Esquire, as class wit."</p> + +<p>Rattleton burst into guffaws of laughter, while the others smiled.</p> + +<p>"The idea is humorous enough to elect him!" said Diamond.</p> + +<p>"Well, if he's going to be a candidate," added Browning, "we must put +the campaign through in proper fashion. We must organize a Dismal Jones +Club and have an emblem.</p> + +<p>"I move that we all wear crape upon our left arm and mourning bands upon +our hats until the election."</p> + +<p>"Great Scott!" howled Rattleton, "the time for mourning will be after +Jones is elected."</p> + +<p>Jones listened to this joking with stolid good humor; never a smile +lingered on his face, but his solemn eyes showed no resentment.</p> + +<p>"It's all right," he remarked when they gave him a chance to speak, "you +fellows think you've got me on a long string, but I'd like to bet that +if I should run for a class office, I wouldn't be last in the race!</p> + +<p>"Of course," he added, hastily, "I haven't really any insane notion of +doing such a thing."</p> + +<p>The students laughed again, picked up their gripsacks and prepared to +separate.</p> + +<p>"Say!" called Page, eagerly, "what about coming down to see my room?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we've got a whole year ahead of us," growled Browning.</p> + +<p>"I'll run down in the course of an hour or two," said Frank. "I don't +think there's anything to do at my room, and I'll be glad to learn the +way to yours. What's the number?"</p> + +<p>Page told him, and Frank exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Why! some of the professors live there, don't they?"</p> + +<p>"Pretty much the whole house," responded Page, "is let out to students +and instructors; I believe Prof. Babbitt has his room there——"</p> + +<p>"Babbitt!" interrupted Rattleton; "he's the most unpardonable crank in +the whole faculty."</p> + +<p>"Well, I shall let him alone, and I've no doubt that he will let me +alone," returned Page. "He's a good deal of a hermit, I'm told, and I +don't think that his being in the same house will make a particle of +difference to me. Anyhow, there's the room and I want you fellows to see +it."</p> + +<p>"I'll be down in a little while," said Frank, and the others also +promised to come in the course of a day or two.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>IMPRISONED IN A CHIMNEY.</h3> + + +<p>Frank found that there was nothing whatever in his room to demand his +attention, and so, after he had unpacked his grips and put away their +contents, he went down High Street to call on Page.</p> + +<p>The house in which Page had taken a room was made of stone. Its walls +were very thick, the ceilings low, and everything about it made it seem +like a relic of the last century.</p> + +<p>This is indeed what it was. In former days it had been the residence of +one of the wealthiest men in New Haven, but that was long ago; for years +it had been used wholly as a lodging house.</p> + +<p>Page's room was on the second floor. It was very large and cheerful. +Three windows looked out on the street and in each of them was a broad +seat provided with heavy cushions.</p> + +<p>On the opposite side of the room there were two old-fashioned benches +built against the wall. Between the ends of these benches and right in +the middle of that side of the room was one of the ancient chimneys of +the house.</p> + +<p>It came out three or four feet into the room and gave the place an +antique and interesting appearance. Page had hung a lot of ornaments in +the way of fencing foils, boxing gloves, baseball bats, and other +materials used by students, upon this chimney.</p> + +<p>After Frank had taken a general look around the room he said:</p> + +<p>"It's a nice old den, Page, and I think the chimney there is the best +part of it. What a pity that there isn't a fireplace. There ought to be, +and it strikes me that there was at one time."</p> + +<p>Saying this, he knelt down before the chimney and examined the stones of +which it was made. These had been painted white. Frank thought he could +see a line that indicated what had once been an opening. Page watched +him in silence.</p> + +<p>"There certainly was a fireplace here at one time," said Frank, rising, +"and if I were in your place I'd have the stones cut away so that you +can use it again. An open wood fire there would look immense in winter."</p> + +<p>"That's a good scheme, Frank," responded Page, "and it was that chimney +that led me to speak of the room. I didn't know it when I hired the +place, but since I've got in I've discovered that—well, I'll show you."</p> + +<p>With this he stooped over by the chimney, put his hand upon what +appeared to be a little projection from one of the stones, turned it, +and opened a door.</p> + +<p>Within the door there was revealed an old-fashioned fireplace, deep and +high. All it needed was andirons and poker to make it complete.</p> + +<p>"Well, that's funny!" exclaimed Frank.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it?" returned Page. "I got on to the thing wholly by accident. +When I was hanging up some of the things there I stumbled and caught +hold of that little projection for support.</p> + +<p>"The thing turned in my hand, and the first thing I knew the door was +open. It opened a little hard, showing that the thing hadn't been used +for a long time."</p> + +<p>"Didn't the owner of the house speak of it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think he knows anything about it."</p> + +<p>"Have you told him?"</p> + +<p>"Not much!"</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Well, because it just struck me that such a place as this was a kind of +a secret worth keeping. You can see for yourself that it was the evident +intention of the person who set up this door that it should be a secret. +The hinges are perfectly concealed, and it has been fitted in and the +edges painted in such a way that only the closest inspection would give +a fellow a suspicion that there was any opening there."</p> + +<p>At this moment there was a knock, and Browning came in.</p> + +<p>"I thought you were coming next week?" exclaimed Page.</p> + +<p>"Well, I found I'd nothing better to do than run down here. What's that +you're looking at?"</p> + +<p>The boys explained the matter to him, and in his slow way he admitted +that if they were sophomores it would be quite possible to utilize this +secret door in the course of hazing freshmen.</p> + +<p>"As we're not in the hazing business now," he said, "I can't see any use +for the place, Page, except for you to hide in when your creditors +call."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" retorted Page, "it's my habit to keep my bills paid."</p> + +<p>"It'll make you unpopular if the fellows know that."</p> + +<p>"I was telling Page," said Merriwell, "that if I had the room I'd take +down that door entirely, get some andirons and burn a log of wood on a +winter evening."</p> + +<p>"That's a good scheme," returned Browning, "but if I should do anything +of that kind I should never get a stroke of work done here; this room +was never meant to study in, but it's an ideal loafing place."</p> + +<p>With this he threw himself upon one of the window seats and looked out. +The others took places on the other windows and for a few minutes their +conversation turned upon college topics.</p> + +<p>Then Browning, who was a little restless, as most students are +immediately after a vacation, said he would have to be going. Page urged +him to wait, but he shook his head.</p> + +<p>"By the way," he said, with his hand upon the door, "I've got some +news."</p> + +<p>"Well?" said both the others together.</p> + +<p>"I regret to say it isn't pleasant news, but it may be important to you +two; it certainly is to me."</p> + +<p>"Spring it!" exclaimed Page.</p> + +<p>"Cut the preface!" said Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Babbitt has announced an examination for juniors in mathematics."</p> + +<p>"What!"</p> + +<p>Merriwell and Page were so surprised that they sat down suddenly. +Browning remained standing by the door.</p> + +<p>"It's a fact," he said.</p> + +<p>"But what can that mean?" asked Merriwell. "We had our regular +examination last spring."</p> + +<p>"I know we did, but Babbitt's going to have another just the same."</p> + +<p>"Where did you learn it?"</p> + +<p>"On the bulletin board, of course. The notice was put up not more than +an hour ago."</p> + +<p>"When is it to be?"</p> + +<p>"Three days from now."</p> + +<p>Page looked blankly at Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"I never was any good at mathematics," he said, "and after a summer +without a thought of it I don't believe I could do an ordinary sum in +multiplication."</p> + +<p>"Well," responded Frank, doubtfully, "it can't be that the examination +will have any serious consequences for us fellows if we passed last +spring."</p> + +<p>"There's no telling how serious Babbitt may make it," said Browning. +"The notice on the bulletin board, of course, doesn't give any +explanation, but I met Frost, the fellow who graduated a couple of years +ago, you know, with high honors in mathematics, and who was made +instructor in one of the lower departments of that course.</p> + +<p>"I knew Frost quite well when he was a student, so I asked him if he +knew anything about this."</p> + +<p>"What did he say?"</p> + +<p>"He smiled a little queerly and answered that Professor Babbitt had his +own ideas."</p> + +<p>"In other words, Frost wouldn't tell?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, that's not it; Frost is a member of the faculty now, you see, +and of course he has to speak very respectfully of the older men.</p> + +<p>"I got a very distinct idea that Frost regarded Babbitt's examination as +all nonsense, but he did explain to me what Babbitt's idea about it is."</p> + +<p>"That's what we want to know."</p> + +<p>"It's just this way," said Browning, sitting down. "It seems our class +is enlarged by the addition of quite a number of men who have graduated +from or studied at other colleges.</p> + +<p>"They have applied for admission into the junior class, and there's got +to be an examination for them, of course; in fact, the examination for +such candidates is going on now."</p> + +<p>"That's quite a usual thing," remarked Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly, but Babbitt has declared that the examination of last +spring was very unsatisfactory. He says men can't go ahead in +mathematics unless what they have done before is thoroughly learned, and +he proposes to find out just what sort of talent there is in our class +before he begins a year's work."</p> + +<p>"He'll find out what I can't do!" groaned Page.</p> + +<p>"Probably he knows that already," said Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"That's the substance of it, anyway," added Browning. "Babbitt's idea is +to strike an average as to what the class can do and proceed from that."</p> + +<p>"Then I shouldn't think," said Merriwell, "that the examination should +have any terrors for us."</p> + +<p>"You'd think," exclaimed Page, "that Merriwell looked at an examination +as he would a plunge in the surf, just a little dip for the fun of it, +and it's all over. It won't be so with me."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry," responded Frank, "you've got three days in which to +cram."</p> + +<p>"And that's just what I'll do, I'm thinking."</p> + +<p>Page dropped his chin upon his hands and looked gloomily at the floor.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to give you unpleasant news," said Browning, rising, "but I +told you I thought it was important. So long."</p> + +<p>With this he went out.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," said Page, after a moment, "I'm not going to be knocked out +by that! I'll just go into the examination and do as well as I can and +take chances; that's what the rest of us have got to do."</p> + +<p>"That's the best way to look at it," Frank answered, "and I don't think +I shall bother my head with cramming for it.</p> + +<p>"If I were you, Page, I'd go down to some of those second-hand stores on +the street and see if you can't pick up a pair of old-fashioned +andirons. You don't want to get new ones, you know, for a place like +this, they wouldn't seem appropriate."</p> + +<p>"That's so," Page answered, with a queer smile, "I believe I'll adopt +your suggestion at once. How would you place them?"</p> + +<p>"Why, just as they are placed in every other fireplace," Frank answered, +"one on each side; that is, if the old chimney will draw."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it won't," said Page.</p> + +<p>"I hadn't thought of that," continued Frank. "It may be that the place +was closed up because the chimney was defective. Let's see if we can +find out."</p> + +<p>So saying, he knelt and entered the fireplace. Once inside it was easy +to stand upright, for the chimney was broad, and as he looked up he +could see that it ran with a slight incline clear to the roof.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing to prevent a fire from being built here," he said, with +his eyes turned upward. "Such a chimney as this would draw like a +furnace."</p> + +<p>Page made no response.</p> + +<p>"I declare," Merriwell added, "it makes me wish that winter had come so +that I could see a roaring old blaze of logs here. Doesn't that strike +you about right?"</p> + +<p>As Page made no response, he turned to look at his classmate, and then +discovered that the secret door to the fireplace had been closed.</p> + +<p>With his eyes turned upward and seeing the little patch of light at the +top of the chimney he had not noticed that the light from the room had +been shut off.</p> + +<p>"Hello, there!" he called, feeling along the wall to find the door. "I'm +no freshman."</p> + +<p>There was no sound from Page's room. Frank found a match in his pocket +and struck it. From inside it was easy enough to distinguish the +outlines of the secret door that concealed the fireplace.</p> + +<p>It was not possible, however, to discover any way by which it might be +opened. The latch was the kind used on doors, but strong, and with no +knob on the inside.</p> + +<p>Frank pushed against the door with some force. It did not yield in the +least degree.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me," he thought, "that Page has a queer idea of fun to lock me +in like this. I've a good mind to kick the door down."</p> + +<p>He thought a moment before deciding to do this, and reflected that it +would hardly be a good-natured way of treating the joke.</p> + +<p>If Page meant to have some fun with him by making him a prisoner, the +joke would be all the more successful if Merriwell should get mad about +it and break open the secret door.</p> + +<p>"I think," thought Frank, "that I'll get even with Page for this in a +way that will surprise him."</p> + +<p>His match went out just then and he began to feel in the darkness of the +stones that made the chimney. They were untrimmed stones, so that the +interior surface was very irregular.</p> + +<p>Just above his hand, but within reach, was an iron bar crossing the +chimney; it was put there to bind the walls.</p> + +<p>Frank drew himself upon this and then, being in the narrow part of the +chimney, was able to work his way upward by clinging with hands and feet +to the rough edges of the stones.</p> + +<p>It was slow progress, but not difficult, and sure. The only question +would be whether the opening at the top of the chimney would be large +enough to permit of his crawling through.</p> + +<p>He had got about halfway up when he halted in his journey. He had heard +voices, and he recognized both of them.</p> + +<p>He knew that he was on the level of the room above Page's, and he +realized that the sounds of talking came to him distinctly because there +was a fireplace there that connected with this same chimney.</p> + +<p>The voices he heard were those of Prof. Babbitt and Instructor Frost.</p> + +<p>"The fact is, Frost," Babbitt was saying, "I'm aiming this examination +at certain men in the class, and I've no hesitation in saying so. +There's that fellow, Merriwell, for example; I'd like to force him to do +more studying."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>TURNING THE TABLES.</h3> + + +<p>"This is growing very interesting," thought Frank, bracing his knees +against the stones of the chimney so that he could hold his position +easily.</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought that Merriwell ranked high, professor?" said Frost.</p> + +<p>"He's no fool," growled Babbitt, "and if he would study hard I presume +he might lead the class in scholarship, but as it is, he spends most of +his time in athletics and skylarking."</p> + +<p>"Oh, not quite so bad as that!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is. He's naturally bright, and by a very little attention to +his lessons he's able to get marks that enable him to pass along with +fair standing, while most of his time is given to anything but work. It +isn't right that anybody should get through Yale so easily; it's bad for +the rest of the students."</p> + +<p>"I have an idea," said Frost, quietly, "that Merriwell's example isn't +regarded as a bad one by other members of the faculty."</p> + +<p>"Ah, you're just as bad as the students themselves in your fondness for +that scamp!" exclaimed Babbitt. "He seems to fascinate everybody he +meets except me."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I think you're an exception."</p> + +<p>"I believe you are trying to be sarcastic, Frost, but it doesn't make +any difference; my mind is set on making an example of Merriwell so that +the other fellows in his class who follow his lead will be frightened +into studying harder."</p> + +<p>"Do you then mean that this examination is aimed directly at Merriwell?"</p> + +<p>"Not quite so strong as that. There are others, of course, but he's a +natural leader, and I don't at all fancy the easy way he takes things, +and then bobs up at examinations with enough knowledge to work out his +papers."</p> + +<p>"I should think," suggested Frost, "that that was all the professors +could require of a student."</p> + +<p>"That's because you're young!" snapped Babbitt. "You ought to forget +that you've been a student——"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, professor, but I think just the contrary. It seems to me +that the more an instructor remembers of his student days the better he +will be able to get along with his classes."</p> + +<p>"All right, then, you stick to your theory, and I'll stick to mine. +Meantime, look at this paper; that's what I asked you to call for."</p> + +<p>"Is this the examination paper that you're going to set before +Merriwell's class?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>There was then a silence of some minutes during which probably Mr. Frost +was studying the examination paper. At last he remarked:</p> + +<p>"Well, I've looked it through."</p> + +<p>"What do you think of it?" asked Babbitt.</p> + +<p>"Do you want my honest opinion?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I do! Why else should I get you up here?"</p> + +<p>After a slight pause Mr. Frost said: "It seems to me that the +examination is very one-sided."</p> + +<p>"Eh?"</p> + +<p>"Why, it is all aimed at a certain line of work, and doesn't cover +anything like all the work done in the course of the year."</p> + +<p>"Well, I have my reason for that!"</p> + +<p>"I supposed so."</p> + +<p>"I know that fellow Merriwell's weakness; I know just where he's likely +to be faulty, and if he can pass that paper he'll do better than I think +he can."</p> + +<p>"Why, Prof. Babbitt," exclaimed Frost in an indignant tone, "it looks as +if you were purposely trying to trip Merriwell so as to get him +disciplined, or dropped!"</p> + +<p>"The faculty can do with him what it likes," remarked Babbitt, crossly, +"when I've handed in the marks on this paper."</p> + +<p>"I must say it doesn't seem to me to be fair," said Frost.</p> + +<p>"I don't care for any opinion of that kind," retorted Babbitt.</p> + +<p>"Then I don't see why you asked me for any at all."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," and Babbitt seemed to be struggling with his temper, "you +and I won't dispute about it. You've got your work and I've got mine. I +asked you about this paper because I thought you'd sympathize with me in +my design."</p> + +<p>"I can't sympathize with you in it, Prof. Babbitt, and I wish if you're +going to give an examination that you would give one of the usual kind, +including in the questions, problems that cover the entire year's work, +and so get an idea——"</p> + +<p>"The idea I want to get will come from the answers to these questions, +Frost."</p> + +<p>"Then I suppose I couldn't persuade you to make up another paper?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I'm going to take this to the printer at once, and by +to-morrow morning the copies will all be here in my room, where I shall +keep them until the hour for the examination."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry you told me about it," said Frost.</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because I think well of Merriwell and the others——"</p> + +<p>"I suppose you'd like to warn them of what's coming."</p> + +<p>"Prof. Babbitt!"</p> + +<p>Frost spoke in a loud tone; he was evidently very angry.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," exclaimed Babbitt, "don't fly in a rage at that suggestion; +of course I know that you won't betray any secrets of the faculty. I +simply said that I supposed you'd like to warn that rascal, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"You've no right to think even as much as that!" returned Frost, "but +you may be very sure that whatever I wish to do I shall not expose the +questions on that paper. Good-day, sir."</p> + +<p>"Good-day," said Babbitt, and immediately afterward there was a slamming +of a door.</p> + +<p>Then Frank heard the professor grumbling to himself, but what he said +could not be made out. A little later there was the sound of a door +opening and closing again. Prof. Babbitt had doubtless started to the +printer's with the examination paper.</p> + +<p>Frank then resumed his trip up the chimney. He had heard no sound from +Page's room, and he was just as determined as before to turn the joke +upon his classmate.</p> + +<p>As he passed the level of Prof. Babbitt's room he saw that the fireplace +of the chimney had been closed in the same way as in Page's room, but in +this case the door was not a secret one, and at the moment it stood +partly open. This was what enabled him to hear so plainly the +conversation between the instructors.</p> + +<p>When he came to the chimney top he squeezed through without much +difficulty, and dropped out upon the roof.</p> + +<p>The next question was as to getting down to the street, but to an +athlete like Frank, there was little difficulty in that problem.</p> + +<p>New Haven is often called the City of Elms. There were a number of these +and other trees growing about, and one of them extended its branches +toward the roof of this house in such a way that Frank could grasp it.</p> + +<p>He took hold of it with the idea of climbing along to the trunk of the +tree, and then shinning down, but the branch bent under his weight until +his feet were not more than ten feet from the ground.</p> + +<p>Accordingly Frank let go and came down with nothing more than a bit of a +jar. He had landed in the yard beside the house, from which he saw that +an alley led between buildings to an adjoining street.</p> + +<p>His hands and clothes were grimy with soot.</p> + +<p>"If I should go through High Street this way," he thought, "and should +meet Page, he'd have the laugh on me in earnest. I'll just skip out the +other way, get into my room and clean up and then give him a surprise +party."</p> + +<p>Accordingly Frank hastened through the alley and so to his room. He met +nobody on the way with whom he was acquainted, and as soon as he was in +his room he washed his hands and face thoroughly and changed his +clothes.</p> + +<p>"So, then," he thought in the midst of this operation, "Prof. Babbitt +wants to make an example of me, does he, and he knows my weak points, +eh?"</p> + +<p>"Luckily, I know my own weak points, too, so far as mathematics is +concerned, and in the next three days it strikes me that I can do a bit +of grinding that will enable me to give the professor a surprise party. +If my guess is right as to the kind of examples that will be put on that +paper, I shouldn't wonder if I could give the other fellows a lift, +too."</p> + +<p>Meantime, Harold Page, having made his friend a prisoner in the +fireplace, had gone from his room for the purpose of finding some other +fellow whom he might bring back to share in the fun of Frank's +discomfort.</p> + +<p>As his room was at some little distance from the campus, he did not +expect to find anybody on the street near it, so he started on a run in +the direction of the college, for it was not his intention to keep Frank +a prisoner more than a few minutes.</p> + +<p>He had not gone very far before he met a classmate, whose name was +Mortimer Ford. Ford was not a very popular fellow, although it could not +be said that anybody had anything special against him.</p> + +<p>He was acquainted with Frank and the particular crowd that chummed with +him, and sometimes took part in their doings, but on the whole he was +rather outside the circle in which Frank had been a leader from the +start.</p> + +<p>If Page had had his wish, he would have met Rattleton, or Browning, or +Diamond, or some of the others more closely associated with Merriwell, +for he knew that they would enjoy the trick with better humor than +anybody else.</p> + +<p>When he saw Ford his first impulse was to go and look up somebody else, +but Ford called out to him:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Page, how long have you been back?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I came back a week ago," Page answered, "and engaged a room, got it +in order, and then went away again. I came back for good this morning."</p> + +<p>"Glad to see you," and Ford shook hands. "What are you hurrying for?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing much," responded Page, awkwardly.</p> + +<p>"I didn't know but you were trying to run away from that examination +that old Babbitt has got up," said Ford. "Say! that is a nasty blow, +isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"It will bother a good many of us, I reckon."</p> + +<p>They were standing on the sidewalk, and while they were talking Page was +keeping his eyes out for some other friend.</p> + +<p>There were no other students in sight, and he began to feel a little +ashamed of the small trick he had played on Frank.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'll go and let him out," he thought, "Ford will do as well as +anybody else to see the fun."</p> + +<p>So he said aloud:</p> + +<p>"Come down to my room a minute, Ford; I've got something to show you."</p> + +<p>"I wish it was a case of beer," remarked Ford, falling in with him and +walking along, "or perhaps it's something better than that?"</p> + +<p>"It's nothing to drink, but it's something better than that, just the +same."</p> + +<p>"Tell you what I wish it was."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"Babbitt's examination paper."</p> + +<p>"Great Scott! why don't you wish you owned the earth?"</p> + +<p>"I do."</p> + +<p>"You might as well wish that as to think of getting hold of Babbitt's +paper. There isn't a secret society in Yale, you know, that is closer +than an examination paper. There's hardly a case on record where one has +been got in advance."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know it," said Ford, in a mournful tone; "of course it's hopeless +to think of getting hold of the paper, and I hadn't any idea of trying +to, but that's the only thing that's worrying me just now, and so I +spoke of it."</p> + +<p>"Merriwell doesn't seem to think the thing's going to be very serious," +said Page.</p> + +<p>"He wouldn't think anything was serious," answered Ford.</p> + +<p>Just as they were entering the house where Page had his room, Prof. +Babbitt came out. They had seen Instructor Frost go out and turn in +another direction a moment before.</p> + +<p>The students touched their hats to the professor, wished him +good-morning, and passed in.</p> + +<p>Prof. Babbitt grumbled a surly reply, and turned away toward the +college.</p> + +<p>Page wondered as he went upstairs whether Frank had kicked down the +secret door to the chimney.</p> + +<p>"It would be just like him," he thought. "Confound him! I wouldn't much +blame him if he did!"</p> + +<p>The minute he came into the room he glanced at the chimney.</p> + +<p>"It's all right," he said to himself, and he felt a little triumphant. +"It isn't often a fellow can catch Merriwell, and although it's a small +kind of a trick, it will be something to speak of hereafter."</p> + +<p>"Well, this is a snug sort of place," remarked Ford, looking around the +room. "The ceiling is a little low, but the window seats are broad and +you've got soft cushions. I don't see anything the matter with this; +where's your bedroom?"</p> + +<p>"Over there," responded Page, pointing to a door. "What do you think of +this?" and he pointed to the chimney.</p> + +<p>"It takes up some room," was Ford's comment; "but you've got plenty of +that to spare."</p> + +<p>"You know what it is, don't you?" asked Page.</p> + +<p>"A chimney, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly, and it follows that it's hollow."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so, unless it's been filled up."</p> + +<p>"It hasn't been filled up," said Page. "When they put modern heating +into the house they closed up the fireplace that was here, and I had +some notion of opening it again, but I've decided not to."</p> + +<p>He spoke now in a loud tone of voice, hoping that Merriwell would hear +him.</p> + +<p>"Why not open the fireplace?" asked Ford.</p> + +<p>"Because I've got a pet that I want to keep there."</p> + +<p>"A pet?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. It's just the place for it——"</p> + +<p>"What is it, a big dog?"</p> + +<p>"No, though it's big enough."</p> + +<p>"Queer place to keep a pet," remarked Ford. "How can you get him in +there?"</p> + +<p>"Why, he's in there already."</p> + +<p>"What! Now?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"I don't hear anything."</p> + +<p>Page was on the broad grin, and Ford crossed the room out of curiosity. +He struck his hand smartly on the chimney, whereat Page exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't do that, you might frighten him."</p> + +<p>"But what in the mischief have you got there?"</p> + +<p>"I'll show you in a minute. Now, then, old boy, want to see the light? +Does you want to come out for a little time?"</p> + +<p>Page spoke soothingly as if he were addressing a small cat.</p> + +<p>"Shall I let him come out?" he went on, mockingly; "shall I let him have +a little taste of fresh air and sunlight, poor thing?"</p> + +<p>He listened as he spoke for some sign of Merriwell and it bothered him a +little that he got no reply.</p> + +<p>Ford looked on in wonder.</p> + +<p>"Don't be so long about it!" he exclaimed. "Open up the thing if there's +any way to do it, and let's see what you've got."</p> + +<p>"All right, then; don't be frightened if he should run out suddenly," +answered Page.</p> + +<p>He put his hand on the knob of the secret door, and threw it open; then +he stepped back, smiling broadly.</p> + +<p>"There isn't anything there!" exclaimed Ford.</p> + +<p>"What!" and Page got down on his knees and thrust his head into the +fireplace.</p> + +<p>Of course he realized in an instant what had happened. He knew that +Merriwell must have climbed out at the top.</p> + +<p>"Great Scott!" he thought, "if Frank should know that I brought a fellow +up here to see the foolishness, how he would turn the laugh on me."</p> + +<p>"Has the thing, whatever it is, vanished?" asked Ford.</p> + +<p>"Gone completely!" answered Page in a tone of disappointment. "He must +have flown out of the top of the chimney."</p> + +<p>Ford got down, too, and looked up.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes," he said, "if it was a bird, of course it would get out that +way. You ought to have known better than to put a bird in such a place. +What was it, a parrot?"</p> + +<p>"No, not exactly," said Page. "I guess I won't say what it was until +I've made some search for it."</p> + +<p>At this moment there was a knock at the door. Page, still on his hands +and knees, answered "Come in."</p> + +<p>The door opened and in walked Frank Merriwell.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>READY FOR THE TEST.</h3> + + +<p>Page got up looking very sheepish.</p> + +<p>He expected that Frank would begin to turn the laugh on him. Nothing of +that kind happened, for the first moment Ford and Frank were speaking +together.</p> + +<p>They had not met since the close of the last term, and they shook hands +in a friendly way, and made polite inquiries about each other's +vacations.</p> + +<p>"What have you got here?" asked Frank, then, stepping toward the +fireplace with a queer look at Page.</p> + +<p>The latter had not the nerve to answer.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it used to be a fireplace," said Ford. "It looked when I came +into the room just as if there was no opening into the chimney at all, +but this door fits very closely."</p> + +<p>"Were you trying to use the chimney as a telescope when I came in?" +asked Frank. "I saw you were both on your knees, looking up."</p> + +<p>"No," replied Ford, "Page had something in there, he won't say what it +was, some kind of a pet, I believe, and it has flown out."</p> + +<p>"No wonder," remarked Frank, dryly; "it would be a pretty poor kind of a +pet that wouldn't fly out of a place like that."</p> + +<p>"If it was an unusual kind of a bird," suggested Ford, "why don't you +give notice of it to the police? It sometimes happens that they recover +missing pets."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess I won't say anything about it," responded Page, blushing +furiously.</p> + +<p>Frank could not control his laughter, so he threw himself into a window +seat, and looked out, having his back to the other two.</p> + +<p>"What are you laughing at, anyway?" asked Ford.</p> + +<p>"Oh, at my thoughts!" chuckled Frank. "I think Page ought to offer a +thousand dollars or so reward for his missing pet."</p> + +<p>"You hold your tongue, Merriwell," said Page, "and some time or other +I'll make it right with you."</p> + +<p>"Are you two fellows putting up some kind of a job on me?" exclaimed +Ford, suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, on my honor!" exclaimed Frank, quickly. "I was just thinking of +a little joke that you don't know anything about."</p> + +<p>"Aren't you going to spring the joke?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm going to keep it to myself."</p> + +<p>Page looked immensely relieved, while Ford, after a doubtful glance at +both of them, turned his attention again to the chimney. He pushed the +secret door back into place and then opened it again.</p> + +<p>"Mighty funny idea, isn't it?" he said, half to himself. "Certainly, +nobody would ever believe that that fireplace could be opened without a +pickax."</p> + +<p>"I supposed it was solid," responded Page, "and got at the secret +entirely by accident."</p> + +<p>"Opens easy, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>Ford kept opening and shutting the door.</p> + +<p>"If this was in the olden times," he said, "when men had to hide from +enemies, what a racket it would be to shut one's self in here and then +climb out through the chimney."</p> + +<p>Frank turned his back again to conceal his chuckle, while Page answered +that he thought it would be a good scheme. Then he added:</p> + +<p>"I think I'll take the door down and make a fireplace of it."</p> + +<p>"And not get your bird back?"</p> + +<p>"No. Hang the bird!"</p> + +<p>"Well, of course, that's for you to say. As for myself, I'm going to get +over to my room and look up mathematics for a while."</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't think you'd need to," said Frank.</p> + +<p>"Oh, a man grows rusty after three months away from the books, you +know," answered Ford, "and an examination always makes me nervous, +anyway. So long."</p> + +<p>With this he left the room.</p> + +<p>"Say, Merriwell," said Page, the moment the door was closed, "I don't +know whether to feel obliged to you, or be as mad as a hornet."</p> + +<p>"I don't see any reason for either feeling."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am obliged to you for not turning the laugh on me when you had +the chance to, and I ought to be mad for your getting out in the way you +did."</p> + +<p>"What should you have shut me in there for," asked Frank, "if you did +not expect me to use my wits?"</p> + +<p>"I just did it on impulse," Page answered, "and had no intention, +anyway, of keeping you there more than a few minutes."</p> + +<p>"It's all right, Page, I didn't mind it a little bit. I went straight +out."</p> + +<p>"I see you did."</p> + +<p>"Now, see here, Page," said Frank, seriously, "I want to ask a favor of +you."</p> + +<p>"Granted."</p> + +<p>"Keep that door closed during the next few days."</p> + +<p>"What, the door to the fireplace?"</p> + +<p>"H'm! h'm!"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, I'll do that, but why? I shouldn't have it open more than a +minute or two at a time to show the fellows."</p> + +<p>"Don't do that."</p> + +<p>"Not show it to the fellows?"</p> + +<p>"Not to anybody."</p> + +<p>"I said I'd grant your favor and so I will, but what in the world is on +your mind?"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you," said Frank, with a little pause, "after the +examination."</p> + +<p>"Babbitt's examination?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"All right I suppose you've got some first-class trick you want to tell, +and you haven't got time to get it in shape until the examination is +over, is that it?"</p> + +<p>"That's asking too much, Page. I'll tell you all about it later; +meantime, it is a fact that men like you and me have got to put in some +pretty hard licks if we want to pass that examination."</p> + +<p>"Oh, thunder and Mars!" groaned Page, "I've made up my mind not to think +of it. It's impossible for me to cram up on a whole year's work in three +days."</p> + +<p>"It might not be necessary to."</p> + +<p>"How else can a fellow stand a chance of passing?"</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose we should study just one part of the subject, and let the +rest of it go?"</p> + +<p>"And then there might not be a single question on that subject, Frank."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and again they might all be on that subject."</p> + +<p>"It isn't likely."</p> + +<p>"But it might be so, Page."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say, Frank, that you'd recommend a fellow to take a kind +of gambling chance like that on an examination paper?"</p> + +<p>"Well, not as a general thing, but seriously I do think it would be a +good scheme this time. You see, Babbitt is springing this examination +unexpectedly, and everybody knows that he's got queer ideas. Now I think +it would be quite like him to center the whole examination on one +topic."</p> + +<p>"Why should he do that?"</p> + +<p>"Well," answered Frank, slowly, "with the idea, perhaps, of catching the +fellows by surprise."</p> + +<p>"He don't need to take all that pains for me," said Page, dismally; "he +could floor me if his examination Was made on the simplest things. If I +was like Ford, now——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Ford doesn't need to worry, of course. He led the class in +mathematics last year, didn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and the year before, too. The idea of his being worried about the +examination is all nonsense."</p> + +<p>"I know it is," said Frank, "except that he's got his ambition up to +keep at the lead; that's a natural ambition and decent, and I suppose +he'll do a lot of grinding to get ready for the exam."</p> + +<p>"I'd grind, too, if I thought there'd be any use in it."</p> + +<p>"I believe there will, Page, and if you don't mind following my lead, +I'll tell you what subject to grind on."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say that you're going to cram up on just one part of +it?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly, and what's more, if you'll agree to it, I'll come over here +with my books and we'll grind together. We'll get Browning, Rattleton +and Diamond, and one or two others in our crowd, and do the job +together."</p> + +<p>"It's a bully idea!" exclaimed Page, "if it would only work. Gee! but +wouldn't it be just great if we should happen to hit on the topic that +old Babbitt has chosen and every one of us write a perfect paper?"</p> + +<p>"I can't think of anything that would suit me better," Frank answered.</p> + +<p>"Then let's try for it. It's just a chance, but I'm with you, +Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"All right, then, and you'll remember you're to say nothing about that +fireplace, and you're not to open it until after the examination!"</p> + +<p>"I'll remember, but you won't forget to tell me what it all means?"</p> + +<p>"I'll let you into the whole business after Babbitt has examined the +papers."</p> + +<p>It was not a very difficult matter for Frank to persuade his closest +friends to join him in preparing for the examination by studying hard on +one particular topic.</p> + +<p>They were so in the habit of following his lead that although they all +regarded the effort in the same way that Page did, that is, a gamble, +they were willing to take the chances if Merriwell was.</p> + +<p>Frank was almost perfectly certain that it was not a gambling chance, +because he remembered well enough how he had been faulty in that topic +at the spring examination, and if Babbitt was going to try to trip him, +that was the subject surely that he would select for his purpose.</p> + +<p>Three days was none too long for the boys to refresh their memories on +the subject and prepare themselves well on this one topic.</p> + +<p>They started in in the middle of the afternoon and worked together under +Frank's direction until dinner time.</p> + +<p>He proved to be as hard a task master as Babbitt himself could have +been. The boys were not exactly surprised at that, for it was natural +for Frank to do with all his might whatever he undertook, but they joked +him a good deal while at dinner about turning professor.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," Frank answered, "you can have your joke. If we come +out on this as I expect to, you'll be glad enough that you adopted my +plan."</p> + +<p>"I must say I rather enjoy it," said Diamond, frankly. "Studying by +one's self is dull work, but when there are half a dozen or so grinding +away, somehow the time passes more quickly."</p> + +<p>In the same way they worked until late that night, and began again early +the next morning.</p> + +<p>Diamond offered the use of his room as a meeting place, and Puss Parker, +who had been let into the scheme, suggested that they come to his room, +too. Frank said no.</p> + +<p>"We began in Page's room," was the way he put it, "and we might as well +work it out there."</p> + +<p>"His room is so far out of the way!" grumbled Browning.</p> + +<p>"A little walk won't hurt you any," responded Frank. "I'd much rather +keep at it there, for I'm used to the room."</p> + +<p>So it was agreed that the grinding should continue at Page's, and it did +until the day of the examination.</p> + +<p>They had other duties to perform, of course, during these days, but the +regular work of the college had not entirely begun, so that most of +their time could be put in to preparing for their examination.</p> + +<p>They allowed none of the other students to interrupt them, and for that +matter, most members of the junior class were grinding in much the same +fashion.</p> + +<p>They had only one caller during the entire period. This was Ford, but he +did not find them at work. They were just returning to the room from +dinner on the evening before the examination, when they met Ford leaving +the house.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Page, I was just up to see you."</p> + +<p>"Sorry I wasn't in," Page responded. "What was it, something special?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," answered Ford, a little doubtfully, with a glance at the +others in the party; "let it go until some other time."</p> + +<p>"If it isn't important, then," said Page, "I wish you would, for we +fellows are——"</p> + +<p>"Sporting your oak, are you?"</p> + +<p>"That's it exactly. We're trying to get up on mathematics and so we +don't admit any callers."</p> + +<p>"All right, then," said Ford, "I'm doing much the same at my own room. +Good luck to you."</p> + +<p>Frank did not keep the boys at work late that evening. They had pretty +well covered all the ground that he had chosen, and he believed that +they would be better able for the test the next morning, so at ten +o'clock he ordered them to their rooms, and they obeyed as readily as if +they were a crew training under their captain for a race.</p> + +<p>At nine o'clock the next morning all the junior class assembled in one +of the big rooms of Osborn Hall. Prof. Babbitt was there ahead of them +with a number of assistants to look out for keeping the students in +order and to prevent any possible attempt at cheating.</p> + +<p>The students found their places by means of slips of paper on the top of +each desk. Merriwell was a little amused to notice that he was placed +far from the friends with whom he usually associated.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if Babbitt thinks I would cheat?" he thought.</p> + +<p>There was a bundle neatly done up in brown paper on the professor's desk +at the head of the room. He stood near it until all the students were in +their places, each with a pad of blank paper before him, and a number of +sharpened pencils.</p> + +<p>Then the professor broke the string with which the bundle was tied, and +calling up his assistants, handed them several papers each to +distribute.</p> + +<p>They were the papers from the printer containing the fatal questions.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>ONE OF THE MISSING PAPERS.</h3> + + +<p>Three or four minutes passed while the assistants were distributing some +papers. Then one of them approached the professor and said:</p> + +<p>"I need two more for my section, sir."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the professor, looking around the room, "if you're short +two, somebody must have two to spare."</p> + +<p>Nobody said anything.</p> + +<p>"Which of you," asked the professor of his assistants, "has two more +papers than necessary."</p> + +<p>No one answered. Prof. Babbitt looked very savage.</p> + +<p>"I counted that bundle of papers just as soon as it came from the +printers," he said, sharply, "and there was just the number called for. +The printers never make a mistake, and I'm sure they haven't this time."</p> + +<p>Still there was silence in the room.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," said the professor, this time addressing the students, "see +if any of you have an extra paper accidentally stuck to the one on your +desk; there must be two spare papers here somewhere in the room."</p> + +<p>Every student took up his paper, felt of it, shook it, but without +result; the room was certainly two papers short, and two students sat, +therefore, with nothing to do.</p> + +<p>The professor frowned.</p> + +<p>"I'm certain," he exclaimed, "that I made no miscount. Mr. Jackson," +turning to one of the assistants, "count the students here."</p> + +<p>Mr. Jackson counted and found that there were one hundred and forty-six.</p> + +<p>"That's it," said Prof. Babbitt, "and I had one hundred and forty-six +papers. This is very extraordinary."</p> + +<p>He glared savagely about the room, his glance resting longest upon the +desk where Merriwell sat. Frank was already busily engaged in working +out the first problem.</p> + +<p>Most of the other students had already gone to work, but some of them +were idly watching to see what the professor was going to do, and hoping +that he would postpone the whole examination.</p> + +<p>This may have been in his mind; but if so, he thought better of it.</p> + +<p>"We shall have to go on," he said, presently. "I will write out two +papers for those who are short."</p> + +<p>He did so, and in the course of a few minutes all the students were at +work.</p> + +<p>Frank could not help but smile when, after a rapid glance at the +problems on the paper, he saw that he had hit exactly the subject chosen +by the professor to floor him. The questions were all confined to the +one topic which he and his friends had been studying on.</p> + +<p>"Now, unless they lose their heads," he thought, "they'll all write a +perfect paper."</p> + +<p>He had previously warned them not to be in a hurry during the +examination.</p> + +<p>According to the custom at Yale a written examination of this kind lasts +for three hours, that is, three hours is the longest time during which +any student is allowed to work at the problems.</p> + +<p>If he has not finished in that time, he has to stop. If, however, he +should get through the paper in less time, he has the right to withdraw +from the room.</p> + +<p>"Now boys," Frank had said, "if you find that you can work all the +problems take them slowly, so that you make sure that you get them +right, and then, if you get through before the time is up, hang around a +while.</p> + +<p>"It might cause the professor to think queer things if he should see us +get up after an hour and a half or so and walk out; he would wonder how +we did it, and of course we don't want to let him suspect that we +crammed on one topic."</p> + +<p>The boys understood the wisdom of this advice, and Frank's only anxiety +now was lest Rattleton or Page should get excited at the ease of the +paper and write too hurriedly.</p> + +<p>The others he knew would be cool.</p> + +<p>Believing that the professor would watch him more narrowly than anybody +else, he made a good deal of pretense at being puzzled over his +problems, and worked each one out separately on a piece of paper before +transferring the problem on the paper which was to be passed in as his +examination.</p> + +<p>There was nothing very unusual in this method, for most of the other +students did much the same thing. The only point about it is that it was +unnecessary in this case for Frank to do it at all, because the problems +were so familiar that he could have worked each one out at the first +trial.</p> + +<p>Early in the examination Ford, who had a seat in the back part of the +room, raised his hand.</p> + +<p>Prof. Babbitt saw him and nodded.</p> + +<p>The raising of the hand implied that Ford wanted to ask a question. He +was a favorite with Prof. Babbitt naturally, and so the professor gave +him leave to go up to the desk and make his inquiry.</p> + +<p>Ford walked down the aisle with an examination paper in his hand, and as +he passed Frank's desk his hand struck a little pile of blank papers +that happened to be lying on the very edge, and knocked it to the floor.</p> + +<p>He stooped quickly, saying: "Excuse me," in a low voice, and replaced +the papers.</p> + +<p>Prof. Babbitt, of course, was looking that way at the moment.</p> + +<p>"You would do your work just as well, Merriwell," he exclaimed, sharply, +"if you didn't spread it all over your desk. Your examples won't work +out any easier for taking up the whole room with them."</p> + +<p>Frank colored; it was unusual and extremely unpleasant to be rebuked in +this way before the entire class. He had not realized that he had left +his blank papers so carelessly but even at that, he knew that the rebuke +was not deserved.</p> + +<p>"The professor has just as good reason," he reflected angrily, "to scold +Ford for being careless."</p> + +<p>There was nothing to say about it, but it made Frank bitter, and all the +more determined to make his paper so correct that the professor could +not help giving it a perfect mark.</p> + +<p>He pushed his loose papers together in a pile squarely in the middle of +the desk and resumed his work.</p> + +<p>No one heard what Ford asked the professor; it was some question +concerning the paper, and when the professor answered it, it was in a +tone of surprise.</p> + +<p>"I should hardly think that the question was necessary," he said, +"though of course I don't blame you for wanting to be careful about it."</p> + +<p>Ford muttered that he wanted to be sure that the problem was correctly +printed on the paper, and when the professor told him that it was, he +bowed and returned to his desk.</p> + +<p>Few of the students paid any attention to this matter, and those who did +promptly concluded that Ford was so anxious to lead the class that he +got nervous and had therefore asked some question that any child could +have understood.</p> + +<p>The incident was soon forgotten, and for an hour or two the students +worked away at their papers in silence.</p> + +<p>The only thing that troubled Frank was that he could have completed the +entire paper within an hour if he had tried.</p> + +<p>As it was, he had worked out every problem except the last on his loose +sheets of paper, and transferred most of them to his regular examination +paper by the end of two hours.</p> + +<p>He was greatly relieved to notice that none of his best friends had left +the room. A few students had gone out, probably because they were +utterly unable to answer the questions.</p> + +<p>For the sake of killing time, Frank had already written out the last +problem on loose paper twice, and he was now at the bottom of his pile +with one sheet of blank paper left.</p> + +<p>He glanced at the clock; almost an hour to spare. He finished his +regular paper up to the last problem, and then, drawing the one +remaining blank sheet toward him, began again to work that out.</p> + +<p>Again and again he had seen Prof. Babbitt looking sharply at him, and +more than once the professor had walked by his desk in the course of his +strolling around the room.</p> + +<p>Twenty minutes passed, and Frank believed that it could be of no use to +waste time longer, so he crumpled up the loose sheet on which he had +been working in his left hand, and started to work out the problem on +his regular examination paper.</p> + +<p>Just then Prof. Babbitt turned up from around the corner of another +desk, brought his hand down upon Frank's left hand, and held it there.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, Merriwell," he exclaimed in a thundering voice, "I've got +you. This will mean your expulsion from Yale, sir, and nothing short of +it."</p> + +<p>Frank had looked up with a start of surprise at first; now he drew back +and looked the professor in the eye, defiantly.</p> + +<p>"Don't you say anything to me, sir," exclaimed the professor, sharply.</p> + +<p>"I hadn't thought of saying anything," responded Frank, in a dignified +way.</p> + +<p>"Keep quiet, sir! what have you got in your hand?"</p> + +<p>"My pencils."</p> + +<p>"You're impudent, sir; I mean, of course, your other hand."</p> + +<p>Frank's face turned first pale, and then red, and then pale again; all +the students and assistants in the room were looking at him. He knew +that the professor suspected him of some low trick, and it cut him deep +to think that he should be accused in this public way.</p> + +<p>"I've got a piece of blank paper there," he said, slowly, "on which I +have been working out the last problem."</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed," returned the professor, sarcastically. "A piece of blank +paper, eh? You're quite sure it was a piece of blank paper?"</p> + +<p>"It was until I began to figure on it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you're quite sure of that?"</p> + +<p>"I am, sir."</p> + +<p>"And I can tell you, and I'll make an example of you to the whole class +in so doing, that when you thought to conceal that paper by crumpling it +up in your hand, I caught sight of the under side of it."</p> + +<p>Frank made no response. He had not the slightest idea what the professor +was driving at.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, I saw what it was in an instant," added the professor.</p> + +<p>"Very well, sir," said Frank, rather sharply, "I've nothing to say."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you haven't! Very well, then, what's that?"</p> + +<p>The professor pointed to the printed examination paper which lay on the +desk in plain sight.</p> + +<p>"I don't intend to be treated like a schoolboy, sir," exclaimed Frank, +starting to rise, and making an effort to draw his hand away from the +professor's. "If you have any accusation to make against me, you can lay +it before the faculty, but I will not sit here to be browbeaten and +insulted in this fashion."</p> + +<p>He drew his hand away, but in so doing made no effort to keep his grip +on the paper that he had used for figuring.</p> + +<p>The professor snatched the paper as it was falling, smoothed it out, and +held it up before the entire class.</p> + +<p>"You see, young gentlemen," he cried, "Merriwell has been doing his +examples on the back of one of the stolen examination papers."</p> + +<p>Frank fairly gasped when he saw that this was the fact.</p> + +<p>When the professor had announced that the two papers were missing, he +had looked with the utmost care all through his desk to see whether one +of the missing papers had somehow got laid down there, and was certain +that only one had been given to him; yet here was one of the papers, and +he had been unconsciously working out an example on the back of it.</p> + +<p>"We shall lay this matter before the faculty at once," said Prof. +Babbitt, sternly; "and meantime, Merriwell, you may leave the room."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE PROFESSOR'S CASE.</h3> + + +<p>Frank held his head high as he walked out of the room. There was a flush +upon his face, but nothing there or in his manner to indicate his real +feelings.</p> + +<p>They were in truth very much confused. He was simply bewildered at the +discovery of one of the examination papers on his desk.</p> + +<p>How it got there he could not imagine. His heart burned with rage at the +way in which Prof. Babbitt accused him in the presence of all the class, +and he felt, too, how hopeless it would be to clear himself in the face +of this damaging evidence.</p> + +<p>Expulsion would follow, unless there could be some explanation of the +matter.</p> + +<p>Frank knew that he could explain nothing, and the thought of the +disgrace that awaited him was very hard to bear. With it all, however, +there was a consciousness of absolute innocence that gave him strength +to leave the room much as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>"My best friends will know that I am not guilty of any such conduct," he +reflected, "and the rest of them may think as they like."</p> + +<p>At the outside door of the hall, he paused, in doubt as to what he +should do next. Knowing that Babbitt, already disliking him, would +insist on his expulsion, Frank was inclined to go straight to his room +and pack up his belongings.</p> + +<p>The event had made everything about the college extremely distasteful to +him, but it was only for a moment, and then he realized how sad he would +feel at having to go away from good old Yale forever.</p> + +<p>"It won't do," he said to himself, emphatically. "I must make some kind +of effort to clear myself; there's no hope of persuading Babbitt that +I'm innocent, but there must be members of the faculty who would believe +me, and it would not be right to go away without trying to show them +that I've been straight in this. If I should leave without making the +hardest kind of a defense, everybody would be justified in believing me +guilty."</p> + +<p>With this thought in mind, Frank debated for a moment whether it would +not be well to go straight to the office of the dean and tell him all he +could about it.</p> + +<p>"That won't do," he concluded, "because Prof. Babbitt will report the +matter to the dean at once, and if I should go there first, it would +look as if I were trying to get an advantage by assuming frankness. No, +the only thing to do is to go over to the room and wait there until I'm +summoned; that will come soon enough, but I wish the summons were here +now."</p> + +<p>Frank's wish was gratified. He had just come to a decision as to what he +should do, and was going down the steps of the hall when one of the +instructors who had acted as an assistant at the examination came +hurrying after him.</p> + +<p>"Merriwell, wait a moment," he said.</p> + +<p>Frank turned and touched his hat.</p> + +<p>The instructor looked worried, and his voice trembled a little as, +laying his hand on Frank's shoulder, he said:</p> + +<p>"Merriwell, Prof. Babbitt has sent me to tell you to report at the +dean's office as soon as the examination is over."</p> + +<p>"Very well," Frank responded, "I'll be there."</p> + +<p>"I hope," added the instructor, hesitatingly, as he looked earnestly +into Frank's eyes "that there's an explanation of this thing, +Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"So do I," Frank responded, "but what it is, is more than I can tell +now."</p> + +<p>The instructor sighed and returned to the examining room.</p> + +<p>Frank saw several students approaching whom he knew and, not caring to +have any conversation with them, he started away at a rapid pace. There +was a full half hour to pass before the examination would come to an +end.</p> + +<p>He put it in by walking about the city at such a distance from the +college buildings that he was not likely to meet any acquaintances.</p> + +<p>It was a dreary walk, for all the time he suffered the thought of +disgrace as well as the maddening perplexity that accompanied the +discovery of the examination paper on his desk.</p> + +<p>"One might almost think," he reflected, "that Babbitt had put up this +job on me for the sake of squeezing me out of college, but I don't think +Babbitt is mean enough for that. The paper probably got there by some +confounded accident. I certainly cannot account for it on any other +theory."</p> + +<p>Just as the city clocks were striking noon, Frank entered the campus and +proceeded to the dean's office. The dean gave him an inquiring glance as +he entered.</p> + +<p>"Prof. Babbitt told me to report here at this hour," said Frank, +quietly.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" returned the dean, "Prof. Babbitt is conducting an examination, I +believe, which should be over at this time; doubtless he will be here in +a moment. Sit down, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>Frank took a chair in a corner of the room, and Waited, while the dean +kept at work at his usual affairs.</p> + +<p>Fully a quarter of an hour passed before Prof. Babbitt came in. When he +did so, he had his arms full of examination papers, and he was +accompanied by a man whose face was vaguely familiar to Frank, but whom +he did not know by name.</p> + +<p>It was a resident of New Haven whom he had seen on the street from time +to time during his college career.</p> + +<p>Babbitt gave Frank a scowling glance and remarked:</p> + +<p>"Ah! I see that with your customary nerve you're here. We will settle +this matter, therefore, without delay."</p> + +<p>The dean laid down his pen and looked up in surprise.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, Prof. Babbitt?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I am compelled, dean," returned the professor, "to accuse Merriwell of +cheating in an examination. I hardly need say that I should not make the +charge unless I had ample proof to sustain it."</p> + +<p>The dean looked over his glasses at Frank in a way that showed that he +was not only shocked, but vastly surprised; then he gave an inquiring +glance at the man who had come in with Prof. Babbitt.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, dean," said the professor, "this is Mr. James Harding. I +thought that you were acquainted with him."</p> + +<p>"I have not met Mr. Harding before," responded the dean, "although his +face is familiar."</p> + +<p>"I'm glad to make your acquaintance, sir," said Harding.</p> + +<p>The dean rose and both shook hands. Then the dean hesitated a moment and +said:</p> + +<p>"Won't it be as well, Prof. Babbitt, to postpone the inquiry as to +Merriwell until——"</p> + +<p>"No, excuse me," interrupted the professor, "I've brought Mr. Harding +here for a purpose. He can tell you something that has a bearing upon +Merriwell's case."</p> + +<p>"Oh, very well. Step this way, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>The dean sat down, and Frank advanced to a place in front of his desk. +Babbitt's mouth was open to talk, but the dean ignoring him, turned to +Frank.</p> + +<p>"This is a very grave charge to be laid against a student, Merriwell," +he said, "and I can't tell you how it grieves me that you should be +suspected.</p> + +<p>"We have all had a high opinion of your honor. I will add frankly that I +hope you can clear yourself."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," responded Frank, huskily. "I'll try to, for I'm absolutely +innocent, but I'm afraid there's nothing else that I can say in my +defense."</p> + +<p>"That can hardly be possible," responded the dean. "What are the +circumstances, professor?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the case is as plain as day!" exclaimed Babbitt, quickly. "This +examination was set as a test for the class, a special test, I may say, +and on the strength of it I expected to require certain students, like +Merriwell and his particular friends, to go over a portion of last +year's work.</p> + +<p>"I knew from the examination of last spring just where they were weak, +and I drew up this paper in such a way that the students themselves +would be readily convinced of their weakness and so be the more willing +to study."</p> + +<p>The dean nodded to show that he understood.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," continued the professor, "I had the papers printed by the +college printer in the usual way, with just enough copies to go around.</p> + +<p>"I counted the papers when they were delivered at my room by the +printer, and found them to be one hundred and forty-six in all. I tied +the papers up in a parcel and left them in my room until this morning, +when I took the parcel to Osborn Hall. There I opened the bundle and +when the papers were distributed, it proved that two were missing."</p> + +<p>Prof. Babbitt paused, as if expecting the dean to make some comment. He +did not do so, but looked straight ahead, and so the professor went on.</p> + +<p>"I must say that I instantly had my suspicions of Merriwell, for during +the past three days he has been frequently at the house where I have my +room.</p> + +<p>"I kept my eyes on him during the entire examination, and I could easily +see that he was not conducting himself as usual. He used up a great deal +of paper and was evidently nervous.</p> + +<p>"At length I took a position back of his desk, where I could watch what +he was doing without being observed. Presently I saw him work out the +last problem on the examination paper, and work it out correctly, too.</p> + +<p>"Then, as he crumpled up the paper on which he had been figuring, I +caught a glimpse of the other side of it. I pounced upon his hand and +discovered that he had been figuring upon the back of one of the missing +question sheets."</p> + +<p>The professor's voice had a triumphant ring when he came to the end of +his little speech. There was evidently no doubt in his mind that what he +had discovered would be sufficient proof to the dean of Frank's +crookedness.</p> + +<p>The dean pursed up his lips and looked absently up at the ceiling for a +moment, and then turned to Frank.</p> + +<p>"If I understand the professor correctly," he said, slowly, "you had two +of the question papers on your desk instead of one?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," Frank responded.</p> + +<p>"How did the second one get there, Merriwell?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, sir."</p> + +<p>Prof. Babbitt snorted contemptuously.</p> + +<p>Frank flushed and glanced at him angrily, but held his tongue.</p> + +<p>"Didn't the professor make any inquiries when he discovered that two +papers were missing?" asked the dean.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did——"</p> + +<p>"Let Merriwell answer, please."</p> + +<p>"He did," said Frank, "and I examined my desk, as I thought, thoroughly, +to see if an extra paper had been placed there by mistake. I found none +and went to work without any further thought on the matter. I worked out +the problem on the back of the question paper without knowing what it +was until the professor pounced on me."</p> + +<p>"And is that all you can say about it?"</p> + +<p>"Everything, sir."</p> + +<p>The dean turned to Prof. Babbitt and said:</p> + +<p>"I can't deny that the discovery of a paper under such circumstances is +very suggestive, but I take it for granted that you have some +explanation of your own to offer as to how Merriwell got possession of +it?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I have, and that is just why I brought Mr. Harding here," +replied Babbitt. "Tell the dean what you saw, Mr. Harding."</p> + +<p>"I suppose," said Harding, "that it was simply some harmless prank of +students at first, for we who live in New Haven are quite accustomed to +such things, don't you know."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I do," replied the dean, sharply, "for I haven't the +slightest idea what you're talking about."</p> + +<p>"Come right to the point, Mr. Harding!" added Babbitt.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, I live in the house next to the one occupied by Prof. +Babbitt and some of the students.</p> + +<p>"One day I was astonished, as I happened to be looking out of my window, +to see a young man climb out of the big chimney at the top of Prof. +Babbitt's house.</p> + +<p>"He went around on the roof for a moment, looking for some way to get +down, and at last caught the limb of a tree which bent under his weight +until he could drop safely to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Then he hurried away through an alley that led to another street. There +was no doubt that he was trying to escape observation."</p> + +<p>"Had you ever seen this student before?" asked the dean.</p> + +<p>"Many times, though I never knew his name until now——"</p> + +<p>"I was the student," interrupted Frank, quietly.</p> + +<p>"The impudence of that confession," exclaimed Prof. Babbitt, hotly, "is +enough to drive a man crazy! The great chimney in that house, dean, +hasn't been used for many years, and the fireplaces have been boarded +up, but an athlete like Merriwell could go up and down easily and you +can see how he could effect an entrance by going into the fireplace of +the room under mine, which is occupied by one of his friends, and so +climbing up through the chimney to my room——"</p> + +<p>"May I ask a question?" interposed Frank.</p> + +<p>"Certainly," responded the dean.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Harding," said Frank, "what day was it when you saw me climb out of +the chimney on the roof?"</p> + +<p>Harding was silent a moment, and then said:</p> + +<p>"I hadn't given the matter any thought until a few moments ago, when +Prof. Babbitt met me and remarked that he was in great trouble because a +student had somehow entered his room and stolen a paper.</p> + +<p>"I then told him what I had seen and he asked me to come here and tell +the same thing to you. I think that this thing occurred on Tuesday."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure?" asked Frank.</p> + +<p>Mr. Harding took some envelopes from his pocket and looked them over.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said, "I had an important letter come a few minutes after +that, and I see by the postmark here that it was delivered on Tuesday. I +am certain that it was Tuesday."</p> + +<p>"I only wish to say," said Frank, turning to the dean, "that it was on +Tuesday that Prof. Babbitt took his question paper to the printer. The +printed examination papers could not have been delivered before +Wednesday at the earliest."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>A FORCED CONFESSION.</h3> + + +<p>There was a sarcastic smile on the dean's face as he turned to Prof. +Babbitt and asked:</p> + +<p>"That doesn't seem to justify your charge, does it?"</p> + +<p>"Why—why——" stammered the professor. "At first blush perhaps it +doesn't, but, don't you see, it shows that he had found the way to my +room, and the fact that he was idling away his time in Page's room +beneath ever since, is proof enough that he was waiting his chance to go +up again.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure he got the paper, for I have taken a glance at the answers +given by him and his particular crew of friends, and I find that every +one of them passed perfect papers, and, without cheating, not more than +one of them could have answered more than one problem."</p> + +<p>"You see, Merriwell," said the dean, "the circumstances point very +unhappily——"</p> + +<p>"I know they do, sir," said Frank, "and I feel miserable about it, but +there's an explanation of how I and my friends have passed perfect +papers, that I'm perfectly willing to state."</p> + +<p>"Do so, then."</p> + +<p>Frank thereupon related Page's joke just as it happened. He told all +about the conversation he had overheard between Babbitt and Instructor +Frost, and then described how he had got his friends together and led +them in studying up the subject.</p> + +<p>"It may be that you call that cheating," he concluded, "but you must +understand that none of us knew what problems the professor was to put +upon the paper.</p> + +<p>"We only knew the general subject which he had chosen for the +examination, and we set to work to make ourselves solid on that subject, +and it seems that we did so."</p> + +<p>"Why, yes," responded the dean, with a queer smile. "I must say that if +your story is correct, the professor has nothing to complain of. He +wanted to compel you to work up on points that you were weak on, and it +seems you did so.</p> + +<p>"Of course it was a very unusual thing for you to get the warning as to +what the subject of the examination was to be, but if the professor +himself gave the warning——"</p> + +<p>"Who would have dreamed," exclaimed Babbitt, "that a rascally student +was listening in the chimney!"</p> + +<p>"Tut! tut!" exclaimed the dean, "don't use harsh language, professor. I +don't think the situation justifies it. According to Merriwell's story, +he was in the chimney without any idea of listening to you, and I think +any of us who can remember our student days will admit that if we had +been in the same position we would have done substantially what he did."</p> + +<p>Prof. Babbitt bit his lip. It was not at all pleasant for him to find +that Frank had a friend in the dean, who, next to the president, is the +highest official in the college.</p> + +<p>"All this," he muttered, "doesn't explain the fact that two examination +papers were missing!"</p> + +<p>"True," answered the dean, "and we shall have to think that over. +Merriwell, will you step into the next room for a short time, please?"</p> + +<p>Frank obeyed, and he felt certain that he read in the dean's eyes +perfect belief in his story.</p> + +<p>"It'll come out right somehow," he thought, as he closed the door upon +the dean, Babbitt and Mr. Harding.</p> + +<p>He could hear their voices in earnest conversation for fully a quarter +of an hour. They were doubtless discussing the discovery of the extra +paper upon Merriwell's desk, and Frank wondered what conclusion they +would come to about it.</p> + +<p>Meantime, another event was taking place that led to a solution of the +mystery.</p> + +<p>One by one the students finished their work on the examination papers +and left the hall; few of them went away from the door; the most +gathered there talking excitedly about the accusation against Merriwell.</p> + +<p>There were some who professed to believe that Merriwell had been up to a +sharp trick, and had actually stolen the question paper, but the great +majority indignantly denied it.</p> + +<p>There are many students who would have no scruples against cheating at +an examination, but few would think of descending so low as to commit +theft for the purpose.</p> + +<p>Frank's friends were in the majority, and very loud in their assertions +as to his honorable conduct.</p> + +<p>Among the first to leave the room after Frank's exit was Dismal Jones; +he stood around with his hands in his pockets saying nothing, but +looking from one to the other with a very worried expression upon his +solemn face.</p> + +<p>Among the last to leave was Mortimer Ford. He walked through the group +with a jaunty air, as if confident that he had come out of the +examination in good order, and started for his room.</p> + +<p>Jones tried to speak to him, but Ford simply said:</p> + +<p>"Ah, there, Dismal, I hope you didn't get plucked," and continued on.</p> + +<p>Dismal scowled savagely and stood for a moment looking at Ford's +retreating form, and then he turned about, and catching Diamond by the +sleeve, said:</p> + +<p>"See here, Jack! I want to speak to you for a minute."</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" returned Diamond, feeling a little impatient and +provoked, for his mind was full of Frank's trouble, and he could not +think of talking of anything else.</p> + +<p>"It's about Merriwell," whispered Jones, "and I want you and Rattleton +and Browning and Page to come here."</p> + +<p>He withdrew to one side, and Diamond, with a mystified expression, +touched Rattleton on the shoulder and beckoned him to follow.</p> + +<p>"What's up, Dismal?" said Rattleton.</p> + +<p>"Get the other fellows," replied Jones.</p> + +<p>The others were soon drawn from the group of excited students, and then +Dismal said:</p> + +<p>"I've got the key to this whole thing, and if you fellows will help turn +it, we'll get Merriwell out of this scrape in less than no time."</p> + +<p>The boys were too astonished to reply, and Dismal went on:</p> + +<p>"Yesterday," he said, "a fellow came to me and after a lot of hemming +and hawing and beating about the bush, told me that he could put me onto +a way to pass Babbitt's examination perfectly; he also said that I could +give the same tip to my friends.</p> + +<p>"I'm not letting any tips on examinations go by, you can bet on that, +and so I made him tell me what the racket was. He said he had got hold +of two copies of Babbitt's paper."</p> + +<p>"Who was it?" exclaimed the boys, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said Jones. "He said the printer accidentally struck +off more than was necessary, and he got the copies in that way."</p> + +<p>"What way?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know, I didn't ask particularly, because"—Dismal hesitated +a moment—"because, well, I'm not putting up a front for being a +preacher, or a goody-goody boy, but I didn't quite fancy taking part in +a cheat like that, and I told him so.</p> + +<p>"Besides that, I couldn't see any reasons why he should give this favor +to me: he and I have never been chummy, and I don't believe that he got +them from the printer, either."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, who was it?" demanded Rattleton, excitedly.</p> + +<p>"Ford."</p> + +<p>"Ford, of all men!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he was the fellow."</p> + +<p>"It's just as Merriwell says," said Page. "Ford is crazy to lead the +class, and he will take any means for getting a paper."</p> + +<p>"How is it going to help Merriwell?" asked Rattleton.</p> + +<p>"You fellows must get after Ford," responded Jones, "and make him own +up. Do you remember how he passed down the aisle and asked Babbitt a +question?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And don't you remember Merriwell's papers were knocked off his desk?"</p> + +<p>"I saw that something had happened," responded Diamond, "but I sat too +far away——"</p> + +<p>"Well, the papers were on the floor," responded Jones, "and I'd like to +bet a dollar to a button that Ford tucked in that extra examination +paper when he picked the papers up."</p> + +<p>The boys looked seriously at one another a moment, and then two or three +said together:</p> + +<p>"Let's call on Ford!"</p> + +<p>Away they went at once, and in a few minutes were at Ford's door.</p> + +<p>"Come in," he said, when they knocked.</p> + +<p>One of them tried the door, but found that it was locked.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," called Ford, and they heard him crossing the room.</p> + +<p>Rattleton heard the scratching of a match at the same moment. Something +seemed to go wrong with the key, for Ford fumbled at the lock for a +moment before he opened the door.</p> + +<p>"Hello!" he said in a tone of surprise. "Come right in."</p> + +<p>Rattleton dashed past the others, and ran to the fireplace. There was no +excuse for a fire in September, but a tiny blaze was there, +nevertheless.</p> + +<p>Rattleton put his hand upon it instantly, to beat the flame out, and +stood up with a partially burned and charred fragment of paper in his +hand.</p> + +<p>"What are you trying to do?" demanded Ford, indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Dock the loor—I mean lock the door," cried Rattleton, excitedly, to +Browning.</p> + +<p>The latter immediately closed the door, turned the key, and stood with +his back to it.</p> + +<p>"We'll settle this thing in a hurry," continued Rattleton, shaking the +charred paper aloft; "this is a part of Babbitt's examination paper."</p> + +<p>"Well, what of it?" asked Ford, angrily; "why shouldn't a man burn up a +piece of paper that he's got no further use for?"</p> + +<p>"Because you left the paper you've been at work on with your answers in +the examination room!" retorted Rattleton, "and this is an extra sheet. +It shows what became of the two sheets that Babbitt missed."</p> + +<p>Ford looked from one to another of the students and broke into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "I don't feel called upon to make any explanation to +you fellows, but as I understand it, your particular friend, Merriwell, +will have a good deal to explain."</p> + +<p>"By all that's good," exclaimed Diamond; wrathfully, "you'll do the +explaining for him."</p> + +<p>"Me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you, you skulking hound! You had those two papers; here's Dismal +Jones, to whom you confessed to having got hold of them. You wanted +Dismal to take one, hoping that he would give it away to Frank and the +rest of us, so that if any exposure came we'd be mixed up in it. I know +your sly trick!"</p> + +<p>Ford had turned very pale. He sank into a chair, shut his teeth +together, and muttered:</p> + +<p>"You're doing a good deal of guesswork; but if you're trying to pick a +row go right along; I'm not afraid of you."</p> + +<p>"We're not here to pick a row, Ford," said Page; "I'm beginning to see +through the whole thing.</p> + +<p>"You're about the only one, except Merriwell, who knew how the chimney +in my room communicated with Babbitt's, and I remember you were coming +away from my room at one time when we were coming from dinner. You had +been up there then to steal the papers. You managed to work one of them +off on Merriwell's desk to-day. Rattleton there has got a part of the +other."</p> + +<p>"Well, see here," said Ford. "What does it all mean? Ever since there +were colleges, students have done their best to get ahead of the +faculty, and if I've succeeded, what's the harm? It isn't hurting you +fellows, and no student ever tells on another."</p> + +<p>He said this with a haughty air, as if to imply that they would be +beneath contempt if they should report his doings to the faculty.</p> + +<p>"We're not going to do any tell-taleing—I mean tale-telling," blustered +Rattleton. "We're here to make you do that."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I tell you," said Browning, slowly, and there was a dangerous glitter +in his eyes, "I'm not above telling tales in a case like this, and if +you don't go straight to the dean and tell him the truth, I'll go and +lay the matter before him, and what's more, Master Ford, I'll give you +such a thumping that you'll carry the marks as long as you live."</p> + +<p>Browning spoke quietly, but there was a businesslike ring in his tone +that Ford could not misunderstand.</p> + +<p>The others were very quiet, and they looked at Ford, awaiting his +answer.</p> + +<p>"You take a mighty high attitude," he muttered.</p> + +<p>"Shut up," muttered Browning, savagely. "I for one won't hear any +argument about it; you've got to do what we say, or take the +consequences. And to make certain of those consequences, I'm going to +give you a licking now!"</p> + +<p>Browning pulled off his coat, threw it upon the floor, and advanced upon +Ford. The others stood aside, their eyes glistening, and their fists +fairly itching to take a share in Ford's punishment.</p> + +<p>As to the latter, he retreated to a corner, and placed a chair between +himself and Browning.</p> + +<p>"Hold on," he said, huskily. "You've got the best of me because there +are so many of you——"</p> + +<p>"I propose to lick you alone!" interrupted Browning.</p> + +<p>"All the same," suggested Dismal Jones, slowly, "when Browning gets +through with him, I think the rest of us will take a turn one at a +time."</p> + +<p>Ford was thoroughly frightened.</p> + +<p>"I give it up," he stammered. "You force me to it I'll do what you say, +and I guess my standing in the class is good enough, as I never have +done anything before this——"</p> + +<p>"Never been caught at it," interrupted Diamond, sarcastically.</p> + +<p>"Don't waste any talk," said Browning; "he's going with us to the dean's +office now; Merriwell is probably there at this minute trying to make +Babbitt believe in a student's honor."</p> + +<p>Saying this, Browning put on his coat and unlocked the door; then he +turned to Ford.</p> + +<p>"Come along," he said.</p> + +<p>Trembling like a leaf, Ford crossed the room, picked up his hat from the +table, and went out into the hall.</p> + +<p>The other students followed closely after.</p> + +<p>As he came to the stairway Ford made a leap. In his excitement he +probably hoped that he might be able to run away from these angry +fellows, and possibly escape making the confession that they wished him +to make.</p> + +<p>With an angry laugh they all leaped after him and caught him as he was +two steps down the stairs.</p> + +<p>The result was that the whole pack of them went tumbling down the flight +and landed with many a bruise in a heap at the bottom.</p> + +<p>When they got up Browning had his strong hand clinched in Ford's collar +until the miserable rascal was almost choking.</p> + +<p>In this way he was fairly pushed across the campus, to the great +astonishment of all the students who happened to be there at the time.</p> + +<p>He was marched straight up to the dean's office, where the students +entered without knocking.</p> + +<p>The dean was still talking with Babbitt and Mr. Harding.</p> + +<p>Frank, in the adjoining room, wondered what all the commotion was about. +The dean wondered, too, and said sharply:</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, gentlemen, what does this mean?"</p> + +<p>"It means, sir," said Browning, respectfully, "that an infamous outrage +has been attempted, by which an honorable student is made to suffer. +Ford will explain."</p> + +<p>Ford did explain with many cringing appeals for mercy, and with many +protests against the violence with which the students had treated him.</p> + +<p>The dean listened with growing indignation, while even Babbitt was +stirred to anger against his favorite student.</p> + +<p>The upshot of the matter was that Babbitt withdrew his charges against +Frank, and even went so far as to make a sort of apology for having +suspected him.</p> + +<p>Ford's case went before the whole faculty at its meeting that evening, +with the result that he was suspended for one year.</p> + +<p>"I never was so relieved in my life, Merriwell," said the dean, as he +shook Frank's hand, "for if it had been proven that you had done this +thing, I am afraid I should have lost all faith in students, but——"</p> + +<p>And there was a sly twinkle in his eye.</p> + +<p>"I think we shall have to recommend that Prof. Babbitt stuff his chimney +with bricks and mortar, or else move to a new room."</p> + +<p>"He needn't fear that I shall invade the chimney again," responded +Frank; "I'm only too glad that the matter has turned out so that there +is no doubt about me.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the dean, thoughtfully, "you ought to learn some kind of a +lesson out of the experience, I suppose. Let's take it for granted, +Merriwell, that you'll give your mathematics a little more attention +this year."</p> + +<p>Frank, smiling, assured the dean that he would do so, and there the +matter ended.</p> + +<p>At a later time Page asked Frank why it was that he had insisted on the +fireplace being kept secret until after the examination.</p> + +<p>"Because," said Frank, "I had got a tip there that was too valuable to +lose. If you had shown the opening to everybody, it struck me that +perhaps Babbitt would hear you. With his suspicious nature, he might +conclude at once that we had good papers because, somehow, we got into +his room and found the questions.</p> + +<p>"As it happened, you see, the showing of the fireplace resulted in even +worse than I feared. It gave Ford his opportunity, and one of the +reasons why I insisted on studying in your room was to prevent any such +thing by having your room occupied all the time.</p> + +<p>"That scheme failed, because Ford watched his chance and got in while we +were at dinner."</p> + +<p>"I'll have my door fitted with a combination time-lock!" exclaimed Page; +"he could have unlocked it as it is now with a button hook."</p> + +<p>"You'd certainly better put on a better lock if you think of keeping +pets in the chim——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, come off, Frank! I thought I'd heard the last of that."</p> + +<p>Frank laughed pleasantly, but from that time on he never mentioned the +subject.</p> + +<p>"It's just as well," he said. "I think we are lucky to get out of the +affair so easily."</p> + +<p>"Right you are," answered Browning. And then, after a pause, he +continued: "Got a letter this morning. Important news."</p> + +<p>"Of what?" asked several.</p> + +<p>"About the intercollegiate games to come off in New York. Friend of mine +at Princeton says they are bound to beat us."</p> + +<p>"Not on your life!" came in a chorus; and on the moment the affair of +the examination papers was forgotten and all of the boys were talking +about the contests to come off and wondering who of the Yale students +would take part.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>PICKING OUT A TEAM.</h3> + + +<p>"One, two, drop!"</p> + +<p>At the word there was a sudden thud as four bodies fell to the ground. +Immediately afterward there was a creaking and a sound of straining as +the four prostrate men pulled with all their might at a rope.</p> + +<p>Then there were long breaths and grunts, and presently one of the four +exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"I say, Merriwell, I didn't suppose you were going to say 'drop' until +you had counted three!"</p> + +<p>"You had no business to suppose any such thing," responded Frank, +seriously, and yet with a smile; "the man who gives the word in a tug of +war sometimes doesn't count at all, and you've got to get used to +falling at one word only."</p> + +<p>"It will be a pistol shot in New York, won't it?"</p> + +<p>"That isn't decided on. You didn't get the rope under your knee when you +fell, Taylor."</p> + +<p>"I know," responded the one addressed, "and that was because the word +'drop' came before I was ready for it."</p> + +<p>"Look out for it next time, then. That will do for the present."</p> + +<p>At this word the four young men stood up and looked at Merriwell to +await his next command.</p> + +<p>They were in the gymnasium at Yale. A corner of the main exercise hall +had been set apart for them and screened so that their work could not be +seen or interrupted by other students.</p> + +<p>Four short pieces of wood had been nailed to the floor at intervals of +about five feet. At each of these blocks or cleats a student stood with +his hand upon a rope that was tied to a post a few feet distant from the +nearest cleat.</p> + +<p>These four were stripped to the thinnest of athletic costumes, but +Frank, who stood by directing their work, was in his usual street +clothes.</p> + +<p>He was training the four to represent the college in a tug of war that +was to be one feature of some intercollegiate games to take place early +in the following month.</p> + +<p>The contests were to consist of all kinds of indoor exercises, as the +season for outdoor sports had come to an end.</p> + +<p>There was to be leaping, wrestling, trapeze and horizontal bar work, +maneuvers on the giant swings, fencing and so on.</p> + +<p>The entries for these events were not limited to any one class; freshmen +could contest as well as seniors, and as a matter of fact many ambitious +fellows in the freshman class were in training for the big event.</p> + +<p>Every day the wrestlers got together in the gymnasium and varied their +work at the machines by wrestling with each other.</p> + +<p>The leapers, too, made daily efforts to jump a little higher or a little +farther than they had the day before, while those who made specialties +of tricks upon the bar and trapeze spent hours every day in perfecting +themselves in their feats.</p> + +<p>The students talked of little else when they met on the campus, or in +one another's rooms of an evening.</p> + +<p>Four colleges were to be represented in the meet, namely: Yale, Harvard, +Cornell and Princeton. The contests were to take place on neutral +ground, and for this purpose the big Seventh Regiment Armory in New York +City had been engaged.</p> + +<p>The college year had hardly begun before arrangements for this athletic +meeting were under way.</p> + +<p>As is usual in such matters, where the whole college is concerned, the +management was given to a committee of upper classmen.</p> + +<p>There were three on this committee, Jack Rowland, and Bed Hill from the +senior class, and Frank from the junior.</p> + +<p>It was not Frank's intention to take any active part in the contests, +although he was well known throughout the college as a first-class, +all-round athlete.</p> + +<p>It seemed to him better that the contests against the other colleges +should be made by those who were specialists in one line or another. He +talked this matter over with his particular friends shortly after the +term began.</p> + +<p>"It won't seem quite right to see you out of it," protested Rattleton, +"for when we had our sporting trip across the continent you were always +coming in at the last minute to pull victory out of defeat, no matter +whether we were jumping, running, playing ball or horse racing."</p> + +<p>"That's another story," Frank replied. "When we were sporting it across +the continent there were only nine of us, and we were not all Yale +students at that. Here there are several hundred healthy men to choose +from.</p> + +<p>"I don't think there's much doubt that out of all the students now in +college there is some one who could beat me at any one thing I might +undertake to do, from wrestling to trapeze work."</p> + +<p>"But," said Diamond, "if you should go into training for any one event, +I think you'd come out on top."</p> + +<p>"And that's what I don't care to do!" retorted Merriwell. "I'd rather be +an all-round man than be able to do just one thing; I shouldn't know +which to choose if I were to start in training."</p> + +<p>"But we may lose a cup in some branch of sport if you don't go in."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, I think not. Besides that, there's going to be one event in +which I can take a kind of share, and where perhaps I can be as useful +to Yale as if I were contesting."</p> + +<p>"What's that?"</p> + +<p>"The tug of war."</p> + +<p>"Is there going to be a tug of war?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, siree!"</p> + +<p>"Who's going to be on the team?"</p> + +<p>"Will it be on cleats or on the level floor?"</p> + +<p>"Will it be on the ground?"</p> + +<p>These and many other questions of a similar kind were asked so rapidly +that Frank had no chance for a reply. At length he explained that the +team had not been chosen, and that anybody might be a candidate.</p> + +<p>"The managing committee," he said, "has asked me to take charge of the +training, and we're going to have trials in a corner of the gymnasium +every afternoon. As soon as the team is made up, we shall get down to +daily practice."</p> + +<p>It was perfectly natural that the tug of war should arouse more interest +throughout the college than any of the other events.</p> + +<p>Of course it was important that one or another student should be in +training to meet the best wrestler or jumper from the other colleges, +but the tug of war was an event in which the whole college was +represented.</p> + +<p>There is never anything like a team event to arouse the enthusiasm of +students.</p> + +<p>A tug of war team consists of but four men, to be sure, but at that they +are supposed to be, and generally are, the strongest men in the college, +and so students of all classes looked to them for holding up the glory +of the college.</p> + +<p>There was another thing that made the tug of war team especially +interesting at this time. For two or three years Princeton had been very +successful in the tug of war, whether pulling against other colleges of +against outside athletic organizations.</p> + +<p>It had happened that three very strong men in a certain class had gone +onto the team in their freshman year and had stayed there ever since.</p> + +<p>That was greatly to the advantage of the Princeton team, for with three +men on it who were perfectly used to each other, and who had had a great +deal of experience, the team was not only powerful, but it made every +other team afraid of it.</p> + +<p>There is a great deal more in this than those who are not athletes +imagine. A team that has the reputation of always winning is apt to +strike terror to the hearts of its opponents and rattle them so that +they cannot do their best.</p> + +<p>Princeton naturally was very proud of its tug of war team and perfectly +confident of carrying off the prize for that event. This was understood +not only at Yale, but at Harvard and Cornell, and at each of these three +colleges there was a determination to "down" Princeton if possible.</p> + +<p>So it happened that when the managing committee at Yale announced that +they would examine candidates for the tug of war team, there was so much +interest in it that a perfect mob of students gathered at the gymnasium +eager for a place upon the rope.</p> + +<p>Rowland and Hill, the senior members of the committee, were inclined to +dismiss the whole crowd and then quietly pick out four men according to +their own judgment, but Merriwell opposed this policy.</p> + +<p>"There may be perfect giants concealed in that crowd," he said, "and if +there's only one, we want to discover him. Give them all a trial."</p> + +<p>"But it would take weeks," exclaimed Hill, "to arrange those men in +teams and make them pull against each other until we could sift out the +best four!"</p> + +<p>"I don't think we need to have them pull against each other to find out +what they're worth," Frank responded.</p> + +<p>"What other way is there?" asked Rowland.</p> + +<p>"I have an idea that I can sift that crowd in a week."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, you'd better try it."</p> + +<p>So it was agreed that Frank should undertake to examine the candidates +for the team, and to superintend its training.</p> + +<p>His plan for examining the applicants caused a good deal of amusement at +first, but it proved to be remarkably effective as well as a great time +saver.</p> + +<p>In a tug of war, as in many other sports, it is not only brute strength +that tells, but quickness and skill. Frank believed a good deal more in +the head work of tugging than he did in solid muscle.</p> + +<p>"If a man can't drop right every time," he declared, "he isn't fit for +the team. If he can drop right, he's got the making of a tugger."</p> + +<p>To test this he had a rope fastened securely to a post, and the +candidates in squads of four took hold of this rope and dropped half a +dozen times at Frank's command. He gave brief explanations of what was +necessary for them to do, to each squad before giving the word; then he +watched the men go down, showing them where they had been in error and +had them try again.</p> + +<p>It took no more than half a dozen minutes for as many trials and then +another squad was brought on.</p> + +<p>In this way he easily tested from thirty to forty men an hour, and so in +the course of three days had given every candidate for the team a +chance.</p> + +<p>After that it was an easy matter for him to strike off the list fully +three-quarters of the candidates; that left from twenty to thirty who +might still be useful.</p> + +<p>These men he tried in groups of four also, but continually shifted the +men from one group to another so as to find out which of them worked +together to the best advantage.</p> + +<p>At length, after ten days of patient examination in this way, he had +Rowland and Hill come behind the screen and watch the efforts of six men +who had been selected as the best team workers in the whole college.</p> + +<p>The matter was discussed very frankly, not only by the members of the +committee, but by the candidates themselves, for everybody was anxious +that the best possible team should be selected and nobody would have +been offended if he had been left off.</p> + +<p>It was decided at last that Bruce Browning should be the anchor of the +team. He had been Frank's choice almost from the start, for he was heavy +and cool, and from past experience Frank knew that Bruce could be quick +if it was necessary.</p> + +<p>It is the anchor in a tug-of-war who does the head work for the team.</p> + +<p>"I'd rather have a good anchor and three weak men," said Frank, +emphatically, "than three giants on the rope directed by an anchor who +is either excitable or slow."</p> + +<p>Everybody agreed that Bruce was just the man for the Yale anchor, and +after a good many trials Taylor, of the senior class, and Jackson, of +the sophomore, were assigned places on the rope; that left one vacancy.</p> + +<p>Merriwell recommended that the other three men who had stood the test so +far be trained equally, so that two at least could rank as substitutes +in case of sickness or other difficulty.</p> + +<p>The committee and the members of the team suggested that Frank himself +should take the vacant place on the rope.</p> + +<p>"Everybody knows you've got the muscle and the head, and with you and +Bruce on the rope, we'll have as perfect a team as possible."</p> + +<p>Frank hesitated a little before accepting this suggestion, but he +finally yielded, for without conceit he felt that he could be more +useful than the others, and he had a natural eagerness to take an active +part in the contest.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, he continued to direct the training of the team, using +Rattleton as a substitute on the rope while he stood by and gave orders.</p> + +<p>In this way he got the men so that they could fall at the word and fall +right, and when this had been gained he took Rattleton's place and gave +over the direction of the movements of the team to the anchor.</p> + +<p>After that there was a good deal of practice in pulling at voluntary +teams from among the students.</p> + +<p>It proved that there were no four students in the college who could stay +on the cleats half a minute against the team that Frank had selected and +trained; so practice teams were made up of five, six, and sometimes +eight men.</p> + +<p>The dead weight of eight men proved to be a little too much for the +regular team, although the latter was never pulled off the cleats.</p> + +<p>All in all the Yale students were greatly satisfied with their tug of +war team, and as the time for the intercollegiate contests approached +their confidence grew.</p> + +<p>They believed that they would be able to get away with Princeton, and it +did not seem to strike them at all that the other colleges were in it.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>HUNTING FOR A FRESHMAN.</h3> + + +<p>The contests were to take place on a Wednesday evening. On the Monday +previous all the Yale athletes went to New York.</p> + +<p>Special permission from the faculty had to be obtained for this absence +from the college, but there was no difficulty in getting that, as there +is hardly a professor at Yale who does not have a strong interest in +athletic events.</p> + +<p>As New Haven is but two hours' ride from New York, it might have been +possible for the students to attend to all their duties on the +Wednesday, and still get to New York in time for the events, but that +would never do for the contestants.</p> + +<p>Nobody knows better than men who train how easy it is for an athlete to +get thrown out of order by a change in diet and air. The finer the +training the greater care there has to be.</p> + +<p>Therefore, the managing committee for Yale felt that it was absolutely +necessary to give the contestants at least two whole days in New York +City, in order to get used to the slight change that would result in +their leaving familiar quarters in New Haven.</p> + +<p>Students who were not contestants in the intercollegiate sports were not +allowed to leave New Haven so early, and so it was a comparatively small +party that went with Frank and the other members of the committee to +rooms that had been engaged for them in the Murray Hill Hotel.</p> + +<p>It would probably have amused an outsider if he could have known the +great care taken to prevent those students from being harmed by illness +or anything else.</p> + +<p>They were grown men and able to take care of themselves ordinarily, but +from the time they went into training they were like so many children in +charge of a nurse.</p> + +<p>They were informed as to just what they could eat and what they must let +alone. Not one of them was permitted to smoke, and every one of them was +required to do just so many hours of exercise of some kind every day.</p> + +<p>While they remained in New Haven it was no very difficult matter to see +to it that every one of the contestants obeyed the regulations of the +managing committee.</p> + +<p>In New York it was not quite so easy, for the members of the committee +were a good deal occupied in discussing arrangements with the committees +from other colleges who were quartered at different hotels.</p> + +<p>When it happened that all the committee had to be away from the Murray +Hill at the same time, the oversight of the Yale crew was left to +Browning, who was the most experienced athlete among them.</p> + +<p>There was not much for him to do, for each one of the contestants had a +programme of exercise laid out for him.</p> + +<p>There was to be just so much walking, and at certain hours, and the rest +of the time, except for meals, was to be put in in resting.</p> + +<p>It was understood that as often as possible the entire crowd should walk +together, and this they did on the first evening after their arrival.</p> + +<p>They went up Fifth Avenue to Central Park, and walked rapidly for fully +an hour among its winding paths; then they returned to their hotel, had +baths, and went early to bed.</p> + +<p>During the next day, Tuesday, the contestants were left pretty much to +themselves, as the members of the committee were away most of the time.</p> + +<p>After one of the meetings with the committees from other colleges, the +Yale managers, finding that a number of things had to be done, divided +up the work and separated.</p> + +<p>Three or four hours later Rowland and Frank met on the way to the hotel +where their companions were staying. They reported to each other what +they had done, and then fell as usual into discussing the prospects for +victory.</p> + +<p>"I saw the Cornell tug of war team out for a run," said Rowland.</p> + +<p>"Ah! What do they look like?" Frank responded, without much show of +interest.</p> + +<p>"Beef!" said Rowland.</p> + +<p>"Not dangerous, then, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no, I presume not. They look as if they could carry you fellows +around on one hand, but it seemed to me they were clumsy in their +running."</p> + +<p>"I don't fear them," said Frank; "I'd heard from some other fellows that +Cornell was counting on weight more than anything else, and as you know, +I take more stock in head work."</p> + +<p>"There's this to think of, though," remarked Rowland, "if a beefy team +gets the fall on you by the fraction of a second, you simply can't stand +it. That's the time when dead weight will tell."</p> + +<p>"The Cornell beefeaters won't get the drop on Yale," returned Frank, +quietly.</p> + +<p>"No, I guess not, and for that matter, so far as I can hear, there seems +to be no doubt in anybody's mind that the real contest will be between +Yale and Princeton."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen the Harvard men?" asked Frank.</p> + +<p>"No, but we know all about them, don't we?"</p> + +<p>"I think so. They're a game lot, but I don't think they can stand +against us. The fact is, Rowland, I'm thinking more of the other events +than of the tug of war just now."</p> + +<p>"So? I would have supposed you would be capable of thinking of nothing +else."</p> + +<p>Frank shook his head.</p> + +<p>"The tug of war doesn't worry me a little bit," he said, "but as one of +the managers I should feel pretty badly if we fell down on everything +else."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we're not going to fall down; there are two or three events, you +know, in which we are almost certain to win. The high leap, for +example——"</p> + +<p>"That's just what I've been thinking of," interrupted Frank.</p> + +<p>"Why, are you afraid of Higgins?"</p> + +<p>Higgins was a member of the freshman class who had shown most unusual +power in jumping, and had easily beaten all the other Yale students who +had tried for that event.</p> + +<p>"I hear that Cornell has a man named Stover," said Frank, "who thinks he +can beat everybody at the high jump."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I've heard of him, too," Rowland responded, "but what of it? +Higgins has broken the record in private practice——"</p> + +<p>"That doesn't make it certain that he will do as well at the armory."</p> + +<p>"No; but he's in good condition, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"First rate."</p> + +<p>"Then I wouldn't worry about him."</p> + +<p>"I'm not worrying exactly, and in any case, if our fellows do their best +and we get beaten, there's nothing to complain of."</p> + +<p>At this point in their conversation the two arrived at the Murray Hill +Hotel. They went at once to the suite of rooms that had been engaged for +the athletes, and found most of the contestants reading or dozing.</p> + +<p>A few were out for a walk. All the students asked eager questions as to +the final arrangements and so on. After several questions had been asked +and answered, Rowland remarked:</p> + +<p>"There'll be hard times in Princeton this winter if the orange doesn't +get most of the cups."</p> + +<p>"Are the Princeton men offering odds?" asked Browning.</p> + +<p>"Not quite so strong as that, but they're putting up loads of money."</p> + +<p>"Is the betting any heavier than usual?" asked Frank.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not," Rowland answered, "but if not I must have come across the +betting crowd. It seemed as if they had begged and borrowed every dollar +they could lay hold of and had brought it here to put up on the +different events."</p> + +<p>"How is the betting going?" asked Browning.</p> + +<p>"I didn't pay very much attention to it, but it seemed to be about even +as between Princeton and Yale on the tug of war, and on some of the +other events the Princeton men were asking for odds rather than giving +them.</p> + +<p>"What impressed me most was that it looked as if it was the Princeton +crowd that had the most money."</p> + +<p>"Why," asked Frank, in a surprised tone, "it wasn't the Princeton +contestants who were doing the betting, was it?"</p> + +<p>"No, but some of the students."</p> + +<p>"That's queer."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Here it is Tuesday afternoon and the Princeton fellows who are going to +see the contests are not due before to-morrow afternoon. It doesn't seem +to me probable that the Princeton faculty would let the general run of +students come up here at this time any more than the Yale faculty would +allow our men to come."</p> + +<p>"Can't help that," said Rowland, "there's a raft of Princeton men in +town going around with orange ribbons in their buttonholes and hunting +for chances to bet money against Yale, Harvard and Cornell."</p> + +<p>Frank made no response, but remained for a moment in thought, while the +others continued to talk about the betting. Presently Frank asked where +Higgins and Mellor were.</p> + +<p>Mellor was another freshman athlete. He was a giant in stature, and one +of the best wrestlers that had ever been seen at Yale.</p> + +<p>There was a good deal of confidence that he would win the cup for +wrestling, for from all that could be learned of the wrestlers +representing the other colleges, there was no one who could compare with +him in strength, and his skill seemed to be all that would be needed.</p> + +<p>"They're taking in the town," answered Browning.</p> + +<p>"What!" exclaimed Frank, aghast.</p> + +<p>"Oh, not in any improper sense," said Browning. "They're just out for a +walk, and I didn't see any objection to their taking it in such a way +that they could see some of the principal streets."</p> + +<p>"No, that's all right," responded Frank, in a tone of relief; "when are +they due back?"</p> + +<p>"In about half an hour."</p> + +<p>More than half an hour passed, and neither Higgins nor Mellor had shown +up at that time. Rowland and Hill were away on some other business +concerned with the management.</p> + +<p>Frank was getting anxious. He could not have said exactly why, for so +far as Mellor and Higgins were concerned, he had a good deal of respect +for them, but he was fearful of accidents, as if they were little +children unable to care for themselves.</p> + +<p>He did not betray his anxiety to Browning or the others, but remarked +after a time that he had another errand to do, and went away, leaving +instructions that no contestant should leave the hotel until his return.</p> + +<p>Then he went down to Madison Square and stood for a moment looking +doubtfully at the several hotels in that vicinity. He knew that the +Princeton athletes had had rooms engaged at the Fifth Avenue, but this +thought was not in his mind at the moment.</p> + +<p>"The Hoffman House," he was thinking, "is one of the most celebrated +hotels in New York, and a place to which all strangers like to go."</p> + +<p>As it was the time of year when days are short, it was already dark as +night, although it was yet some time before the usual evening dinner +hour.</p> + +<p>Frank strolled across to the Hoffman House, and went in at the main +entrance. A number of men were in the lobby, but apparently there were +no students among them.</p> + +<p>He went slowly past group after group, and turned at length to the +barroom.</p> + +<p>This place was famous at that time for its remarkable collection of +valuable paintings and statuary; it was often referred to jocosely as +the "art gallery." Every stranger in New York regarded it as one of the +most interesting sights of the town.</p> + +<p>It was pretty well filled with customers when Frank entered, but +everything was quiet and orderly.</p> + +<p>At the farther side of the room, and partly concealed by the bar, which +took up the very middle, was a group of young men just on the point of +leaving by the door that opens upon Twenty-fifth Street.</p> + +<p>"Too bad you've got to hurry," one of them remarked in a pleasant voice.</p> + +<p>"I'm overdue at the hotel already," said another, "and must get back +before they become anxious about me."</p> + +<p>Frank could not see the speaker, but he recognized the voice as that of +Higgins.</p> + +<p>"He has no business in here, confound him!" thought Frank, angrily. "No +one but a freshman would go into a barroom even out of curiosity, at +such a time as this."</p> + +<p>He crossed the room, intending to speak to Higgins and walk back to the +hotel with him, and give him some earnest advice on the way.</p> + +<p>Higgins was a little in advance of the group as they went out, and so +Frank did not catch up with him before they were all out upon the +sidewalk.</p> + +<p>He noticed that all the men who had been speaking with Higgins wore +orange ribbons in their buttonholes, but it struck him, too, that +somehow they did not look like students.</p> + +<p>He had no time to reflect upon this doubt, for just as he stepped out +upon the dark street he saw one of the crowd pretend to stumble and fall +rather heavily against Higgins.</p> + +<p>"I beg pardon," this man said, quickly.</p> + +<p>"It's all right," Higgins responded, as he staggered to the curb under +the force of the shove.</p> + +<p>At that instant Frank saw another in the crowd making a movement which +showed that he was going to trip Higgins and cause him to fall.</p> + +<p>The attempt was not made, for acting instantly upon his impulse, Frank +leaped from the doorway and caught the fellow a terrible blow upon the +side of the face.</p> + +<p>It sent him reeling halfway across the street before he finally lost his +balance and fell full length.</p> + +<p>The attack was so unexpected and sudden that most of the others in the +group did not stir for a second.</p> + +<p>There was one exception to this.</p> + +<p>It was a man who had edged forward in order to make sure of tripping +Higgins if the first man should fail, and he was so intent upon +accomplishing this that he did not stop when Frank's form shot past him +to attack the other.</p> + +<p>Therefore when Frank wheeled about to defend himself in case the others +should fall upon him, he saw this man just in the act of giving Higgins +a violent kick upon the shins.</p> + +<p>It was all happening so quickly that at this instant Higgins had just +made his reply to the apology of the man who had shoved him, and was +only beginning to regain his balance.</p> + +<p>The kick in the shins did the business for him. He fell upon his hands +and knees, and just then Frank struck out again.</p> + +<p>He was never so thoroughly aroused in his life, and his blows fell like +rain upon the Princeton man's face and chest. The latter would have +suffered a square knockdown if he had not been standing so that he fell +against his comrades.</p> + +<p>The others, recovering a little from their first astonishment, made a +feeble effort to close in on Frank, but it would have taken more than +them to stop him then.</p> + +<p>He beat them off vigorously, striking without mercy at any one who came +within reach.</p> + +<p>"Cheese it, there's a cop!" exclaimed one of the party suddenly, and +they all took to their heels.</p> + +<p>Higgins by this time had got up and was supporting himself against a +lamp-post.</p> + +<p>"Can you walk?" asked Frank, quickly.</p> + +<p>"I guess so," responded Higgins, so surprised that he could hardly +speak.</p> + +<p>Frank took him by the arm and marched him back to the barroom, through +which they went to the lobby, and then out by the ladies' entrance upon +Twenty-sixth Street.</p> + +<p>The scrimmage had taken place so quickly and quietly that it had +attracted no attention within the barroom, and as Frank and Higgins were +not followed, it seemed probable that the cry of alarm about a policeman +coming was false.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>THE FINDING OF MELLOR.</h3> + + +<p>"Now, Higgins," said Frank, rather sharply, as they were well out on +Twenty-sixth Street, "what have you been up to?"</p> + +<p>"Why," answered Higgins, hesitatingly, for he had not yet half recovered +from the surprise of the event, "nothing but swapping boasts with those +Princeton fellows and refusing to drink with them."</p> + +<p>"It's small business for a Yale student to boast of what he can do," +exclaimed Frank, in disgust.</p> + +<p>Higgins bit his lip and said nothing; although he was a freshman of but +few months' standing, he had already learned that in athletic matters +the word of a manager is law, and that a student in training would no +sooner dispute his manager or trainer than a soldier would dispute an +officer.</p> + +<p>"And did you refuse their drinks?" demanded Frank in the same sharp +tone.</p> + +<p>"On my honor, Merriwell, I did. Do you suppose I would take such risks +just previous to——"</p> + +<p>"Don't talk to me about risks," Frank interrupted; "here it is only the +day before the contests, and you're not back at the hotel at the time +you're ordered to be."</p> + +<p>"I know that," Higgins responded humbly, "and I'm sorry for it, but I +didn't realize how the time was going by after I got in with those +fellows. They're very pleasant chaps, and I must say that I can't +understand for the life of me why it was you sailed into them so."</p> + +<p>Frank was too irritated to explain for a moment. It was very seldom that +he spoke as sharply as this to a comrade, and he would not have done so +on this occasion if he had not been so anxious for the success of Yale +in every possible event.</p> + +<p>As they walked along he noticed that Higgins was perfectly steady, and +although there was a slight flush on his face, there was no sign that he +had been drinking. The flush undoubtedly was due to mortification and +excitement.</p> + +<p>"See here, Higgins," said Frank, at length, in a quieter tone, "don't +you know that those Princeton students, as you call them, were trying to +disable you?"</p> + +<p>"I never dreamed of such a thing."</p> + +<p>"It's a fact."</p> + +<p>"How do you know, Merriwell?"</p> + +<p>"I saw the attempt made, and for that matter you got kicked in the shins +and tumbled over, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I supposed that was an accident of the scrimmage."</p> + +<p>"It was nothing of the kind; it was a put-up job, and if I hadn't sailed +in it might have lamed you so that you couldn't jump. That was what they +were after."</p> + +<p>"Whew!" exclaimed Higgins. "I think I'm a good Yale man, if I am a +freshman, and I hate Princeton and all the rest of them, but, on my +honor, Merriwell, I didn't think that a student of any college would +resort to such a low-down trick."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it, either," said Frank.</p> + +<p>"Well, that——"</p> + +<p>"What made you think those fellows were students?"</p> + +<p>"Why, they said they were; they gave the year of their class, which made +them out to be seniors. They had big wads of money that they wanted to +bet, and they got into conversation with me by asking what odds would +put up on myself in the high jump."</p> + +<p>Frank grunted to express his disgust, and asked:</p> + +<p>"Did they talk like students?"</p> + +<p>"I thought so."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe they were," said Frank, "for there was something in +their manner that didn't make them seem like students, and besides that, +I can't believe any more than you that Princeton men would try to win +out in these contests by deliberately disabling any of our fellows.</p> + +<p>"Of course, I can understand how, in an exciting match like a game of +football, a man's temper might get the best of him, but to try to lame a +fellow in cold blood hours before the beginning of the event is a little +too much for me to think of when it comes to a student, whether he's +from Princeton, Harvard or anywhere else."</p> + +<p>"Then, who were these fellows?" asked Higgins.</p> + +<p>"They may be New York gamblers, for all I know," Frank answered, "but in +any case I think they are men not connected with Princeton in any way, +who are trying to make sure of their bets by disabling the leading +contestants in the other colleges."</p> + +<p>"Then but for you I suppose I might have been seriously lamed?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, Higgins; I'm taking no credit for what I did, but I hope +you see that you made a grave mistake in not coming back to the Murray +Hill on time."</p> + +<p>"I do, and will look out that such a thing doesn't happen again."</p> + +<p>"Where's Mellor?" asked Frank, suddenly.</p> + +<p>"I don't know."</p> + +<p>"Didn't he start out with you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but we didn't keep together long."</p> + +<p>"Where did he go?"</p> + +<p>"We separated at the corner of Thirty-second Street and Broadway. I was +for going down Broadway, but he said that he wanted to see something of +the Tenderloin district."</p> + +<p>"The Tenderloin!" exclaimed Frank, with a groan.</p> + +<p>Instinctively he hurried his steps.</p> + +<p>"Hasn't Mellor turned up yet?" asked Higgins, hurrying along with him.</p> + +<p>"No, and unless he's more careful than you were there's no telling what +mischief he may have got into."</p> + +<p>Higgins looked as penitent as if he had been guilty of a serious crime. +The flush on his face had entirely gone now, and he was quite pale.</p> + +<p>"See here," exclaimed Frank, cheerfully, "you've had your scolding, so +now brace up and forget it. If you feel the slightest soreness from that +kick, give yourself a good rubbing when you get to the hotel, and go to +bed."</p> + +<p>"Aren't you coming?" asked Higgins, for Frank had stopped short.</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"What shall I say to the fellows?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing; or you might tell them that I met you and ordered you to the +hotel; if they ask for me, you don't know where I am, and that's all +there is to it."</p> + +<p>Higgins nodded and went on obediently to the Murray Hill.</p> + +<p>Frank, boiling with indignation and sore with anxiety, set off toward +the corner of Thirty-second Street and Broadway. He had no foolish idea +that he would find Mellor there, but as that was the last place where he +had been seen, it seemed to be the most sensible point from which to +begin a search for him.</p> + +<p>When he arrived at the corner he looked about a moment and then entered +a hotel, and going to the telephone closet, rang up the Murray Hill and +asked for Browning.</p> + +<p>"Bruce," he said, when he heard a familiar hello in the receiver at his +ear, "has Mellor returned?"</p> + +<p>"No, but Higgins has."</p> + +<p>"All right. Good-by."</p> + +<p>"Hold on, Frank."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Are you coming back soon?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know."</p> + +<p>"Rowland and Hill expect you to take a run with us up the avenue this +evening."</p> + +<p>"I'll be there if I can."</p> + +<p>"What are you up to, anyway?"</p> + +<p>"That's my business, old fellow; say nothing about it, but if I don't +turn up, go ahead with your run without me."</p> + +<p>With this Frank hung up the receiver without giving Bruce any further +chance to ask questions.</p> + +<p>His object in not explaining what he was about was to prevent any of the +contestants from worrying. He was pretty sure that Higgins would not +speak of his own adventure, and he did not care to have even cool-headed +Browning suspect that there was anything so serious in the wind as a +deliberate plot to disable Yale athletes.</p> + +<p>It seemed to Frank as if he had never been in so serious a situation. +There had been times in his travels when one adventure or another had +brought him in danger of his life, but at such times his mind was +usually easy; now he was oppressed by responsibility and anxiety for +others.</p> + +<p>The credit of Yale depended upon the good showing at the intercollegiate +games; whether they won or lost was not so much of consequence as that +the Yale crowd should do their best.</p> + +<p>As one of the managers, Frank felt responsible for the good condition of +every man in the party.</p> + +<p>He set out down Sixth Avenue looking to right and left and glancing in +at the door of every saloon he passed.</p> + +<p>Near the juncture of Sixth Avenue and Broadway are a number of places +where gamblers resort, and it was in one of these that Frank half +suspected and feared to find Mellor.</p> + +<p>Business was lively in all these places at this hour. Men of all +conditions were at the bar discussing all manner of sporting events.</p> + +<p>Once in a while, as Frank made his way through the crowded barrooms, he +overheard some remark about the coming college games, but it did not +seem as if the professional sports took very much interest in them, and +nothing occurred to give him any clew as to Mellor's whereabouts.</p> + +<p>He continued on down the avenue, running through every place he came +across, until he got as far as Twenty-third Street. There he paused, +feeling rather discouraged.</p> + +<p>It is worse than looking for a needle in a haystack to hunt for a man in +New York.</p> + +<p>Farther down the avenue there were other saloons, but he had already +passed out of the district most frequented by gamblers.</p> + +<p>He had no other theory on which to pursue his search, and it seemed to +him that it might be better to return to the hotel and let Mellor turn +up or not, as it might happen.</p> + +<p>A public telephone sign caught his eye across the way, and he again went +over and rang up the Murray Hill. This time it was Rowland that he asked +for, and when Rowland was at the 'phone Frank told him briefly that he +was on the hunt for Mellor.</p> + +<p>"Don't mention it to anybody," Frank added, quickly.</p> + +<p>"Have you any idea what's become of him?" asked Rowland.</p> + +<p>"Mighty little," answered Frank. "But if he hasn't returned to the hotel +yet I'll make another short trip before I give it up."</p> + +<p>Mellor had not returned, and the conversation with Rowland was not +continued.</p> + +<p>Frank retraced his steps up the avenue, but this time he did not make so +careful a search as he had before; he simply glanced in at various doors +and passed on.</p> + +<p>At length he turned in at Thirtieth Street, intending to call at a +drinking resort on Broadway, which was known to be popular with +gamblers.</p> + +<p>He had taken but a few steps when a sound of laughter attracted him and +he paused suddenly. It came from his right hand.</p> + +<p>He noticed that he was standing near the side door of a saloon which he +thought he had thoroughly investigated on his downward trip.</p> + +<p>He remembered then that he had not looked in at any of the so-called +private rooms at the back.</p> + +<p>This laughter evidently came from such a room, and he was quite certain +that he distinguished Mellor's voice. He waited a moment until the +laughter ceased and then he heard this in thick accents:</p> + +<p>"Shet 'em up 'gain! I c'n rasshle any man 'n Nighted Shtatesh, drunk er +shober."</p> + +<p>It was Mellor's voice, and Frank's heart sank like lead. For one +miserable instant he was in doubt as to what he had better do.</p> + +<p>His disgust and anger were so great that he felt like leaving Mellor to +his fate, for it would serve the freshman right to let him continue +filling himself up and so lose all chance of making a decent appearance +in the contests of the following evening.</p> + +<p>Then it occurred to Frank that after all there might be some little hope +that Mellor could pull himself together sufficiently to make a good +effort.</p> + +<p>In any event he was a Yale student, and as such Frank felt bound to look +after him; so after the slightest hesitation he entered the side door of +the saloon and opened a door leading into the small room from which had +come the laughter and the sound of Mellor's voice.</p> + +<p>He saw the big freshman with a silly smile on his face seated at a +table, holding an empty glass unsteadily in his hand, and trying to talk +with three companions, each of whom wore a rosette of orange-colored +ribbon upon the lapel of his coat.</p> + +<p>None of the three had been in the crowd with Higgins, so far as Frank +could remember their faces.</p> + +<p>They did not look up when Frank entered, for they supposed, as Mellor +himself did, that the bartender was coming in to get an order.</p> + +<p>"Fill 'em up!" said Mellor, stupidly, rapping his glass upon the table. +"Letsh have 'nother round."</p> + +<p>His eyes were bleary, and although he glanced at Frank he failed to +recognize him. The latter stood still for a second or two to control his +indignation; before he spoke the bartender entered with a bottle of +champagne, the cork of which was already drawn.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's the same, gents?" he said, in a businesslike tone.</p> + +<p>"Shame old Shampaggeny water," returned Mellor, holding his glass upside +down.</p> + +<p>One of the men at the table reached over and righted Mellor's glass, +which the waiter promptly proceeded to fill.</p> + +<p>"Here'sh ter good ol' Yale!" stammered Mellor, bringing the glass to his +lips with the aid of the man who had helped him to hold it steady.</p> + +<p>Frank could remain quiet no longer. He reached over the table, and with +a sweep of his arm knocked the glass from Mellor's hand and sent it +flying against the wall, where it broke in a hundred pieces.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>A REPORTER'S INFLUENCE.</h3> + + +<p>The wine spattered in the face of the man who was helping Mellor. The +latter looked up in stupid wrath, and then it dawned on him suddenly +that the interruption came from his manager.</p> + +<p>He gasped, hiccoughed, sat back in his chair and tried to rise. +Meanwhile the other two fellows with the orange rosettes had sprung to +their feet, and were trying to push Frank from the room.</p> + +<p>In this the waiter joined them, and, for a moment, therefore, Merriwell +had his hands full. They were lively hands, though, and in much less +time than it takes to narrate it he had struck out right and left and +landed stinging blows upon the faces of two of his antagonists.</p> + +<p>The bartender, who was a heavy fellow, who had probably had plenty of +experience in dealing with tough customers, set down the bottle of wine +and attacked Frank with great fury.</p> + +<p>He made the mistake of supposing that he could hustle the intruder out +by mere force, and in so doing he put up both hands to catch Frank by +the shoulders.</p> + +<p>This gave the athletic student a better opportunity than he could have +asked for. In quick succession the bartender got two blows, one full +upon the mouth, and the other on his neck.</p> + +<p>He went down on the floor with a thump, and catching at the table for +support, overturned it. The bottle of wine fell upon him and drenched +him.</p> + +<p>The others, who had staggered back under the force of Frank's first +blows, now tried to push their way out. The room was a very small one, +and there was but one door.</p> + +<p>It was evident that they were not there for fighting, and had no wish to +defend their drunken companion, no matter what Frank's object in making +the attack had been.</p> + +<p>As Frank's only anxiety was in getting Mellor away, he did not attempt +to stop the others from going out.</p> + +<p>The rumpus attracted the attention of everybody in the main room of the +saloon, and by the time the bartender had been sent to the floor a dozen +or so others, most of them customers of the place, came crowding up to +see what was the matter.</p> + +<p>"Letsh not fight, Mer'well," said Mellor, with a tremendous attempt at +dignity. "Letsh not get mixed up in a row."</p> + +<p>He, too, tried to walk out, but the way was now barred with other +bartenders who had come to the relief of their comrade.</p> + +<p>They might have fallen upon Frank and beaten him badly, for they far +outnumbered him, if it hadn't been that at that moment a policeman took +a hand in the affair.</p> + +<p>He had been passing the side door of the saloon at the very moment when +Frank struck the glass from Mellor's hand.</p> + +<p>He had entered at the first sound of a ruction, and had been in time to +get a glimpse of Frank as he struck the bartender to the floor.</p> + +<p>There was a lot of excitement and confusion for a moment, during which +Frank stood with his fists still clinched and his jaws shut hard +together, waiting for the next turn.</p> + +<p>Everybody connected with the saloon denounced him as an intruder, and +the one who had made all the trouble.</p> + +<p>Frank thought hastily of explaining the real situation, but he refrained +from doing so, as that would surely make the whole thing public, and he +did not want any such disgrace to be attached to Yale's part in the +intercollegiate games.</p> + +<p>So when the policeman roughly put him under arrest he submitted quietly +and went to the station house. A couple of bartenders followed, dragging +the almost helpless Mellor with them.</p> + +<p>Yale's champion wrestler at that moment was too far gone to realize +fully what was taking place. He staggered along between the bartenders, +protesting that there had been a "mishundershtanding," that he was a +gentleman, and that as soon as the matter had been explained he would +return to the saloon and "set 'em up" for everybody.</p> + +<p>Frank walked in silence, feeling extreme humiliation, not for his +arrest, but for the disgrace that a Yale athlete was bringing upon his +college.</p> + +<p>When they stood before the sergeant in the station, the policeman told +briefly how he had heard a row in progress in the saloon and had got +there in time to see Frank doing all the fighting.</p> + +<p>The sergeant looked at the bartenders, and one of them said:</p> + +<p>"This man," pointing to Mellor, "was entertaining a party of friends in +the back room when the other chap came in, and without saying a word +tried to clean the place out. Everything was peaceable and quiet until +he came in."</p> + +<p>The sergeant took up a pen, and looking at Frank, asked:</p> + +<p>"What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"Frank Merriwell," was the quiet response.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" grunted the sergeant, as he wrote the name, "I thought from your +looks you would say Jones of nowhere. What is your residence?"</p> + +<p>"New Haven."</p> + +<p>"Have you got anything to say for yourself?"</p> + +<p>"Not at present."</p> + +<p>The sergeant looked surprised, and hesitated a moment before he asked a +number of other questions.</p> + +<p>They were such questions as are always put to prisoners concerning their +age, their reasons for being in the city, and their own account of what +had happened.</p> + +<p>Frank gave his age, but to the other questions refused to reply. +Accordingly the sergeant ordered both him and Mellor to be searched, and +after a vain attempt to get any information out of Mellor, both were +locked up.</p> + +<p>A considerable crowd had collected in the main room of the station house +during this, and Frank remained quietly in his cell until he felt +certain that all the curiosity seekers had gone out.</p> + +<p>Then he called to a doorman and asked if he might speak to the sergeant +or the captain. It took a little persuasion to get permission to do +this, but Frank got it finally, and was taken upstairs again.</p> + +<p>The main room of the station was then deserted by all except the doorman +and the sergeant. The latter looked at the young prisoner inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to send for somebody," he said, "and will pay liberally for a +messenger. You've got my money, and therefore know that I can pay any +decent charge."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the sergeant, "you're well heeled. Who do you want to see?"</p> + +<p>Frank thereupon gave the name of a Supreme Court judge. The sergeant's +eyes opened wide.</p> + +<p>"What do you want of him?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"He'll come down here in a hurry," Frank answered, "if he knows that I'm +locked up."</p> + +<p>The sergeant sat back in his chair and thought a moment. It was +perfectly plain to him that Frank was not intoxicated, and his whole +manner was that of a gentleman.</p> + +<p>The sergeant was probably wondering whether the name Merriwell might not +be a false one, and whether this prisoner might not be the son of the +judge mentioned.</p> + +<p>While he was wondering what he had better do about it, a young man +entered the station with a businesslike air, and stepping up to the big +desk, said:</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, sergeant, anything going on?"</p> + +<p>Then he caught sight of Merriwell, and exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Great Scott, Merriwell, what are you doing here?"</p> + +<p>"I'm a prisoner, Mr. Matthews," Frank responded.</p> + +<p>The young man stared at Frank for just an instant, and then turning to +the sergeant, said:</p> + +<p>"Anybody in the captain's room?"</p> + +<p>"No," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"Come in here," said Matthews, taking Frank by the arm and walking him +across the room.</p> + +<p>When they were in the captain's room, Matthews shut the door, motioned +to a chair, and sat down opposite Frank.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," he said, "what's got into Yale?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Matthews," Frank responded, "I hate to say that I'm sorry to see +you, but a newspaper man is the last man in this whole world that I +would care to tell this story to."</p> + +<p>"Well, but see here, Merriwell," responded Matthews, earnestly, "a +newspaper man isn't a born fiend, you know; I'm not likely to forget +that I'm a graduate of Yale, and I certainly am not going to hurry off +with an item to my paper that will bring you into any disgrace.</p> + +<p>"Yale graduates are getting to think a good deal of you, Merriwell, and +I brought you in here to see if there might not be some way to help you, +not to get a sensational item."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, Mr. Matthews," said Frank, "but I had an idea that +when a man became a reporter he could think of nothing but news and +things to write about."</p> + +<p>"That's business," said Matthews, "sure enough, but I'm an old Yale man, +at least I'm older than you, but I graduated only a couple of years ago, +you know, so sing your song and let's see if there isn't something I can +do."</p> + +<p>Thereupon Frank told the reporter all about his difficulty. He explained +how Mellor was hopelessly drunk in a cell, and how he had got arrested +while making an attempt to get Mellor away from his companions.</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" said Matthews, under his breath at last, "I don't blame you +for doing what you did, Merriwell, but perhaps it would have been better +if you had avoided a row and simply induced Mellor to go out with you."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I lose my head very often," Frank responded, "but I must +confess I did then. It was just maddening to see him soaking there with +three scoundrels who had undoubtedly set out to get him filled up. +Anyhow, there's no use regretting what I did, for here I am, and next to +having Yale win in the contest to-morrow night, I'd rather keep this +thing from becoming public."</p> + +<p>"I can fix that easily enough," said Matthews, confidently. "The +sergeant doesn't know that you're a Yale man, and even if he should, +I'll prime all the other reporters who cover this district at night, and +get them to say nothing about it. You needn't worry on that score, +Merriwell, the only thing to do is to get you and Mellor away from the +station house."</p> + +<p>Frank then told how he had wanted to send for the judge referred to.</p> + +<p>"He's known me since I was born," he explained, "and was an intimate +friend of my father. There's no doubt that he would believe me, and I +suppose his word would go with the police."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it would, but it's a long way to his house, and he may not be at +home. The captain will be in in two or three minutes, and we'll see if I +haven't got influence with him."</p> + +<p>In less time than Matthews had supposed, the captain came in. To Frank's +great astonishment, the reporter easily persuaded the captain to release +the two students.</p> + +<p>It is not very often that a police captain has an opportunity to do a +favor to a newspaper man, and when a chance does occur, he's quick to +take it, for the reporters of New York newspapers can make or unmake a +policeman's reputation.</p> + +<p>The only thing in the way of letting the students go was the fact that +the bartenders in the saloon where the fight occurred had made a charge +against Frank.</p> + +<p>That was quickly fixed by the captain, who went himself to the saloon +and suggested that the charge be withdrawn.</p> + +<p>Of course the suggestion of the captain was enough. The bartenders were +glad to withdraw the charge if he advised it.</p> + +<p>Therefore Frank had not been a prisoner half an hour before he and +Mellor, accompanied by Matthews, were rolling across the city in a +closed cab on their way to the Murray Hill.</p> + +<p>When they arrived there they used a good deal of caution about going in, +for Mellor was quite as stupid as he had been at first, and both +Matthews and Merriwell were anxious to prevent anybody from becoming +aware of his condition.</p> + +<p>They got him into the Turkish bath there without observation, and gave +an attendant a liberal fee to look after him for the night.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>ON THEIR GUARD.</h3> + + +<p>The other Yale men were out for their evening run when Frank was at last +ready to join them.</p> + +<p>He did not try to follow them, for he had been so disturbed by the +excitement of his adventure with the police, that he thought it best to +rest; so when the students returned they found Frank in bed, and no one +disturbed him.</p> + +<p>Next morning early he got Rowland and Hill together and explained the +whole affair to them. They were indignant, mad and disgusted all +together.</p> + +<p>"We'll send Mellor back to New Haven on the first train!" exclaimed +Hill.</p> + +<p>"It would serve him right," added Rowland, "if the faculty should hear +of this and expel him."</p> + +<p>"The faculty mustn't hear of it," said Frank, decisively. "The thing +I've worked for most in all of this is to prevent any sort of disgrace, +and if Mellor can be put into condition for making a wrestle, it'll be +better for all of us that he should go into the contest."</p> + +<p>"He'll never be able to last a single round," groaned Hill.</p> + +<p>"If he should go down at the first catch," said Rowland, "everybody +would suspect that he was out of condition, and then what would come of +it?"</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps he isn't so badly off as you think," suggested Frank. "He +may be able to put up a good front. Let's go down and see how he is."</p> + +<p>The suggestion was adopted at once, and the three went down to the +Turkish baths. The assistants who had been feed to look after Mellor +said that the student was asleep on a couch.</p> + +<p>Frank and the others went to the sleeping room and stood by the couch +looking at Mellor in silence for a full minute.</p> + +<p>As he had been very carefully rubbed and thoroughly steamed the night +before, and as he had been sleeping for many hours, he looked now quite +as well as usual.</p> + +<p>The three managers looked at each other and nodded. They understood each +other; it was better that Mellor should be allowed to appear in the +wrestling match that night, even though he was almost surely doomed to +defeat.</p> + +<p>They were about to withdraw when the wrestler opened his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Hello, boys," he said, suddenly, and he sat up.</p> + +<p>"How are you feeling?" asked Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Bully!" replied Mellor, with emphasis. Then his face flushed and he +looked down at the floor.</p> + +<p>"I guess you remember what has happened," remarked Hill, contemptuously.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do," responded Mellor.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of yourself?" asked Rowland.</p> + +<p>"You're a fine man to carry Yale's banner to victory, aren't you!" +demanded Hill, savagely.</p> + +<p>"Hold on, fellows," interrupted Frank; "there's no use in rubbing it in. +How did it happen, Mellor?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's just my confounded foolishness," Mellor replied, with a groan; +"I wanted to see a little bit of city life, but I had no idea of +drinking. I had heard of a place where all sorts of toughs resorted, and +I went in there simply to look on."</p> + +<p>"Better have stayed in the hotel," muttered Hill.</p> + +<p>"Go on," said Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Well, there was quite a crowd there, and among them were two or three +Princeton students."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I saw the orange colors that they wore, and I heard them offering +bets on Princeton to other men who were standing around."</p> + +<p>"Did you speak to them?"</p> + +<p>"Not until they spoke to me."</p> + +<p>"How did that happen?"</p> + +<p>"Why, one of them caught my eye, looked at me sharply, and then asked +politely if my name wasn't Mellor, and if I didn't belong to Yale. I +felt kind of flattered at being recognized——"</p> + +<p>"It made you think you were a great man, didn't it?" exclaimed Hill</p> + +<p>"Oh, keep still!" said Frank. "Let him tell his story; this is important +to all of us."</p> + +<p>Mellor ground his teeth and exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"You can't make me feel any worse about this than I feel already."</p> + +<p>"We don't want you to make any confession, Mellor," said Frank, gently; +"that isn't what we're after, for, unfortunately, I know only too well +what you'd have to confess to.</p> + +<p>"The point we want to get at is, what these Princeton men said, for I'm +inclined to think that there's something of a conspiracy on foot to down +Yale and the other colleges by unfair means."</p> + +<p>Mellor looked a little puzzled, but answered:</p> + +<p>"After I had admitted who I was, the fellow who spoke to me asked how I +felt about the wrestling match. I told him I was all ready to meet +Princeton's best man, and then he asked if I was betting any money on +it. I shook my head, and he said 'that's right.'"</p> + +<p>"What followed?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, there were a number of polite remarks, and the crowd got around; +the Princeton men suggested that it would be pleasanter if we were by +ourselves, and I felt that they were right.</p> + +<p>"They were so decent about it that I had no hesitation in going into a +back room with them. There they asked if I was taking anything."</p> + +<p>"Did you say you were taking everything that came your way?" asked Hill.</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't. I told them I was in training, and could take nothing but +Bass' ale."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" grunted Hill.</p> + +<p>"Did they set up a bottle?" asked Rowland.</p> + +<p>"Yes. It was about the dinner hour, at which time I was allowed to take +ale, and I thought that it would do no harm; of course it was wrong—I +admit it now, but at the time I thought a single glass of ale wouldn't +hurt me, and it would be more polite to these chaps to go through the +form of drinking with them. So they had a bottle of champagne, and I +drank ale."</p> + +<p>Mellor hesitated.</p> + +<p>"You seem to have had your head about you," remarked Frank. "How did you +happen to get to drinking champagne?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," he answered, gloomily; "the ale seemed to make me half +drowsy, whereas usually I don't feel any effect from it at all, and I +guess I thought that a drop of wine would brace me up."</p> + +<p>"I see it all!" exclaimed Frank.</p> + +<p>The others looked at him inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"Knockout drops!" he said.</p> + +<p>"By Jove! I bet you're right!" exclaimed Rowland.</p> + +<p>"It was anything to get the Yale champion fuddled and they knew well +enough that he wouldn't take more than one glass of ale, so unless I'm +greatly mistaken they drugged his ale and got him completely +unbalanced."</p> + +<p>"It's a monstrous outrage!" cried Rowland.</p> + +<p>Hill looked contemptuous and said nothing.</p> + +<p>Merriwell turned to Mellor with the remark:</p> + +<p>"Lie still a while longer and get breakfast when you want it. I'll see +you in your room later, and if you think you're going to be fit, we'll +have you in the contest to-night just the same."</p> + +<p>"Great Scott!" cried Mellor, "you wouldn't bar me out of that, would +you?"</p> + +<p>"We were thinking of it," said Hill.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to pull yourself together, Mellor," said Frank, seriously, +"for unless you can make a good showing we don't any of us want you to +appear."</p> + +<p>Mellor bowed his head upon his hands, and the others left him. As soon +as they were out of hearing Hill said:</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it's nothing better than could be expected of a freshman, but +anyhow, we've got to bring this matter to the attention of the Princeton +managers at once."</p> + +<p>The others agreed, and they went to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where they +found the Princeton managers at breakfast.</p> + +<p>The case was not explained to the Princeton men in full, but enough was +said to make them certain that Yale had reason to suspect a trick on the +part of men wearing Princeton colors.</p> + +<p>The indignation of the Princeton managers was too great for expression; +one of them was so hot-headed that he wanted a row at once with +Merriwell for seeming to suggest that Princeton men could be capable of +such treacherous conduct.</p> + +<p>Frank hastened to assure him that no Yale man thought such a thing +possible.</p> + +<p>"We think some rascals are playing off under Princeton's colors," he +said.</p> + +<p>The Princeton managers were sure that this must be the case, for no +students had accompanied them to the city excepting those who were to +take part in the contests.</p> + +<p>They declared their intention of keeping their eyes open for men wearing +the Princeton rosettes, and promised to do everything possible to have +such men arrested, if any charge could be brought against them.</p> + +<p>So there the matter had to rest. There was no doubt that the Princeton +men were in earnest, and that they would do what they could, but that +did not seem to promise very much.</p> + +<p>The scoundrels who were anxious to make money by betting on Princeton +could not be arrested for simply wearing an orange rosette, and there +was no way of preventing further trouble, therefore, except for Yale men +to hang together and take the greatest care not to put themselves in the +way of strangers.</p> + +<p>It was agreed by Frank and his companions that nothing should be said to +the contestants about the matter, for fear that they might get nervous, +and so be unfitted for doing their best in the evening's games.</p> + +<p>The day passed, therefore, very quietly for the Yale athletes. They went +in a body to a gymnasium and had two or three hours' practice, and in +the afternoon they had a walk through Central Park.</p> + +<p>Mellor appeared to be quite himself, except that he was silent, and that +he looked solemn. The other students supposed that this was due to his +anxiety about the wrestling match, and no questions were asked, although +there were a few good-natured jokes about his nervousness.</p> + +<p>He took all the jokes quietly, and made no retort.</p> + +<p>Nothing happened during the day to give the Yale managers any new +anxiety. They kept their eyes open all the time for a sight of the bogus +Princeton men, but failed to see them.</p> + +<p>When at last evening came, and they went up to the Seventh Regiment +Armory for the great contest, they felt that with the possible exception +of Mellor, everything was in as good condition as could be hoped for +Yale victories.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE WRESTLER.</h3> + + +<p>There was an immense crowd in the Seventh Regiment Armory that evening. +Nearly everybody present was a friend of one or another of the colleges +represented in the contests, and excitement ran high.</p> + +<p>The seating had been arranged so that Yale students and their friends +occupied a solid tier of seats upon the side of the hall near the +center.</p> + +<p>Directly across the hall, in a similar tier, were the students and +friends of Harvard.</p> + +<p>On the same side with Yale was the Cornell crowd, and directly opposite +them the Princeton crowd.</p> + +<p>The rest of the spectators sat as near their favorite college as they +could, with the result that long before any of the games began, the +building fairly roared with college cries mingled together, each crowd +trying to outdo the others.</p> + +<p>It seemed as if there would be no lungs or voices left to cheer the +athletes, but if any one had such a fear it must have been because he +was not acquainted with students' voices.</p> + +<p>An excited Yale or Harvard man can give the college cry somehow when he +would be unable to conduct a conversation above a whisper.</p> + +<p>The very middle of the hall was left vacant. All the contests were to +take place there, and, therefore, in full view of all the spectators.</p> + +<p>The athletes had their dressing-rooms at the ends and sides of the +building, and there were so many of them that each college had a number +of rooms for itself.</p> + +<p>The Yale managers took their men up to the armory about half an hour +before the call for the first event.</p> + +<p>Dressing-rooms had been picked out in advance, and the men belonging to +the tug-of-war were put into one room by themselves.</p> + +<p>The Yale crowd in the audience cheered frantically when they recognized +their companions marching across the floor to their dressing-rooms.</p> + +<p>Shortly after that the Princeton men came in, and then there was a wild +howling from the other side of the room.</p> + +<p>So it went on, and so it continued all through the evening, for there +was hardly a moment when there was not something going on to arouse the +enthusiasm of one college or another, and if by any accident there was a +hitch in the proceedings, there was plenty of excited students in each +faction to stand in front of the tiers of seats and lead their comrades +in cheering on general principles.</p> + +<p>As there were many events, and many entries in each one, the programme +was put through rapidly, and as often as possible, two or more events +were being contested at the same time.</p> + +<p>The object sought for by each college was to gain as many victories, or +in other words, first places, as possible, but in some events, like +wrestling and fencing, where only two men could contest at a time, it +was necessary to have two or three and sometimes four bouts in the same +event.</p> + +<p>This was not the case in such a sport as leaping, for there all the men +could compete at the same time, and one set of trials decided the +matter.</p> + +<p>In wrestling it was necessary to draw lots to decide which colleges +should compete first.</p> + +<p>Then lots were to be cast to decide which college the winner of the +first bout should wrestle with, and so on.</p> + +<p>Each wrestling bout consisted of three rounds, with a short rest between +each two.</p> + +<p>As three rounds at wrestling is likely to tire any but the very +strongest man, the next bout was set down a full half hour later on the +programme in order to give the winner time to rest.</p> + +<p>It was the same with the tugs of war. One tug was put upon the programme +early in order that the winners of it might have time to recover their +breath and be in condition to meet the next comers.</p> + +<p>It would be an impossible task to describe all the many events that +succeeded each other rapidly that evening. Every one had its interest +and importance, although in the audience at large, as it had been at +Yale, the tug of war was watched for with the greatest anxiety and +excitement.</p> + +<p>There may be space, however, to indicate the outcome of one or two minor +events in which Frank and his companions were especially interested.</p> + +<p>The first thing on the programme consisted of the contests in high +jumping and the first bout in wrestling. The jumpers went through their +work at one end of the floor, while the wrestlers struggled at the +other.</p> + +<p>The drawing of lots resulted in putting Mellor of Yale against Grant of +Cornell for the first try.</p> + +<p>The Yale managers almost groaned aloud at this piece of ill luck. If +there was anybody among the wrestlers representing the other colleges +that they feared, it was this same Grant.</p> + +<p>He was fully as large and muscular as Mellor, and had easily downed +everybody who had met him in his own college.</p> + +<p>With Mellor in good condition the Yale men would have believed that the +chances were at least even for his victory; as it was, those who +understood the case were certain that the Yale freshman would be turned +down quickly.</p> + +<p>Of course the managers said nothing openly after the lots were drawn, +but they exchanged views in private just before Mellor went out to begin +his work.</p> + +<p>"Tough luck," remarked Frank, between set teeth.</p> + +<p>"I wish we had sent him back to New Haven," grumbled Hill.</p> + +<p>"It's a confounded shame," exclaimed Rowland, "that Mellor couldn't have +had a chance to meet Sherman of Harvard first. He could probably throw +Sherman even if he were still half full, and that would give him some +kind of a standing, but now he'll go out there and get turned down so +dead easy that everybody will laugh at Yale, and the rest of our fellows +will get rattled."</p> + +<p>"I don't think the rest of us will get rattled," said Frank, "and +perhaps Mellor won't be such an easy victim as you think."</p> + +<p>"Let us hope that he gets at least one fall," muttered Hill.</p> + +<p>There was no time for further talk about the matter, and they went out +to the main hall to see the event.</p> + +<p>At the upper end of the floor Higgins was taking his first leap, but the +managers paid little attention to him. They hoped he would win, but they +were confident that whatever happened he would make a good showing, and +they could not take their eyes from their champion wrestler.</p> + +<p>Mellor was still looking as solemn as if he were at a funeral. His face +was rather pale, and he sat in a chair at one side perfectly motionless +until the call came to enter the ring.</p> + +<p>Grant of Cornell, on the other hand, was laughing and chatting with his +managers, and his face was pink with health.</p> + +<p>At the call he bounded from the chair and pranced into the ring nimbly, +and as the Yale managers looked him over they felt worse than ever.</p> + +<p>Mellor got up slowly and walked, as if he dreaded the ordeal, out to +meet his adversary.</p> + +<p>"That's right, Mellor," whispered Frank, as the wrestler passed, "take +it easy and don't get excited."</p> + +<p>Mellor gave Frank a grateful look. It was the only encouraging word he +had received from his managers since his foolish scrape.</p> + +<p>He shook hands with Grant, and then stepped quickly back to his +position. It was a catch-as-catch-can match, and for an instant the two +big fellows stood warily watching each other before they advanced.</p> + +<p>Meantime Yale and Cornell were setting up a chorus of howls to encourage +their respective champions.</p> + +<p>The two got together with a sudden jump that surprised everybody.</p> + +<p>It was expected that Grant would take the offensive, but it seemed that +Mellor decided upon the same policy, for the floor fairly shook when +they met and began a mighty struggle.</p> + +<p>Frank's eyes glowed, and his heart seemed to rise to his throat as he +watched the muscles stand out on Mellor's arms and back.</p> + +<p>"There's big stuff in that fellow," he said, half aloud.</p> + +<p>"If he only had staying power," retorted Hill, in disgust, "but he's +wasted all that in his jag."</p> + +<p>The words were hardly out of Hill's mouth before there was a heavy thud, +as the two wrestlers went down; then such a roar went up as the building +had not yet heard, for Yale's man was on top. Mellor rose quickly and +ran to his dressing-room, followed by his managers, who overwhelmed him +with compliments.</p> + +<p>He said nothing, but stood up to be rubbed and taken care of.</p> + +<p>"You took him completely by surprise that time, Mellor," said Frank. +"Now the next time he'll be on his guard for that, and you'll have to +pursue different tactics."</p> + +<p>Mellor nodded.</p> + +<p>He did not appear to be suffering from loss of breath or any sort of +exhaustion, so the managers left him with his trainer to see how the +jumping was getting on.</p> + +<p>They arrived upon the floor just as another terrific chorus of Yale +cries went up.</p> + +<p>Higgins had cleared the bar after every other contestant had failed.</p> + +<p>It was a grand start for Yale. One first place had been gained, and with +Mellor's success it looked as if another was certain.</p> + +<p>The floor was quickly cleared of the posts that had been set up for the +jumpers, and the Harvard and Cornell tug of war teams came on for the +first pull.</p> + +<p>In this, as in the wrestling, the order of the trials had been decided +by lot.</p> + +<p>Leaving the tug of war for the moment, we will glance at Mellor's +further work as a wrestler.</p> + +<p>While Harvard and Cornell were getting into position for their tug, he +went out again to the floor for his second set-to with Grant.</p> + +<p>As Frank had predicted, Grant was wary this time; he waited for Mellor +to take the offensive, and the latter was slow in doing so. They got +together at last, and for a few seconds each struggled vainly to +overcome the other.</p> + +<p>Then they stood still, and those who were giving their especial +attention to them felt the greatest excitement because the men were +evidently tremendously in earnest, and very evenly matched.</p> + +<p>After a good deal of dancing about the ring, and many a vain attempt to +bring on a fall, Grant got in a sudden trip that brought Mellor to his +knees.</p> + +<p>Then, exerting all his weight and force, Grant crowded the Yale man down +until his side was on the floor.</p> + +<p>No fall could be counted until Mellor's shoulders were both squarely on +the floor, and, therefore, Grant was crowding with all his might to +prevent his antagonist from turning on his face.</p> + +<p>When a wrestler lies over on his stomach with his arms outstretched, it +is almost impossible to turn him.</p> + +<p>It looked as if Mellor were trying to get into this position, for then +Grant would be compelled to stand off and give him a chance to spring +up.</p> + +<p>Grant, of course, was trying to do just the reverse, for having Mellor +so nearly down, he did not care to give him a chance to get on his feet +again.</p> + +<p>Just how it was done it was hard to see, but suddenly Mellor seemed to +rise as if he were on a trap that rose by the force of a concealed +spring.</p> + +<p>With a wonderfully quick movement he broke his hold and got a new one, +and before anybody realized what his attempt meant, he had turned his +antagonist over and brought Grant's shoulders squarely down upon the +floor.</p> + +<p>Then the building shook with howls. Yale had won the first bout in +wrestling, and at the same instant Harvard had beaten the Cornell tug of +war team.</p> + +<p>The Yale managers were happy. It seemed now as if Mellor were certain of +carrying off the cup for wrestling.</p> + +<p>According to the fall of lots he was to tackle Sherman of Harvard next.</p> + +<p>Sherman was a comparatively slender, but very wiry fellow. He was +considerably under Mellor's weight, and as the latter had shown unusual +skill it was thought that the Harvard man would prove an easy victim.</p> + +<p>So he did in the first round. Mellor downed him almost as easily as he +had turned down Grant, but as it proved that was the end of the Yale +freshman's staying power.</p> + +<p>He had put all his force into the two set-tos with Grant and the first +with Sherman; when it came to the second set-to with the latter there +was a long, exciting struggle, which ended in Mellor's going under.</p> + +<p>He showed his exhaustion plainly after that, and his limbs quivered when +he went out for the third set-to.</p> + +<p>He struggled well, and really made a good showing, but the Harvard man +downed him at last, and with that defeat Yale's chances for coming out +ahead in the general tournament were badly damaged.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless Frank and the other managers felt that Mellor had made so +good a showing that nobody would suspect that he had disobeyed +regulations and unfitted himself for making the contest.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3>A TRICK.</h3> + + +<p>As might be expected, there was a big chorus of shouting when the Yale +and Harvard teams came out for their trial in the tug of war.</p> + +<p>Matters had been running rather evenly between the four colleges; each +had gained at least one first place, and there was no reason for the +friends of any college to be discouraged about the general result.</p> + +<p>The Harvard men seemed to be as fresh after their victory over Cornell +as if they had not exerted themselves.</p> + +<p>They appeared to have about the same weight as the Yale crew, and were +made up in much the same way; a particularly heavy man as anchor, and +three lighter but evidently very muscular fellows upon the rope.</p> + +<p>It had been decided that the fall should be at a pistol shot.</p> + +<p>As there are several ways of conducting a tug of war, it will be well to +explain that in intercollegiate games, when held indoors, the +contestants always brace themselves upon cleats.</p> + +<p>The rope which they hold lies loose upon the floor between the two +teams. At a point midway between the two sets of cleats there is a chalk +mark on the floor.</p> + +<p>A ribbon is tied around the rope at the point where it crosses this +mark.</p> + +<p>When the men have fallen it is their object to pull the rope away from +their opponents, and so bring that ribbon further and further toward +their cleats.</p> + +<p>In a closely contested match it sometimes happens that the position of +the ribbon will not vary more than two or three inches during the entire +tug.</p> + +<p>The time is taken, and at the end of four minutes the victory is awarded +to whichever team has the ribbon upon its side of the chalk mark.</p> + +<p>In this pull with Harvard, Frank's training proved to be of the greatest +value. He had laid the greatest stress upon the fall.</p> + +<p>When the pistol shot came the Yale team dropped like one man to the +general eye.</p> + +<p>It seemed as if the Harvard team dropped at exactly the same instant, +but when the excited spectators looked at the ribbon on the rope, they +saw that it was fully six inches upon the Yale side of the chalk mark.</p> + +<p>After the fall there was a silent moment of hard tugging upon each part, +but the ribbon did not budge.</p> + +<p>Meantime Bruce was manipulating the rope that ran around his belt, and +keeping his eyes fixed upon the Harvard anchor opposite.</p> + +<p>"How is it, Bruce?" whispered Frank.</p> + +<p>"We've got 'em," muttered Bruce, in reply.</p> + +<p>Frank said nothing, for in the course of training he and Bruce had +discussed this matter so many times that Frank knew well what policy the +anchor would pursue.</p> + +<p>It is often said that a miss is as good as a mile, and in the case of a +tug of war an inch is certainly as good as a yard.</p> + +<p>It might have been possible for the Yale team by constant tugging and by +occasional surprises to get the ribbon much farther over to their side, +but that was not the policy that had been decided on.</p> + +<p>If the team should win, there was Princeton still to be pulled, and +every ounce of strength would be needed then; so, having the advantage +of Harvard, the boys simply held to the rope, using only enough strength +to keep what they had gained.</p> + +<p>It cost them a good deal of effort to keep it.</p> + +<p>About a minute had passed since the fall, when the Harvard anchor +suddenly gave his men the word, and leaned far back upon the floor.</p> + +<p>It was a mighty tug. Slowly but apparently surely the ribbon moved +toward the Harvard cleats.</p> + +<p>Bruce caught the end of the rope in a knot, and muttered:</p> + +<p>"Hold hard!"</p> + +<p>The boys did hold hard, but in spite of that the rope gradually slipped +through their hands.</p> + +<p>"It can't last long," whispered Bruce, "keep cool."</p> + +<p>A few seconds of such mighty tugging was indeed all that any team could +stand, and presently the Harvard men rested, having gained three or four +inches.</p> + +<p>To many of the spectators it seemed now as if the ribbon was even with +the chalk mark, and the Harvard crew were setting tip wild cries of +triumph.</p> + +<p>The Yale team, however, had been lying low. Bruce and his men had simply +resisted the Harvard tug like so much dead weight, and the instant that +the Yale anchor saw that the Harvard team had come to rest lie +exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Pull!"</p> + +<p>Then the Yale team gripped the rope and strained at it in earnest.</p> + +<p>Their effort came like a yank, and in less than three seconds all the +space that had been lost in Harvard's long tug was recovered.</p> + +<p>So the contest went on to the end. Harvard frequently made desperate +efforts to get the ribbon on its side of the line, and each time the +Yale team had to lose a little ground, but each time they made a +complete recovery, and at the end of four minutes the victory was with +the blue.</p> + +<p>The Harvard team got out of sight as quickly as possible, while the Yale +men went to their dressing-room, followed by the wild cheering of their +friends.</p> + +<p>For the next few minutes the Yale spectators paid little attention to +what was going on on the floor. They busied themselves in cheering each +member of their team.</p> + +<p>Puss Parker led the cheering. He stood in front of the Yale tier and +shouted:</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with Browning?"</p> + +<p>An immense chorus responded:</p> + +<p>"He's all right."</p> + +<p>"Nine cheers for Browning," demanded Parker, and then the rah-rahs came +rattling forth like volleys from a battery.</p> + +<p>Then Parker asked what was the matter with Merriwell, and so on until +the others in the team had been complimented in the same way.</p> + +<p>Frank was well pleased, but the complete victory was not yet won, and +besides that, as manager, he had a keenness in all the other contests. +So as soon as he could do so he returned to the main room and watched +what was going on.</p> + +<p>The other members of the team, with the exception of Bruce, also +returned.</p> + +<p>The anchor, with his usual indolence, preferred to remain in his +dressing-room and rest, although, to tell the truth, he did not feel the +slightest fatigue.</p> + +<p>Frank found nothing to be dissatisfied with, although victories for Yale +were not piling up as well as he could have wished.</p> + +<p>All the Yale athletes had made a good showing, and there was no blame to +be cast upon anybody for losing, with the possible exception of the +unhappy Mellor, but there proved to be good men in the other colleges, +and one by one events were decided with a first place now to Cornell, +now to Harvard, now to Princeton, and so also to Yale.</p> + +<p>The longer the evening grew the closer the contest seemed, and at +half-past ten, when nearly all the events had been decided, it was still +a matter of doubt as to which college would carry away the trophy.</p> + +<p>The tug of war between Princeton and Yale was set last on the programme, +not because it was thought that it would settle everything, but because +it was the event that created the most general interest.</p> + +<p>A good many unfinished bouts in other sports were being rapidly worked +off.</p> + +<p>As it drew near to eleven o'clock Harvard and Cornell gradually lost +their grip upon their chance for first place, and at last, when it was +time for the great tug, it proved that Princeton and Yale scored exactly +the same number of points.</p> + +<p>Therefore the result of the tug would decide whether Yale or Princeton +should carry away the tournament trophy.</p> + +<p>The thing could not have gone better for the spectators at large, but it +made the students representing the two leading colleges excited and +nervous.</p> + +<p>The moment the last unfinished bout was decided, Frank hurried to the +dressing-room, followed by the other members of the team and the +managers.</p> + +<p>He halted at the door with a great start of fear. Bruce lay across the +threshold, his right wrist in his left hand, and glaring across the room +savagely, while his jaws were shut hard together.</p> + +<p>"For Heaven's sake, Bruce! what's the matter?" asked Frank.</p> + +<p>"I've sprained my wrist," he muttered, "and by the feeling I guess I've +sprained my ankle, too!"</p> + +<p>"How did it happen?"</p> + +<p>"A dirty trick, Frank, and the scoundrel who did it is somewhere in the +room. I managed to get here at the door so as to grab him if he should +run out, and also to prevent you from taking the same fall I did."</p> + +<p>The other members of the team and the managers were now at the spot.</p> + +<p>"Be careful when you go in," said Bruce. "The floor has been soaped or +greased just in front of those lockers there, and it won't do for any +one else to get such a fall as I've had."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3>OFF THE CLEATS.</h3> + + +<p>"Did you say the fellow was still in the room?" asked Frank, in a low +voice.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I was sitting near the door with my head down when I heard a +rustling noise back of me. I supposed I was all alone, and turned about +to see who had come in. I caught sight of a fellow dodging behind that +middle row of lockers."</p> + +<p>"Who was he?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Never saw him before. I thought he was a thief who was +going through our clothes for watches and pocketbooks, so I made a jump +and went for him. Right at the corner of the lockers my foot slipped and +I went down full length. I could have helped myself from being hurt even +at that if it hadn't been that the floor was so thoroughly greased that +my hand slipped, and my whole weight came down on my right wrist. The +pain was fearful for a moment, and it don't feel very good yet. I saw +that it was a trick."</p> + +<p>"Didn't the fellow get out?"</p> + +<p>"No. I was bound that he should be caught somehow, and as there was too +much howling outside to make myself heard, I couldn't call for help. I +dragged myself to the door here, and if he had made any attempt to get +by I'd have held him if it killed me."</p> + +<p>"He may have got out of a window."</p> + +<p>"I think not, or I should have heard him."</p> + +<p>"We'll find out about this," said Rowland, emphatically, "but meanwhile +the call is on for the tug of war with Princeton. Can you——"</p> + +<p>The question was not completed, for Browning, with a wry face, held up +his right arm.</p> + +<p>His wrist was swollen to almost twice its usual size.</p> + +<p>"I couldn't pull a baby," he said, regretfully.</p> + +<p>The fellows looked blue, and Hill groaned dismally.</p> + +<p>"Rowland," said Frank, in a quick, decisive tone, "go back into the hall +and tell the committee of arrangements that our anchor is disabled, and +that we shall have to have five minutes to get our substitute in order."</p> + +<p>"Who in thunder can you substitute?" asked Hill</p> + +<p>"Rattleton."</p> + +<p>"But he never trained as anchor."</p> + +<p>"I'll put him on the rope."</p> + +<p>"Who will be anchor, then?"</p> + +<p>"I will."</p> + +<p>"You!"</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"You're too light, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>Frank shrugged his shoulders</p> + +<p>"If you can think of anybody else in the college," he said, "who is +better qualified than I am to meet this emergency, bring him along."</p> + +<p>"No, no!" exclaimed the others in chorus, "you're the man, Frank. This +is your event, and the team may win out with you after all."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a question of winning out now," he responded, "but of taking +our part in the tournament. Go on, Rowland, and when you've spoken to +the committee, call for Rattleton, and have him come here in a hurry."</p> + +<p>Rowland went away, and then Frank stepped over and lifted Browning into +a chair.</p> + +<p>"One of you fellows," he said, "find somebody to get a physician. There +must be a hundred of them in the audience."</p> + +<p>There were several other students not connected with the team about the +door at this time, and two or three of them started away at once.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, Hill," said Frank, quietly, "let's see what we can do about +this rascal that has tried to disable us."</p> + +<p>Hill nodded and stepped into the room.</p> + +<p>"The rest of you fellows," said Frank, "stay at the door and don't let +anybody out."</p> + +<p>"Look out for the greased spot," said Bruce, warningly.</p> + +<p>Hill and Frank went into the middle of the room, where there was a +double line of lockers extending nearly its whole length. There were two +windows at the end, one of which was down slightly at the top, the other +was closed.</p> + +<p>They looked up at it, and then at each other.</p> + +<p>"He hasn't gone out," said Frank, confidently, in a low tone. "Try all +the lockers."</p> + +<p>They started down, one on each side, opening first the doors of closets +in which they and their companions had placed their clothes.</p> + +<p>Nothing had been disturbed there.</p> + +<p>As they went they found nothing but empty lockers, but presently Frank +came to one the door of which he could not open.</p> + +<p>The handle was simply a knob, and the door was held fast by a Yale lock. +He looked at it a moment, then, drawing back, gave the door a terrific +kick squarely upon the lock.</p> + +<p>The thin wood broke at once, and another kick splintered it from top to +bottom.</p> + +<p>At that instant a man dashed out, tried to push Frank aside and make for +the door. Frank recognized him at once as one of the men he had seen +with Higgins at the Hoffman House.</p> + +<p>"No, you don't!" he exclaimed hotly, catching the fellow by the arm and +giving him a smashing blow on the side of the head.</p> + +<p>Hearing the rumpus, Hill came running around the corner just in time to +meet the two as they were staggering along. He promptly gave the +scoundrel a rattling series of blows that dropped him to the floor half +stunned.</p> + +<p>"Come in here," called Frank, and the other students came crowding into +the room.</p> + +<p>"Let's kick him to death!" exclaimed one, excitedly.</p> + +<p>The students were so angry that they might have put this suggestion into +execution if Frank had not called a halt.</p> + +<p>"Find a cord," he said, "and bind this fellow hand and foot; then we'll +notify the committee of arrangements and go on with the tug of war."</p> + +<p>A cord was quickly found, and the man was tied so thoroughly that there +was no possibility that he could escape. Then, while Frank and the +others were getting ready for the tug, Hill looked up the committee of +arrangements and explained the situation.</p> + +<p>It may be said in passing that the matter aroused a great deal of +indignation on all sides, and that an investigation was made, which +resulted in showing that the man Frank had captured was a common +gambler, and that there were several others who had put up a great deal +of money on Princeton, and then taken every means they possibly could to +bring about Princeton's victory.</p> + +<p>He could do this only by disabling Princeton's adversaries. It was found +that attempts had been made to injure both Harvard and Cornell men as +well as those from Yale.</p> + +<p>Two or three of the gambler's confederates were found in the hall and +put under arrest, and the next morning they were taken to police court +on a charge of malicious mischief, for which they were severely +punished.</p> + +<p>As it was perfectly certain that no Princeton man had any hand in the +matter, or any knowledge of it other than had been given to the managers +by the Yale team, nothing was said about it at the time, for everybody +was anxious that the tug of war between Yale and Princeton should be +pulled on its merits.</p> + +<p>The master of ceremonies announced that an accident had happened to +Yale's anchor, and that Merriwell would take his place, with Rattleton +as substitute on the rope.</p> + +<p>There was a good deal of dismay at this in the Yale ranks, for although +everybody had confidence in Frank, all knew that a change in the make-up +of a team at the last moment is likely to be disastrous.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, Merriwell was greeted with a big cheer when he went out to +the floor and wound the end of the rope around his belt.</p> + +<p>He put Rattleton on the farther end of the line, and moved Taylor up to +his own old position. There was then a breathless moment, while both +sides waited for the pistol shot.</p> + +<p>When it came, the eight men went down at the same instant. It was +evident that the Princeton team had observed the success of Yale men in +dropping, and had determined not to let them get an advantage in that +way.</p> + +<p>The ribbon stood exactly at the chalk mark, and the first few seconds of +violent pulling failed to budge it more than a hair's breadth in either +direction.</p> + +<p>The great audience stood up and cheered as they had not done since the +evening began. It was a delight to see two teams of strong young men so +evenly matched in strength and skill.</p> + +<p>On the Yale side there was fear in spite of the enthusiastic cheering +that Merriwell's weight would be against them in the end, and not a few +called attention to the fact that the Yale team had already pulled once, +while Princeton was perfectly fresh.</p> + +<p>These things were thought of, too, on the Princeton side, and that made +the wearers of the orange more confident.</p> + +<p>As in the former pull, there was a short period of rest after the first +tug. The anchors eyed each other warily, and the men lay on the rope, +crossing their legs over it, and waiting for the signal to tug again.</p> + +<p>Frank saw the Princeton anchor whispering to the man in front of him.</p> + +<p>"If that's a command to pull," he thought, "it's given too openly, and +it's probably a dodge to throw us off our guard."</p> + +<p>It seemed to be so, for the Princeton men gave one sudden yank at the +rope, and then lay still.</p> + +<p>The yank did not stir the ribbon, and it did not call out any answering +pulls from the Yale men. Many of the spectators wondered at this, and +began to set up shouts to Merriwell to order a pull.</p> + +<p>He remained perfectly quiet, paying no attention to the shouts around +him, apparently not hearing them. In fact, he was not more than half +conscious that there was anybody in the room except the three men +directly in front of him and the four adversaries on the opposite team.</p> + +<p>A full minute passed, during which there was some pulling by each side, +and still the ribbon remained squarely over the chalk mark.</p> + +<p>The spectators left their seats, so great was their excitement, and in +spite of the efforts of the policemen who were stationed in the hall, +crowded down upon the floor until they were within a few feet of the +opposing teams.</p> + +<p>Old men in the crowd who had graduated from college before Frank and his +companions were born, were quite as excited as the younger men.</p> + +<p>"Don't let it be a draw, Merriwell," shouted one white-whiskered man, +waving his hat frantically.</p> + +<p>"Princeton! Princeton!" came in a big chorus from the other side of the +room, as the Princeton team lay closer to the floor and pulled at the +rope with might and main.</p> + +<p>The muscles of their arms and shoulders stood out like whipcords and the +perspiration started from their brows. They were doing their best, to +say the least, to prevent a draw.</p> + +<p>It was a splendid tug; the ribbon at last began to move. It took its +course slowly and by little starts and halts toward the Princeton side.</p> + +<p>The palms of the Yale men fairly burned as the cord slipped by. It was +not much, but as before, an inch at the end of four minutes would be as +good as a yard.</p> + +<p>Frank's face was set in an expression of intense determination, and the +perspiration stood out upon his brow, too, although he was exerting +little force.</p> + +<p>Inch by inch he was paying out the rope from his belt, a thing that had +to be done in order to prevent his crew from being pulled to their feet.</p> + +<p>Frank was waiting his opportunity; it came as he had foreseen, just at +the instant when the Princeton men had exerted all the force of which +they were capable.</p> + +<p>He knew when this minute had arrived, not by any expression upon their +faces, but by the fact that the Princeton anchor hastily caught his end +of the rope in a knot in order to hold the advantage that had been +gained.</p> + +<p>Then Frank said in a tone that could not have been heard by any of the +spectators:</p> + +<p>"Now, boys!"</p> + +<p>On that instant the three Yale men who had been lying almost on their +backs, sat up, made a quick grab at the rope a few inches in front of +where they had been holding it before, and then strained back suddenly, +and with all the force that they could muster.</p> + +<p>The Princeton anchor, who had supposed that the Yale men were exhausted +also, was taken completely by surprise.</p> + +<p>He had knotted his rope and could not pay it out as the opposing tug +came; the result was that while there was yet a full minute to spare, +the Princeton team stood up suddenly, pulled squarely off the cleats by +the victorious sons of Yale.</p> + +<p>The shouting changed on the instant; there had been a wild, triumphant +howling on the Princeton side because the ribbon had gone fully fifteen +inches beyond the chalk mark.</p> + +<p>Now it traveled so rapidly toward the Yale side that there was no +measuring the distance; that did not matter anyway, for when a team is +pulled squarely off the cleats, the tug is done.</p> + +<p>Frank, therefore, had the double satisfaction of seeing his college win +the general trophy and of meeting successfully a serious emergency that +had occurred in the special sport which he had undertaken to manage.</p> + +<p>It was a great evening for Yale, and one that all men who were students +in the college at that time will never forget.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, I wouldn't have missed it for a good deal," said Rattleton, +when they were on their way to Yale, the day following.</p> + +<p>"It's too bad Browning was hurt," answered Frank.</p> + +<p>"It's not serious," said the big fellow. "It will soon be all right, so +the doctor says." And this proved to be true. Inside of ten days his +wrist was as well as ever.</p> + +<p>"Another contest is on hand," said Rattleton, one morning to Frank. "Do +you know we are up for admission to the Pi Gamma Society?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Frank.</p> + +<p>"We'll catch it hot soon—when they initiate us."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I reckon we can stand it," came from Frank, with a quiet smile.</p> + +<p>He did not dream of all that was in store for them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3>BLACK MARKS.</h3> + + +<p>There were about twenty students in a room that would comfortably hold +six; four of them, looking very solemn, were arranged along one side of +the room with their backs to the wall; the others were seated on such +chairs as there were or upon the floor.</p> + +<p>The study table in the middle of the room had been cleared of books, and +a covering of newspapers had been put on top of it.</p> + +<p>The air was thick with smoke from pipes, cigars and cigarettes. The four +who stood with their backs against the wall were not adding anything to +the fumes; they were the only ones present who were not smoking.</p> + +<p>Every window was down and the transom was closed. It is the theory among +students that the smoker can stand a thick atmosphere, but that if one +is not smoking it soon becomes very disagreeable to him.</p> + +<p>One would have said that this theory was correct if he had taken but a +glance into the room, for the four solemn persons looked far from well, +while the others were evidently enjoying themselves to the utmost.</p> + +<p>Each one of the others had something in his hand besides his pipe or +cigar; two or three had brooms, some horsewhips, some baseball bats, +some canes, others umbrellas, and so on. The one who was apparently the +leader had an iron poker.</p> + +<p>"Who is the next neophyte who wishes to become acquainted with the +mysteries of Pi Gamma?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"It's Merriwell's turn next," answered one of the others.</p> + +<p>"Very well, then, fetch him in."</p> + +<p>At the mention of Merriwell's name the four solemn students against the +wall glanced at each other.</p> + +<p>"Hi, there! Hi, there!" called several voices. "No talking to each +other!"</p> + +<p>All the other students turned furiously upon the solemn four and glared +fiercely. One of the four opened his lips as if to say something, then +thought better of it, and shut them again.</p> + +<p>"If you want to make a link in the mystic chain of the Pi Gamma," +exclaimed the leader, sternly, "you'd better keep your mouth shut!"</p> + +<p>The student thus addressed looked as if he was aching to say that he had +not said anything, but his eyes simply wavered and otherwise he remained +perfectly still.</p> + +<p>"I guess they'll behave themselves," declared the leader. "Go out and +bring in Merriwell."</p> + +<p>Frank was about to take his first step in the long and trying initiation +into the secret society known as the Pi Gamma. These are the two Greek +letters standing for P and G, respectively.</p> + +<p>What they mean is known only to the members of the order, but the +society is generally known by an abbreviation of its initials.</p> + +<p>In this way, with the characteristic humor of college students, the +order of Pi Gamma is generally known as the "Pig." So, too, members of +the order are sometimes referred to as "Pigs."</p> + +<p>No one is supposed to take any offense at this, for, on the contrary, it +is a mark of honor to be a member of the order, and if a man can say +after he has graduated that he belonged to the "Pig," he makes it known +that his social standing was very high.</p> + +<p>No one can become a member of this society until he has reached the +junior year; then students are elected from the junior class by the +members of the senior class in blocks of five. The initiation of each +block of five covers a period of one week.</p> + +<p>The juniors elected at the same time with Frank were Harry Rattleton, +Jack Diamond, Bartley Hodge, and John Henderson. It was these four who +formed the quartet of silent students with their backs to the wall.</p> + +<p>They had received their notification of election on the evening before, +and with it certain instructions. From that moment until the end of the +initiation the neophyte was forbidden to laugh, or to speak aloud unless +addressed by a "Pig" in good standing or a member of the faculty.</p> + +<p>If he was spoken to by one of his companions, not a member of the order, +the neophyte was not to answer.</p> + +<p>He was to attend strictly to all his college duties, and whenever he set +foot upon the campus, he was to run at full speed and not stop running +until he had left the college grounds.</p> + +<p>He was to do without question anything commanded of him by any member of +the Pi Gamma during the week.</p> + +<p>In Frank's case this last rule had been put to the test at once by +commanding him to go to a well-known store in the city and buy one match +and one toothpick and bring the articles to the student who asked for +them. Frank had complied promptly.</p> + +<p>He went into this thing, as he did into everything, in a good-natured +but businesslike way.</p> + +<p>He knew that it was the custom for students to be put in embarrassing +situations during the initiation, and he made up his mind to stand his +share of it without grumbling.</p> + +<p>Besides the rules already noted, each of the neophytes was told to write +an essay upon a given subject and have it ready for reading on the +following evening when the senior members of the society would meet the +neophytes in Baker's room.</p> + +<p>Baker was the president of the "Pig," and it was he who held the poker +during the deliberations.</p> + +<p>The neophytes had assembled promptly, and then had been conducted to the +room of a senior named Rowe, from which they were called one by one to +read their essays.</p> + +<p>Frank's turn had come last, because there was so much respect for his +nerve that the students wanted to give him a particularly hard test, and +they believed it would be more effective if they made him wait until +toward the end of the evening.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, Rattleton and the others had been through with their essay +reading before Frank was summoned.</p> + +<p>A couple of seniors went out after Baker gave the order, and presently +returned with Merriwell.</p> + +<p>The latter looked as unconcerned as if he were attending an ordinary +recitation. He coughed a little as he entered the smoky room, and then +said, "Good-evening, gentlemen," in his pleasantest tone.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! Put down one black mark," exclaimed Baker, severely.</p> + +<p>Frank looked surprised. He had been told when notified of his election +that black marks would be entered against the name of every candidate +for every disobedience of the rules, and that if a neophyte got as many +as ten black marks he would not be permitted to become a member.</p> + +<p>"The neophyte has evidently forgotten the rule about speaking aloud," +remarked Baker.</p> + +<p>Every one of the seniors present took out a little memorandum and made a +mark against Merriwell's name.</p> + +<p>Frank had really forgotten the rule for the moment, and his lips parted +to say, "Beg pardon," or something of that kind, when it occurred to him +that that would bring him another black mark.</p> + +<p>In fact, the instant his mouth opened, out came the memorandum books, +but he shut his lips hard together, and the books went back into the +students' pockets.</p> + +<p>"We will begin with a little music," remarked Baker. "Neophyte +Rattleton, come forward."</p> + +<p>Rattleton at once stepped up and stood in front of Frank. Their eyes +met, but each kept his face steady.</p> + +<p>"Neophyte Merriwell," continued Baker, placing his hand upon Rattleton's +shoulder, "this is a bass viol. This is your bow," and he handed him an +umbrella. "We want you to play Mendelssohn's Wedding March."</p> + +<p>Frank took the umbrella and looked from Rattleton to Baker in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Play, neophyte," thundered Baker.</p> + +<p>Frank was not certain whether he caught the idea or not, but after a +little further hesitation, he took Rattleton by the shoulder and moved +the umbrella back and forth across that young man's stomach two or three +times.</p> + +<p>"We don't hear any music!" bawled the seniors in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Give him a black mark, then!" commanded Baker.</p> + +<p>Out came the memorandum books, and down went another black mark against +Frank's name.</p> + +<p>"Whew!" he thought, "this won't do! I must be slow or stupid; if I don't +catch on pretty soon I'll get more black marks against me than I can +stand."</p> + +<p>"Give us something that we can hear!" roared the seniors.</p> + +<p>The three juniors who had been through it and who were still standing +with their backs against the wall, were having a particularly hard time +of it just now. Their lips were twitching with an almost uncontrollable +desire to laugh.</p> + +<p>Frank caught Rattleton again by the shoulder and again sawed the +umbrella back and forth across his stomach, at the same time grunting in +a wheezy way to imitate the sounds of a bass fiddle.</p> + +<p>"You're out of tune!" cried one of the seniors.</p> + +<p>"Play louder!" shouted another.</p> + +<p>"He's playing on the open strings all the time!" exclaimed a third. +"Make him move his fingers, won't you?"</p> + +<p>Frank caught this idea at once, and, throwing his left arm around +Rattleton's shoulders, he moved his fingers up and down on Rattleton's +chest as if he were touching the strings of an instrument. Meantime he +kept up his grunting and humming as loud as he knew how.</p> + +<p>The seniors roared with merriment. Rattleton was shaking with laughter, +and the three solemn juniors against the wall looked as if they would +explode.</p> + +<p>Frank was perspiring in the effort to do the thing as ridiculously as he +knew how, and yet keep his face straight.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but look here!" cried Baker, suddenly, "this won't do!"</p> + +<p>He took out his memorandum book, and all the students followed suit.</p> + +<p>Frank stopped fiddling.</p> + +<p>"Keep on until I tell you to stop!" cried Baker. "That's a black mark, +anyway."</p> + +<p>In despair of ever doing anything right, Frank began to saw away again +for dear life.</p> + +<p>"I call your attention," shouted Baker, above the uproar, "to the fact +that this neophyte is making loud sounds with his voice."</p> + +<p>"That must be a black mark, then!" declared the other seniors, taking +out their books.</p> + +<p>Frank wanted to protest that he had been told to make a noise, and that +he could not very well obey one rule without breaking the other, but he +thought it best to keep quiet.</p> + +<p>He learned later that the complaint against his making a loud noise was +made for the very purpose of causing him to protest, for that would have +brought another black mark against him.</p> + +<p>As he kept his mouth firmly closed the seniors failed to catch him +there, but they put a black mark down nevertheless, so that within the +first five minutes of his initiation Frank had had four points scored +against him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3>THE TEST OF NERVE.</h3> + + +<p>Frank felt really worried about it, although it did seem to him that the +marking was absurdly unfair.</p> + +<p>"These fellows haven't any reason to complain of a professor's marking +of examination papers," he thought, "if this is the way they treat a +fellow student."</p> + +<p>"It's nearly time for the test of nerve," remarked Baker, "and we'd +better have the essay read before this neophyte gets so many black marks +that his case will be hopeless. Get up on that table, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>Frank started to climb up on the table, but as soon as his knee was upon +it a half dozen of the seniors yanked the table from under him and he +fell to the floor.</p> + +<p>There was a great roar of laughter at this, but Merriwell kept his face +straight and did not so much as grunt.</p> + +<p>"No black mark that time!" he thought.</p> + +<p>"I told you to get on the table!" roared Baker.</p> + +<p>Frank obeyed this time by making a sudden jump that brought him squarely +upon the center of the table before it could possibly be yanked from +under him.</p> + +<p>There was a roar of applause at this, and the students gathered around +to listen to the essay.</p> + +<p>Frank took his manuscript from his pocket.</p> + +<p>"What was the subject you were told to write on?" asked Baker.</p> + +<p>Frank looked at the paper and read:</p> + +<p>"Why is a Hen?"</p> + +<p>The four other juniors exchanged winks; each one of them had been told +to write upon the same topic.</p> + +<p>Just then there was a knock at the door, and, after a moment, Bruce +Browning was admitted.</p> + +<p>Browning was already a member of the order, although he was a classmate +of Frank's. He had become so by being dropped at the end of his freshman +year, as already related in this series of stories.</p> + +<p>When that happens a popular student keeps up his society relations with +his former classmates, so that Bruce, although he was a junior in the +standing of scholarship, was a senior when it came to society matters.</p> + +<p>The fact that he was still a classmate of Merriwell's had led him to +decide that he would take no part in the initiation. The students, +therefore, were surprised to see him enter.</p> + +<p>"I thought you weren't to be here!" exclaimed Baker.</p> + +<p>"I wasn't," Browning answered, "but I've got something important to say +to you."</p> + +<p>He spoke in such a serious tone that Baker at once went over to him, and +after a few whispered words they shut themselves into Baker's bedroom, +which adjoined the study.</p> + +<p>"You remember Miller?" asked Browning.</p> + +<p>"You mean the tough customer that sells cigars?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I do remember him; what of him?"</p> + +<p>"He's got a grudge against Merriwell. I think Frank at some time or +other interfered in some dirty work he was up to, and so he's laying for +Frank."</p> + +<p>"Well, what of it?"</p> + +<p>"He's heard that Frank has been elected to the 'Pig,' and he declares +that he'll take advantage of the initiation to raise hob with him."</p> + +<p>"Huh!"</p> + +<p>"I thought I ought to let you know about it."</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, but I don't see what Miller can do."</p> + +<p>"Nor I, either, but it'll be just as well to be on your guard, you +know."</p> + +<p>"All right, and we'll try and look out for it."</p> + +<p>"How's Merriwell getting on?" asked Browning.</p> + +<p>Baker grinned.</p> + +<p>"He's standing it like a man," was the reply, "just as we supposed he +would, but he'll get black marks enough to sink a ship before the +night's over."</p> + +<p>Browning chuckled.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet he takes those black marks seriously," he said.</p> + +<p>"Well, why shouldn't he?" returned Baker. "It's the last time we'll get +the chance to roast a good fellow like Merriwell, and we're going to +make it hot for him, I tell you."</p> + +<p>"Go ahead, he'll stand it," said Bruce.</p> + +<p>Having delivered his message of warning, Bruce left the room. Then Baker +returned and ordered Frank to begin his essay.</p> + +<p>"Speak up loud and clear," he said, "for when you're told to talk, we +expect you to talk."</p> + +<p>Frank unfolded his manuscript and began to read:</p> + +<p>"The problem of the hen is one of the most interesting subjects in +ornithology."</p> + +<p>"Hi! hi! hi!" yelled the seniors, rapping the floor with their clubs, +umbrellas, brooms and so on.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me very appropriate," continued Frank, reading from his +paper, "that this subject should be discussed by a 'Pig'——"</p> + +<p>This word was a signal for the most terrific uproar that the room had +yet witnessed. All the seniors made a dash at Frank with their clubs, +brooms, umbrellas and so forth, raised in the air.</p> + +<p>They brought them down in great whacks upon the table; he stood as still +as a statue. If he had attempted to dodge he would certainly have been +hit.</p> + +<p>"The idea of a neophyte using that word!" they cried. "Give him a black +mark!"</p> + +<p>Accordingly, the memorandum books came out and down went another black +mark.</p> + +<p>It then flashed upon Frank that it must be a rule of this order that no +neophyte should refer to it as the "Pig," and unhappily in his essay he +had done so a dozen times or more.</p> + +<p>He quickly decided to pretend to read, but really to speak offhand and +so avoid using the troublesome word, but there came another knock at the +door.</p> + +<p>This time it was Prof. Adler, whose room was in the building, and who +called to protest against so much noise.</p> + +<p>"You see what it is, professor," said Baker, throwing the door wide +open. "You were once a 'Pig' yourself, I believe."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I was," the professor answered, trying hard to repress a smile as +he looked at Merriwell and the four solemn juniors, "but really it's +getting late, gentlemen, and I think you ought to take your initiation +elsewhere."</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps we have gone far enough at this stage," said Baker. "At +any rate, professor, we won't trouble you any more to-night."</p> + +<p>"I hope you won't," said the good-humored professor, "for I should hate +to report you."</p> + +<p>With that he went away, and the next stage in the initiation began +immediately.</p> + +<p>Each of the five neophytes was blindfolded with a towel tied around his +head; his hands were then bound behind his back, and a long cord +attached to them; then they were sternly ordered to remember the rule of +obedience.</p> + +<p>"If you obey you'll come to no harm," said Baker, earnestly, "but the +slightest act of disobedience may run you into serious trouble."</p> + +<p>When the blindfolding and binding had been completed the neophytes were +taken out to the campus and so to the street; there three or four +seniors went with each neophyte in different directions about the city.</p> + +<p>The seniors kept hold of the rope and walked several yards behind the +neophyte, telling him when to turn to the right or the left.</p> + +<p>In this way Frank was made to pass close to moving wagons, and to go to +the very edge of embankments where if he had taken another step he would +have had an unpleasant fall.</p> + +<p>For more than an hour he was kept moving about in this way, completely +baffling the efforts of the seniors to rattle him. He did everything +they told him promptly, and never a word escaped his lips.</p> + +<p>He had made up his mind that come what would he would not get another +black mark. At last as he was crossing a street he was told to halt. He +did so, feeling under his feet at the moment the rail of a street car +track.</p> + +<p>Then his "mentors," as his companions were called, gathered around him, +threw the loose end of the rope over his shoulders and told him to stay +where he was.</p> + +<p>"Remember, neophyte," said one of them, slowly, "the command is to stand +still, no matter what happens."</p> + +<p>Frank made no response, but it was evident that he understood them.</p> + +<p>A moment later the mentors went away, where, or how far, Frank could +only guess.</p> + +<p>It was late in the evening, and the street was very still, but somewhere +in the distance Frank could hear the rumbling of a car; it drew nearer +and nearer, and at length he could hear the buzzing of the trolley wire. +It seemed directly over his head.</p> + +<p>"I see what this is," he thought; "they have put me between the double +tracks of the line so that I'll think that a car is going to run me +down.</p> + +<p>"Of course, these fellows are not going to injure me, and so if I stand +perfectly still the car will pass close beside me. If I should move I +might get run over. I can imagine that some fellows might be completely +unnerved by this test."</p> + +<p>The rumbling of the car became louder and louder; then there was a +single clang of a bell and it stopped a short distance away; some +passenger evidently was getting out. The bell rang again, and the car +started.</p> + +<p>The motorman kept up a loud clanging of his footbell as he approached +Frank; the latter, remembering his instructions, stood perfectly still, +confident that the car would rush past him without touching him.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, just as the car was upon him, Frank was pushed violently and +fell face forward in front of it!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<h3>FRANK WANTS MORE.</h3> + + +<p>The car was going at full speed when Frank fell. On the instant the +motorman reversed the current and applied the brake hard, but although +the wheels immediately began to turn in the other direction, it was +impossible to check the advance of the car completely.</p> + +<p>It slid for a few yards along the rails, sending up a shower of sparks, +and pushing Frank's body along ahead of it.</p> + +<p>Frank's first impression was, when he felt the push, that it was a part +of the initiation. The mind acts with marvelous quickness under such +circumstances, and what he thought was that, instead of being placed +beside the car tracks, he was really directly upon them and thus in the +way of the car, and that this push had been given him at the very last +minute in order to knock him out of the way.</p> + +<p>It was but the fraction of a second, of course, before he realized his +mistake, for he received a severe blow from the car platform.</p> + +<p>Knowing then that this was either a mistake in the initiation, or +something not on the programme, and that at all events he was in serious +danger, he made the most desperate effort to help himself.</p> + +<p>Naturally this was no easy matter, for his hands were tied behind his +back and his eyes were blindfolded.</p> + +<p>The knots had not been tied with the greatest skill, but the line was a +stout one and in the short time he had to make the effort, Frank could +not release his hands.</p> + +<p>He was more than half stunned by the collision, but he kept his wits +sufficiently to roll over and over in front of the moving car, trying +the best he could to kick himself out of its way. Meantime the car was +rapping him repeatedly.</p> + +<p>It was all over in a second or two, but the time seemed terribly long to +the neophyte.</p> + +<p>He was only half conscious of what happened, but he knew that the noise +of the wheels upon the rails had ceased, and that he was picked up in +strong arms and carried somewhere; then his brain whirled and everything +became a blank.</p> + +<p>That was the way the event seemed to Frank. The way it appeared to his +mentors was this:</p> + +<p>Following the usual custom of such initiations, they had stood Frank +close to the car tracks, but not so close that the passing car would +have so much as brushed him.</p> + +<p>Such events were not so uncommon in New Haven as to make them dangerous +when conducted in the ordinary way. Motormen get used to the pranks of +students and accordingly send their cars past blindfolded figures at +full speed, oftentimes clanging the footbell furiously in order to help +out the joke by alarming the neophyte as much as possible.</p> + +<p>Sometimes a motorman who is new to the business gets so disturbed at the +sight of the blindfolded figure near the rail that he stops the car just +short of him.</p> + +<p>In any event no trouble had arisen before this from this feature of +"Pig" initiation.</p> + +<p>Having left Frank beside the track, as we have stated, the mentors +withdrew and stood in the shadow of a big elm from where they could see +the result of the test without being observed by the motorman or anybody +else in the vicinity.</p> + +<p>They were watching the affair with great interest, although pretty well +convinced that Merriwell's nerve was so strong that he would stand the +test without trouble.</p> + +<p>They were disappointed when the car stopped to let off a passenger, but +were satisfied when it proceeded again and rapidly gained full speed.</p> + +<p>Then they were amazed to see a figure dart rapidly out from the shadow +of another tree not far away and make straight toward the neophyte.</p> + +<p>They wondered at it, but were not alarmed, for their first impression +was that it was some man who was unfamiliar with students' doings, and +who believed that the blindfolded figure was in real danger.</p> + +<p>They rather expected, therefore, to see this stranger catch Merriwell up +and drag him aside. Their horror may be better imagined than described +when they saw the stranger push Merriwell in front of the car and then +leap across the tracks just missing the car himself, and disappear.</p> + +<p>The alarmed and indignant seniors dashed from their hiding place and ran +with all possible speed to Merriwell's assistance. They came up to him +just as the car stopped sliding forward, and began to move back under +the force of the reversed current.</p> + +<p>The excited motorman was jabbering curses upon the foolish conduct of +students generally, and altogether too busy with his apparatus and too +rattled to get down from the platform.</p> + +<p>The conductor and the few passengers in the car, disturbed by the slight +collision, were moving toward the platform to see what was the matter.</p> + +<p>Rowe, who was in charge of the party of seniors, immediately picked +Frank up and carried him toward the sidewalk.</p> + +<p>"Get a move on, boys!" he exclaimed, under his breath. "We must get +Merriwell out of sight as quick as possible."</p> + +<p>"Shan't I go for a doctor, Dick?" asked one of them.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Rowe, hurriedly; "bring him to my room, but keep mum."</p> + +<p>One of the seniors sped away down the street, another took hold of Frank +with Rowe to help carry him, while the last member of the party fell in +behind his companions, determined if they were followed to beat off +pursuers.</p> + +<p>This action on the part of the seniors might seem rather peculiar to +those who are not wholly familiar with secret society matters.</p> + +<p>They did not stop to discuss it, for each one of them knew in a flash +just what must be done.</p> + +<p>Secret societies at Yale are very powerful organizations. In past years +there were some efforts to disband them and prevent the students from +organizing them.</p> + +<p>All these efforts failed; the more the faculty tried to suppress the +Greek letter orders, the more firmly the students clung to them, until +at last the faculty had to let the societies alone.</p> + +<p>The students knew, however, that there were plenty of men in the +government of the college who would be glad of any excuse to suppress +the societies and no better excuse could be found than the fact that a +student had been injured in the course of an initiation.</p> + +<p>Therefore, when Frank was knocked in front of the car, Rowe and his +companions knew that it would not do at all to let the accident become a +matter of public knowledge. So, before the people on the car half +realized what had happened, they had carried Frank across the street, +got over a fence into the grounds surrounding a private house, and were +rushing along toward a thick clump of shrubbery.</p> + +<p>When they were concealed in this they paused for an instant to get their +breath and make a hasty examination of the neophyte.</p> + +<p>By that time Frank was wholly unconscious. There was a red spot upon his +forehead, his clothing was torn and his hands were bleeding a little +from scratches.</p> + +<p>The wounds and bruises would not have disturbed the seniors +particularly, but Frank's unconsciousness gave them genuine alarm.</p> + +<p>"We must keep moving!" exclaimed Rowe.</p> + +<p>"Let me take my turn at carrying, then," said the one who had been +acting as rear guard.</p> + +<p>This was done. They proceeded across the lawn, climbed another fence +into a garden and, having crossed this, came to another street.</p> + +<p>They were now fairly safe from pursuit by the passengers on the trolley +car, who, as a matter of fact, gave the matter no further thought when +they were told by the motorman that the affair was a lot of students' +nonsense.</p> + +<p>As it was now very late in the evening the streets were almost deserted +and by acting cautiously the seniors succeeded in getting Frank to +Rowe's room without interference.</p> + +<p>There they laid him upon a bed and hastened to apply restoratives as +well as they knew how.</p> + +<p>"It would be simply awful if it should prove that he was dead!" +exclaimed Rowe, with a groan.</p> + +<p>"He isn't dead," said one of the others; "we'll fetch him around——"</p> + +<p>At this moment the student who had gone for a doctor burst into the room +bringing the physician with him.</p> + +<p>The doctor laid a case of instruments upon the table as he passed and +bent over the bed where Frank lay. At that moment Frank opened his eyes +and, seeing a strange face above him, said in a surprised tone:</p> + +<p>"Hello, what do you want?"</p> + +<p>"Humph!" muttered the doctor, "I thought I was going to have a fine +chance to set broken limbs or do some other clever job in surgery. I +guess you've cut me out of an operation, young man."</p> + +<p>"Hey?" said Frank, trying to sit up.</p> + +<p>His bones ached and he gave up the attempt.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, anyway?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"How do you feel, Merriwell?" asked Rowe, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Kind of sore," returned the neophyte. "I should think I'd been in a +football scrimmage. Oh!"</p> + +<p>His eyes brightened as he remembered what had happened to him.</p> + +<p>"Something went wrong with the——" he began, intending to say "with the +initiation," when he caught sight of the doctor's face.</p> + +<p>Seeing that a stranger was present and remembering his instructions to +keep the initiation a secret, Frank hesitated an instant and then said:</p> + +<p>"Machinery."</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Rowe, understanding the point, "the machinery broke +down, but it wasn't our fault."</p> + +<p>"I took that for granted," Frank remarked. "How did the car get along?"</p> + +<p>The seniors laughed. This question showed them better than anything else +could that Frank was not dangerously injured.</p> + +<p>"The car seemed to stand it pretty well," Rowe answered. "How is he, +doctor?"</p> + +<p>"Well," answered the physician, who had been making an examination, "I +don't see any evidence of broken bones, and what is more surprising +still, the young man's brain doesn't seem to have suffered under the +strain to which you have subjected him."</p> + +<p>"I can stand more than that!" muttered Frank.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing for me to do here," said the doctor. "I should advise +him to go to bed and lie still for the rest of the night. If he feels +badly in the morning you can send for me."</p> + +<p>With this the doctor took himself off. Frank then slowly sat up.</p> + +<p>"There are some aches about me," he said, with a wry grimace, "but I +suppose the more I talk of them the more black marks I'll get."</p> + +<p>"Oh, hang the black marks!" exclaimed Rowe. "There's been initiation +enough for you, old fellow, and there isn't a doubt that when the matter +is explained to the rest of the 'Pigs,' that you'll be excused from any +further test."</p> + +<p>"No, siree!" exclaimed Frank, emphatically.</p> + +<p>"Eh, what's that?"</p> + +<p>"If you think," responded Frank, "that I'm going to do the baby act and +crawl out of the rest of the circus you're mistaken."</p> + +<p>"But——"</p> + +<p>"There's no 'but' about it! I've been through worse things than this and +if you fellows don't put the initiation through just as if nothing had +happened, I'll be hanged if I'll join the society."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<h3>THE LEAP INTO THE RIVER.</h3> + + +<p>"That's the right kind of talk anyway!" said Rowe, "and it's just what +we might have expected from you, but really, Merriwell, this was the +last thing on the programme for to-night, and even if that scoundrel +hadn't pushed you in front of the car we should have made you go to bed +at this time."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm bound to obey you in any case," said Frank, "but speaking of +that, am I at liberty to talk?"</p> + +<p>"Of course, for you're in the presence of members of the Pi Gamma in +good standing."</p> + +<p>Rowe grinned when he said this, for he thought of the black-mark +nonsense and realized that Frank took it in earnest. He added:</p> + +<p>"Out of consideration for this accident, Merriwell, I shall ask the +president to score off the black marks already entered against you and +let you begin with a clean record."</p> + +<p>"Well, I can't object to that," said Frank, "for I must say it struck me +that some of those marks were chucked on rather harshly."</p> + +<p>"You'd better not make any criticisms of the way this society is run," +declared Rowe, sternly.</p> + +<p>"That's so; I take that all back, but what I wanted to say was that it +seemed to me as if somebody had interfered with the game."</p> + +<p>"That was it exactly, Merriwell, and it was something that we shall have +to take a hand in before long."</p> + +<p>"How did it happen?"</p> + +<p>The others told Frank what they had seen. He listened thoughtfully and +remarked:</p> + +<p>"Some fellow evidently had a grudge against me."</p> + +<p>"It looks that way," responded Rowe.</p> + +<p>"Who do you suppose it could be?"</p> + +<p>Before Frank could answer there was a knock at the door and Baker +hurried in.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he said, in a tone of relief, "I see you've got through all right. +There was something I meant to tell you, Rowe, and I forgot all about +it."</p> + +<p>"What was it?" asked Rowe.</p> + +<p>"Why," answered Baker, "Browning came in, you remember, just before we +started in on Merriwell's essay?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I wondered what he wanted."</p> + +<p>"Well, he came in to say how he had heard that Miller, the cigar dealer, +had it in for Frank, and that we'd better look out lest Miller take +advantage of the initiation to put up some dirty job. Of course I meant +to tell you about it before you took the neophyte to the street, but +Prof. Adler's interruption drove it clean out of my mind. I didn't think +of it until I was half through with Rattleton, who was the neophyte in +my party.</p> + +<p>"I see you've got through to-night all right, but it'll be just as well +to look out——"</p> + +<p>Baker stopped, for there was something in the expression of the faces +before him that aroused his curiosity.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" he asked, suddenly.</p> + +<p>They told him and he listened with growing indignation.</p> + +<p>"It must have been Miller!" he exclaimed, at last. "Didn't any of you +fellows recognize him?"</p> + +<p>Now that Miller's name was mentioned the students thought that they did +recognize him, but they could not be sure of it.</p> + +<p>"We must find out about it!" said Baker, earnestly. "This thing has not +only endangered a student's life, but it has put all secret societies at +Yale in danger of their existence.</p> + +<p>"If Frank had been seriously hurt the faculty would surely hear of it +and nothing would convince them that we weren't to blame for it. Miller +must be prevented from doing anything of this kind again."</p> + +<p>"Probably he won't try it again," Frank remarked, "for if he saw how +successful his trick was, he must be convinced at this minute that I was +maimed for life, if not killed."</p> + +<p>"Merriwell insists on going on with the initiation," said Rowe, "and I +have told him that, under the circumstances, we would erase all the +black marks against him."</p> + +<p>"That's right," responded Baker, solemnly. "I think we'd better go on +with the initiation just as usual, and meantime some of us will look up +Miller and see what we can do about him."</p> + +<p>"I rather wish," suggested Frank, "that you could wait on that until the +initiation is over, so that I can take a hand in it."</p> + +<p>"It won't do to lose any time," returned Baker. "You go to bed, +Merriwell, for you'll probably find that you need rest; the rest of us +will go and have an interview with Miller."</p> + +<p>As Frank was bound to obey, he made no further objection to this plan, +and accordingly went to his room. Baker and Rowe and the others +proceeded to the little shop where Miller did a cigar business.</p> + +<p>They found it closed. Usually it was open until after midnight. By +patient inquiry they learned where Miller lived and they went there. +Miller was not at home.</p> + +<p>The students rather wished that they could report the matter to the +police, but that would have brought the Pi Gamma affairs into public +notice and so they decided not to do so.</p> + +<p>It might be said right here that during the rest of the week of +initiation they made vain efforts to get track of Miller. He had +disappeared.</p> + +<p>An assistant was in charge of the shop, who pretended to be very much +mystified at his employer's absence. Whether he was telling the truth or +not could not be proved.</p> + +<p>The main fact was clear; Miller had played his trick so successfully on +Frank that he was afraid of the consequences and was keeping out of +sight.</p> + +<p>Frank was a little lame on the following day, but not sufficiently so to +be kept from going about as usual. The initiation, therefore, proceeded +during the week according to regular custom.</p> + +<p>During the daytime Frank attended lectures and recitations with +regularity, and as he afterward said, did rather more studying than at +any other week during his college career.</p> + +<p>Every evening there was a meeting of the "Pigs" in the room of some +senior member, where exercises of a more or less ridiculous nature, +similar to those already described, were had. Usually, too, there was an +excursion upon the street, but in these instances the neophyte was not +blindfolded.</p> + +<p>Frank had had to do numberless small errands, and one evening was +devoted almost wholly to sending him from house to house to ask for a +piece of cake or a slice of bread.</p> + +<p>His mentors always stood near to see that he followed out the +instructions literally, and in every case he complied.</p> + +<p>Rattleton and Diamond suffered more from the experiences of these +evenings than they had on the occasion when their nerves were tested by +being driven blindfolded through the streets.</p> + +<p>Diamond lost his temper several times and flatly refused to go on with +the initiation, whereupon the seniors would give him a host of black +marks.</p> + +<p>He took the black marks as seriously as Frank did, and always became +very penitent.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I can do what other fellows have had to do," he grumbled, +"but I can't see any sense in such tomfoolery."</p> + +<p>Then the seniors would discuss the matter gravely, and decide that as +Diamond was a well-meaning fellow, they would let the black marks go +this time, so that he could start over with a clean score.</p> + +<p>Before the week was over Frank began to see through the black-mark +farce, and he realized that it was a part of the scheme to make a +neophyte get as many black marks against himself as possible, and then +as a special favor allow him to start over again; nevertheless, he +continued to obey instructions as carefully as possible.</p> + +<p>The most trying experience he had in this line was when the seniors +arranged matters with several young ladies who were acquaintances of +Frank's, so that they should meet him one after another, speak to him, +and try to engage him in conversation.</p> + +<p>On each of these occasions a senior member of the order happened to be +near, and Frank was compelled to put his hand to his lips and shake his +head at every pretty girl who spoke to him.</p> + +<p>Some of the girls understood the situation, and others were mystified. +The result was, therefore, that as every one of them appeared to be +indignant and offended, Frank accumulated a lot of trouble which it took +him several calls later to overcome in the way of making apologies and +explanations.</p> + +<p>He never complained, however, and at last the final night of the +initiation arrived.</p> + +<p>Up to this time not one of the neophytes had been near the society's +rooms. These were known to be on the top floor of a high building not +far from the college. No student not a member was ever admitted to them, +and what there was there was one of the mysteries of the society.</p> + +<p>On this evening Frank and the other neophytes were again blindfolded and +dressed in long gowns that had hoods attached to them.</p> + +<p>The hood was pulled over the neophyte's face. His hands were then bound +behind his back, and half a dozen mentors accompanied him on his trip.</p> + +<p>On this occasion each of the mentors had a long horsewhip. They walked +at some distance from him and guided him in the way he should go by +touching his face on either side with the end of the whip; when Frank +felt the lash brush his right cheek he turned to the right, and <i>vice +versa</i>.</p> + +<p>The mentors, as before, left him alone sometimes for half an hour at a +stretch. On each of these occasions he had no idea where he was or what +was being done.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, warned by their previous experience, the mentors +kept within sight, but no effort was made to do Frank an injury.</p> + +<p>The object of the long waits was to try the neophyte's nerves as much as +possible, so that he should be in proper condition for the final test. +The most trying of these consisted of the jumping from the bridge.</p> + +<p>After having been driven this way and that until his head was completely +turned, Frank knew that he was approaching the railroad tracks, for he +heard the sounds of passing engines.</p> + +<p>Presently two of the members stepped beside him in order to prevent him +from stumbling, for he was now upon the sleepers themselves.</p> + +<p>They walked beside him thus for some distance until at length the +neophyte knew that he was on a bridge; he remembered the place then, or +thought he did.</p> + +<p>Several railroads that pass through New Haven enter the street by +crossing the Quinnepiac River on a drawbridge.</p> + +<p>Frank was certain that he was on this bridge, and for that matter his +guess was a correct one.</p> + +<p>The students conducted him to the middle of the bridge, and after +halting him, told him to move forward very cautiously by shuffling his +feet along on the boards.</p> + +<p>He did so, and presently was aware that his toes were projecting over +the edge of the bridge; that meant that the draw was open.</p> + +<p>Just below him he could hear the gurgling of the water as it flowed past +the piles.</p> + +<p>He stood there in silence for a few minutes, and then another party +approached, bringing with them Rattleton, Diamond, Henderson and Hodge. +The five neophytes were then together.</p> + +<p>A whispered consultation took place among the seniors. Apparently they +were trying to prevent the neophytes from hearing them, but as a matter +of fact the neophytes heard every word, which was exactly what the +seniors intended.</p> + +<p>The discussion was as to whether the tide had risen far enough, whether +the ropes were all right and would hold, and whether any of the +neophytes were too nervous to risk the plunge.</p> + +<p>Of course the waiting neophytes understood it all. They realized that +they would be ordered to jump into the water. It was not a pleasant +thought.</p> + +<p>There was not one of the juniors who would not have relished a dive if +he had had his eyes open and had been dressed for the occasion, but it +is quite another thing to stand bound and blindfolded above a rushing +current and leap out into the darkness.</p> + +<p>At last it was decided that Rattleton should go over first. The seniors +talked in low tones and acted generally as if they were greatly excited +by the seriousness of the occasion.</p> + +<p>Even Frank, who was perfectly cool through it all, wondered if +everything was so arranged that no accident could occur, and he felt a +little sorry for Rattleton, who was so excitable that the sudden shock +of jumping and landing in the water might produce unpleasant results.</p> + +<p>With it all the seniors were very slow in their procedure and every +minute of suspense made it harder for the waiting neophytes.</p> + +<p>At last Baker, in a low tone, reminded Rattleton of his promise to obey +orders, and then told him to jump.</p> + +<p>Frank, of course, could not see a thing, but he heard a little grating +sound as Rattleton's feet left the planks. An instant later there was a +loud splash in the water.</p> + +<p>"Pull him in quick!" exclaimed the voice of Rowe, "we don't want him to +catch cold. Hurry it up!"</p> + +<p>"There, he's coming to the surface!" said another voice.</p> + +<p>This remark was followed instantly by a loud coughing and sniffing.</p> + +<p>"Poor Harry's got his mouth full of water," thought Frank. "I'll look +out for that when I go over."</p> + +<p>With a great bustling about and a lot of excited exclamations the +seniors pulled Rattleton up and started him off as fast as he could go +toward the college.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<h3>THE LAST STAGE.</h3> + + +<p>It was Diamond's turn next, and he went off the edge as promptly as +Rattleton had. The same sort of action followed his jump, and Frank was +surprised that Diamond appeared to have swallowed as much water as Harry +had.</p> + +<p>"I should have thought Diamond would keep his mouth closed," thought +Frank.</p> + +<p>Hodge's turn came next, and he, too, left the bridge promptly.</p> + +<p>Henderson weakened when the command came to him. Instead of jumping he +drew back with a little gasp.</p> + +<p>"Jump, neophyte!" exclaimed Baker, in a low but stern voice. "It's too +late for you to hope for any special consideration now. What others have +done you must do, too!"</p> + +<p>"Great Scott!" muttered Henderson.</p> + +<p>Frank heard his steps wavering upon the planks, and then, with a little +quivering cry, the frightened neophyte jumped over. The splash that +followed his jump was very loud, and it was followed by a lot more of +splashing.</p> + +<p>"Thunder and Mars!" cried Baker, "the rope's broken."</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose he can swim?" inquired the voice of Rowe, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"How can he with his hands tied?"</p> + +<p>"Then he'll drown."</p> + +<p>"We mustn't let him!"</p> + +<p>"Did one of you bring along that boat hook that I told you to bring?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, here it is."</p> + +<p>"Catch it into his clothes before he floats too far."</p> + +<p>"Whew! how fast the tide runs!"</p> + +<p>"Have you got him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. No! the hook's got loose."</p> + +<p>"Try again, then, quick!"</p> + +<p>"Good Lord! suppose he's become unconscious from fear, there'd be no +saving him then."</p> + +<p>Frank ached to have his bandage removed and his hands unbound so that he +could go to the help of his companion.</p> + +<p>"When it comes my turn to conduct an initiation I'll bet I'll fix things +so that there won't be any such accident as this," he thought. "It's +outrageous to put an unoffending fellow like Henderson through this sort +of trial and then let a slip occur."</p> + +<p>It was a great temptation to Frank then to forcibly release his hands +and jump into the water after Henderson, but he reflected that after all +there were plenty of seniors present who had courage and who knew the +water well.</p> + +<p>He decided that it was best to leave the matter in their hands, but he +listened anxiously for some sound of Henderson's voice to assure him +that all was well.</p> + +<p>He did not hear Henderson's voice, but he did hear a great many more +exclamations of anxiety and doubt as the seniors seemed at last to get +the big hook securely fastened in the neophyte's clothing.</p> + +<p>Then there was a lot of tugging and hauling, and after a time the sound +of retreating footsteps.</p> + +<p>"I guess Henderson will come out of it all right," thought Frank, "for +it seems that he can walk."</p> + +<p>"It's nearly time to close the draw," said Baker, hastily. "Now, +Neophyte Merriwell, it's your turn. Remember your instructions, and when +I give the word, jump."</p> + +<p>Frank shrugged his shoulders. It was a slight action, but the seniors +could see it, for a big electric lamp upon one of the bridge pillars +lighted the scene brilliantly. It was very evident that Merriwell's +nerve had not been shaken.</p> + +<p>"Be ready to pull him out at once, boys, and don't let the rope slip +this time!" said Baker. "One—two——"</p> + +<p>Baker spoke very slowly, and although he appeared to be perfectly +unmoved, Frank's heart nevertheless was beating fast He wondered how far +he would fall before he struck the water.</p> + +<p>He dreaded the chill that would come upon him suddenly, but he had no +fear of the result, and he was fully determined that he would do his +share in this as promptly and boldly as any man who had ever been +initiated.</p> + +<p>"Three!" said Baker. "Jump!"</p> + +<p>Frank leaped at once, far out from the bridge. He had his lips tightly +closed, and he held his breath to avoid taking in a lot of water.</p> + +<p>To his immense surprise he did not touch the water at all. He could not +have fallen two feet before he was caught in strong arms and lifted back +to the bridge.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless he heard a loud splash and a voice saying:</p> + +<p>"Pull him out at once."</p> + +<p>"Oh, come off, Rowe!" exclaimed Baker, in a loud tone of voice, "have +you forgotten that there's nobody to follow Merriwell?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's so," was the reply, "I'd clean forgotten that."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll be hanged!" exclaimed Frank, "if this isn't a worse shock +than jumping into the river itself. Was that the way you treated the +rest of them?"</p> + +<p>"Give him a black mark for talking," said Baker, with a hearty laugh.</p> + +<p>Frank said "Humph!" but nothing else as the students hurried him across +the bridge back to land.</p> + +<p>He was immensely amused by the experience, and on the way to the society +rooms he thought it all out, and came to a conclusion on the matter that +was very nearly correct.</p> + +<p>At high tide the water in the Quinnepiac River comes almost to a level +with the bridge.</p> + +<p>The boys always arrange their initiations in such a way that the bridge +test shall take place at high tide, and they choose an hour when no +trains are due to pass.</p> + +<p>Then a small fee persuades the bridge keeper to open the draw. A big, +flat-bottomed boat is procured and made fast to the bridge just in front +of the open edge.</p> + +<p>Half a dozen of the students get into this boat; some of them receive +the leaping neophyte in their arms and clap their hands over his mouth +so that he shall not cry out.</p> + +<p>At the same time other students topple a big log into the water so as to +make a splash.</p> + +<p>The rest of the farce is carried on as described, with the result of +making the waiting neophytes believe that their companion has had a cold +plunge into the river.</p> + +<p>Time was when the students made the neophytes really jump into the +water, but it was found that many a student whose nerve was supposed to +be perfectly good, suffered such a shock from sudden contact with the +water that he became seriously ill, so that test was modified in the +manner described.</p> + +<p>The last stage of the initiation that can be described was one of the +most ridiculous.</p> + +<p>Frank was still blindfolded and bound. He was led, he knew not where, +but at last halted within a doorway. There his hands were untied and he +was told to kneel.</p> + +<p>He did so, and found that he was at the foot of a flight of stairs.</p> + +<p>"You are now going to ascend," said Baker, solemnly, "to the mystic +regions of Pi Gamma. It is becoming that a neophyte should enter there +in a modest attitude, therefore you will go on your hands and knees +until commanded to rise. Proceed."</p> + +<p>Frank immediately began to climb the steps upon his hands and knees. The +moment he began to move his ears were fairly deafened with a hideous +uproar.</p> + +<p>It seemed as if a tribe of demons had been let loose around him. There +was an infernal clatter, made, as he afterward learned, by beating upon +tin pans and shaking large squares of sheet iron.</p> + +<p>There was a chorus of savage yells and shrieking. The air was foul with +the odor of firecrackers that were exploded close to his ears. Every +kind of barbaric noise that student ingenuity can invent was brought +into play.</p> + +<p>"By the bones of Cæsar!" thought Frank. "If I hadn't been pretty well +seasoned by adventures before this, I believe I should be scared."</p> + +<p>As it was, far from being scared, he shook with laughter as he slowly +and patiently climbed up the stairs. It seemed as if they would never +end.</p> + +<p>It was a winding stairway, and went from the ground clear to the top of +the high building.</p> + +<p>Later he learned that this was a back stairway built expressly for the +students, whose society rooms were in the top of the building.</p> + +<p>It seemed to him as if he had climbed higher than the top of the +Washington monument when at last he found no steps in front of him, and +the diabolical racket ceased as suddenly as it had begun.</p> + +<p>He was told to rise, and he did so with a sigh of relief. He was then +led two or three paces and ordered to sit down.</p> + +<p>He did so, and felt that he was in something like a swing. There were +chains at each side of him, holding the seat. He was told to grasp these +chains tightly, and hang on, lest he be dropped the entire distance to +the ground.</p> + +<p>"That would be a pretty long fall," thought Frank, who at the moment +really believed that there was a well beneath him that extended clear to +the bottom of the building; so he gripped the chains and heard the voice +of Baker crying:</p> + +<p>"All ready, send him up."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know how much farther up I can go," thought Frank.</p> + +<p>He heard the creaking of a windlass and knew that he was rising. As he +went up his seat swung back and forth a little, making him feel all the +more how important it was that he should hang on securely.</p> + +<p>This journey was as long, and in one sense as trying as the climb +upstairs had been. There was no noise in connection with it, except the +constant creaking of the windlass.</p> + +<p>Blindfolded as he was, it really seemed as if he had been hauled up at +least a hundred feet when at last the creaking ceased and he was lifted +from his seat.</p> + +<p>Then he was laid upon an inclined plane, feet downward. It seemed steep, +too, and when his fingers accidentally touched the little rail at the +side he noticed that it was well greased.</p> + +<p>He did not need to be told then what was to happen, for he knew that he +would be sent whizzing down this plane to land—somewhere.</p> + +<p>"Is the tank all ready?" asked somebody, who was holding Frank by the +shoulders and thus keeping him from sliding down.</p> + +<p>"Yes," came a muffled voice that seemed far, far below. "Let him go!"</p> + +<p>The hands on Frank's shoulders were released, and he promptly began to +rush down the plane.</p> + +<p>In less than a second his feet had come in contact with a mattress, and +as the force of his fall brought him to an upright position, a glass of +water was flung into his face.</p> + +<p>At the same instant the bandage was torn from his eyes, the hood raised, +and he found himself standing in a well-lighted room surrounded by a +group of laughing and interested seniors.</p> + +<p>He turned with an expression of the utmost amazement to the plane down +which he had slid. He saw that the distance up which he had been slowly +raised by the windlass was less than ten feet.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +<h3>MAKING THINGS INTERESTING FOR MILLER.</h3> + + +<p>"It's funny," remarked Frank, with a smile, "how far a man seems to be +going when his eyes are shut."</p> + +<p>There was a chorus of laughter at this, in which Rattleton and the other +neophytes, who were present, joined.</p> + +<p>Order was quickly restored by Baker, the president, who announced that +there was yet one more step in the initiation to be taken. What this +step was cannot be described here.</p> + +<p>It must be remembered that the order of Pi Gamma is a secret society, +and every member of it is sworn to keep its secrets sacredly. Among the +things that they are not allowed to tell are the very tests which have +already been narrated, but such secrets are really common property in +New Haven.</p> + +<p>So much of the initiations are conducted upon the public streets and in +a public manner that there has been no violation of the rules of the +order in telling of Frank Merriwell's experience.</p> + +<p>What followed in the rooms of the society, however, must be omitted out +of respect to the serious character of the proceedings and the fact that +the members of the order regard them all as of considerable importance.</p> + +<p>It is proper to say that no further tests were required of the +candidates; they had passed their week's ordeal successfully, and the +other proceedings were conducted with their eyes open.</p> + +<p>The end of it all was conducted with vociferous cheering on the part of +the old members of Pi Gamma, and each of the new members came in for a +lot of hearty handshaking and congratulations. Then the whole affair +wound up with a supper in the society's largest room.</p> + +<p>At this there were not only the seniors who had initiated the first +block of juniors, but also a number of graduates who had paid a visit to +New Haven for the sole purpose of taking some part in an initiation +ceremony.</p> + +<p>Two or three college instructors, who had been members during their +student days, were present, and no one there appeared to enjoy the +occasion more than did Prof. Adler, the one who had warned the boys that +they must conduct their initiation more quietly as long as it took place +in a college room.</p> + +<p>On such an occasion as that the students and professors are pretty much +on the same terms. The professors, to be sure, are addressed by their +titles, and spoken to respectfully, but there is none of the restraint +of the classroom, and no fear whatever that any of the professors +present will report unpleasant things to other members of the faculty.</p> + +<p>The supper was a good one, and naturally enough it was thoroughly +enjoyed by the new members, the more so as a part of their trial during +the week of initiation was the fact that they had been compelled to +limit their eating to the plainest articles of food.</p> + +<p>All pies and cakes had been forbidden, and in fact nothing that could be +called a luxury was allowed to pass their lips. Those who smoked had +been deprived of that habit also.</p> + +<p>Now the seniors who had been the most severe in compelling an obedience +to these rules fairly overloaded their new associates with attention.</p> + +<p>They made a point of heaping the junior's plates with more good things +than they could possibly eat, and a plentiful supply of cigars and +tobacco was placed before them.</p> + +<p>After the eating was finished speeches were in order. Pres. Baker called +upon one after another of the older members, and eventually each one of +the new members had to make remarks.</p> + +<p>Prof. Adler spoke briefly but with undoubted sincerity of the pleasure +it gave him to be associated with the students' society in this way, +declaring it as his belief that they were helpful to the college and +that it was a mistake to try to suppress them.</p> + +<p>This from a member of the faculty was especially interesting to the +boys, and it brought out thunders of applause.</p> + +<p>The younger members got through their speeches very well, being greeted +with loud cheers whether they said anything of consequence or not.</p> + +<p>As was to be expected, Rattleton twisted his words hind side forward a +good many times, and at last sat down, blushing and feeling that he had +never made such a fool of himself.</p> + +<p>The older members apparently thought differently, for they applauded +long and heartily until the abashed student had to rise and bow.</p> + +<p>Frank spoke easily and quietly. He made no attempt at oratorical +effects, but declared that he felt it an honor to be a member of Pi +Gamma, and assured them that he should look forward to the time when he +could get even for the miseries he had endured for a week in inflicting +the same tortures upon another fellow.</p> + +<p>This was the spirit that the members appreciated best, and of course +they cheered tremendously.</p> + +<p>The most effective part of Frank's speech, however, and the one that +created the greatest interest, was not applauded at all.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you don't all know it," he said, "but some of you will remember +that there was an incident connected with my initiation that was not on +the programme."</p> + +<p>The room became very quiet. All the seniors had been informed of +Miller's attempt to do Frank an injury, and the only ones there who did +not know it were the graduates and a few members of the faculty.</p> + +<p>"I think my friends know me well enough," Frank continued, "to believe +me when I say that I haven't the slightest desire to be revenged upon +the man who put me in such danger of my life. It was a low-down, +dastardly trick and the work of a coward."</p> + +<p>There was a low murmur of assent at this.</p> + +<p>"A man who would do such a thing as that," Frank went on, "is really +unworthy the contempt of a Yale student and so from one standpoint it +might be well enough to let the matter drop.</p> + +<p>"On the other hand, we are bound to consider the possibility of such a +thing happening again. If the man who did the trick escapes without any +sort of punishment, he may attempt it again, or he may boast of it to +some companion as cowardly and mean as himself, and the result may be +that at some future time a student may be treated in a similar way and +not have the luck to come out of it as well as I did."</p> + +<p>Frank paused a moment, for the deathly silence with which his hearers +listened was a little embarrassing.</p> + +<p>"I have said that I didn't care for revenge," he said, in a moment, "but +now that I am a full-fledged member of Pi Gamma, I feel that I have a +right to look at it as an offense against the society rather than +against me as an individual."</p> + +<p>"Right!" exclaimed one of the seniors, in a low tone. Others nodded +approval.</p> + +<p>"I think it would be dignified and proper," Frank continued, "for the +society to take some kind of action on the matter, and if it is +allowable I should like to make a suggestion."</p> + +<p>"Go ahead," said Baker, promptly; "there is no member from whom a +suggestion on this matter would be more fitting. What do you think we +should do?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not thinking," Frank answered, "of passing any vote to do one thing +or another, but it strikes me that in a perfectly harmless way we can +take the law into our own hands a bit and fix Miller, for there's no +doubt that he was the guilty one, so that he will never molest a student +again as long as he lives.</p> + +<p>"You see," and he smiled good-humoredly, "I'm fresh from my experience +with the tortures of Pi Gamma."</p> + +<p>All the listeners smiled broadly.</p> + +<p>"It is one thing," he added, "to endure these tortures with a feeling +that you are in the hands of your friends, but quite another, I should +think, to go through such an ordeal with a feeling that the fiends and +demons surrounding you are hostile.</p> + +<p>"I can tell you frankly that for my own part, during the worst parts of +the initiation, I felt always that you were friends of mine and that I +was perfectly safe to trust myself in your hands no matter what +extravagant things you seemed to be doing.</p> + +<p>"I think that if Miller should be put through some such proceeding it +would—well, it would likely tear what little nerve he has into +tatters."</p> + +<p>Frank hesitated a moment and then sat down. The room was perfectly still +while the members of the order looked at one another doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"I don't quite see," remarked Baker, presently, "how the society of Pi +Gamma can put a man who is not a student through an initiation."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that," responded Frank, hastily, but +without rising. "I was only thinking that the society has such means for +terrifying a man that it ought to be easy for us to devise a plan for +giving Miller a good scare."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's the scheme!" exclaimed Rowe, earnestly. "I wouldn't favor +putting him through anything like the farce with which we treat +neophytes, but it does seem to me that we might give him a dose in +earnest somehow."</p> + +<p>Other members gave their assent to this suggestion and then somebody +asked:</p> + +<p>"But what can you do about it if you can't find Miller?"</p> + +<p>"That's a damper!" responded Rowe, gloomily. "I understand that he's +skipped."</p> + +<p>"He's come back," said another senior.</p> + +<p>"So?"</p> + +<p>All eyes were turned upon the speaker.</p> + +<p>"I saw him in his shop on my way to the rooms this evening," said the +senior.</p> + +<p>"Then he's got over his scare. Probably he may have heard that Merriwell +wasn't seriously injured and so thinks the thing's blown over."</p> + +<p>"We'll show him the contrary!" growled Baker.</p> + +<p>"But how shall we do it?"</p> + +<p>After a moment of thought Baker rose and said:</p> + +<p>"I think as Merriwell has suggested that it is just as well that the +society should not pass any vote on this matter, but with your +permission I'll appoint a committee to take the matter in charge.</p> + +<p>"They can meet after the ceremonies of this evening are over and decide +what to do about it. It is probably too late to undertake anything +to-night."</p> + +<p>"Miller keeps open until after midnight," somebody suggested.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it's after midnight now and we don't want to act without being +thoroughly prepared. Unless there is some objection I will appoint the +five new members with Rowe and myself to act as a committee to consider +this matter and take such steps as we think best."</p> + +<p>There was no objection to this and so the matter was considered settled, +but the interest of the students in it was so great that they had little +desire to talk of other matters, and before long the meeting adjourned +for the night and the members of the committee assembled in one of the +smaller rooms to lay plans for Miller's punishment.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + +<h3>MILLER'S NERVES.</h3> + + +<p>There is no need to give an account of the long discussion held by the +committee; what they did in the matter is of more importance.</p> + +<p>A good many wild plans were suggested; hot-headed Rattleton was in favor +of severe measures that would have given Miller pain if they had not +produced serious injuries.</p> + +<p>Jack Diamond, too, who had lost his temper more than once in the course +of his initiation, argued in favor of giving Miller a punishment +something like a flogging at the stake.</p> + +<p>Frank resolutely sat down on all propositions of this kind.</p> + +<p>"I don't care to have any hand in it," he said, "if it comes to taking +this man when he's only one against a good many and giving him a +drubbing. If that was the question I'd tackle him single-handed and give +him a chance to defend himself.</p> + +<p>"What we want to do is to give him an experience that he won't forget as +soon as he might a licking."</p> + +<p>It took some argument for Frank to bring his loyal friends around to his +view of the case, and they were not fully satisfied until he himself had +mapped out a plan that promised good sport and success.</p> + +<p>In accordance with this plan Frank did not leave his room on the +following day. There were lectures and recitations to be attended to, +but he cut them and did not even show his face at the window.</p> + +<p>Meantime the other fellows were busy in making preparations for the +serious work of the night.</p> + +<p>Most of these preparations were done in one of the rooms of the society, +but a little took place elsewhere; for example Baker and Diamond +arranged to meet as if by accident in front of Miller's cigar store.</p> + +<p>They chose an hour when Miller was certain to be behind the counter. He +was there, and after the two students had said good-morning, as if they +had just met for the first time during the day, Baker remarked, in a +loud voice:</p> + +<p>"I got up so late this morning that I had to run to lectures after +breakfast without a smoke and I haven't had time for one since. I guess +I'll burn a cigar. Will you join me?"</p> + +<p>"Thanks," responded Diamond, in the same tone, "I will."</p> + +<p>Accordingly they entered the store and Baker called for cigars. Miller +set a couple of boxes on the counter while the students made their +selection.</p> + +<p>"I never smoked this brand," remarked Baker, "but it looks pretty good."</p> + +<p>"It'll do if it will burn," responded Diamond, biting off the end and +turning to the alcohol lamp for a light.</p> + +<p>"How's Merriwell getting on?" asked Baker, as he handed out a bill for +Miller to change.</p> + +<p>Diamond's back was toward the cigar dealer, but he was facing a mirror, +and in it could keep careful watch of Miller's face. Meantime, Baker was +studying Miller also.</p> + +<p>The cigar dealer's face was very grave, and if any one not interested in +the matter that was weighing upon the students' minds had been present, +he would probably have noticed nothing.</p> + +<p>Both students, however, were convinced that Miller was greatly +interested in the question and anxious for the answer.</p> + +<p>Diamond drew a long breath.</p> + +<p>"He's in a mighty bad way," he said.</p> + +<p>"Why!" exclaimed Baker in surprise, "I thought the doctor reported that +he was doing very well?"</p> + +<p>"You forget," said Diamond, "that the doctor always said that he was +doing very well under the circumstances."</p> + +<p>"Oh! and I suppose that under the circumstances meant that the situation +was very serious, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Serious! Why, man alive, you don't seem to realize that Merriwell +narrowly escaped death outright!"</p> + +<p>"Huh! I hadn't thought it was as bad as that."</p> + +<p>"Well it was!" continued Diamond, and it seemed to take him a long while +to get his cigar lighted, while Baker was slowly counting his change.</p> + +<p>Miller was fussing with the cigar boxes with his head bent down.</p> + +<p>"If Merriwell's muscles hadn't been as tough as steel," continued +Diamond, "he would have croaked before this."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! Oh, no!" returned Baker, as if incredulous. "I'm sure you're +exaggerating the matter, Diamond, on account of your interest in your +friend."</p> + +<p>"Exaggerate nothing!" retorted Diamond, indignantly. "I guess I've spent +hours enough with Merriwell to know his condition."</p> + +<p>"And you say he's worse this morning?"</p> + +<p>"Decidedly! The critical stage in his trouble has come on and the doctor +has cleared the students out of his room. That was why I was out for a +walk instead of watching by his bedside. I'm going back there now, for I +can't bear the thought of being so far away."</p> + +<p>"Well, it would be simply awful," remarked Baker, with long breath, "if +he should——"</p> + +<p>"Why don't you say die and have it out!" blurted Diamond. "That's what +he's in danger of, poor chap."</p> + +<p>"Well, if he should die," added Baker, "there ought to be a lot of +trouble for the chap who pushed him in front of the car."</p> + +<p>"Ah! if we only knew who that was!" said Diamond.</p> + +<p>"I suppose that will always be a mystery," said Baker, and with this +both left the shop.</p> + +<p>"The miserable scoundrel!" exclaimed Diamond, under his breath, as soon +as they were well outside. "There isn't any doubt that he was the fellow +that did it."</p> + +<p>"Of course there isn't," responded Baker, "but what makes you so +emphatic in saying so now?"</p> + +<p>"Why this! If Miller had had a spark of manhood in him he would have +made some inquiry about Merriwell while we were talking about him. The +very fact that he kept his mouth shut showed that he was afraid to speak +for fear of giving himself away."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he's the one, sure enough," Baker declared, "and I don't think +there's any doubt that we've given him a good bit of fright for a +starter. Now if he doesn't skip the town——"</p> + +<p>"Rattleton and the others will look out for that," interrupted Diamond.</p> + +<p>At that moment they saw Hodge idling in a doorway across the street and +they knew that Rattleton must be loafing in a similar way in some other +spot.</p> + +<p>These two had been detailed to keep watch of Miller, dog his footsteps +wherever he went, and if he made any attempt to leave town, keep him +back by force if necessary.</p> + +<p>Miller did not attempt to leave town. Probably he was too cautious to do +so, for that might have been the means of bringing suspicion upon him.</p> + +<p>Baker and Diamond in his shop had declared that the attack on Merriwell +would probably remain a mystery; therefore it is likely that Miller +reasoned that it would be safer for him to stay where he was as if he +were entirely ignorant of the whole matter.</p> + +<p>Although Rattleton and Hodge kept their watch on him faithfully +throughout the day, no other of the students interested in the case went +near him until early in the evening.</p> + +<p>Then Rowe and Henderson dropped in. Rowe went in first and bought a box +of pipe tobacco. While he was waiting for his change Henderson came in +with a very gloomy face.</p> + +<p>He nodded silently to Rowe, laid a coin on the counter and asked for a +cigar.</p> + +<p>"Why! Henderson," exclaimed Rowe, jocosely, "what's gone wrong with you? +Has the faculty suspended you, or is it simply stomach ache?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! don't joke about it!" responded Henderson, dismally.</p> + +<p>"Joke about what?"</p> + +<p>"Haven't you heard?" asked Henderson, in the same melancholy tone.</p> + +<p>"Heard what?"</p> + +<p>"About Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"No. That is, nothing since morning. Has he——"</p> + +<p>"Yes. He's gone!"</p> + +<p>The two students looked at each other as if in great consternation. Rowe +drew a long breath and remarked:</p> + +<p>"Great Scott! that's awful."</p> + +<p>Henderson sighed too, and both went out together without another word. +Then they got around the nearest corner and burst into a perfect fit of +laughter.</p> + +<p>"Say! but he looked as if he'd seen a ghost," chuckled Henderson.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" returned Rowe, "but he was blue. How will he look to-night, +eh?"</p> + +<p>"I'm just burning up to have the fun begin," answered Henderson, "and we +shall have to wait until midnight."</p> + +<p>"Yes, later than that if he shuts up at the usual late hour, but perhaps +he'll start home earlier."</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't wonder," remarked Henderson, "if this should work on his +nerves through the evening and cause him to try to skip the town."</p> + +<p>"We shan't lose him," returned Rowe, in a satisfied tone, "and the only +thing we've got to do now is to kill time until the hour comes for +business. Let's play billiards."</p> + +<p>Accordingly they went to a billiard hall and knocked the balls around +until they were tired of walking about the tables. For the others +interested, as well as those, the time passed slowly.</p> + +<p>A number of students, including Merriwell, who were to take part in this +affair, assembled at the society rooms about the middle of the evening, +thinking that possibly Miller might take fright and shut up his shop +earlier, but the hours passed and Miller still stuck to his counter.</p> + +<p>Hodge and Rattleton, who, now that it was dark, stood nearer to the +cigar store, could see that Miller was growing nervous as the time +passed.</p> + +<p>He paced restlessly up and down back of his counter and occasionally +shifted the position of boxes and did other things to indicate that he +was suffering from extreme anxiety.</p> + +<p>When customers came in he greeted them gruffly and had little to say, +whereas his usual custom was to talk freely.</p> + +<p>After eleven o'clock, when the store happened to be free from customers +for a moment, the boys saw him empty his cash drawer into his pockets +and also take what money there was in his safe and stow that in his +clothes, too.</p> + +<p>From that time on he put whatever money came in into his pockets instead +of into the drawer. They judged from this that he had made up his mind +that he must leave town, and that he was taking all the money that he +could lay his hands on with him.</p> + +<p>Finally, a little before midnight, he seemed to feel that he could stand +the strain no longer, and prepared to shut up the shop.</p> + +<p>He turned the lights down hastily, as if he feared that some customer +might enter and detain him longer. He went out, locked the door behind +him, and started rapidly toward his lodgings.</p> + +<p>He lived at some distance from his shop, and had to pass through a long, +quiet street to get there. Even in the daytime few persons were usually +stirring upon this street, and at this hour it was entirely deserted.</p> + +<p>Miller went along part of the time with his head down, and part of the +time turning his eyes in every direction.</p> + +<p>He was just approaching an intersection with another street when two +figures in long, black robes with hoods drawn over their heads seemed to +rise from the ground in front of him.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, they had simply stepped from behind a tree, but +Miller's mind was in no condition to take things as they were.</p> + +<p>He gasped with fright the minute he saw them, stopped short and then +tried to run back. The figures leaped after him, and clutched him by the +arms, while one clapped a hand over his mouth. "It'll be safer for you," +said one of them, sternly, "to make no resistance, for if you do you'll +be beaten to a pulp in less than no time."</p> + +<p>Miller chattered with fear. In spite of this threat he might have tried +to break away, but he saw other figures apparently rising from the +ground.</p> + +<p>He was quickly surrounded by not less than a dozen, all in black cloaks +and hoods. He could not see the faces of any of them clearly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +<h3>TRIED BY THE "PIGS."</h3> + + +<p>If Miller had not been guilty of the assault upon Frank, he might +possibly have had faith that no Yale student would do him a serious +injury, though that is doubtful, for he had the idea which many ignorant +people hold that students are nothing short of young barbarians when +they get to playing pranks.</p> + +<p>As it was, he was fully convinced that he was in for the most horrible +tortures, even if he were permitted to escape with his life.</p> + +<p>He was in such an agony of fear that if he could have done so he would +have disregarded the threats of the leader and yelled at the top of his +lungs, but his very fear prevented this, to say nothing of the fact that +one of the students kept his hand ready to close over Miller's mouth.</p> + +<p>The cigar dealer was so paralyzed with terror that he could only +chatter. A few disjointed words came out which seemed to be to the +effect that he hadn't done it purposely.</p> + +<p>If the students had needed any further proof that he was the guilty +party, this would have settled it.</p> + +<p>They were sufficiently satisfied, however, before they began their +operations, and this partial admission merely stimulated them to more +active work.</p> + +<p>The dozen or so who had come out in hoods to capture the man, surrounded +him and walked him rapidly toward the building in which the Pi Gamma had +its rooms.</p> + +<p>In so doing they passed more than one person on the streets, but no more +than a little curious attention was paid to them.</p> + +<p>Whoever saw them supposed that some process in a secret society +initiation was going on, and if they caught sight of the unhooded figure +in the middle of the group, they undoubtedly supposed that it was a +neophyte.</p> + +<p>Miller longed undoubtedly to cry for help whenever the party met +anybody, but with a student clinging to each arm and hands raised to +choke his voice, he dared not so much as whisper.</p> + +<p>So at length he was brought without interruption to the back entrance of +the building, where he was hustled into the doorway and blindfolded. +There, strangely enough, he found his tongue for a moment.</p> + +<p>"You fellers let me alone, or you'll all go to jail for it," he +muttered.</p> + +<p>A chorus of hoarse, long-drawn "ahs!" was the answer to this.</p> + +<p>The outer door was closed then, and Miller was told to kneel.</p> + +<p>"I won't do it!" he protested. "I'm not going to have my head struck off +with an ax——"</p> + +<p>"Kneel, you scoundrel!" cried the voice of Baker, who was the leader of +the party.</p> + +<p>They did not wait for him to kneel, but pushed him to his knees. He +found himself as the neophytes did, at the bottom of a stairway; then +they told him to mount, and prodded him in the back and legs to make him +start on.</p> + +<p>Miller started, for he could not help himself. His journey upward then +was like that described in the case of Frank during his initiation.</p> + +<p>What he felt cannot be described, for Miller, so far as is known, never +told anybody about it.</p> + +<p>He arrived at the top of the long, winding flight of stairs in a state +of almost complete collapse. The noise had been more deafening and +hideous than ever had been endured by any neophyte.</p> + +<p>The whole force of the Pi Gamma were out to make the thing a success, +and every kind of racket that ingenuity could devise was added to the +usual programme.</p> + +<p>When at last Miller found that there were no other steps ahead of him to +be climbed, he stumbled forward, face downward, and lay upon the floor +gasping and groaning.</p> + +<p>The noise suddenly ceased, for Baker had held up his hand and the +students who understood the programme obeyed his silent command +immediately.</p> + +<p>"The mystic gates have been passed," remarked Baker, in a solemn tone. +"It is understood that the person who has thus entered within the circle +of Pi Gamma is not a member and that he has been permitted to come here +simply that he may defend his own life.</p> + +<p>"We will, therefore, proceed to try him at once. Set the prisoner on his +feet."</p> + +<p>A couple of students lifted Miller up, and obeying another sign from +Baker, took the bandage from his eyes.</p> + +<p>Miller looked around then with a stare of fright and surprise. The +hooded figures had disappeared and in their places were students dressed +just as he was accustomed to seeing them.</p> + +<p>The room was a large one, but what it contained besides the students he +was too frightened to notice. His knees were shaking and his lips +quivered, although in the presence of these rather familiar faces he +tried to pull himself together and look cool.</p> + +<p>"Miller," said Baker, sternly, standing squarely in front of him, "you +are in a very serious situation, and it is necessary for your safety +that you should have as good control of yourself as possible. We intend +to give you every chance for your life."</p> + +<p>"I ain't done nothing!" muttered Miller.</p> + +<p>"That will be found out later," was the stern reply; "meantime you're in +no condition to defend yourself. We'll give you a bracer so that you may +be able to understand what goes on and take part in it the best way you +know how."</p> + +<p>With this Baker nodded to a senior, who immediately came forward with a +glass filled with some kind of liquor.</p> + +<p>"Drink this," said Baker.</p> + +<p>He held it out to Miller, who took it with a trembling hand.</p> + +<p>"You're going to poison me," he stammered.</p> + +<p>"In the presence of all these witnesses?" returned Baker, sharply. +"Hardly. The stuff will not harm you; if you don't drink it you'll be +worse off."</p> + +<p>Miller still hesitated. He looked doubtfully at the liquor, smelled of +it and then stared helplessly at the faces around him.</p> + +<p>Baker raised his hand. At the signal every student seized a club of some +kind and got in a circle around Miller, holding the clubs up.</p> + +<p>"We don't want any nonsense about this," said Baker then. "You can +either drink that dose now or the clubs will fall."</p> + +<p>The instant he had spoken every student brought his club down hard upon +the floor close to Miller's feet. The man fairly danced in an agony of +fear, and a part of the liquor fell from the glass.</p> + +<p>"Drink!" thundered Baker.</p> + +<p>The cigar dealer then put the glass to his lips and poured it down with +one gulp. Baker nodded in a satisfied way.</p> + +<p>"Now put him in the prisoner's chair!" he said.</p> + +<p>Two of the students then led Miller trembling and more than half +convinced that he had taken deadly poison, to the swing in which the +neophytes had been drawn up to the ceiling.</p> + +<p>Miller was seated in the chains and told to grip the chain and then the +windlass was worked, and he was raised three or four feet from the +floor.</p> + +<p>The students grouped themselves in front of him, seated on chairs; Baker +alone remained standing.</p> + +<p>It seemed to Miller then as if everybody moved very slowly. He thought +he could count a hundred between every two words that were uttered. +Before many minutes had passed it seemed to him as if he had been a year +in this place.</p> + +<p>This sensation on his part was due to the liquor he had drunk. It was a +harmless preparation of hasheesh, a well-known Indian drug that, taken +in sufficient quantities, is poisonous, but in small doses produces +simply a half dream-like effect upon the mind that causes the time to +seem intolerably long.</p> + +<p>It is a dangerous drug to fool with, but the preparation of it in this +instance had been made by a senior who was the best student in college +in the department of chemistry.</p> + +<p>He knew just how to put it together so that the effect on Miller's brain +would not endure for more than two hours and would leave him entirely +uninjured. As he expressed it:</p> + +<p>"It won't do him half as much harm as an ordinary jag, and he'll +remember everything that occurs during the time that he's drugged, and +everything that's done will impress him most seriously."</p> + +<p>Taking his fear and the influence of the drug together, therefore, +Miller was in very ripe condition for the trial that then took place.</p> + +<p>It was really very brief, for knowing that the time was passing slowly +to the victim, the students hurried through the proceeding in order to +get more quickly to the climax.</p> + +<p>"Miller," said Baker, sternly, "you are accused of pushing Frank +Merriwell in front of a moving car. What have you to say for yourself?"</p> + +<p>"I—I—I——" stammered Miller, very slowly.</p> + +<p>"If you're going to tell the truth," interrupted Baker, "you can take +less time about it. We know the facts, for you were seen by four of us +and recognized. We should have let the matter pass if it hadn't resulted +fatally."</p> + +<p>"I didn't go for to do any real harm," answered Miller, the perspiration +breaking out upon his face.</p> + +<p>"But you admit that you did do it?"</p> + +<p>"I just thought I'd give him a scare."</p> + +<p>"Very well, gentlemen," said Baker, calmly, "what's your verdict?"</p> + +<p>"Guilty!" thundered the students in chorus.</p> + +<p>Miller trembled so that the chains to which he was clinging rattled.</p> + +<p>"See here," he said, feebly, "I don't see how it could be fatal, for I +heard that Frank Merriwell was seen around on the streets day before +yesterday."</p> + +<p>"Then you doubt, do you, that your cowardly trick has proved fatal?"</p> + +<p>"How could it," asked Miller, "if he was going around just as usual? I +think this is some infernal trick of you students——"</p> + +<p>"You'd better speak respectfully."</p> + +<p>"Well," stammered Miller, "I don't want to cause no offense, but you +told me I could defend myself, and I ain't going to believe that Frank +Merriwell was seriously hurt. I'm sorry for it if he was, and I won't do +it again."</p> + +<p>"Take him down and let him see the body of his victim!" said Baker, in a +solemn tone.</p> + +<p>Miller started so when he heard this that he almost fell out of the +chain loop. The windlass creaked, and he was set down on the floor.</p> + +<p>Baker's command had set his fears going afresh, and he trembled so that +he could hardly stand upright. A couple of students caught him by the +arms and pushed rather than led him to one of the small rooms of the +order.</p> + +<p>A door was opened and Miller was forced inside. He gave a loud gasp when +he entered, fell upon his knees, and beat his hands helplessly upon the +floor.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + +<h3>HUMPERDINK TO THE RESCUE.</h3> + + +<p>What Miller saw was this:</p> + +<p>A room lighted by one solitary candle and rendered more gloomy by heavy +curtains hanging before the windows; a cot bed was in the middle, and +upon it was a body all covered over with the exception of the face, and +the face above it was that of Frank Merriwell.</p> + +<p>It need hardly be said here that Frank was as much alive at that moment +as he had ever been in his life, but his face had been covered with +chalk so as to resemble that of a dead man.</p> + +<p>Miller was thoroughly convinced that Frank was dead, and he was not too +frightened to realize that he had admitted having been the cause of it.</p> + +<p>"Oh! what shall I do? What shall I do?" he groaned. "I never meant that +it should be as bad as this!"</p> + +<p>"It isn't a question of what you shall do," remarked Baker, sternly.</p> + +<p>The other students had come into the room and now stood around, looking +on solemnly. Not one of them so much as winked at another for fear that +the spectacle would lose some of its force upon the mind of the +frightened victim.</p> + +<p>"The point is," continued Baker, "that you are not in a position to do +anything; the question is, what shall we do?"</p> + +<p>"He ought to have his head chopped off where he is!" muttered Bruce +Browning, gruffly.</p> + +<p>Miller started and edged away from the spot where he was kneeling.</p> + +<p>"No!" exclaimed Baker, sternly; "that would be too easy; I should rather +think that it would be better to boil him in a vat!"</p> + +<p>"Or might burn him alive out on the marshes!" said another.</p> + +<p>"I think a good straight forward hanging is the best thing for him!" +muttered Jack Diamond.</p> + +<p>"Oh, for Heaven's sake, gentlemen!" groaned Miller, "don't let it be +to-night. Give me a chance to make up for this!"</p> + +<p>"How can you make up for it?" retorted Baker. "Do you know any way of +restoring a dead person to life?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't, but I never would have gone to do it if I'd supposed that +it would be serious, so help me, I never would!"</p> + +<p>"I don't think that that makes any difference."</p> + +<p>At this moment there was a stir in the room back of the students. Baker +turned inquiringly.</p> + +<p>One of the students who had really been present all the time now +pretended to be coming in from the outside in a hurry.</p> + +<p>"Prof. Humperdink," said this student, "is on the way, and will be here +in a minute or two."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" responded Baker, in a tone of relief, "perhaps then that may make +things better, for, of course, while we are bound to punish this man +Miller, we want Merriwell restored to life if such a thing can be done."</p> + +<p>"Humperdink can do it if anybody can!" said Rowe.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say, gentlemen," gasped Miller, "that there's a chance +that Merriwell may be restored?"</p> + +<p>"We can't tell until Humperdink comes," responded Baker, solemnly. +"Haven't you ever heard of Humperdink?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think he buys his cigars at my store," responded Miller.</p> + +<p>"No, he probably doesn't," responded Baker, significantly. "Humperdink +doesn't indulge in ordinary tobacco; he smokes the root of snake plants +found in the wilds of Africa. One whiff of it for an ordinary man is +fatal."</p> + +<p>Miller stared in a way that showed he believed every word. He was not in +a condition to doubt anything that was told to him.</p> + +<p>That is one of the effects of hasheesh, but even without the drug it is +more than likely that he would have believed everything said to him on +this occasion.</p> + +<p>"Humperdink," continued Baker, "knows all the mysteries of nature. He +has experimented with all poisons, and eats them as readily as the rest +of us do ordinary food. In the old days he would have been called a +magician. Really he's a very great scientist, and if there's any +possible hope for Merriwell he'll know it. Ah! here he is."</p> + +<p>At the moment when Miller had been taken into the room where Merriwell +lay apparently dead, another student had slipped into the dressing-room +of the little theatre, which was a part of the society's quarters, and +had put on a long gown, white wig and beard, and concealed his eyes with +dark glasses.</p> + +<p>He now came tottering feebly across the room toward the students.</p> + +<p>"What have ye here?" he asked in a high, cracked voice.</p> + +<p>"One of the students has died, professor," responded Baker, in a tone of +deep respect, "and the circumstances were so peculiar——"</p> + +<p>"Dead, eh?" returned the "professor," stopping short in his walk, "then +I can't do anything for him."</p> + +<p>He turned about as if he would go away.</p> + +<p>"Oh! don't give it up!" screamed Miller, "come in and give him something +to bring him back to life; do it, I beg you, for my sake!"</p> + +<p>"Your sake," sneered the "professor," "you are not worth the turn of a +thumb!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you don't know how much depends on it!" cried Miller.</p> + +<p>"I don't know!" fairly shouted the professor. "I know everything! I know +that you caused that young man's death; I know that you pushed him in +front of a moving car; I know that you didn't mean to kill him, but that +you would be glad to do so if you could do it safely; I know that you're +a cold-hearted wretch!"</p> + +<p>Miller again beat his hands upon the floor helplessly.</p> + +<p>"Yes! Yes!" he groaned, "I'm all that, but I don't want him to die! Do +save him if you can, professor."</p> + +<p>"It's this way, professor," said Baker, quietly. "This man groveling on +the floor is not worth the turn of a thumb, but the rest of us are very +fond of Merriwell, and would like to have him restored to life if such a +thing can be done.</p> + +<p>"Do it for our sakes, and the sake of science, professor."</p> + +<p>"Well," grumbled the "professor," after hesitating a moment, "for the +sake of science I'll take a look at him. The rest of you clear out."</p> + +<p>He turned slowly into the dark room, while the rest of the students +withdrew, taking Miller with them; then a long ten minutes passed.</p> + +<p>Meantime, acting according to their former programme, the students in +the main room discussed various plans for the punishment of Miller.</p> + +<p>The victim of their fearful proceeding squatted on the floor, rocking +his body back and forth, moaning and wringing his hands.</p> + +<p>At last "Prof." Humperdink appeared in the doorway and started slowly +across the room. Miller jumped to his feet, ran to him, and caught him +by his robe.</p> + +<p>"Tell me," he cried, frantically, "will he recover?"</p> + +<p>"Bah! don't touch me!" returned the "professor," giving the cigar dealer +a vigorous kick.</p> + +<p>Miller fell over on his side, while the "professor" went slowly out of +the room.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you ask him," said Browning, anxiously turning to Baker, "has +he succeeded or failed?"</p> + +<p>"He must have failed," responded Baker, sadly, "or he would have said +something about it. We'll take the prisoner in there again and decide +what to do with him."</p> + +<p>By this time Miller was a complete wreck. He could not possibly stand +upon his feet, and students picked him up to carry him to the darkened +room.</p> + +<p>Just then the door of that room opened again, and Frank appeared in the +doorway.</p> + +<p>He had rubbed some of the chalk off his face so that he appeared more +natural than before, but he leaned against the doorpost as if weak.</p> + +<p>"Well, fellows," he said, feebly, "what's the matter?"</p> + +<p>The students set up a great shout, ran to Merriwell, grasping his hand +and congratulating him warmly. Frank appeared to be dazed by the +proceeding.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, anyway?" he asked. "What am I here for in this +condition?"</p> + +<p>"You've been dead!" shouted the students, in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Dead, is it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and Prof. Humperdink has restored you to life."</p> + +<p>Frank looked as if he did not believe it.</p> + +<p>"This is some joke," he said.</p> + +<p>"Joke? Why, we thought you were going to tell us what happened in the +other world."</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to tell anything until I understand this!" he retorted. +"Hello, there's Miller."</p> + +<p>During this Miller had been half lying in a chair where the students had +dropped him at sight of Frank. He was staring in speechless astonishment +at the figure in the doorway.</p> + +<p>The probability is that he was still so frightened that he believed that +Frank had not really come back to life, but that it was his ghost that +was speaking.</p> + +<p>"What's Miller doing in the Pi Gamma rooms!" exclaimed Frank, starting +toward him. "He's the fellow that pushed me under the car! Did you bring +him up here for me to give him a thrashing?"</p> + +<p>This was said in such a perfectly natural tone, and Frank appeared to be +so much in earnest, that Miller was restored to a good deal of his +ordinary condition.</p> + +<p>He jumped up from the chair, and tried to make for the door; of course, +he was caught before he could get out.</p> + +<p>Then while he was held there, Baker pretended to explain to Frank that +death had taken place and that Humperdink had restored him by some +secret scientific process.</p> + +<p>"We had Miller here," he concluded, "so that we might punish him for +causing your death."</p> + +<p>Frank listened very gravely.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "the main thing is that I'm alive again. As for you, +Miller, you deserve to be hanged just as much as if you had succeeded in +what you tried to do, but I'm so much alive again that I'm inclined to +beg the boys to let you off."</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't let them hurt me, Mr. Merriwell!" groaned Miller. "On my life +I didn't mean to do you any harm, and I'll never do anything wrong again +as long as I live."</p> + +<p>"I think it's safe enough to take his word for that," said Frank, +turning to the others.</p> + +<p>They looked a little doubtful, but Baker answered for them.</p> + +<p>"Well, Merriwell is the most interested party, and what he says ought to +go. You may get out, Miller, but remember if there is ever any sign of +you attempting dirty work with a student again, we'll be after you, and +next time we won't give you any chance for a trial, either."</p> + +<p>"I'll behave myself for the future, I will, so help me!" stammered +Miller, as he made for the open door.</p> + +<p>After he had been seen well out of the building the students indulged in +an uproarious laugh at the success of their plan, and all declared that +it was a much better way of getting even with the cigar dealer than any +of the plans suggested by the other students.</p> + +<p>They had another supper on the spot to celebrate the event, and they +were not surprised a day or two later to learn that Miller had disposed +of his cigar business and left New Haven forever.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV.</h2> + +<h3>FRANK HAS A VISITOR.</h3> + + +<p>After the affair with Miller matters went along quietly for some time +with Frank.</p> + +<p>He turned to his studies with a will, paying particular attention to +mathematics, so that no complaint might be made against him by Prof. +Babbitt.</p> + +<p>One day he was deep in a problem in geometry when there came a loud rap +on the door.</p> + +<p>"Come in."</p> + +<p>The door opened, and in walked Ben Halliday. Frank looked up in +surprise.</p> + +<p>"Hello! Hally," he called.</p> + +<p>"Hello! Merriwell," said the other, a trifle stiffly.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, old man? You are not usually in the habit of +knocking in that manner. Usually you walk in without being invited."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I have been a little too free in that respect," said Ben, +significantly.</p> + +<p>"Free! Not at all. You know any of my friends are welcome here at any +time. This is Liberty Hall."</p> + +<p>"That sounds all right, Merriwell," said Ben, remaining standing; "but, +if you mean it, why should you say I am too fresh and take too many +liberties?"</p> + +<p>"I say so? Why, I never said anything of the sort Has any fellow +reported me as saying that?"</p> + +<p>"I heard it."</p> + +<p>Frank came to his feet instantly.</p> + +<p>"Heard me say so?" he cried. "Is that what you mean, Hally?"</p> + +<p>"No; I mean that I have heard you did say so."</p> + +<p>Merriwell advanced and placed his hands on the shoulders of his visitor, +looking straight into Ben's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Halliday," he said, slowly, "have I ever been anything but a friend to +you?"</p> + +<p>Ben moved uneasily, and then answered:</p> + +<p>"I do not know that you have."</p> + +<p>"Did you ever know me to say anything behind the back of either friend +or foe that I did not dare say to his face?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Did you ever know me to lie?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then you will believe me, I think, when I tell you I did not say you +were too fresh and took too many liberties. Some chap has been trying to +make you my enemy. I have seen of late that you acted strangely but did +not know why. Now I understand it. But I am surprised that you could +believe such a thing of me."</p> + +<p>Halliday was confused.</p> + +<p>"Well," he falteringly said, "you see it's this way: I knew you hated to +throw up your grip on the football team and drop out entirely, and +somebody said you were jealous of me because I did such good work +against the Indians. You know my run in that game was compared with your +famous run in the Princeton game last season. And you have not been just +like yourself lately. Sometimes you have not looked at me when we met."</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" asked Frank, in surprise. "I didn't know it. Must be my +mind is on my studies too much. And still I made a dead flunk the day +after the Carlisle game. There had been so many reports that the Indians +had a new trick that was sure to enable them to win, and, knowing as I +did what bulldogs they are to play, I was all nerved up with anxiety. +Couldn't seem to keep my mind on my studies for a week before the game, +and it grew worse and worse the nearer the time came. After it was over, +I found I might as well have taken part in the game."</p> + +<p>"That's just it!" cried Halliday, quickly. "That's why I dropped around +to see you."</p> + +<p>"Eh? What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Why don't you get back on the team?"</p> + +<p>"Get back? What are you driving at? You're doing good work.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to crowd you out."</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't. They need you as full-back."</p> + +<p>"You played that position in the game with the Indians."</p> + +<p>"But I am not to play it again. I am quarter-back now."</p> + +<p>"Is that right?" cried Frank, in surprise. "Your position has been +changed? How did that happen?"</p> + +<p>"Quigg is out of it for the season. You know he was hurt in the last +game. Doctor says he must not play any more this year. I have been +shoved into his place in a hurry."</p> + +<p>"What's that for?"</p> + +<p>"Forrest did it. A new man is going to be tried at full-back—Rob +Marline. Forrest is desperate. He says the team is broken all to pieces, +and stands a poor show with either Harvard or Princeton. This will be a +dismal season for Old Yale."</p> + +<p>Frank turned pale and seemed to stagger a bit, as if he had been struck. +It was a shock for him to know that Yale was in danger. He had supposed +she was all right and everything was running well.</p> + +<p>"We did not make the showing against the Indians that we should have +made, although we beat them," Halliday went on. "But for my lucky run, +we might have been beaten."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know——" began Frank, falteringly.</p> + +<p>Ben made a fierce gesture.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with you Merriwell?" he savagely cried. "Didn't know? +You should know! You are the fellow of us all who should know. You have +changed, and it has not been for the better. I tell you we stand a slim +show with Harvard and Princeton, and you are needed just as you were +needed at the tug of war. That being the case, you have no right to shut +yourself up here in your room and plug away, seeming to take no interest +in anything but your studies and recitations. You have been the most +popular man in college, but your popularity is on the wane. I'll tell +you why, if you want to know."</p> + +<p>Frank was still whiter, if possible. Was this Halliday talking to him in +such a manner—Halliday, who had ever seemed to stand in awe of him? It +was plain enough that Ben was giving him a "call down," but what shook +Merry the most was the fact that he began to feel that it was merited.</p> + +<p>"I should like to know," he said, slowly.</p> + +<p>Ben could not tell what effect his words might have on Frank, but he was +reckless, and he did not care.</p> + +<p>"You can punch my head, if you want to," he said, "but I am going to +talk plain. Don't seem to be anybody else who dares to talk to you. They +kick and growl and say things behind your back, but they don't come +right at you with what they want to say. They are saying that you are +afraid to play on the eleven this year."</p> + +<p>Frank stiffened up.</p> + +<p>"Afraid?" he said, hoarsely.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"How can they say that? Have I ever shown fear?"</p> + +<p>"They do say it," came doggedly from Halliday. "They say you made a +lucky run in the Princeton game last year, and you know it was a case of +dead cold luck. It gave you a great rep., and you are afraid of taking a +fall down if you play this season. That's exactly what they are saying, +and," added Ben, for himself, "I'll be hanged if it doesn't look that +way from the road!"</p> + +<p>Frank bit his lip and stood staring at Halliday. He showed no anger, but +it was plain that he was astonished. Up to that moment he had not +realized he stood in a position where he could not withdraw from +football, baseball, or anything else in that line of his own desire +without being regarded as cowardly. Now he saw it plainly enough.</p> + +<p>Halliday had been doubtful as to the manner in which Frank would take +his plain talk, but he was determined to tell Merry what was being said, +and he would not have hesitated had he felt certain it would produce a +fight.</p> + +<p>But Frank saw Ben was speaking the truth, and, instead of being angry, +he experienced a sensation of gratitude. Still he was determined to know +all about it.</p> + +<p>"How long have they been making this kind of talk, old fellow?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Ever since it was known for sure that you had decided not to try out +for the eleven this fall."</p> + +<p>"And this is the first I have heard of it!"</p> + +<p>"They didn't talk so much at first," explained Ben. "It wasn't known +then but your place could be filled easily."</p> + +<p>"You were put in my place."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I should have been placed elsewhere if you had come on."</p> + +<p>"And they think that would have strengthened the team?"</p> + +<p>"Of course it would! I tell you the fellows have a reason to growl when +they see Yale putting out a weak eleven while the best man in college +refuses to get into gear and give a lift."</p> + +<p>"What sort of man is this Marline?"</p> + +<p>"A good runner and a pretty punter."</p> + +<p>"Sand?"</p> + +<p>"Guess so."</p> + +<p>"Then what's his weak point?"</p> + +<p>"Temper."</p> + +<p>"Quick tempered?"</p> + +<p>"Like a flash of powder. Loses his head. Forrest says he may lose any of +the big games for us by getting mad at a critical point, but still he is +the best man we have."</p> + +<p>Frank walked over to his window and looked out, his back toward +Halliday. Ben stood watching him with no small anxiety.</p> + +<p>Now it was over, and he had relieved his feelings by speaking out +plainly, Ben wondered at his own boldness. He had been flushed with +excitement, but he felt himself growing pale and cold.</p> + +<p>"Lord, what a crust!" he thought.</p> + +<p>Three minutes passed this way, and then Frank whirled around with +startling suddenness.</p> + +<p>"Do you practice to-day?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I'll come out to the park."</p> + +<p>"What for?"</p> + +<p>"Don't know yet. I'll look on, anyway."</p> + +<p>"Shall I tell Forrest?"</p> + +<p>"No, you needn't say anything about it."</p> + +<p>"All right."</p> + +<p>Halliday was well pleased with the result, for he felt sure Merry was +aroused.</p> + +<p>"How do I know I am wanted on the eleven?" Frank asked. "It's all made +up now, and——"</p> + +<p>"Heard Forrest say he'd rather have you for full-back than Marline."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll come out and see you practice."</p> + +<p>So Ben left. At one time he had been envious of Merriwell, but now, like +others, he realized that Merry was too good timber to be lost from the +eleven. Halliday overcame his selfishness, and, for the interest of Old +Yale, desired to see Merry back on the team.</p> + +<p>Besides that, Ben was not pleased to be changed from full-back to +quarter-back and have a fellow like Marline given the position he had +played very well thus far that season. He felt that he had much rather +be put off the eleven entirely to give room for Frank.</p> + +<p>After Ben left, Frank attempted to return to his studies, but he could +not fix his mind upon them. He went down to recitation in a dazed +condition, and made a flunk, much to the surprise of those who knew he +had turned into a "greasy grind" of late.</p> + +<p>Frank's mind was uneasy, and it wandered constantly. The knowledge that +he had been regarded as cowardly in declining to go on the eleven was +gall and wormwood to him.</p> + +<p>He was glad Halliday had come to him and let him know how matters stood, +and surely no one could have closer at heart the welfare of Yale in all +directions.</p> + +<p>He began to understand that he had won a position in athletics from +which he could not voluntarily withdraw without being misunderstood and +maligned.</p> + +<p>That afternoon Halliday came around for Frank, and found him with his +sweater and rough clothes on, ready to leave his room.</p> + +<p>"I was afraid you would forget," said Ben, in a confused way.</p> + +<p>"Little danger of that!" muttered Frank. "I haven't been able to +remember anything else but what you said to me this forenoon."</p> + +<p>"Hope you didn't lay it up against me, Merry."</p> + +<p>"Don't take me for a fool, old fellow!" came rather sharply from Frank.</p> + +<p>They left the college grounds and took a trolley car out to the park. +Forrest and the team were there ahead of them. A hundred spectators were +watching the men catch punts.</p> + +<p>Bob Cook was there. He was not coaching; he was standing at one side by +himself, watching the men, something like a disconsolate look on his +face. This was not like him; it was significant.</p> + +<p>As they entered the gate, Halliday touched Merriwell's arm, quickly +saying:</p> + +<p>"There he goes!"</p> + +<p>"Who?" asked Frank.</p> + +<p>"Marline. He's getting out to take some punts."</p> + +<p>Frank knew Marline by sight, but he had never given the fellow much +attention. Now he deliberately sized him up. He saw a well-built, +healthy-looking lad, who carried himself gracefully, almost arrogantly. +There was more than a suggestion of conscious superiority in Marline's +manner.</p> + +<p>Punk!—a strong leg sent a twisting ball sailing toward Marline. He ran +under it with an air of confidence, and caught it easily, gracefully.</p> + +<p>"I take it he is one of the fellows who show up well in practice, at +least," said Frank.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> + +<h3>SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS.</h3> + + +<p>The appearance of Frank on the ground soon attracted attention. Of late +there had been much talk about Merriwell and there was not a college man +interested in football who had not expressed an opinion concerning his +ability or his withdrawal from the sport.</p> + +<p>Early in the season Walter Gordan had made a try for the eleven, but had +soon been turned down. Sport Harris could not have been induced to play +football, but he took much interest in the team, as he wished to know +how to place his "dough" on the great games.</p> + +<p>Harris and Gordon were watching the men at practice, but the latter saw +Merriwell as soon as he entered the park.</p> + +<p>"Well, hang me!" he muttered, staring.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Sport.</p> + +<p>"Look there—with Halliday!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I see—why, it's Merriwell!"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"What's he out here for?"</p> + +<p>"Don't ask me!"</p> + +<p>"Thought he was out of it. Hasn't seemed to take any interest in the +eleven this season."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he thinks he's stayed away till it is so late he'll not be +asked to come on the team. He couldn't keep away any longer."</p> + +<p>"Well, he's needed on the eleven, and that is a fact. He has disgusted +his friends by pulling out of the game."</p> + +<p>Gordan laughed.</p> + +<p>"He seems to think he can retire on the laurels he has won."</p> + +<p>"Well, he never made a bigger mistake in his life," said Harris. "Yale +doesn't have any use for shirks. If he thinks he can retire because he +made a great run in the Princeton game last fall, he is mistaken."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"You think he hasn't traveled as much as has been reported?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"How about the trophies he has to show for it?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>Harris grinned a bit.</p> + +<p>"Can't get over it, can you?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Can't get over what?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, but you had the same opportunity and you got left."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, rub it in!" snapped Gordan. "Merriwell has beat you at a few +things, or the stories they tell are lies."</p> + +<p>It was Harris' turn to get red in the face.</p> + +<p>"Who has been telling anything? Has Merriwell been blowing around?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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!"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"The fellows say he was dead easy with Hartwick, but that Evan would not +let up on Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"Well, Hartwick was forced to leave college, anyway, and I'd like to +make Frank Merriwell do the same thing."</p> + +<p>"Wish you might. It would give some of the rest of us a show."</p> + +<p>"If he's played on the eleven this fall, I should have been forced to +put my money on Yale. Now we've got a weak team, and I have put up +something on Harvard as soon as this. I am getting all the bets I can +before it is generally known that Yale is weak."</p> + +<p>"What if Merriwell should be taken on?"</p> + +<p>"There is no danger of it, and he couldn't play the whole game, anyway. +As full-back, however, he would have strengthened Yale's weakest point. +It is remarkable, but we haven't a man besides Merriwell this season who +is fully qualified to play the position."</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with the new man?"</p> + +<p>"Marline?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"He's a grand-stand player. All he cares about is to do something pretty +to win the admiration of the ladies. He will work for Marline, and not +for the team. Mark what I say. The team was weak enough when it went +against the Indians, but it is weaker still with Halliday at quarter and +Marline at full. Harvard is better than she was last season, when we +beat her by a fluke, and she will walk right over our team. Put your +money on Harvard, Gordan, and you will win everything."</p> + +<p>"Hello!" exclaimed Walter, suddenly. "What's up now?"</p> + +<p>"Cook is talking with Merriwell, that's all."</p> + +<p>"That means something."</p> + +<p>"Get out! Cook is coach, but he isn't running the team."</p> + +<p>"I tell you it means something! See—Cook calls Forrest. Now the captain +of the eleven is coming over. See that! They are talking together. I +tell you that means something, Harris!"</p> + +<p>Gordan was excited, and he seemed to impart his excitement to his +companion. With the greatest eagerness they watched the little group.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the trio spent ten minutes talking, and then there was a move +that added to the excitement of Gordan and Harris.</p> + +<p>"What's Merriwell going to do?" asked Sport, catching his breath.</p> + +<p>"Do!" exclaimed Walter, in deep disgust. "Can't you see? He's going to +practice!"</p> + +<p>"Practice? Great Scott! That means——"</p> + +<p>"That means that he is sure to play on the eleven!"</p> + +<p>Gordan and Harris were not the only ones interested in Merriwell's +movements.</p> + +<p>Tom Thornton, who had once been an enemy to Frank, and was now very +friendly toward Rob Marline, the new man, who was expected to play +full-back, was watching Cook, Forrest and Merriwell.</p> + +<p>In catching a ball, Marline ran past Thornton, who asked:</p> + +<p>"What's up over there, Rob? Why are those fellows talking with their +heads together?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," was the answer. "Maybe Merriwell wants to get onto the +eleven."</p> + +<p>"If he wants to, he'll do it."</p> + +<p>"He can't. Positions all taken."</p> + +<p>"Somebody'll be fired."</p> + +<p>"'Twon't be me."</p> + +<p>"Don't be so sure of that," thought Tom, but he did not speak the words +aloud.</p> + +<p>After a little Merriwell was seen preparing to practice. Halliday was at +it already. Happening to be near Ben, Thornton heard him observe to a +player:</p> + +<p>"I've done the job for Yale this time. Got Merriwell back. They will +have to thank me for that."</p> + +<p>"Got him back?" said the other. "Why, how is that? Where will he play?"</p> + +<p>"Full-back, of course."</p> + +<p>"But Marline."</p> + +<p>"Marline will be given a chance to rest."</p> + +<p>Thornton nodded.</p> + +<p>"Knew it!" he muttered. "Rob is a good fellow, and this isn't a square +deal. He won't be given a show. Merriwell is all right as a player, but +he has no right to refuse to play and then come on after things are +fixed and knock some other chap out. I'll tell Rob."</p> + +<p>So, at the first opportunity, Thornton told Marline what he had heard +Halliday say.</p> + +<p>Marline was from South Carolina, and he was proud as Lucifer. In fact, +his manner of always speaking of South Carolina as the "one" State in +the Union was often little short of exasperating. He was haughty and +overbearing, proud of his birth, inclined to boast, and utterly blind to +his own shortcomings.</p> + +<p>No one questioned Marline's courage. He came from a family noted for +courage and daring. His great-grandfather was a patriot officer of +Revolutionary times, and his father had won a commission in the +Confederate Army in the War of the Rebellion. The blood of fighters and +heroes ran in Marline's veins.</p> + +<p>For all that, there was no one at Yale who could make himself more +offensive than the boy from South Carolina. He had a way of sneering at +everybody and everything outside his native State, and when he set out +to call anybody down, the most withering and biting sarcasm flowed from +his tongue.</p> + +<p>Marline was smart intellectually, but whimsical and set in his notions +and beliefs. Once let him express an opinion and he would not confess +himself in the wrong even when absolute proof lay before him. Instead, +he was pretty sure to want to fight the fellow who offered the proof.</p> + +<p>As an orator the youth from South Carolina had no superior in college. +He was strong in argument, and it was through him that Yale had +succeeded in wresting from Harvard the honors in the annual debate.</p> + +<p>With the professors he stood unusually well, as he was regarded as a +brilliant scholar, and he had never been known to take part in any of +the students' carousals.</p> + +<p>Marline's face grew dark as he listened to Halliday.</p> + +<p>"They can't drop me without playing me at all," he said, harshly.</p> + +<p>"Can't! Guess you don't know Walt Forrest. He wouldn't hesitate a second +if he thought he could improve the team. He doesn't allow his feelings +to interfere at all with the discharge of what he thinks is his duty."</p> + +<p>"If they try to kick me out, there'll be a hot time, sah!" flashed the +boy from South Carolina. "I'll show somebody that I'm not to be used +like I am a dog!"</p> + +<p>"Don't blame you," nodded Tom. "It is a dirty trick."</p> + +<p>Marline was rattled. Three times he tried to catch a punted ball, and +three times he dropped it, something remarkable for him to do—something +that made the boys stare at him in surprise.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, Merriwell was on the gridiron, and he was taking all +kinds of twisters with his old-time confidence and skill. Three balls +were in use, and, after a time, it happened that, in running under two +of them sent into the air at the same time, Marline and Merriwell +collided.</p> + +<p>Frank struck Rob in such a manner that he was thrown to the ground, but +he flopped over, sat up, and took the ball that belonged to him, +laughing in a good-natured way.</p> + +<p>Marline paid no attention to the ball he had started after, but stood +looking down at Frank, his face utterly bloodless and his eyes gleaming.</p> + +<p>"Sah," he said, after a few seconds, as Frank was getting up—"sah, you +ran into me!"</p> + +<p>"Believe I did, old man," laughed Merriwell. "No harm done, I hope. +Didn't upset you, and you did me. I'm all right."</p> + +<p>"But you ran into me, sah!"</p> + +<p>"Couldn't help it, you know," declared Frank, with unfailing good +nature. "Accidents will happen."</p> + +<p>"Accidents, sah, may often be avoided."</p> + +<p>"It is difficult to avoid them on the gridiron."</p> + +<p>"You may apologize, sah."</p> + +<p>Marline was standing there, his arms folded, his dark eyes looking +daggers at Merriwell. His pose was graceful, and he really looked +handsome, for all of his arrogant bearing.</p> + +<p>Frank whistled his surprise.</p> + +<p>"Apologize?" he said, slowly. "Do you really mean that?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly do, sah."</p> + +<p>When Rob Marline addressed anybody as "sah" in that manner it was a +warning. The word was one seldom used by him since coming to Yale. To a +great extent he had adopted the manners of the North, and had suppressed +any little peculiarities of speech that might indicate his Southern +blood. Now, however, he felt that he was a South Carolinian, and the +dignified and haughty "sah" of the South suited his mood.</p> + +<p>Frank paused a moment, looking straight into the eyes of the hot-blooded +youth who had demanded an apology. He seemed in doubt, but quickly made +up his mind.</p> + +<p>"I never heard of an apology on the football field," he said; "but, as +you seem to think me to blame for this little accident, I ask your +pardon. I trust that is satisfactory."</p> + +<p>To this Marline made no answer, but with a contemptuous movement of his +body, turned about and stepped away.</p> + +<p>A few of the players near at hand had seen and heard everything. All +were astonished. To them it seemed that Marline had cowed Merriwell, and +a feeling of disdain for the latter mingled with their astonishment.</p> + +<p>"That beats the band!" said one to another. "Is this the same Merriwell +we have thought such a lion?"</p> + +<p>"It's plain," said the other, "that the fellows who have been claiming +he really has less nerve than is generally supposed were right. He is +afraid of Marline—I can see that. Marline comes from a fighting family, +and he would challenge Merriwell to meet him in a genuine duel. +Merriwell can scrap, but he has no relish for swords or pistols. He has +been cowed by the fellow from South Carolina."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> + +<h3>HALLIDAY IS PUZZLED.</h3> + + +<p>Two teams were made up, and a short game was played, while the coachers +kept at the men like relentless slave drivers.</p> + +<p>The appearance of Frank on the field had seemed to awaken Bob Cook. He +opened up on everybody, and the men seemed to find it inspiring to have +him scold them.</p> + +<p>During the first half Merriwell played full-back on the eleven that was +pitted against the regular 'Varsity team. He went into the game as if it +was of the utmost importance. Once he went through the center of the +opposing team, and once he went around the left end. Had he been well +backed up, the regular eleven would have found difficulty in securing +two touchdowns, one of which was made by Marline.</p> + +<p>On the last half, much to his disgust, Marline was taken off the regular +eleven and placed at full-back on the other team, while Merriwell was +given his place.</p> + +<p>Then the 'Varsity eleven seemed to have new life, and the men played +like so many tigers. The "irregulars" could do nothing with them. +Merriwell kicked a goal from the field, besides making one of his +surprising and bewildering runs.</p> + +<p>Marline played desperately, but he gave up in disgust before the end, +realizing he could not make a good showing under such conditions. In his +bosom his heart was heavy and bitter.</p> + +<p>"If I am pulled off the team without having a show, somebody shall +suffer!" he vowed.</p> + +<p>The practice game over, the men pulled on their coats and started for +the two trolley cars which were waiting at the entrance to the park. +Halliday got a seat beside Frank on one of the cars.</p> + +<p>"You're right in it, old man!" said Ben, enthusiastically. "Why, you +worked as if you were in training!"</p> + +<p>Frank smiled.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I forgot the possibility of making myself lame. Til feel it +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Never mind. You showed everybody that you are as good as ever. Marline +will get walking papers."</p> + +<p>Merriwell's face suddenly became sober.</p> + +<p>"I don't know as that will be using him square, Hally," he said, in a +low tone of voice. "I presume he has been told he should play half-back +on the eleven."</p> + +<p>"Told nothing!" snorted Ben. "Forrest don't tell us fellows we can play +anywhere, and there's not a man but knows he's likely to be dropped any +time. He told Marline to come and practice, and I'll go my last dollar +that is all."</p> + +<p>"Still Marline has every reason to suppose he'll be given a show in some +sort of a game."</p> + +<p>"Huah! If he supposes too much, he'll get left."</p> + +<p>"I don't like to crowd anybody. You know that, Hally."</p> + +<p>"You are too careful about crowding somebody. You are forever preaching +that any fellow must fight his way through this world, but you never +fight unless forced to do so. By the way, how could you apologize to +that overbearing cur?"</p> + +<p>"Well," said Frank, deliberately, "I permitted my good judgment to +govern my action."</p> + +<p>"Good judgment be hanged! Why, he was insulting!"</p> + +<p>"A trifle overbearing, perhaps, but it's natural with him. You know he +comes from South Carolina."</p> + +<p>"What of that? Is he any better for that reason?"</p> + +<p>"Not in the least, but it is probable that he has been brought up to +think so. And it is certain that he has sand. He can't be driven into +his boots, and I'll bet on it. South Carolina produces tigers, and +Marline is one of them, or I have taken his measure wrong."</p> + +<p>Halliday looked at Frank in doubt and astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Is it possible you are afraid of Robert Marline, Merriwell?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No," was the calm reply; "but I think you will remember that I had a +little trouble with one hot-blooded Southerner since entering college. +The Southern aristocrat seldom fights with his fists, but he is none the +less ready to fight. I am willing to confess that I do not care to +become involved in a duel with pistols or swords. Can't afford to take +the chances of being found out and expelled, even though honor should be +satisfied without the death of either concerned. I have been hot-headed +in my day, but I'm trying to hold myself down. I'd rather apologize for +the accident to Marline than to have him challenge me to a duel. That's +the whole of it, and——"</p> + +<p>"What will the fellows think?"</p> + +<p>"Let them think what they like!" exclaimed Frank, flushing. "A person +who is forever considering what some one will think if he does this, +that or the other is forever miserable and uneasy."</p> + +<p>"But they'll say Marline cowed you."</p> + +<p>"Let them."</p> + +<p>"They'll say it is proof you have not the courage every one has +thought."</p> + +<p>"Let them."</p> + +<p>Ben looked hard at Frank, and then slowly observed:</p> + +<p>"Thought I understood you, Merriwell, but I'm blowed if I do!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> + +<h3>FRANK'S VISITORS.</h3> + + +<p>Despite himself, Frank was somewhat disturbed by what had taken place +that afternoon. He knew Halliday was right in saying it would be +believed he had apologized to Marline through fear of the proud +Southerner.</p> + +<p>Merriwell was no more than human; he did not fancy being thought a +coward.</p> + +<p>Who does?</p> + +<p>Had it been simply one or two persons who thought him afraid of the lad +from South Carolina he would not have minded, but for nearly every one +in college to think so—well, that was different.</p> + +<p>And the peculiar combination of circumstances made the situation more +trying than otherwise it could have been.</p> + +<p>Frank could not help feeling some sympathy for Marline, for all of the +fellow's natural arrogance and overbearing manner. It was easy for +Merriwell to imagine himself in Marline's position.</p> + +<p>"It would cut me," he thought. "I might hold my temper, but it would cut +me to have any fellow step in and shove me out without letting me have a +show to see what I might do."</p> + +<p>Sentiment demanded that Marline should be given an opportunity to play +full-back on the Yale team; but sentiment should not enter into college +sports, and no one knew that better than Frank Merriwell. The football +or baseball team that is run on sentiment can never be a winner.</p> + +<p>Yet it seemed to Merry that, under any circumstances, he would be placed +in a false position before every one. He had refused to take an interest +in football, and had held aloof till the very day that it was known +Halliday had been changed from full-back to quarter-back and Marline had +been given Ben's former position. Then Merry had suddenly appeared on +the scene and seemed to oust the new man before the latter had a show to +prove his capability.</p> + +<p>To Frank this seemed a cowardly thing to do, and nothing but the +knowledge that the eleven was weak and really needed him could have +induced him to go on the field.</p> + +<p>He did not want to fight Marline, and he was determined not to fight +Marline if he could avoid it. Still he realized that his enemies would +say he feared the lad from South Carolina, and his friends might believe +it was true.</p> + +<p>"Well," thought Frank, after meditating on the situation, "it will not +be the first time I have been thought a coward. I can stand it. If +Forrest says he needs me I shall play for the love of dear old Yale. +Rather than have Yale lose through my failure to do everything in my +power, I'd be branded a coward for life!"</p> + +<p>This settled in his mind, he went to bed that night and slept +peacefully, quite unaware that at Morey's a gay party had gathered about +Rob Marline, who was "opening things" and vowing publicly that he would +drive Frank Merriwell off the gridiron forever.</p> + +<p>In case Frank showed a determination to get into the game again, Marline +swore he would never give him a moment of peace till they met face to +face on the "field of honor."</p> + +<p>"I come of fighting stock, gentlemen," said Rob, his face flushed, his +legs unsteady, his tongue unloosed, and a glass of "velvet" held aloft. +"My grandfather killed his man, and my father has been concerned in more +than one affair of honor. I am an expert with the sword, and I can shoot +as well as the mountaineers of my native State—the fairest spot on the +American continent Merriwell will not have a chance with me if we ever +do meet. With the blades, gentlemen, I'll run him through in less than +thirty seconds; with pistols I'll lodge a ball in his heart at the first +fire. But he'll never dare to meet me. The way he took water to-day +proved that. He will crawl like a whipped dog."</p> + +<p>If Marline had not been drinking freely he would not have said so much. +The wine was in his head, and he was not responsible. But he meant every +word he spoke, and he did not require "Dutch courage" in order to back +up his talk.</p> + +<p>In the morning Frank awoke refreshed by a good night's sleep, took a +cool dip, scrubbed down hastily, got into his clothes in a hurry, and +was away to chapel, looking as fresh and rosy as a healthy youth should.</p> + +<p>Merriwell took such care of himself that he was in perfect condition. He +had not given up physical exercise, although he had thought of keeping +out of football that season. Every day he spent a certain amount of time +in the gym, and not a minute of that time was wasted.</p> + +<p>Under no circumstances did Merriwell believe in radical dieting. At the +same time he believed in common sense, and he knew a fellow could do +himself no more harm than by overloading his stomach. The gourmand makes +himself heavy of body, and dull of brain.</p> + +<p>Frank had quite forgotten the unpleasant occurrence of the previous +afternoon, and he dipped into his studies after the earnest manner that +had marked him of late.</p> + +<p>On returning from recitation in the middle of the forenoon, he found +visitors in his room. They had been admitted by "Honest John," the +colored porter.</p> + +<p>"Lor' bress yeh!" grinned the white-headed old darky, showing his teeth +in a broad grin—"Lor' bress yeh, Mistah Merriwell! Nebber see no +purtier gal in all mah bawn days!"</p> + +<p>"Girl!" cried Frank, astonished.</p> + +<p>"Lor' bress yeh, yes! Purty's a picter, Mistah Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"Girl in my room?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sah."</p> + +<p>"You let her in, John?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sah; but dar's a lady wif her, sah."</p> + +<p>"Oh, ha!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sah—got a face dat'll stop a trolley car, sah. Looks like it war +cut out of wood, sah, an' mighty hard wood at dat. De gal smile, but de +ole woman nebber smile at all."</p> + +<p>Frank looked puzzled, and Honest John began to look troubled.</p> + +<p>"Hope Ah ain't done no harm, sah?" he faltered. "De ladies said dey +knowed yeh, sah, an' dey war yeh friends."</p> + +<p>"But I do not know of any friends in New Haven who would come to my +room."</p> + +<p>John showed alarm.</p> + +<p>"Lor', sah! hope dis ain't no scrape, sah! Mebbe yeh don't want teh see +'em? I'll jes' go an' 'splain yeh ain' heah—I'll say yeh been called +away sudden by de deff ob yeh grandmam."</p> + +<p>"Never mind, John. My grandmothers died years ago, and my visitors may +be aware of the fact. I'll see them myself, although I don't care to be +bothered by visitors at this time of the day."</p> + +<p>"Hope it's all right, sah," said John. "Yo' boys hab to be careful, sah. +If yo' git too wild——"</p> + +<p>But Frank was hurrying to his room, regardless of the darky's words.</p> + +<p>Honest John followed. He listened outside the door after Frank entered. +He heard a girlish cry of delight, and an exclamation of pleasure from +Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Lor' sakes!" he chuckled, holding one crooked hand over his mouth, as +he stood crouching at the door. "Suah dat don' soun' lek trubble! Yo' am +all right, John. Jes' yo' watch fo' Mistah Merriwell when he come out, +an' yeh'll get a tip fer lettin' de ladies in. Hey—what am dat?"</p> + +<p>He held his ear close to the door and listened again. Then the crooked +black hand was pressed still closer over his mouth, and his whole body +shook with emotion as he tiptoed away.</p> + +<p>"Lordy! Lordy!" he exploded, when he considered himself at a safe +distance. "I know dat soun' any time Ah heah it. Smack! smack! Dat war +kissin'! Heuh! a-he-uh! a-he-uh! If Mistah Merriwell don' make dat tip a +whole dollah, dis coon ain't took his size an' suckumfrence!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> + +<h3>AN UNWILLING PROMISE.</h3> + + +<p>When Frank stepped into his room he was astonished to find himself face +to face with his old-time sweetheart, Inza Burrage, and her aunt, Miss +Abigail Gale.</p> + +<p>Inza hurried toward him, uttering a joyous cry, and an exclamation of +surprise and delight escaped his lips.</p> + +<p>In a moment, regardless of the presence of her aunt, the girl flung her +arms about Frank's neck and kissed him.</p> + +<p>Miss Gale's hard face did not soften, but she turned her back toward +them, and pretended to be greatly interested in a strange crooked +dagger, having a point smeared with some green substance, the dagger +being locked in a case with a heavy glass door. Upon the glass of the +case was pasted a slip of paper bearing these words:</p> + +<p>"The Snake Knife of the Pampas."</p> + +<p>"Inza!" exclaimed Frank, as if somewhat in doubt. "Inza—here?"</p> + +<p>"Yes!" she cried. "Isn't it a surprise? I knew I would surprise you, +Frank."</p> + +<p>"A surprise indeed! Why, you didn't let me know you were coming."</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"How does it happen?"</p> + +<p>"Aunt Abby knows some friends in New Haven, and she wished to visit them +while she was in the East, so she asked me to come with her. You may be +sure I was ready enough to come, and, as father is getting along very +well, we were able to leave him."</p> + +<p>"Then your father—he is improved?"</p> + +<p>"A great deal since getting back to America. He raced all over Europe +looking for health, but continued to get worse till he returned home. +Now he says he believes this the healthiest country on the face of the +earth."</p> + +<p>"And he is right. If a person is not strong enough to endure the rigors +of our Northern climate, there is the perfect climate of California. But +I don't suppose you came here to talk climate."</p> + +<p>Frank said this with a laugh, and they advanced, hand-in-hand, toward +Miss Gale, who had turned her attention from the queer knife to some +still queerer images and ornaments that adorned the mantel.</p> + +<p>"Aunty says you'll be a museum manager if you keep on," laughed Inza. +"Says she never saw so many queer things."</p> + +<p>"Goodness, no!" exclaimed Miss Gale, severely, turning to look at Frank +over the rims of her spectacles. "I hope you ain't a crank, Mr. +Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"I trust not, Miss Gale," smiled Frank, with extended hand, which +Abigail rather awkwardly accepted, but shook with a heartiness that was +expressive of her esteem for Merry.</p> + +<p>"What be some of these horrid-looking things?" asked the spinster. "What +be they good for?"</p> + +<p>"Some of them are mementoes, and some of them are simply for the purpose +of decoration. Those little images, those odd vases, the pottery on that +shelf—I gathered those things as ornaments."</p> + +<p>"Do tell! I want to know if that ain't just like some folks! Them things +are so hombly I'd want to hide 'em or put 'em all in the fire if I had +'em in my house. Some real pretty chromo pictures would look so much +better in place of them. If you want vases, why you can get pretty glass +ones almost anywhere from fifteen to thirty cents each, and land knows +they'd look better than them things! Then there's that great stuffed +tiger. Goodness! It scared me awful when I saw it standing there in the +corner of the room. I thought it was living, and was shooing at it when +Inza ran over and put her hand right on it. Whatever in the world can +induce you to have such a thing in your room?"</p> + +<p>"At first I found it difficult to induce Aunt Abby to remain in this +room," laughed Inza. "She wanted to go outside and wait for you. I am +afraid she has obtained an unfavorable impression of you by coming +here."</p> + +<p>"I sincerely trust not," said Frank, who had worked hard when he first +met Miss Gale in Santa Barbara to win her good esteem, a task at which +he had been most successful. "I should regret it very much if I thought +such was the case."</p> + +<p>Miss Abigail's hard face did not soften, but she immediately said:</p> + +<p>"I suppose we all must have some weak point, and it seems to be Mr. +Merriwell's weakness to gather such hideous truck. I'm sure he's a +gentleman, and I think just as much of him as I ever did."</p> + +<p>Frank bowed gracefully and expressed his thanks.</p> + +<p>"Can't help looking at the stuff," said the spinster, readjusting her +spectacles and turning her back squarely on Frank and Inza. "I like to +see what crazy notions they do get up."</p> + +<p>She appeared to be very busy examining the collection of bric-a-brac and +curiosities.</p> + +<p>Frank and Inza looked at each other a moment, and then their hands met. +He drew her to a seat on the sofa.</p> + +<p>For some time they chatted of various matters that interested them +alone, Miss Gale being strangely taken up with the trinkets in the +meantime.</p> + +<p>"Is this the way she usually chaperones you, Inza?" asked Frank, after a +while, smiling.</p> + +<p>"Goodness, no!" replied the girl. "If you were any one but Frank +Merriwell she would be sitting stiff and straight on a chair, never +taking her eyes off us for a moment. But you—she thinks you are the +finest young man in the world. You have completely won her withered old +heart, Frank. You should hear her praise you to papa."</p> + +<p>"I'm lucky to have such a champion. Has your father given over the hope +of marrying you off to some rich man?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know about that. He hasn't mentioned it of late. I think his +ill luck has discouraged him."</p> + +<p>"Two years after this will take me through college, and then——"</p> + +<p>"And then——"</p> + +<p>His hand found hers once more, and the look that he gave her she could +not misunderstand. Her eyes drooped, and the warm color surged into her +cheeks.</p> + +<p>To Frank it seemed that Inza grew more handsome each time he saw her. +Certainly she was destined to become a strikingly attractive woman.</p> + +<p>After a little their conversation drifted onto the subject of college +sports, and Inza suddenly said: "I am so glad you are not playing +football this season, Frank."</p> + +<p>"Glad?" questioned Frank, surprised. "Why?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, just because—because—I am."</p> + +<p>This was unlike Inza. She had ever taken a great interest in manly +sports and games, and, in the old days at Fardale, her smiles and +encouraging words had fired him with enthusiasm to do his best in many a +contest.</p> + +<p>"I don't think I understand you," he said, slowly. "You used to be glad +for quite the other reason."</p> + +<p>"But—but it's different now."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can't tell; but it is."</p> + +<p>"Well, Inza, I have not played football this season, but I am thinking +of playing in the two principal games—the ones with Harvard and +Princeton."</p> + +<p>Inza appeared startled.</p> + +<p>"Don't do it, Frank—don't play football this year!" she exclaimed. +"Promise me that you will not."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can't do that, Inza. Yale is not as strong as she should be this +fall, and, if I can do anything to help her win, I feel that I must."</p> + +<p>Inza secured both his hands, leaned toward him, and looked straight into +his eyes, as she deliberately asked:</p> + +<p>"If I didn't want you to play, would you do so?"</p> + +<p>Frank's position was rather unpleasant, and he showed confusion.</p> + +<p>"If there was a reason why you did not want me to play——"</p> + +<p>"There is."</p> + +<p>"Tell it to me."</p> + +<p>"Not now—sometime. But I want you to promise me that you will not go on +the field this season. Will you promise?"</p> + +<p>In her dark eyes there was a command, as well as an entreaty. He felt +that he could not resist her if he looked into those eyes, and he turned +his head away.</p> + +<p>Instantly Inza sprang up.</p> + +<p>"I think we had better go, Aunt Abby," she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Frank was on his feet instantly.</p> + +<p>"Now, Inza," he exclaimed, "I know you are angry. It seems to me that +you are unreasonable. If you would tell me why you don't want me to +play, I—I——"</p> + +<p>"It is very plain that I have been mistaken in you," she said, severely. +"I thought of you when my father was trying to force me into marriage +with an Englishman with a title—and I ran away from the Englishman. +Perhaps, if I had known you would refuse me such a little thing as +this—perhaps I might have married that odious old Englishman out of +spite!"</p> + +<p>Her eyes flashed, and she stamped her small foot.</p> + +<p>She was right; he felt it. She had done much for him, and truly he might +please her in this matter. Marline could play full-back all right, and +it was no more than fair that Marline should have a chance. He had not +intended to play football, but Halliday had tried to drag him into it.</p> + +<p>"Don't be angry, Inza," he said. "Let's talk it over. Perhaps I will +promise."</p> + +<p>"I have talked enough," she said, without relenting. "If you care for me +as I fancied you did, you will promise without another word."</p> + +<p>One more moment of hesitation, and then Frank said:</p> + +<p>"That settles it—I promise."</p> + +<p>"You will not play football this season?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"You are a dear, good boy!"</p> + +<p>Then she suddenly kissed him again.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX"></a>CHAPTER XXX.</h2> + +<h3>"FALSE TO HIS COLORS."</h3> + + +<p>As the hour to start for the park that afternoon approached Halliday +came hurrying into Merriwell's room, and found Frank digging away at his +Greek again.</p> + +<p>"Hey, there!" cried Ben. "Have you forgotten, old man?"</p> + +<p>"Hello!" said Frank, looking up with an uncertain smile. "Forgotten +what?"</p> + +<p>"Practice."</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"But you're not ready."</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Forrest wants us there on the dot. Come, Frank, get into your old suit, +and we'll make a rush for the car."</p> + +<p>Frank put down his book, saying:</p> + +<p>"I'm not going, Ben."</p> + +<p>"Hey?" cried Halliday, staggering. "Come again."</p> + +<p>"I'm not going."</p> + +<p>"Not? Come off! What are you giving us? Don't try any funny business +with me, Merry!"</p> + +<p>"There is no funny business about this. I have decided not to go."</p> + +<p>"You can't afford to miss an afternoon if you are going to get in shape +for the same with the Cambridge fellows."</p> + +<p>"I am not going to try to get into shape."</p> + +<p>That was another staggerer for Halliday. He gasped for breath and stared +at Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Not going to try?" he slowly repeated. "Why—why, it can't be that——"</p> + +<p>"Yes it can, Hally; I'm out of it. I have decided to stick to my studies +and let football alone."</p> + +<p>Ben groped for a chair, upon which he weakly dropped.</p> + +<p>"Is this a dream?" he muttered; "or did my ears deceive me? It can't be +that I heard aright!"</p> + +<p>"There is no joking about this," said Frank, getting up and standing +before his visitor. "I have decided at last, and my mind is made up."</p> + +<p>Ben was silent, but he stared and stared and stared at Frank. He seemed +trying to comprehend it.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't have believed it," he muttered—"I won't believe it now! It +isn't Frank Merriwell! He wouldn't do a thing like that. He has a mind +of his own, and he does not change his mind with every change of the +wind."</p> + +<p>Frank flushed painfully, but said:</p> + +<p>"Only fools never change their minds, Hally. Men of reason and good +sense are forced to change their minds occasionally."</p> + +<p>As soon as he seemed able to comprehend it fully, Ben got up and +approached Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Merry," he said, entreatingly, "don't be a fool! I'm going +to talk plain with you! By Jove! Somebody should talk plain to you! I +don't care if you kick me out of your room! If you whiffle around again +you'll be the butt of ridicule for everybody. You'll never again have +any standing in Yale. Man, you are throwing away your reputation! Can't +you see it?"</p> + +<p>Frank paled somewhat, but a firm look settled about his mouth, and he +was unmoved.</p> + +<p>"Surely, I have a mind of my own, and I have a right to do as I please +in this matter," he said, his voice cold and steady. "I am my own +master."</p> + +<p>"Yes," confessed Ben, desperately, "but you must listen to reason. I +haven't an idea why you have whiffled around again, but I do know it +will ruin your reputation. Word has gone out that you will play +full-back in the Harvard game. Forrest has the same as stated that he +should put you in at the start, with Marline as substitute. Now +think—think what it will mean if you again withdraw! Cæsar's ghost! +Merry, you will be a dead duck in athletics and sports. You will be +regarded with contempt."</p> + +<p>"Can't help it."</p> + +<p>Holiday's desperation increased.</p> + +<p>"Think of Marline."</p> + +<p>"I have."</p> + +<p>"They'll say he cowed you—say you backed down because you feared him."</p> + +<p>"It will not be true."</p> + +<p>"But it will go, all the same."</p> + +<p>"Can't help it."</p> + +<p>"You must have a reason for this new move."</p> + +<p>"My studies."</p> + +<p>"That's the old reason. There must be another."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps."</p> + +<p>"Will you tell me what it is?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"And do you want me to go out to the park without you?"</p> + +<p>"You will have to go without me, for I am not going."</p> + +<p>"And I have been bragging about getting him back on the eleven!" +muttered Ben. "They'll jolly me to death, and I shall be so ashamed that +I'll want to crawl into some sort of a hole."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry about that, Hally," said Frank. "Believe me, I care more +about it than about anything else."</p> + +<p>"You do not mind the ruin of your own reputation?"</p> + +<p>"I scarcely think my reputation will be damaged so badly."</p> + +<p>"But it will—it will! If you were sure it would, wouldn't you go along +with me?"</p> + +<p>"No!"</p> + +<p>That was like the blow of a hammer, and it took the last bit of hope +from Halliday's heart.</p> + +<p>"I think more of my word of honor than anything else," said Frank, +grimly. "If I always stand by that, I'll risk my reputation."</p> + +<p>"They'll say he is a traitor to Yale," muttered Ben, as if Frank could +not hear. "They'll say he refused to do his duty—refused to fight for +the honor of old Eli. They'll say he is false to his colors."</p> + +<p>Frank winced somewhat. He could not help it, for he was touched on a +tender spot.</p> + +<p>"No fellow can have the interest of Old Eli more at heart than I," he +declared. "But I think the importance of playing me full-back on the +eleven is overestimated. There are several fellows who are able to play +the position. Marline did excellent work in practice yesterday, and I +believe he will show up finely in a game. I won't crowd him out—that's +all. It's no use to talk to me."</p> + +<p>He sat down and picked up his book.</p> + +<p>Halliday stood looking at Frank, his face showing wrath and disgust, +then turned and left the room. As he passed out Frank heard him mutter:</p> + +<p>"False to his colors!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI"></a>CHAPTER XXXI.</h2> + +<h3>FRANK IS MISERABLE.</h3> + + +<p>Frank was expecting a call from Forrest. It came. The captain of the +eleven brought Yates and Parker with him. He did not beat about the +bush, but immediately asked Frank why he had not come out to practice.</p> + +<p>With equal directness, Merriwell told him he had finally decided for +good and all that he could not play football that season.</p> + +<p>Parker looked dismayed; Yates looked disgusted. Forrest did not give up.</p> + +<p>"You can't refuse," he said. "We need you, and you must play."</p> + +<p>But Frank was determined, and persuasion proved of no avail. He firmly +refused to think of playing.</p> + +<p>"Come away!" exclaimed Yates, with a sneer. "It's no use to talk to him. +I did think he was all right, but this settled his case in my mind."</p> + +<p>Frank bit his lip, and all the color left his face, while his eyes +gleamed dangerously.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Yates," he said, "you are in my room, and I cannot lift a hand +here. Any time you see fit to insult me outside I'll do my best to +resent it."</p> + +<p>"Bah!" cried Yates. "If you haven't the courage to face Marline, you'll +never stand up to me. I have discovered that you are a big stiff! You're +a case of bluff!"</p> + +<p>Merriwell quivered, and his hands were clinched till his finger nails +cut into the palms of his hands. It was plain that he was making a +battle to restrain himself.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Yates," he said, hoarsely, "you and I have had our troubles before, +and, if I remember correctly, you did not come off with flying colors. +It is plain you delight in this opportunity for retaliation, but I warn +you to take care. There is a limit, and you may overstep it. If you +do——"</p> + +<p>"What then?"</p> + +<p>"You'll find you have made a big mistake."</p> + +<p>"Bah!"</p> + +<p>Duncan Yates was withering in his scorn. With a contemptuous gesture he +turned toward the door.</p> + +<p>It seemed that Merriwell was on the point of leaping after him, but +Frank still managed to hold himself in restraint.</p> + +<p>Puss Parker seemed grieved.</p> + +<p>"It's too bad!" he said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't have believed it. +You are done for here, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"That's right," nodded Forrest. "You can never recover after this. It's +the greatest mistake of your life, man."</p> + +<p>"Come!" cried Yates from the door, which he was holding open. "You are +foolish to waste further breath on him."</p> + +<p>Then all three went out, not one of them saying good-by.</p> + +<p>When they were gone Frank felt like tearing up and down the room and +slamming things about, but he did nothing of the sort. He believed in +controlling his emotions, and so he stood quite still till the first +fierce anger had left him.</p> + +<p>Then came regret and doubt. He was sorry he had shown himself on the +football field, and he regretted that he had given Inza his promise not +to play the game.</p> + +<p>But it was too late for regret. He could not quell his doubts. He was +not certain he had done right, and that was enough to make him wretched.</p> + +<p>That night Frank was the most miserable fellow in Yale. It did not seem +any fault of his that had brought him into such a wretched predicament, +and yet he was thoroughly disgusted with himself.</p> + +<p>He could not study, he could do nothing but think. Sometimes he was +determined to go to Inza and ask her to release him from his promise, +and then he would think how his enemies would say he had been driven +into it.</p> + +<p>Then came another thought. If he were to come out now and offer to fill +a place on the eleven, would he be accepted? He had fallen so in the +esteem of Forrest that it was quite likely the captain would refuse to +take him on the team.</p> + +<p>He tried to devise some way of setting himself aright, but could think +of none.</p> + +<p>Had any one told him two days before that he could be so utterly +miserable, he would have laughed at them.</p> + +<p>Only a short time before this turn in events he had been the best known +and most popular student in the college. His fame had spread all over +New Haven and gone abroad to other college places. He was regarded with +awe as a great traveler and a wonderful athlete.</p> + +<p>Now—well, it was different now!</p> + +<p>Finding he could not rest, study or think of anything but his wretched +position, Frank went out for a walk. He tried to tire himself out +physically, so that weariness of body would force his mind to rest. +Miles he tramped, far out into the country. He drove along like one +walking on a wager, paying no attention to the frosty air which nipped +his nose and ears.</p> + +<p>It was eleven o'clock when Frank was passing Morey's on his way to South +Middle. In front of the place he paused. He remembered the many jolly +times he had enjoyed in there. He remembered when he was the chief one +of any little circle that might gather in that famous resort. Now he +felt like an outcast—an outsider.</p> + +<p>Three students came out. They did not see him, and they were chatting +and laughing merrily. He watched them as they strolled away, his heart +growing heavier and heavier.</p> + +<p>"Anderson, Cobb and Nash," he muttered. "They're always jolly—never +seem to have any troubles. They drink and sport too much to stand high +in their classes, but they will get through college all right, and every +one will call them first-class fellows. Isn't that better than to be +valedictorian and a hermit? I was getting along all right, although I +was not showing up brilliantly in Greek. I'd have scrubbed through and +held my position on the football team if I had tried. It's plain I made +a big mistake."</p> + +<p>It seemed plainer and plainer the more he thought about it, but he could +see no way of turning back now and taking the path he had abandoned. He +had burned his bridges, and he must go forward.</p> + +<p>A great curiosity seized him. He knew well enough a party of students +would be gathered in Morey's little back room, and he longed to know how +he would be received among them.</p> + +<p>"I'm going in there," he muttered. "Haven't been around for a long time. +Here I go!"</p> + +<p>In he went. He was known the moment he appeared. Straight for the famous +back room he made his way, and he was immediately admitted, his face +being his passport.</p> + +<p>He was right in thinking a party was gathered there. At least a dozen +fellows were sitting about drinking ale. They were not laughing or +talking loudly, but as Frank entered the room, he distinctly heard his +name spoken by one of them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII"></a>CHAPTER XXXII.</h2> + +<h3>"THE MARBLE HEART."</h3> + + +<p>"Hello, fellows!" called Merriwell, attempting to Be cheerful. "Thought +I'd drop in."</p> + +<p>There was a sudden silence. All turned to look at him. Two of them sat +with their half-lifted glasses suspended.</p> + +<p>Then somebody muttered:</p> + +<p>"Speak of the devil——"</p> + +<p>Frank was embarrassed. There had been a time when his appearance at +Morey's was greeted with a shout of welcome. The silence was freezing.</p> + +<p>Marline was not there. Frank felt relieved when he discovered this, and +still, for the first time in his life it seemed that there was a +cowardly sensation in his heart.</p> + +<p>He knew he was not a coward, but the position in which he stood at that +moment made him feel like one.</p> + +<p>The silence was maddening. His soul revolted against such a reception. +For the first time in his life he fancied he understood what it was to +be regarded with universal contempt.</p> + +<p>And the injustice of it was what cut him to the heart. A little more and +the limit would be reached. He would go forth ready to fight, and he +knew that his first blow would be aimed at Rob Marline.</p> + +<p>Thoughts like these flashed through his head in a moment, then he +advanced into the room with old-time grace.</p> + +<p>"A jolly party you have here," he said. "I'm glad to see you making +merry. Drink up—drink up, everybody, and have a round with me."</p> + +<p>Charlie Creighton was there, and Frank was sure he had a stanch friend +in Charlie.</p> + +<p>The fellows fell to speaking together in low tones, casting sidelong +glances toward Frank. None of them seemed eager or ready to accept his +invitation. They seemed to draw a barrier about him, as if they intended +to shut him out.</p> + +<p>Frank felt it—saw it plainly. He was quick to understand the situation, +but he was not satisfied.</p> + +<p>"They shall be put to the test," he mentally vowed. "I'll find out who +are my friends and who are my enemies."</p> + +<p>Then, one by one, he asked them what they would have to drink. Some had +excuses, some flatly declined to take anything at all. Some showed their +partly emptied glasses, and some said they had quite enough.</p> + +<p>Frank's face grew hard and cold as he progressed and met with nothing +but refusals. He was coming to Putnam, Stubbs and Creighton. Surely they +would not refuse to drink with him!</p> + +<p>Putnam saw he was to be asked in a moment. He hastily dashed off half a +glass of ale and got up, remarking that he must be going.</p> + +<p>"Hold on a moment, old man," said Frank. "I am going to have a +lemon-seltzer. Have a drink with me."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," mumbled "Old Put." "I don't care for anything more."</p> + +<p>"But you will have one drink with me?" urged Frank.</p> + +<p>"No," said Putnam, shortly, "I've had enough."</p> + +<p>Then he sauntered toward the door.</p> + +<p>Merriwell bit his lips and turned on Stubbs.</p> + +<p>"You'll have something, Bink?" he said, huskily.</p> + +<p>"No, thanks," said the little fellow. "I'm going, too."</p> + +<p>He followed Putnam.</p> + +<p>Creighton was Merriwell's last resort. As old readers know, he had been +a guest at Charlie's home in Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>"Come, Creighton, you surely will not decline to take something with me, +old fellow?"</p> + +<p>Charlie hesitated, flushed to the roots of his hair, looked at Frank and +at the others, then got up quickly, saying:</p> + +<p>"You'll have to excuse me, too, Merriwell."</p> + +<p>With that he bolted out of the room, and all the others followed, +leaving Frank there alone.</p> + +<p>For some moments the stunned and astonished lad stood as if turned to +stone, staring with distended eyes toward the door by which they had +passed out. His hands were clinched, his nostrils dilated, his head +thrown back and his attitude that of a warrior wounded to the heart, but +still unconquered in spirit.</p> + +<p>He was aroused by a touch on the arm, and the smooth, almost sneering +voice of a waiter asked:</p> + +<p>"What will you drink, sir?"</p> + +<p>Frank lifted one hand to his head and seemed to awaken from a dream. He +looked at the waiter doubtfully, as if he did not understand the +question that was put to him, then, after a bit, said:</p> + +<p>"Thank you, I never drink."</p> + +<p>The corners of the waiter's mouth curled upward in the faintest smile—a +smile in which pity and scorn seemed to mingle. That aroused all the +fury in Frank Merriwell's heart, and, with his eyes blazing, he +half-lifted his fist as if he would strike the man in the face. Then he +as quickly dropped his hand at his side, shivering as if he had been +touched by a sudden chill.</p> + +<p>The waiter had shrunk away with Merriwell's menacing movement, but when +he saw there was no danger, he softly said:</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon—I thought you were going to drink, as you asked the +others to have something with you."</p> + +<p>How the words cut and stung! It was as if the man had struck him across +the face with a whip. He fell back, half-lifting his hand, and his chin +quivered.</p> + +<p>"I did ask them!" he hoarsely whispered—"and they refused! Not one of +them but would have considered it a high honor to have me ask them a +month ago! And I have come to this!"</p> + +<p>His words were incoherent, but his face told the story of his wounded +pride. He remembered how many times he had been welcomed with a shout in +that little room where the famous tables hung upon the wall. He +remembered how his admirers had gathered about him, eager to listen to +every word he might speak, and roar with laughter at his stories and +jests. He remembered the songs, the speeches, all the jolly times in +that room.</p> + +<p>Little had he dreamed the time would come when the very ones he had +counted as his warm friends would refuse to drink with him there and +turn their backs on him in disdain.</p> + +<p>Nothing could have hurt him more than that. His pride was cut to the +core, and his spirit was shaken as it had never been before.</p> + +<p>His first thought was that he would find a way to get even with them +all. Then he realized how great a task that would be. He saw himself +scorned and ostracized by the whole college, and, for a fleeting moment, +he thought of leaving New Haven forever that very night.</p> + +<p>His brain began to whirl. The waiter was standing there, looking at him +in a manner that seemed rather insolent.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" he snapped.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," returned the waiter; "what do you want?"</p> + +<p>"Whiskey!" cried Frank Merriwell—"bring me whiskey, waiter, and bring +it quick!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2> + +<h3>"FOR THE HONOR OF OLD YALE."</h3> + + +<p>The order was filled, the whiskey was brought. It was placed on the +table at which Frank sat. He stared at it in surprise.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, sir, it's the whiskey you ordered," answered the waiter.</p> + +<p>"Whiskey?" said Merriwell, in a dazed way. "Did I order that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>He paid for it.</p> + +<p>Later, when a gay party dropped in, he was sitting at that table, with +the untasted whiskey before him. He sat there staring and scowling at +the table, but paid no attention to any one. The expression on his face +made him look like anything but his old jolly self.</p> + +<p>No one spoke to him. Newcomers drank, joked, laughed and went out. Still +he sat there, scowling and staring at the table.</p> + +<p>The report spread that Merriwell had been cut by his old friends. +Curious ones strolled in and ordered a drink just to get a look at him. +He seemed quite unaware of this.</p> + +<p>Never in his life had Frank tasted whiskey, but for one moment he had +weakened and thought of easing the blow to his pride by resorting to the +stuff.</p> + +<p>Merriwell was human, but still that weakness lasted no more than a +moment. Then he came to himself, and he was ashamed to think that he had +contemplated such a course. It seemed cowardly.</p> + +<p>"They say I am a coward," he thought; "but I am not a coward enough for +that."</p> + +<p>For more than an hour he sat there at the table. Finally he seemed to +come out of the stupor that had seized upon him.</p> + +<p>"Waiter," he called.</p> + +<p>His voice was calm and natural, the scowl had vanished from his face, +and he was himself once more.</p> + +<p>"Waiter, you may remove this whiskey and bring me a lemon-seltzer. I +don't care for this stuff."</p> + +<p>When this order was filled, he calmly drank the lemon-seltzer, paid for +it, rose to his feet, pulled on his gloves, and left Morey's with an air +of combined nonchalance and dignity.</p> + +<p>He was his own master once more. He had been insulted by fellows he +formerly believed friends, but he was still Frank Merriwell. He felt +within himself that he was a man and the equal of the best of them. Some +day they should be ashamed when they remembered their act. He felt +confident that day would come.</p> + +<p>That night he slept as peacefully as a child, and arose in the morning +refreshed and undisturbed. He would not permit his mind to dwell on what +had happened, but resolutely set himself at his studies.</p> + +<p>Those who had thought Merriwell, having once been so popular, would be +crushed, soon found out their mistake. He was calm, quiet, and +dignified. He did not seek the society of his fellows, but seemed the +same old Merriwell to those who came to him. He was perfect in his +recitations. He attended the gym., as usual, taking his daily exercise. +He paid not the least attention to sneering words and scornful looks.</p> + +<p>Frank's bitterest enemies were dissatisfied. They had fancied he would +be utterly broken by his downfall, and they could not understand his +dignity and disregard for public opinion.</p> + +<p>Those who had reluctantly turned against him were impressed by his +strength of spirit and dignity. He carried about him an air of manliness +that won their admiration, despite themselves.</p> + +<p>But every one had not turned against him. Bruce Browning was stanch and +true, although he fiercely berated Merriwell for his course.</p> + +<p>Harry Rattleton tried to remain unchanged, and never a word of reproach +did he utter, no matter what he thought.</p> + +<p>Jack Diamond did not say anything, but it was because he could not trust +himself to speak. In his heart he felt like punching Frank and whipping +his enemies and traducers; but he knew enough to let Merry alone.</p> + +<p>Halliday held aloof. He was thoroughly disgusted with Merriwell. At +first he said as much, and then he became silent and would say nothing +at all.</p> + +<p>So the days went by. Frank called on Inza, but did not mention what had +happened. He had thought of telling her everything, and then he decided +that it would do no good, and he would tell her nothing. It was too late +for him to change his course, and it could do no good to talk it over. +He preferred not to think about it.</p> + +<p>The football team continued to practice and get ready for the great game +at Cambridge. It was said that Harvard had the strongest eleven put on +the field by her in five years. Her games with the higher teams had +shown she was "out for blood." There was doubt and uncertainty in the +Yale camp.</p> + +<p>Ott, Marline's substitute, was not satisfactory. Those who understood +the situation best said that an injury to Marline early in the game +would ruin Yale's prospects.</p> + +<p>The anxiety increased as the day of the game approached. Some claimed +the eleven had not been properly trained, others asserted they had been +overtrained.</p> + +<p>From Frank Merriwell's manner one could not have suspected he had ever +taken the slightest interest in football. He did not seem to know +anything of the general gossip.</p> + +<p>It was the night before the game. Merry had been studying. He was alone +in his room. At last, feeling exhausted, he flung open the window and +looked out.</p> + +<p>It was a perfect night, cold, clear and light. The sky was filled with +stars. From across the campus came the sound of a rollicking song.</p> + +<p>Directly beneath Frank's window was a group of students who were +excitedly discussing something. Their words attracted Merriwell's +attention.</p> + +<p>"It's settled," said the voice of Paul Pierson. "Yale will not be in the +game for a minute. What can a team do without a first-class full-back?"</p> + +<p>"Isn't there a chance that Marline's ankle will be all right in time for +the game?" asked another of the group.</p> + +<p>"Not a chance," positively asserted Pierson. "The doctor says he'll not +step on it for three days, at least. It is a bad sprain."</p> + +<p>"Such beastly luck!" growled Randy Robinson. "Now if Merriwell——"</p> + +<p>"Don't speak of that fellow," exclaimed two or three.</p> + +<p>"He is the only hope for Yale," declared Pierson. "Ott isn't in it for a +minute. Frank Merriwell must be appealed to for the honor of old Yale."</p> + +<p>"Who'll appeal to him?"</p> + +<p>"I will, if they'll give me authority. I know he will play when he +understands the situation."</p> + +<p>Merriwell drew in his head and closed the window. His face was pale. Up +and down the floor he walked.</p> + +<p>"For the honor of old Yale!" he muttered.</p> + +<p>Then he suddenly cried:</p> + +<p>"For the honor of old Yale I will do anything!"</p> + +<p>Then came a knock on his door.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXXIV.</h2> + +<h3>A SENSATION ON THE FIELD.</h3> + + +<p>The day of the great football game between Harvard and Yale had arrived. +The hour approached.</p> + +<p>Jarvis Field was ready for the great struggle. The white marks of the +gridiron were regularly and beautifully made.</p> + +<p>The sun shone down from a clear sky. There was no breeze, but the air +was crisp, for all of the sunshine.</p> + +<p>At either side the stands were filled; hundreds upon hundreds were +standing; hundreds upon hundreds were coming. A better day for the game +could not have been ordered, and spectators were turning out in force.</p> + +<p>Harvard students were there in a body. They flaunted the crimson and +sung their songs of glee. Their faces were radiant, and they were +confident of victory.</p> + +<p>Yale had sent her representatives by hundreds. They wore the blue, they +waved the blue, they cheered for the blue.</p> + +<p>Everywhere the blue and the crimson could be seen. Everybody was +partisan; everybody had a favorite.</p> + +<p>Back of the dark mass of human beings, beyond the limit of the field, +were the trees and the great buildings with their many windows, upon +which the sunshine glinted coldly.</p> + +<p>Policemen kept back the standing mass of spectators, or those in the +rear would have pressed those in advance forward upon the field.</p> + +<p>A few of those in the rear had obtained boxes or stools, upon which they +were standing in order to look over the heads of those before them. A +wagon was covered with spectators; they were standing on the spokes of +the wheels.</p> + +<p>The excitement and the eager anticipation was most intense. It betrayed +itself on every face.</p> + +<p>Not far from the point where the mass of Yale blue was thickest two lads +were talking. One wore the blue, the other wore the crimson. The first +was Sport Harris, and the other was Rolf Harlow, who had been forced to +leave Harvard after being exposed as a crooked gambler.</p> + +<p>"Every dollar is up," said Harlow, gleefully. "We are in to win a good +pile on this game if what you say is right."</p> + +<p>"What I have told you is straight."</p> + +<p>"Marline can't play?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Ott is a poor man?"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"And there is no chance that Frank Merriwell will be run in?"</p> + +<p>"Bah!" exclaimed Harris, disdainfully. "Merriwell is a dead duck at +Yale. He'll never count in anything more. He is an outcast now. What do +you think?—he's universally rated as a coward."</p> + +<p>"Oh, say!" exclaimed Harlow; "that's too much! You don't expect me to +believe that about Frank Merriwell?"</p> + +<p>"Believe it or not, it's true."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand how it could come about, for you and I know there is +not a drop of cowardly blood in Merriwell. Confound him! If there had +been, some things that have happened would not have taken place."</p> + +<p>"Circumstances have conspired to put him where he is, and he'll never +dig out. He has a few enemies who will take care to keep him down, now +he is down."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad he's not on the team. We'll make a fat thing out of +this, old man."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I gave you every dollar I could raise, so you must know I am dead +sure Harvard will win. If, by any fluke, Yale should happen to pull off +this game I shall be busted."</p> + +<p>"Same here."</p> + +<p>"In that case, we'd have to stand in together and catch some suckers. +We've done it before."</p> + +<p>"And been exposed in it by that cursed Merriwell! Oh, I'd like to get a +good rap at that fellow! He has spoiled a number of good, soft things +for me since we first met."</p> + +<p>"You can't hate him more than I do."</p> + +<p>"I don't know about that; but he has been a lucky devil. I'm glad he's +not going to play for Yale to-day."</p> + +<p>"He couldn't win the game alone."</p> + +<p>"No, but it would be Yale's luck to win if Merriwell played. He has been +a mascot for Yale in almost everything."</p> + +<p>Harris believed this, for he remembered how many times Frank Merriwell +had been the instrument by which Yale had snatched victory from +apparent, certain defeat.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a band struck up, and out upon the field came the Harvard +eleven on the trot. What a cheer went up—what a wild roar of greeting!</p> + +<p>For the moment it seemed that the crimson was everywhere. The band +hammered away, and the blood was leaping in the veins of the thousands +of spectators.</p> + +<p>Harvard immediately took a bit of preliminary practice.</p> + +<p>"They are the boys to polish Yale off this year!" laughed Harlow. "It's +going to be a snap for Harvard."</p> + +<p>"I believe it," grinned Harris. "We'll have money to burn after this +game."</p> + +<p>Suddenly another kind of a cheer rent the air, and now the blue was +waving everywhere. Onto the field came the Yale eleven at a sharp trot.</p> + +<p>Harris and Harlowe laughed and nudged each other with their elbows.</p> + +<p>"See the little lambs!" chuckled the sport.</p> + +<p>"Coming to the slaughter!" grinned Rolf.</p> + +<p>"Too bad!"</p> + +<p>"It's a shame!"</p> + +<p>"I feel for them."</p> + +<p>"I expect to feel for that money. Where's Ott?"</p> + +<p>"Why, he's right over—over there—where the dickens is Ott?"</p> + +<p>"Can't you see him?"</p> + +<p>"Can't seem to, but he must be there. Yes, there he is with the group +out to the right."</p> + +<p>"Those are the substitutes. Why is he with them?"</p> + +<p>Harris stared, quite as much puzzled as Harlow, for he had understood +that Ott was to be put in as full-back for Yale at the very start.</p> + +<p>"It must be—it can't be—it can't be Marline is going to try it!"</p> + +<p>"You said he couldn't step on his foot."</p> + +<p>"He can't."</p> + +<p>"Then he isn't in it."</p> + +<p>"Of course not."</p> + +<p>"Who is?"</p> + +<p>"You tell!"</p> + +<p>Then, all at once, Harlowe caught Harris by the shoulder, and, pointing +toward the field, almost screamed in his ear:</p> + +<p>"Ten thousand furies! Look there—look there, you blunderer! See +him—see that tall, straight fellow?"</p> + +<p>"Where?—who?"</p> + +<p>"Where? Who? Right there, with the Yale captain—with Forrest! By all +the living fiends, it is——"</p> + +<p>"Frank Merriwell!" gasped Harris.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and he is going to play full-back for Yale! He'll hoodoo Harvard! +Yale will win this game!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXV" id="CHAPTER_XXXV"></a>CHAPTER XXXV.</h2> + +<h3>STOPPING A TOUCHDOWN.</h3> + + +<p>Frank Merriwell was there. His appearance was a surprise to nearly all +the Yale crowd; it created a sensation.</p> + +<p>"Merriwell has been taken in to fill Marline's place!" was the excited +statement that went around.</p> + +<p>"It's a foolish move," declared scores. "He has not been practicing with +the team. He's not in condition."</p> + +<p>They did not know Frank Merriwell thoroughly, for he kept himself in +condition constantly.</p> + +<p>At first his appearance seemed to create doubt and uncertainty among the +spectators who were interested in Yale. Gradually, however, enthusiasm +grew. It was remembered how he had carried the ball right through +Princeton's center in the game the year before, making the most +remarkable run ever known on a football field. Yale had felt her chance +was a desperate one; surely it could not be any worse. Perhaps it might +be bettered by the placing of Merriwell at full-back. It was a desperate +resort, but who could say the result would not justify the move?</p> + +<p>Forrest was talking to Merriwell, having drawn Frank aside. They were in +earnest conversation.</p> + +<p>A little negro boy came on the field. How he escaped the vigilance of +the officers was a mystery, but he reached the group of substitutes.</p> + +<p>"Heah!" he called, flourishing something in his hand: "heah am suffin' +to Mistah Merriwell. Where am he?"</p> + +<p>It was a folded scrap of paper. One of the substitutes took it and told +the boy to "chase himself."</p> + +<p>"I's done got mah pay fo' bringin' it," he chuckled, as he scudded off.</p> + +<p>The note reached Merriwell when he had finished talking with Forrest. He +took it in surprise, and then opened it hastily. A gasp came from his +lips when he saw the writing.</p> + +<p>"From Inza!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>This is what he read:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Frank</span>: Did not receive your letter till this morning. Too +late then to answer. Had left New Haven for Boston before I +read it. You asked me to release you from your promise not to +play football. No, I will not! You must not play! If you do, +I'll never speak to you again! I know Yale will win if you +play! You must not play! Hastily,</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Inza</span>."</p></blockquote> + +<p>"Line up!"</p> + +<p>The game was about to begin!</p> + +<p>Frank tore the note into many pieces, and those pieces he tossed aside. +His face was stern and determined.</p> + +<p>"It's for old Yale—dear old Yale!" he muttered. "She has no right to +ask so much of me without giving me a reason for it. I must play—I will +play!"</p> + +<p>Out to positions went the two teams. They lined up for business, and a +great hush came over the mighty jam of spectators.</p> + +<p>Yale had the first kick-off, and Merriwell balanced himself for it.</p> + +<p>Pung!—away sailed the ball clean through Harvard's goal posts, causing +the uninitiated to tremble, as it was an exquisite exhibition of +kicking.</p> + +<p>But this kick really gave Yale no advantage, for the rule gives the ball +to the opponents on such a play.</p> + +<p>Harvard's full-back sent it spinning back into the center of the field. +It looked like another kick by Merriwell, but, instead of that, Yale +tried Mills, the right-half, who could make only two yards against +Harvard's heavy forwards.</p> + +<p>The game was on in all its fury, and the excitement was intense. Kick +followed kick in quick succession, but that style of play did not seem +to gain anything worth gaining for either side.</p> + +<p>Yale got the ball and tried the revolving wedge on Harvard. They could +not make a big gain, for the Cambridge lads were like a stone wall.</p> + +<p>Again and again was this style of play tried, till Harvard got the ball +on downs.</p> + +<p>Then came Harvard's turn to see what she could do, and the first attempt +was a try at the tandem play, made famous by Pennsylvania.</p> + +<p>Yale seemed ready enough for that, and the way she cut through and broke +Harvard's line showed immediately that the tandem was not likely to +prove very effective.</p> + +<p>Then Harvard called on Benjamin, her right-half, and a moment later the +rush line did a fine piece of work, opening Yale's center and letting +the little fellow through.</p> + +<p>Benjamin had the speed of the wind. He also had the ball. Away he went +with it, and there was a clear field before him.</p> + +<p>Harvard admirers roared from all over the field. The crimson flaunted +everywhere.</p> + +<p>It looked like a sure touchdown for Harvard. Every Yale spectator held +his breath in racking suspense.</p> + +<p>Benjamin was flying over the ground. It seemed that his feet scarcely +touched the turf.</p> + +<p>Where is Yale now? What chance has she to stop the little fellow with +wings on his feet?</p> + +<p>Three seconds of suspense seemed like three hours of torture. It was +awful!</p> + +<p>A Yale man was after little Benjamin—was gaining! Could he stop the +little fellow in time? It must be a tackle from behind, if at all, and +the slightest slip would bring failure.</p> + +<p>Behind them came all the others on the run, strung out raggedly.</p> + +<p>Benjamin would make it—he was sure to make it. His pursuer could not +reach him in time.</p> + +<p>Then it seemed that the Yale man had springs in his legs, for he sailed +over the ground like a frightened rabbit. He closed in on Benjamin and +flung himself headlong at the little fellow.</p> + +<p>Down slipped the tackler's hands, down from the hips to the knees, to +the ankles. Down went Benjamin with a hard thump, stopped within three +yards of Yale's line.</p> + +<p>Twenty men piled upon tackler and tackled.</p> + +<p>Deep down beneath that mass was Frank Merriwell, his hands clinging like +hooks to Benjamin's ankles.</p> + +<p>He had stopped what seemed to be a sure touchdown for Harvard at that +early stage of the game.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXXVI.</h2> + +<h3>WON BACK.</h3> + + +<p>Beside Inza Burrage, in a splendid position to watch the game, sat a +pretty girl with fluffy hair. She wore Harvard's colors, and seemed +greatly excited.</p> + +<p>"There he is!" she exclaimed, at various stages of the game—"there is +Jack! See him, Inza!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Inza, "I see him."</p> + +<p>But her eyes were not on the one meant by her companion. She was +watching Frank Merriwell, and she bit her lip as she watched.</p> + +<p>She had seen him receive her note, she had seen him read it, tear it in +pieces, cast the pieces aside.</p> + +<p>"He will play!" she muttered. "He will break his promise to me!"</p> + +<p>Her companion heard her words.</p> + +<p>"You said Merriwell would not go into the game," she cried.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I said so, but I was wrong. He gave me his promise not to play, +and last night he sent me a letter asking to be released from that +pledge. The note I sent to him a short time ago was a reminder of his +promise, and a refusal to release him."</p> + +<p>"Yet he will play?"</p> + +<p>"He is going into the game."</p> + +<p>"Then it can't be that he thinks as much of you as you supposed."</p> + +<p>"He does not. This has settled that point."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid Harvard will not win, Inza. Jack says Frank Merriwell has +been Harvard's hoodoo in everything. He was sure Harvard would obtain +this game if Merriwell did not play. You said he did not mean to play, +but I wanted you to ask him not to do so."</p> + +<p>"I did ask him, something I should not have done had we not been such +friends, Paula, although I was curious to know how much influence I had +over him. Oh, I think he is the meanest fellow! I shall hate him now!"</p> + +<p>Inza's eyes were flashing and her face flushed. She was intensely angry, +and she showed it.</p> + +<p>Paula Benjamin was startled.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you musn't be too hard on him!" she said. "You know how much Jack +loves Harvard, and how crazy he is for Harvard to beat Yale in this +game. I was almost as crazy myself, and that is why I wanted you to ask +Mr. Merriwell not to play."</p> + +<p>"I shall never trust him again," whispered Inza, hoarsely—"never! He +has broken his promise to me."</p> + +<p>"It is certain he loves Yale as dearly as Jack loves Harvard. He may +think it is his duty to break his word for the sake of Yale."</p> + +<p>"I don't care! I don't care! I do hope Harvard will beat!"</p> + +<p>With breathless interest the two girls watched the game. They were +nerved to a point of intense excitement. They saw Harvard stand like a +stone wall against Yale's repeated assaults. It was a battle of +gladiators.</p> + +<p>Then came Harvard's tiger-like assault upon Yale's center, and Jack +Benjamin went through with the ball. The great crowd of spectators rose +as one person, seething with excitement, as Benjamin flew toward Yale's +line.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" cried the sister of the little fellow. "That is Jack—my +brother Jack! He'll make a touchdown! They can't catch him—they can't +stop him!"</p> + +<p>"Wait a bit!" palpitated Inza Burrage, who was clinging convulsively to +Paula's arm. "Look—look there! Frank is after him! See them run! Frank +is gaining!"</p> + +<p>"He can't catch Jack—my brother Jack! I know he can't do it! Jack has +the start! Hurrah! Hurrah!"</p> + +<p>"He will catch him! He's gaining! See—see him again! He is getting +nearer—nearer! Now—now——Oh-o-o-oh!"</p> + +<p>Frank Merriwell had flung himself at the Harvard man and pulled him +down. Then the other players piled upon them.</p> + +<p>"I knew it!" cried Inza, with a hysterical laugh. "I knew he could not +get away from Frank!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, the brute!" sobbed Paula—"the brute to throw my brother like that! +Jack was right! Frank Merriwell will keep Harvard from winning! I hate +him!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," fluttered Inza, "he will do it if it is in his power. Oh, he is a +wonderful player! But he thinks more of his old college than he does of +me! I'll never speak to him again!"</p> + +<p>Paula sat down and cried, while Inza did her best to comfort her friend.</p> + +<p>Soon the game was on again, as fierce as ever. Yale fought desperately, +driving Harvard back a little, but it seemed that Harvard had the +superior team. All the fighting was on Yale's territory. At last, as the +first half drew to a close, Harvard's left half-back went around Yale's +end, and the most masterly interference prevented Yale from stopping +him. He crossed the line and made a touchdown. Then Harvard's full-back +had time enough to kick a goal, and the first half ended with Harvard +triumphant.</p> + +<p>"Har-vard! Har-vard! Harvard! Rah-rah-rah! Rah-rah-rah! Rah-rah-rah! +Harvard!"</p> + +<p>It was a sense of wild rejoicing. Crimson fluttered all over the great +throng.</p> + +<p>Where was the blue?</p> + +<p>"Yale isn't in the game for a minute," said some who were supposed to be +experts. "The Yale fellows found they were butting against a stone wall +every time they tried a rush. This is Harvard's year."</p> + +<p>Ralph Harlow was beaming with triumph.</p> + +<p>"It's going to be an easy thing for our money, Harris," he chuckled. +"Yale can't do anything with Harvard to-day."</p> + +<p>"That's the way it looks," admitted Harris; "but the game is not over."</p> + +<p>"The game will run the same way till, it is over. Yale's rushers could +do nothing with Harvard's line. Frank Merriwell is the only man who has +distinguished himself for Yale, and he could do nothing but delay the +inevitable for a short time."</p> + +<p>"That was the only real good opportunity Merriwell has had," said Sport. +"He showed what he could do then. You remember his run through +Princeton's line last year?"</p> + +<p>"That's all right. Yale can't break an opening to let him through +Harvard's line this year."</p> + +<p>"I hope not, but I shan't feel sure of it till the game is over."</p> + +<p>The Harvard crowd cheered and sang songs till they were hoarse. They +hugged each other, tooted horns and indulged in wild antics to give vent +to the exuberance of their feelings.</p> + +<p>The sons of Old Eli who had come up from New Haven to see the game were +dolefully silent. They had seen Yale fling herself upon Harvard time +after time and rebound as a ball rebounds from a solid wall, and their +hearts were weak within them.</p> + +<p>Paula Benjamin was almost crazy with joy. She laughed and cried by +turns.</p> + +<p>"Oh, the dear fellows!" she exclaimed. "I could hug every one of them!"</p> + +<p>Inza Burrage said nothing, but upon her face there was a look of +unspeakable disappointment and dismay. In her heart she was crying:</p> + +<p>"Will Yale let them beat? Will Frank be beaten? If he is, I am sure I'll +never speak to him again!"</p> + +<p>Soon the men formed for the beginning of the second half. Harvard went +into the game on the jump, and Yale was forced to resort to defense +play. It seemed that there was no stopping the crimson in its onward +march to victory. Foot by foot and inch by inch Yale was beaten back +till the ball was on the twenty-yard line.</p> + +<p>Then Halliday revived hope in a measure by taking it back to the center +of the field, where he was downed with such violence that he was picked +up quite unconscious, and another man had to be put in his place, while +he was carried from the field, limp and covered with dirt and glory.</p> + +<p>It seemed that Halliday's desperate do-or-die break gave Yale courage +and hope. For some time she held Harvard at the center of the field, not +allowing a gain of a foot. Then Old Eli got the ball and rushed it into +Harvard's territory.</p> + +<p>What a glorious fight it was! Now every Yale man in the crowd was on his +feet cheering like mad. Those cheers seemed to make fiends of the +defenders of the blue. They played, every man of 'em, as if they were in +battle and ready to sacrifice their lives without a moment of +hesitation. They were irresistible. Harvard's stone wall was broken at +last. Merriwell was in the thick of it. Four times he advanced the ball. +Others took turns, and, at last, the ball was on Harvard's +twenty-five-yard line.</p> + +<p>Then there was a hush, for it suddenly became plain that Merriwell would +try to kick a goal from the field. It was a desperate expedient. Yale +feared to lose the ball and have it carried back to the center in a +minute. Such a loss would be fatal, and Forrest knew it Frank had been +given the signal to kick.</p> + +<p>"He can't do it!" cried scores.</p> + +<p>Then they thought of the beautiful kick he had made at the very +beginning of the game and were silent.</p> + +<p>Frank advanced to the proper position, exactly the right blade of grass. +There he poised himself.</p> + +<p>Cross fiddled with the ball between his legs. The suspense became +intense.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the ball was snapped and passed back. Punk—Frank kicked it. +Away it sailed.</p> + +<p>He did it before those Harvard tigers could down him. It was a glorious +kick. Through the goal posts and over the bar it sailed.</p> + +<p>Then the Yale yell was heard.</p> + +<p>But the game was not over. Harvard had secured a touchdown and a goal. +Yale had secured a goal. It seemed that she had feared utter defeat, +else she would have fought for the touchdown.</p> + +<p>The Harvard crowd remained confident. They crowed, for they said Yale +had displayed her own lack of confidence by kicking a goal from the +field.</p> + +<p>The time was growing short, and there seemed little chance for Yale to +do anything more. Harvard men laughed and said Harvard would obtain +another touchdown and goal before the end.</p> + +<p>Little time was lost in putting the ball into play again. Harvard +immediately started out with rushes. Now, to the astonishment of all, +Yale was the stone wall.</p> + +<p>Soon the ball went to Yale. Mills took it around Harvard's end for +fifteen yards. Powell bucked the center with it and gained some ground.</p> + +<p>Harvard men began to get anxious. Things had changed since the first +half. Harvard was on the defensive now. What had caused the change no +one could tell.</p> + +<p>Back and still back the Harvard line was forced. Would Yale try to +secure another goal from the field? That was the question.</p> + +<p>Paula Benjamin was almost crying.</p> + +<p>"It's Frank Merriwell!" she said. "Jack said he would hoodoo Harvard, +and he has!"</p> + +<p>"It is Frank!" thought Inza. "He has put life into the Yale men. He has +given them confidence somehow. He must win now—he will!"</p> + +<p>The ball was getting dangerously near Harvard's line. The Cambridge men +fought to hold it during the last few minutes of the game.</p> + +<p>Then, with a sudden movement, a man was sent through Harvard's center, +although an around-the-end play had been anticipated. It was a tricky +move, and took Harvard by surprise.</p> + +<p>Like a shot that man went through Harvard's line. He ran with wonderful +speed, with interferers on either side and a bit in advance.</p> + +<p>It was Frank making a last desperate effort for a touchdown!</p> + +<p>One by one the interferers were flung aside till he was alone, hugging +the ball, running as if for his life.</p> + +<p>Three men came down on him while he had fifteen yards to go. They flung +themselves on him like famished wolves. They thought to crush him to the +ground.</p> + +<p>Then ten thousand people gasped with astonishment, scarcely able to +believe what they saw.</p> + +<p>It did not seem that Merriwell slackened speed much, and he still went +forward, carrying those three men on his back and shoulders. They tried +to drag him down, and others tried to reach him. They could not break +him to the ground, and, with them all on his back he carried the ball +over the line. Then he fell, and the ball was beneath him.</p> + +<p>It was a touchdown for Yale! Besides that, it was the most wonderful +touchdown ever made on a football field. A mighty roar went up from the +spectators when they realized what had happened. Never before had they +witnessed anything like that. They knew the man who made the play had +won fame. To-morrow his picture would be in every Boston and New York +newspaper.</p> + +<p>Oh, how the Yale men shrieked, and screamed, and roared! They were like +human beings gone mad. They were crazed with their admiration for the +man who had done that trick. They longed to take him in their arms, to +bear him on their shoulders, to do him every honor.</p> + +<p>Gloriously had Frank Merriwell won back his lost prestige! Let a man +breathe a slur against him now and there would be a hundred ready to +knock that man down.</p> + +<p>When the mass untangled Merriwell was seen lifted to his feet. He stood +up, wavering a bit, supported by Forrest, who had an arm around Frank's +body.</p> + +<p>Then Frank pushed Forrest off. Time was precious, and his soul was +strong.</p> + +<p>Hasty preparations were made, and, for all of what he had just passed +through, Merriwell kicked a goal.</p> + +<p>Three seconds later the game was over, and Yale had won.</p> + +<p>Then all Merriwell's admirers rushed upon the field to surround him, to +fight for a look at him, and to roar their delight.</p> + +<p>"Rah for Yale!"</p> + +<p>"Three cheers for Frank Merriwell!"</p> + +<p>"They can't down Old Eli!"</p> + +<p>So the cries rang on.</p> + +<p>It was truly a scene never to be forgotten.</p> + +<p>But at that moment Frank did not think of the game.</p> + +<p>He was wondering what Inza would say.</p> + +<p>Would she forgive him for what he had done?</p> + +<p>"Oh, I hope she does," was his thought. "If she doesn't——" And he +could think no further.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h2> + +<h3>INZA BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND.</h3> + + +<p>"How did the game come out?" asked Miss Abigail Gale, Inza's aunt, as +the two girls returned to Paula's home, which was a handsome house in an +aristocratic portion of the Back Bay.</p> + +<p>Miss Gale was knitting. For all of her luxurious surroundings, she was +plainly dressed, and she was practicing economy by knitting herself some +winter stockings. Reputed to be comfortably rich, Miss Gale was +"close-handed" and thrifty.</p> + +<p>"Yale won, of course!" cried Inza, who had not recovered from her +enthusiasm. "Oh, Aunt Abby, you should have seen it!"</p> + +<p>"No, no!" exclaimed the spinster, shaking her head.</p> + +<p>"You would have gone crazy over it!"</p> + +<p>"It's brutal. I have no sympathy with such brutal games. I didn't want +to see it, and I stayed away."</p> + +<p>"But it was such a splendid spectacle. Twenty-two young gladiators, clad +in the armor of the football field, flinging themselves upon each other, +struggling like Trojans, swaying, straining, striving, going down all +together, getting up, and——</p> + +<p>"Land!" cried Miss Abigail, holding up both hands. "It must have been +awful! It makes my blood run cold! Don't tell me any more!"</p> + +<p>"At first Harvard rushed Yale down the field. Yale could not hold them +back. It was easy for Harvard. Jack got the ball—Jack Benjamin. He went +through Yale's line. The coast was cleared. He made a touchdown. He ran +like a deer. How his legs did fly!"</p> + +<p>"Good!" cried Miss Abigail, getting excited and dropping her +knitting—"good for Jack!"</p> + +<p>"But a Yale man was after him, and the Yale man could run. The crowd was +wild with excitement. Jack tore up the earth. The Yale man tore up the +earth——"</p> + +<p>"He couldn't catch Jack!" exclaimed the spinster. "It wasn't any use for +him to try."</p> + +<p>"He did catch him—jumped at him—caught his ankles—pulled him down!"</p> + +<p>"You don't say! He'd ought to be walloped!"</p> + +<p>"Then the others came up, and they all piled on Jack and Frank."</p> + +<p>"Frank? Frank who?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Frank Merriwell, of course."</p> + +<p>"Was he the one that caught Jack?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I might have known it. No use for Jack to try to run away from Frank. +He couldn't do that. But I thought Frank wasn't going to play?"</p> + +<p>"He broke his promise to me—he did play."</p> + +<p>"Do tell! I'm surprised!"</p> + +<p>"So was I. He stopped Jack, but Harvard scored in the first half, and +Yale didn't get a thing. Then came the other half. Yale went at Harvard +with new life. Frank seemed to give it to them. He rushed the ball down +the field. Harvard couldn't hold him."</p> + +<p>"Of course not."</p> + +<p>"He got the ball close down to Harvard's line. Then he kicked a goal."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" cried Miss Abigail, with an astonishing burst of enthusiasm. +"Go on, Inza."</p> + +<p>"The ball was put into play again. Again Yale got it and rushed it down +through Harvard's line. Harvard made a furious struggle to hold it back. +Frank got it at last—he broke through—they couldn't stop him. +Then—then, with three Harvard men on his back, he carried the ball over +the line for a touchdown, kicked a goal, and won the game."</p> + +<p>Miss Abigail was palpitating with excitement.</p> + +<p>"Goodness me!" she gurgled. "And Frank did all that? I didn't see him do +it, either! Goodness me! It must have been grand—it must have been! +What a fool I was to stay at home!"</p> + +<p>Inza laughed, and then became sober, suddenly.</p> + +<p>"Yale won," she said, "but I'll never speak to him again."</p> + +<p>"Him? Who?"</p> + +<p>"Frank."</p> + +<p>"Won't speak to Frank Merriwell?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"He broke his promise to me. Harvard would have won if he hadn't. Look +at Paula! She is heartbroken! It was mean of Frank—just as mean as it +could be!"</p> + +<p>"It was mean," said Paula, "and Frank Merriwell ought to be ashamed. I +think he must be an awfully cheap fellow to do anything like that."</p> + +<p>Miss Abigail's face grew hard as iron.</p> + +<p>"Now, you hold right on, Paula Benjamin!" she said, severely. "Don't you +talk about him! Your mother and me was schoolmates, but I won't stay in +this house to hear Frank Merriwell traduced! I know him, and he's a fine +young man."</p> + +<p>"He may be," reluctantly admitted Paula, seeing Miss Gale was thoroughly +aroused; "but it seems to me that a fine young man should keep a +pledge."</p> + +<p>"You don't know his circumstances. There must have been a good reason +why he broke his pledge."</p> + +<p>"I presume he was called on to play when Mr. Marline injured his ankle."</p> + +<p>Inza looked at Paula quickly.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marline?" she said. "I think Frank spoke of him. Who is he?"</p> + +<p>"He was to play full-back for Yale, but he sprained his ankle, and so he +could not play."</p> + +<p>"Do you know him?"</p> + +<p>"I have been introduced to him. Jack knows him very well. We met him +when we were South two years ago."</p> + +<p>"How do you know he sprained his ankle?"</p> + +<p>"Jack heard of it last night."</p> + +<p>"Then word must have been sent from New Haven. Did it come through a +traitor or a spy?"</p> + +<p>Paula flushed, and then said:</p> + +<p>"Through neither. Mr. Marline expected to see us after the game, and he +sent word that he could not very well, as he had sprained his ankle and +might not be able to come on. I saw him with the Yale boys, though. He +was on crutches."</p> + +<p>"I begin to understand Frank's position," thought Inza. "He was forced +into the game. Well, I have said I'd never speak to him again, and I +shall keep my word. I don't care if it breaks my heart! I know he thinks +more of his old college than he does of me."</p> + +<p>Jack Benjamin came home bruised in body and crushed in spirit. Paula met +him at the door, and drew him into the sitting-room, where Inza and Miss +Gale were.</p> + +<p>"It's too bad, Jack!" cried his sister, her sympathetic heart wrung by +the look of pain on his face. "I think it is just awfully mean that +Harvard didn't win!"</p> + +<p>"Harvard would have won if it hadn't been for that fellow, Frank +Merriwell!" growled Benjamin. "I said he'd hoodoo us, and I was right. +We can't down Yale at any game he is in. It's no use to try. Why, we +out-classed Yale all around to-day, and still he won the game for them. +That's what I call infernal luck!"</p> + +<p>Inza repressed her elation, but something like a grim smile came to Miss +Abigail's hard face.</p> + +<p>"If Marline hadn't hurt his ankle, we'd been all right," declared Jack, +as he sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, +looking down at the floor. "Rob is a good man, they say, but he could +not have done the things Merriwell did. Why, hang it!" he suddenly +cried, getting on his feet, sinking his hands deep in his pockets, and +stamping around the room, "that fellow actually carried Woodbury, +Stanton and Glim on his back for more than fifteen yards! They couldn't +pull or crush him down. I wouldn't believe it possible if I hadn't seen +it. He's a terror!"</p> + +<p>Inza's eyes sparkled.</p> + +<p>Paula followed Jack and took his arm.</p> + +<p>"I hate him!" she cried. "I saw him pull you down, the big, strong +ruffian!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," nodded Jack, "and a pretty tackle it was. He didn't pile upon me +like a wooden man, but his hands went down to my ankles and flipped me +in a second. If he'd bungled the least bit, I'd made a touchdown. Oh, he +is a terror!"</p> + +<p>"But I hate him!" persisted Paula. "I was so sure you would make a +touchdown. What right had he to grasp you that way and throw you so +hard?"</p> + +<p>"That's the game, sister mine. Any Yale man would have done it—if they +could."</p> + +<p>"I don't care! Why was he playing?"</p> + +<p>"That's right!" cried Jack, turning to Inza. "I thought he wasn't in the +game this season? I thought he gave you his promise not to play?"</p> + +<p>Inza flushed with shame and embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"He did," she confessed.</p> + +<p>Jack whistled.</p> + +<p>"And broke his promise—I see! It can't be that he thinks much of his +word."</p> + +<p>It seemed for an instant that Inza would defend him, but she did not. +For the first time Frank had broken a promise to her, and she felt it +keenly. She turned away.</p> + +<p>Miss Gale looked grim, but remained silent. She knew herself, and +realized she might say too much, if she spoke at all.</p> + +<p>It was an hour or so before Jack could cool down, so stirred up was he +by the result of the game. Finally, he went upstairs to take a bath.</p> + +<p>Before dinner there was a ring at the bell, and a servant brought in a +card, which she gave to Jack, who was enjoying his first smoke of weeks, +now that the game was over.</p> + +<p>"Hello!" he cried. "Rob Marline! I didn't expect him."</p> + +<p>"Rob Marline!" exclaimed Paula, in no little confusion. "Gracious! I +must be looking like a fright! Come up to my room with me, Inza, and see +that I am presentable."</p> + +<p>So the girls ran up to Paula's room, and Jack directed that Marline be +brought directly to the smoking-room.</p> + +<p>"I want to look my best when Mr. Marline comes," said Paula, when they +were in her boudoir. "I am sure my hair looks bad, and I must be a +perfect fright."</p> + +<p>Inza laughed.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me you are very particular about Mr. Marline."</p> + +<p>"I am," confessed Paula, busying herself before the mirror. "You know, +he is Jack's particular friend."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he's Jack's particular friend!"</p> + +<p>The manner in which Inza said that brought a warm flush to Paula's +cheeks, and she endeavored to hide her confusion, but in vain.</p> + +<p>"I've discovered your secret, dear!" cried Inza, with her arm about her +friend's waist. "Now I know why you take such an interest in Robert +Marline."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! I like him, because—because——"</p> + +<p>"Just because you do."</p> + +<p>"No; because he is Jack's friend."</p> + +<p>"Now, don't try to deceive me, Paula!" cried Inza, holding up one +finger. "You can't do it. You would like Rob Marline just as much if +your brother was not in it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's no use to talk to you," fluttered Paula. "You are one of the +girls who will have your own way."</p> + +<p>"No, not always. I did not have my way to-day. Frank Merriwell played +football. But, Paula, I think I am beginning to understand more fully +just why you were so anxious Mr. Merriwell should not play on the Yale +eleven. He was Mr. Marline's natural rival for the position of +full-back. If Frank Merriwell played, Rob Marline could not. I'm sure I +am right. You did not tell me the entire truth, but I have found it +out."</p> + +<p>Paula was more than ever confused, but she could not deny Inza's charge.</p> + +<p>"If I told you that," she confessed, with sudden frankness, "I feared +you would not try to induce Mr. Merriwell not to play. Now, don't be +angry with me, Inza! I know it was Rob's—I mean Mr. Marline's ambition +to play full-back on the Yale team, and I wanted him to do so. That's +all. Perhaps I ought to have told you in the first place. Do forgive me, +dear!"</p> + +<p>It was not in Inza's heart to be unforgiving, and so the girls hugged +each other, kissed and assisted each other in getting ready to go down +and meet the visitor.</p> + +<p>They found Jack and Marline in the library. The Yale lad arose with +difficulty. His crutches were lying on the floor beside the chair on +which he sat.</p> + +<p>Paula blushed prettily as she shook hands with Marline, and then she +presented Inza.</p> + +<p>Thirty minutes later, while they were chatting, there was another ring +at the bell, and the servant brought a card to Inza.</p> + +<p>"Gentleman wishes to see you, miss."</p> + +<p>Inza looked at the card, turned pale, and then, her voice quivering a +bit, said:</p> + +<p>"Tell Mr. Merriwell I will not see him!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXVIII.</h2> + +<h3>A BLOW FOR FRANK.</h3> + + +<p>"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed Miss Abigail, who entered the library just +in time to catch Inza's words.</p> + +<p>"Frank Merriwell has had the impudence to call here to see me—as soon +as this!" flared Inza, her face flaming.</p> + +<p>"Eh?" exclaimed Miss Abigail, once more. "Impudence?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—insolence! After he did not keep his promise to me!"</p> + +<p>Rob Marline was greatly interested, although he pretended not to notice +what was going on.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, dear," said the spinster, "you must not blame him."</p> + +<p>"But I do!"</p> + +<p>"You do not know the circumstances."</p> + +<p>"I know he broke his promise, and I know I'll never speak to him again +as long as I live—never!"</p> + +<p>"You think so now, but——"</p> + +<p>"I shall think so always."</p> + +<p>"Don't be foolish, child! Mr. Merriwell is a splendid young man, and +you——"</p> + +<p>"I will not see him! That is all."</p> + +<p>Then Inza again instructed the servant to tell Mr. Merriwell that she +would not see him.</p> + +<p>"If you won't see him, I will," said Miss Abigail. "Is he in the parlor? +I'll go to him."</p> + +<p>"Now, aunt!" cried Inza, catching her arm, "you need not try to fix +anything up. He broke his promise to me, and I said I'd never speak to +him again. I meant it! He may just stay away, for I don't want to see +him. Tell him so for me."</p> + +<p>"All right, I will, but I'm going to tell him you're all fluttered, and +don't know what you're talking about."</p> + +<p>So Miss Gale went to see Frank in the parlor, while Inza remained in the +library.</p> + +<p>Paula was not hard-hearted, for all that she had declared she hated +Frank Merriwell, and, when she saw Inza was in earnest about not seeing +Frank, she drew her aside, and said:</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you had better see him. I don't want to be the cause of a +misunderstanding between you."</p> + +<p>"Don't let that worry you," said Inza, with affected lightness. "I don't +want anything to do with a fellow who cares so little for me that he +will break a pledge the way Mr. Merriwell did."</p> + +<p>"But—but he was loyal to his colors and his college."</p> + +<p>"Which shows he thinks more of his old college than he does of me. I +have said I'd never speak to him again, and you shall see that I can +keep my word."</p> + +<p>Paula was distressed, for she began to think herself responsible for the +misunderstanding between Frank and Inza. She knew Inza well enough, +however, to realize it was useless to attempt to reason with her when +her mind was set on anything. The more one tried to reason, the more set +she became.</p> + +<p>Rob Marline had taken in all that passed, although he pretended to be +interested in Jack Benjamin's talk about the football game.</p> + +<p>Marline felt elated, for he saw Merriwell had done something to turn +against him this pretty girl, who was Paula's friend. At first glance, +this Yale student from South Carolina had been strongly impressed by +Inza's appearance, and there was something about her spirit and her +manners that impressed him more and more.</p> + +<p>"If I could cut Merriwell out with her!" he thought. "Ah! that would be +a rich revenge! But Paula might object! Never mind; I've given Paula no +particular reason to think I am stuck on her. If she is stuck on me, +it's not my fault. There is no reason why I should not try to catch on +with Miss Burrage."</p> + +<p>He compared Inza and Paula, and he saw that the former was far the +handsomer girl. She had a strikingly attractive face with large dark +eyes, red lips and perfect teeth, while the color that came and went in +her cheeks told the tale of perfect health. He could see that she was +destined to become the kind of a young lady who always creates a +sensation when she enters a drawing-room and causes men to turn and look +after her on the street.</p> + +<p>The more Marline thought it over, the firmer became his determination to +do his best to win Inza from Frank Merriwell. He laughed to himself when +he thought what a revenge that would be upon the fellow he hated.</p> + +<p>"What are you laughing at?" cried Benjamin, somewhat offended. "I tell +you Harvard would have won in a walk if it hadn't been for that fellow +Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"Beg pardon," said Marline, quickly. "Did I laugh? Excuse me. Still, I +think you overestimate Merriwell."</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of it. He's the best man on the Yale eleven. Besides that, he +is one of the best baseball pitchers who ever twirled a ball. He has +done more for Yale sports and athletics than any one man ever did before +in the same length of time."</p> + +<p>"He had the opportunities to-day," said Marline. "That's how he happened +to do so much."</p> + +<p>"He made the opportunities," declared Benjamin. "What kind of an +opportunity was it when three of our men piled upon him and he carried +them more than fifteen yards? That was something wonderful!"</p> + +<p>"Don't speak so loud, Jack," cautioned Paula. "He is in the parlor, and +he might hear you."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm sure I'm not saying anything that could offend him."</p> + +<p>"It might give him the swelled head," put in Marline.</p> + +<p>Inza turned on him like a flash.</p> + +<p>"It is evident you do not know him very well, Mr. Marline," she said, +severely. "Frank Merriwell never gets the swelled head."</p> + +<p>Marline was somewhat embarrassed, but, with the utmost suavity, he bowed +to her, smoothly saying:</p> + +<p>"It is possible I do not know him very well, as you say; but I am sure +almost any fellow might be in danger of getting a touch of swelled head +had he done the things Mr. Merriwell did to-day."</p> + +<p>He said this so gracefully that Inza's threatened anger was averted, and +she fell to chatting with him, much to his satisfaction.</p> + +<p>They were standing close together, talking earnestly, Marline supporting +himself by leaning on the back of a chair, when Frank left the parlor, +saying to Miss Gale that he must hasten to catch a train back to New +Haven.</p> + +<p>The library door opened into the hall, and Frank saw Inza chatting with +Rob Marline in a manner that seemed very friendly and familiar. The +sight gave him a start, and the hot blood rushed to his cheeks.</p> + +<p>Inza knew Frank had seen them, but she did not turn to look at him. She +began to laugh in her most bewitching manner, as if amused very much at +something Marline had said, and leaned a little nearer her companion.</p> + +<p>Frank seemed dazed. The sight of Rob Marline in that house chatting thus +with Inza seemed a revelation to him. All at once, he fancied he +understood the situation—fancied he knew why Inza had not wished him to +play on the Yale football team.</p> + +<p>"We shall be in New Haven the last of the week, Mr. Merriwell," said +Miss Abigail. "She'll get over it by that time, and we'll call. It's +nothing but a foolish whim."</p> + +<p>She spoke the words just loud enough for Frank to hear, but he did not +seem to understand. Like one in a dream, he took his cap from the rack +and turned toward the door.</p> + +<p>"Good-day, Mr. Merriwell," called the old maid.</p> + +<p>"Eh? Oh! Good-day!"</p> + +<p>Frank paused at the door and looked back; then he spoke, loudly enough +to be heard in the library:</p> + +<p>"I shall be pleased to see you at any time, Miss Gale, but, if you call +on me, perhaps it would be well not to bring a certain person with you. +It might be embarrassing and unpleasant. Good-day."</p> + +<p>Bounding down the steps, Frank walked swiftly away. There was a hard, +set look on his face, which had grown singularly pale.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he muttered, "I understand it all now. She would not tell me why +she did not wish me to play on the eleven, but I know now. Somewhere she +has met Rob Marline, and she is stuck on him. He wanted to play +full-back for Yale, and she aided him all she could by inducing me to +promise that I would not play. I see through the whole game! She was +playing me for a fool! I did not think that of her, but it is as clear +as crystal."</p> + +<p>And Marline had cut him out with Inza! He felt sure of that.</p> + +<p>"Well," he grated, "I have been easy with that fellow. Now we are +enemies to the bitter end! Let him look out for me!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXXIX.</h2> + +<h3>THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY.</h3> + + +<p>"What's the matter with Merriwell?" asked Lewis Little, speaking to a +group of jolly lads who were on the train that bore the Yale football +team out of Boston on its way to New Haven. "He's grouchy."</p> + +<p>"Is he?" cried Paul Pierson. "Well, he ought to be ashamed of himself! +Why, he's the hero of the day! All the papers will have his picture +to-morrow. I saw at least five persons snapping him with cameras on the +field. Grouchy, is he? Well, confound him! He has no right to get a +grouch on."</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of it!" cried Charlie Creighton. "What's the matter with him? +Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"He's sitting back in the end of the car, looking fierce enough to eat +anybody."</p> + +<p>Creighton, Pierson and several others sprang to their feet and looked +for Frank. They saw him.</p> + +<p>He was staring out of the window in a blank manner, although he did not +seem to notice anything the train passed. He was paying no attention to +the gang of shouting, singing, laughing students, who filled the smoker +and were perched on the backs of the seats and crowded into the aisles.</p> + +<p>"Hey, Merry!" shouted Creighton. "Shake it, old man—shake it! Come up +here! Get into the game!"</p> + +<p>Frank looked around, shook his head, and then looked out of the window +again.</p> + +<p>"Well, hang him!" growled Charlie. "Any one would think he had played +with Harvard, instead of winning the game for Yale! What can be the +matter with him?"</p> + +<p>No one seemed to know. Creighton went down and talked to Frank, but +could get no satisfaction out of him.</p> + +<p>As soon as he was let alone again, Merriwell fell to gazing out of the +window, seeming quite unaware of the shouts and songs of the jolly lads +in the car.</p> + +<p>When strangers crowded into the car to get a look at the man who had won +the game for Yale, having heard he was on the train, he still continued +to gaze out of the window, and it was not apparent that he heard any of +their remarks.</p> + +<p>"Tell you what," said Creighton, as he returned to Pierson and the +others of the little group, "Merriwell is sore."</p> + +<p>"Sore?" cried Tom Thornton, "he can't be any sorer than I am! Why, I was +jumped on, kicked, rammed into the earth, and annihilated more than +twenty times during that game. A little more of it would have made a +regular jellyfish out of me. I'll be sore for a month, but I believe in +being jolly at the same time."</p> + +<p>Then he broke forth into a song of victory, in which every one in that +car seemed to join, judging by the manner in which the chorus was roared +forth.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Boom-to-de-ay, boom-ta-de-ay,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Boom-to, de-boom-ta, de-boom-ta-de-ay;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We won to-day, we won to-day,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We won, oh, we won, oh, we won to-day."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Any one who has not heard a great crowd of college lads singing this +chorus cannot conceive the volume of sound it seems to produce. When +they all "bear down together" on the "boom-ta," the explosive sound is +like a staggering blow from the shoulder.</p> + +<p>But even this song of victory did not seem to arouse Frank in the least. +He remained silent and grim, being so much unlike his usual self that +all who knew him were filled with astonishment.</p> + +<p>"I did not mean that he was sore of body," said Creighton. "I think he +is chewing an old rag."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that?"</p> + +<p>"Well, you know, we all gave him the marble heart when we thought he had +decided not to play football because he was afraid for certain reasons. +I think he is sore over that, and I don't know that I blame him. I +swear, fellows, we did use him shabby!"</p> + +<p>"That's it," nodded Pierson; "that's just it. And he is proud and +sensitive. He would not show he cared a continental before the game, +but, now he was the means of saving the day for Yale, I fancy he is +chewing over it a little."</p> + +<p>"Never thought of that," said Bink Stubbs. "Bet you're right, fellows. +We'll have to get down on our hulks to him to make it all right. I'm +ready to say I'm ashamed of myself, and ask him to forget it."</p> + +<p>The others expressed themselves as equally willing, and so it came about +that Frank was much surprised to have them come to him, one after +another, and confess they had used him shabbily. He was ready enough to +shake hands with them all, while he assured them he did not hold the +least hardness.</p> + +<p>They saw he was in earnest, they were satisfied he was willing and ready +to forget they had ever treated him with contempt, and yet he did not +cheer up, which was something they could not understand.</p> + +<p>"Better let him alone," advised Creighton, after a little. "It may be +something we don't know anything about, that he is chewing. Anyway, he's +not himself."</p> + +<p>Bruce Browning, big and lazy ever, was one of the group. He had been +keeping still, but now he observed:</p> + +<p>"That's right, let him alone. I've traveled with him, and I never saw +him this way before. I tell you he is dangerous, and somebody may get +hurt."</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Keep away from the window, my love and my dove—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Keep away from the window, don't you hear!<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Come round some other night,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For there's gwine to be a fight,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And there'll be razzers a-flyn' through the air."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Thus sang Bink Stubbs.</p> + +<p>"Look at Harris!" laughed Thornton, nudging the fellow nearest him. +"Don't he look sour? They say he got hit to-day."</p> + +<p>"Got hit?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"What with?"</p> + +<p>"A roll."</p> + +<p>"A roll of what?"</p> + +<p>"Bank notes."</p> + +<p>"You mean he has been betting?"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"But you don't mean he bet on Harvard?"</p> + +<p>"I understand he put his last cent on Harvard, and went broke. He was +fortunate enough to have a return ticket to New Haven, so he didn't have +to borrow money to get back on."</p> + +<p>Harris was sitting in a seat, looking sulky and disgusted, fiercely +trying to chew the end of his short black mustache. His hat was pulled +over his eyes, and he did not seem to take much interest in what was +going on in the car.</p> + +<p>Stubbs and Creighton got a crowd together to jolly Harris, and they +descended on him in a body.</p> + +<p>"Hello, old man!" cried Charlie, gayly. "Is it straight that you won +three hundred on Yale to-day?"</p> + +<p>"I heard it was five hundred," chirped Bink Stubbs, "What a pull to +make! Congratulations, old man!"</p> + +<p>"You'll have to ball the crowd when we get to New Haven, Sport," said +Lewis Little. "You can afford to open fizz."</p> + +<p>Harris smiled in a sickly way, and tried to say something, but Paul +Pierson got him by the hand and gave him a shaking up that literally +took away his breath.</p> + +<p>"Good boy!" cried Paul. "I'm glad you stuck by old Eli! But did you have +the nerve to bet every cent you had that Yale would take that game? My, +my! You are a nervy fellow, Sport, old chap. You were the only man who +had all that confidence."</p> + +<p>"Sport never goes back on old Yale," laughed Little. "He knew the chance +of Yale's winning looked slim, but still he backed her up. That's what +makes him look so cheerful now."</p> + +<p>"You would have felt bad if you had bet your money on Harvard, now +wouldn't you?" cried Thornton.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I certainly should," gasped Harris, who was suffering +tortures.</p> + +<p>"What a jolly time we'll have drinking fizz on you, old man!" exclaimed +Bink Stubbs. "I feel as if I might get away with about four quarts."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll make a hole in your winnings!" laughed Pierson. "I am so dry +this minute that my neck squeaks."</p> + +<p>"So are we all!" shouted the others.</p> + +<p>Harris could not repress a groan. He wondered if they were fooling with +him, but they seemed so much in earnest that he could not tell. Perhaps +they really thought he had won a big roll on Yale. He couldn't tell them +he had bet on Harvard. What could he do?</p> + +<p>He was forced to pretend that he was delighted, but over and over he +promised himself that he would give them the slip, even if he had to +leap from the train while it was running at full speed. Pay for fizz! +Why, he didn't have enough left to pay for a glass of plain beer!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XL" id="CHAPTER_XL"></a>CHAPTER XL.</h2> + +<h3>REJOICING AT YALE.</h3> + + +<p>Harris found his opportunity to slip away when the train drew into the +station at New Haven.</p> + +<p>A band of music was on hand to meet the returning conquerors. A wild mob +of screaming, cheering, horn-tooting students was there.</p> + +<p>It was evening, and the Yale lads had come down to the station with +torches, prepared to give the eleven such a reception as no other +football team had ever met.</p> + +<p>When the train drew into the station, the band was hammering away at a +blood-stirring tune. When the train stopped, the great crowd of young +men and boys presented a perfect sea of upturned faces beneath the +flaring light of the torches. Blue was everywhere. It was Yale's great +day, and all New Haven wore the color.</p> + +<p>The train stopped. Then there was a fierce swaying and surging of the +crowd, a flutter of flags, followed by a mighty cheer that was like a +savage yell of joy over the downfall of a defeated and slain enemy.</p> + +<p>How they shouted for Yale! How they swayed and surged! How like lunatics +they were!</p> + +<p>The sound of the band was drowned, and not a strain of music could be +heard. The musicians continued to play, but they might have saved their +breath.</p> + +<p>The crowd knew well enough that the eleven would be on the smoker. That +was the car in which the victors could disport themselves as hilariously +as they pleased.</p> + +<p>The smoker began to discharge its passengers. Paul Pierson was the first +to get off, and he was followed closely by a stream of Yale men.</p> + +<p>The general cheering had died down, but almost every man who stepped +from the train was greeted in some peculiar manner.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with Yale?" howled a voice.</p> + +<p>Then a thousand throats seemed to roar back:</p> + +<p>"She's all right! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Yale!"</p> + +<p>Bruce Browning appeared.</p> + +<p>"Hey, Brownie!" cried some one on the platform. "How's your corns?"</p> + +<p>"Sore," answered the big fellow. "Strained 'em cheering for Yale."</p> + +<p>Bink Stubbs came forth riding astride Puss Parker's shoulders. Somewhere +on the train he had captured a silk hat that was much too large for him, +and it had dropped down over his head to his ears, which were lopped +forward by the weight of it. In the hatband was stuck the short staff of +a small flag. Bink had a horn, and he blew a hoarse blast the moment he +was outside the car.</p> + +<p>"Where'd you get that horn?" called a voice.</p> + +<p>"This horn's nothing," returned the little fellow. "I've had about +twenty horns besides this, and still my neck is dry."</p> + +<p>Four fellows came off the car, carrying a fifth. They held their caps in +their hands, and were as mournful and sad-appearing as possible. The one +who was carried had a big white placard on his breast. On the card were +these words:</p> + +<p>"I bet a dime on Harvard, and dropped dead after the game!"</p> + +<p>It was not an easy thing to carry him down the steps, but the +mournful-appearing bearers succeeded in doing the trick.</p> + +<p>Dismal Jones came forth from the car. He was holding a handkerchief to +his eyes and pretending to weep.</p> + +<p>This brought a shout of delight, and some one yelled back:</p> + +<p>"Weep for poor old Harvard. She needs it."</p> + +<p>Then Capt. Forrest of the eleven appeared.</p> + +<p>A mighty roar went up the moment he was seen. It was a great shout of +admiration and welcome. It brought a hot flush of satisfaction to his +cheeks, and he stood bowing and smiling on the platform.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with Forrest?" shrieked a voice, when the noise +lulled somewhat.</p> + +<p>"He's a lulu!" shrieked another voice.</p> + +<p>"He's all right—he is!" roared the crowd.</p> + +<p>Then they cheered for him in the regular manner.</p> + +<p>Each player was received with an ovation as he came out of the car, and +they must have felt themselves well repaid for their weeks of hard +training and practice.</p> + +<p>Frank Merriwell was nearly the last one to show himself. The crowd had +been waiting for him.</p> + +<p>What a shout went up! The torches flared, and it seemed that the very +stars quivered with the volume of sound.</p> + +<p>"Merriwell! Merriwell! Merriwell!" roared the vast throng.</p> + +<p>Roar! roar! roar! It seemed that they would never stop. It was an +ovation that might have pleased a monarch.</p> + +<p>Frank would have been less than human had he not thrilled with +satisfaction as he heard them cheering him thus. He took off his cap and +bowed again and again. He tried to descend from the steps and mingle +with the throng, but some of them held him back. They seemed to want him +up there where they could look at him.</p> + +<p>It was some time before the cheering subsided. At last, somebody began +to shout:</p> + +<p>"Speech! speech! speech!"</p> + +<p>Frank shook his head, but it was useless. They were determined he should +say something. He saw he could not escape, so he held up one hand.</p> + +<p>Silence fell on the great crowd beneath the torchlights.</p> + +<p>Then Frank spoke—a single sentence:</p> + +<p>"Every man of us did his level best for dear old Yale!"</p> + +<p>That was enough. They went mad again, and again they roared till they +were hoarse. They cheered for Yale, they cheered for Forrest, they +cheered for Merriwell. Of everything for which they cheered, Merriwell +created the greatest enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>Then he was lifted from the steps and carried away on the shoulders of +his admirers, while the mob swarmed after him.</p> + +<p>The band got out and formed to head the parade of triumph. The crowd of +students fell in behind. The band struck up, and away they went, with +the Yale eleven close behind them.</p> + +<p>Great crowds had turned out to witness the spectacle, knowing the +students meant to give their victorious team a rousing reception. All +along the line the spectators cheered and waved hats, flags and +handkerchiefs.</p> + +<p>A committee had raised a fund for fireworks, and Roman candles began to +pop up balls of fire, while rockets went whizzing into the air from the +head of the procession.</p> + +<p>No one interfered with the rejoicing students. It was their night, and +the city fathers remained in the background and permitted them to have a +glorious time.</p> + +<p>Some of the business places were prepared for their appearance with +illuminated windows. All New Haven seemed delighted.</p> + +<p>This year every one had seemed to expect Harvard would "wipe up the +gridiron" with Yale, and this victory was so unexpected that it set the +people wild with delight.</p> + +<p>All along the line the students sang and cheered. Now and then the band +could be heard pounding away industriously.</p> + +<p>In this manner they marched to the college grounds. As they drew near +the college, Browning suddenly descended on the trombone player and +captured his horn.</p> + +<p>That was a signal for a general rush upon the band by the boys, and, +within three minutes, every instrument was in the hands of a Yale +student.</p> + +<p>Some of the boys could play on the instruments they captured, and some +could simply make a noise.</p> + +<p>"Attention!" roared Browning, who seemed to have awakened from the +lethargy that had been on him so long, and was once more a leader in a +genuine racket. "We will play the 'Star-Spangled Banner.' All ready! Let +her rip!"</p> + +<p>They played! Such a wild medley of sounds never was heard before. Puss +Parker had a cornet, and he was playing the air of the "Star Spangled +Banner," while Browning was putting in the variations with the trombone. +But the others played anything they could think of and some things they +could not think of! "John Brown's Body," "Yankee Doodle," "Marching +Through Georgia," "Suwanee River," and "Hail Columbia," were some of the +tunes that mingled in that medley. Those who could not play anything at +all added to the hideous din by making the captured horns bleat forth +horrible sounds. Bink Stubbs had secured the bass drumstick, and the way +he hammered the big drum was a caution. He did his best to break in the +head—and finally succeeded!</p> + +<p>In this manner the rejoicing students marched right in upon the campus, +regardless of policemen, professors, rules or regulations.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLI" id="CHAPTER_XLI"></a>CHAPTER XLI.</h2> + +<h3>A CONTRAST IN ENEMIES.</h3> + + +<p>It was a wild night on the Yale campus. Even the worst old "grind" in +the college came out and looked on while the hilarious students made +merry, even if he did not join in the riotous proceedings.</p> + +<p>A bonfire was built. Once there had been rules prohibiting such fires, +but of what use were rules now! Boxes, barrels, lumber, fencing, almost +anything that would make a blaze was brought in and heaped up there. It +was done in a rush in a manner that showed all preparations had been +made in advance, although the combustible material had not been piled up +till the time arrived when the fire was required.</p> + +<p>Around the great fire the students with the instruments belonging to the +band marched and tooted and sang. Bink Stubbs had knocked in one end of +the bass drum, but he continued to hammer away on the other end, +apparently doing his best to break that in also. Bruce Browning "tore +off" music and other sounds with the trombone, while Puss Parker +astounded those who knew him best by his skill with the cornet, for he +really could play at some tunes.</p> + +<p>About twenty fellows tied handkerchiefs over their faces, turned their +coats, and attempted to rush the band and capture the instruments.</p> + +<p>Then there was war, and the real owners of the instruments looked on in +horror, wondering what would become of the horns.</p> + +<p>The police were called upon to regain the instruments for the proper +owners. A dozen of them attempted to do the trick, but they were not +permitted to come onto the campus.</p> + +<p>There were rumors of a rush. It was reported that the freshmen were +coming out with canes.</p> + +<p>But the freshmen were not fools, and they knew it was a bad time to +bring about a cane rush. They mingled with the rejoicing crowd, but +sported no canes.</p> + +<p>Some of the band instruments were ruined in the struggle, but a cheap +band had been engaged, and the instruments were of poor grade, so the +boys did not mind their destruction, although all felt that somebody +would have to settle the bill for damages.</p> + +<p>Some one placed Danny Griswold on a box and yelled for a speech. Danny +never made a speech in his life, but he felt elated, and he started in +to say something. The moment he opened his mouth everybody cheered. When +they stopped cheering, Danny started again.</p> + +<p>"This is——"</p> + +<p>Not another word was heard. Again they cheered, drowning his voice. He +waited for them to stop. They stopped.</p> + +<p>"This is——"</p> + +<p>"'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Whooper up! whooper up! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah!"</p> + +<p>Danny waited again. Now he felt that he wanted to make a speech. He was +determined to make a speech.</p> + +<p>"This is——"</p> + +<p>He couldn't get beyond "is," and he was growing disgusted. He longed for +a fireman's hose and good head of water.</p> + +<p>As they began to cheer all at once, they stopped all together.</p> + +<p>Once more Danny tried it:</p> + +<p>"This is——"</p> + +<p>It was no use. The mere sound of his voice seemed to arouse them to the +wildest enthusiasm. He shook his fist at them.</p> + +<p>"Go to thunder!" he screamed, getting black in the face.</p> + +<p>But they laughed and cheered so he could not hear the sound of his own +voice.</p> + +<p>Some fellows found Frank and carried him around and around the fire. +They tried to induce him to get on the box in Danny's place, and say +something, but he was too shrewd to try that, even if he had wished to +do so.</p> + +<p>Sport Harris, holding aloof, his heart sour with disappointment and +disgust, saw a fellow swinging himself along on crutches, but refraining +from taking any part in the celebration.</p> + +<p>"It's Marline," thought Sport. "He must be somewhat sore himself."</p> + +<p>Then he approached and spoke to the unlucky student, who had lost the +opportunity to play full-back when he sprained his ankle.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Marline!" called Harris. "Why aren't you whooping her up with +the others?"</p> + +<p>Marline looked at him in doubt, and then remembered that Harris and +Merriwell had never been good friends.</p> + +<p>"Why should I celebrate?" he asked, sourly.</p> + +<p>"Yale won."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I sat where I could see the fellow who filled my place secure +the opportunities to win, which must have been mine had I played."</p> + +<p>"It was hard luck for you to be knocked out in such a manner."</p> + +<p>"Hard luck! It was beastly! But it was worse luck to have that fellow, +Merriwell, run into the game and get all the opportunities to cover +himself with glory."</p> + +<p>"Well, he got 'em, and he improved 'em."</p> + +<p>"Any fellow fit for the position could have done the same thing."</p> + +<p>"Think so?"</p> + +<p>"I know it."</p> + +<p>"How about carrying three men on his back the way Merriwell did?"</p> + +<p>"That was nothing."</p> + +<p>"Everybody seems to think it was a great trick."</p> + +<p>"It was nothing, I tell you. Those Harvard chumps tackled him in the +most foolish manner possible. Not one of them tried to get low down on +him, but all piled upon his back."</p> + +<p>"Still, it seems that three of them ought to have crushed him into the +ground."</p> + +<p>"Not if he had any back at all. You could have stood up under it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks!" said Harris, dryly. "I don't care to try."</p> + +<p>"I know I could."</p> + +<p>"But Merriwell carried them right along on his back."</p> + +<p>"What of it?"</p> + +<p>"Wasn't that something? He scarcely seemed to slacken his speed in the +least, for all of their weight."</p> + +<p>"Rot! They came upon him from behind, and when they leaped on him they +hurled him forward still faster than he was going, if anything."</p> + +<p>"It's a wonder they didn't hurl him forward on his face."</p> + +<p>"Wonder—nothing! Are you stuck on that fellow?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I should say not! I have no reason to admire him."</p> + +<p>"Nor I! I despise him, and I am willing he should know it. Wait till my +ankle gets well."</p> + +<p>"What will you do then?"</p> + +<p>"I am making no talk about what I'll do," said Marline, lowering his +voice and hissing forth the words; "but Frank Merriwell had better steer +clear of me."</p> + +<p>"He is a bad man to have for an enemy," said Harris, "I know, for he is +my enemy."</p> + +<p>"How does he happen to be your enemy?" asked Marline. "You are not in +athletics. What made him your enemy?"</p> + +<p>Harris hesitated, and then said:</p> + +<p>"Some time ago he wrongfully accused me of cheating at cards. I have +hated him ever since."</p> + +<p>A sudden change came over Marline. He remembered now. He had heard +something about it at the time, but it had slipped his mind. He +remembered that he had heard from a reliable source that Merriwell had +exposed Harris in a crooked game.</p> + +<p>Involuntarily, Marline drew away from Harris. The lad from South +Carolina had very high ideas of honor, and he could feel nothing but +contempt for a card sharp. Sometimes he played cards himself, but he +would have died rather than do a crooked or dishonorable thing. A moment +before, he had seemed to feel a bond between himself and Sport, as they +were both enemies to Merriwell, but now there was a feeling of +repulsion.</p> + +<p>No matter what Rob Marline's faults might be, and he had many of them, +there was not a dishonest streak in him.</p> + +<p>Harris seemed to see the change come over the other, and regretted that +he had told the truth, for he knew Marline was "encumbered" by a fine +sense of honor. He tried to set himself right by fiercely declaring he +had been unjustly accused by Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"That's what makes me hate the fellow so," he said. "He has injured me +by leading some fellows to think I was crooked, and that is the worst +injury he could do anybody."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you on that point," nodded Marline.</p> + +<p>"Some time I'll square it up with him," grated Harris. "We both hate +him, and I see no reason why we shouldn't pull together."</p> + +<p>Marline hesitated a moment, then shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I'll not make a compact with any one against him. I hate +him, and I am willing he should know it. I'll meet him face to face and +man to man, and I'll make him crawl, or I'll fix him so he won't play +football for a long time to come!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLII" id="CHAPTER_XLII"></a>CHAPTER XLII.</h2> + +<h3>A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.</h3> + + +<p>The day after the great game the Boston and New York morning papers gave +columns to a full report of the contest. All the evening papers of the +day before had contained reports, but on the following morning the story +was told more fully and accurately.</p> + +<p>Not a morning paper appeared in either city that did not contain Frank +Merriwell's picture. It made little difference if some of the pictures +were poor, Frank's name was beneath each and every one of them.</p> + +<p>The papers gave him glaring headlines. He was called "The Yale Trojan," +"The Sensation of the Season," "The Boy of Iron," and many other +complimentary things.</p> + +<p>All Yale was reading the papers, and Frank was more than ever the topic +of conversation, for his fellow-students began to realize that he had +played an even more important part in the game than was at first thought +possible by those who had not witnessed it.</p> + +<p>If Frank had smoked or drank he would not have found it necessary to buy +a cigar or a drink for weeks to come. Scores of fellows would have +considered it a great honor to buy smokes and drinks for him.</p> + +<p>But Merriwell neither smoked nor drank. He had never indulged in tobacco +or liquor. Who knows how much that was responsible for his wonderful +strength, nerve and wind?</p> + +<p>At the fence a group gathered early and read and discussed the newspaper +reports. Rob Marline seemed to be the only man who did not have a paper.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with you, old man?" asked Tom Thornton. "You are +looking as blue as if we had lost yesterday."</p> + +<p>"I'm feeling grouchy," confessed Marline.</p> + +<p>"Ankle?"</p> + +<p>"Has something to do with it."</p> + +<p>"Too bad! It was tough to be knocked out just before the game, but you +can feel satisfied that your place was filled by a good man."</p> + +<p>Marline seemed to turn yellow.</p> + +<p>"That is it, sah—that's just it!" he exclaimed, "Look at all the stuff +in the papers about him! And I might have had the opportunities he had +if I had played."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"The change might have made considerable difference in the play. You +know as well as I, no two men will play just the same under the same +circumstances. They may attempt similar plays, but they do not carry +them out in precisely the same manner."</p> + +<p>"I don't like the way you use that word 'attempt,' sah!" said Marline, +flaming up a bit. "It seems like an insinuation that I might have failed +in the attempt, while Merriwell succeeded."</p> + +<p>"You are altogether too suspicious and sensitive, Marline. I did not +hint anything of the sort, although even you cannot be sure you would +have succeeded as well as Merriwell. Indeed, what he did in that game +was phenomenal."</p> + +<p>"Rot, sah!"</p> + +<p>"I believe you are jealous of him, Marline. If you are, take my advice, +and conceal it, or the boys will jolly you to death."</p> + +<p>Rob Marline drew himself up with as much haughtiness as possible, +considering his lame ankle.</p> + +<p>"Sah," he said, hissing the words through his white teeth, "the boys had +better be careful. I am in no condition to be jollied on that point, +sah."</p> + +<p>Had any other fellow at Yale taken such a stand, it would have produced +shouts of laughter. As it was, not a fellow of the group grinned, and +Burn Putnam observed:</p> + +<p>"If you don't want to be jollied, you'd better keep still about +Merriwell. All the fellows will be onto you if you keep it up."</p> + +<p>Rob flashed Old Put a cutting look, and then haughtily returned:</p> + +<p>"My tongue is my own, sah!"</p> + +<p>"All right," grunted Burn. "Use it as you please. You'll find I've given +you a straight tip."</p> + +<p>"I presume, sah, a man has a right to criticise the playing of any +fellow on the eleven?"</p> + +<p>"Sure; but it doesn't come very well from you, as you and Merriwell were +rivals."</p> + +<p>"We were not rivals, if you please. He was substituted to fill my place +after I was injured. But for this ankle, he would not have been on the +team."</p> + +<p>"But that he refused to play football this season, you would not have +been on the team," put in Bandy Robinson.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see all you fellows are standing up for him and are down on me!" +fiercely cried Marline. "I don't care if you are. I think Frank +Merriwell is——"</p> + +<p>"Is what, sir?"</p> + +<p>It was Merriwell himself, who had approached the group without being +noticed by any of them. He now stepped forward promptly and faced +Marline.</p> + +<p>Rob turned pale, and his eyes gleamed. For some moments he did not +speak, but he did not quail in the least before Merriwell's steady gaze.</p> + +<p>At last, gaining control of his voice, he sneered:</p> + +<p>"So you were listening. Well, there is an old saying that eavesdroppers +seldom hear good of themselves."</p> + +<p>"So you call me an eavesdropper?"</p> + +<p>"You heard what was not meant for your ears."</p> + +<p>"Because I happened to be coming here to join this party. You were +talking loudly and in public. There was no reason why I should not have +heard, and I did so in anything but a sneaking manner. Your insinuation +that I eavesdropped is an insult."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do about it, sah?"</p> + +<p>"Demand satisfaction!" shouted back Frank, who was aroused to such a +pitch that he was ready to quarrel with his rival on the slightest +provocation.</p> + +<p>Marline grinned sarcastically.</p> + +<p>"Very well, sah," he said, something like exultation in his voice. "I am +ready to give you all the satisfaction you want, sah, as soon as my +ankle will permit."</p> + +<p>"You will fight me?"</p> + +<p>"With pleasure, sah."</p> + +<p>"All right; it's settled. I'll agree to give you a pair of nice black +eyes."</p> + +<p>"No, you won't, sah."</p> + +<p>"Eh? You won't be able to stop me."</p> + +<p>"Only ruffians and prize fighters use their fists."</p> + +<p>"Eh? What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean business, sah!" shot back the boy from South Carolina, drawing +himself up, with the aid of his crutch. "You have seen fit, Mr. +Merriwell, to consider yourself insulted by me, and you have demanded +satisfaction. You shall have it, sah—all you want! We will fight, but +not with our fists. I am the challenged party, and I name swords as the +weapons!"</p> + +<p>Marline's words produced a sensation. Of all who heard them, Frank +Merriwell seemed the least startled or surprised. Danny Griswold near +fell off the fence. All the boys looked at each other, and then stared +at the boy from South Carolina, as if seeking to discover if he could be +in earnest.</p> + +<p>He was in deadly earnest; there could be no doubt of it. His face was +pale, and his eyes gleamed. The fighting blood of the Marlines was +aroused.</p> + +<p>Then the other lads of the group remembered the record made by the +Marlines, the famous fighters of South Carolina. They remembered that +Rob Marline's ancestors were duelists before him, and every one of them +on record had killed his man!</p> + +<p>With such an example in his own family, and with certain notions of the +proper course for a man to defend his honor, it was certain Marline +meant business when he named swords as the weapons.</p> + +<p>But such a meeting could not take place. It was unlawful. Besides that, +dueling was not popular in the North, and it was not believed that a man +showed cowardice if he refused to consider the challenge of an enemy.</p> + +<p>What would Merriwell do? He could not accept Marline's proposal, and +still it would not be easy for him to back down, after demanding +satisfaction. He was in a trying position, and the boys wondered how he +would get out of it.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marline," said Frank, and his voice was perfectly calm and cool, +"you must be aware that such a thing as you propose is utterly +impossible."</p> + +<p>"I am not aware of anything of the sort, sah."</p> + +<p>"Then I will tell you so now."</p> + +<p>"That means you are afraid—you dare not meet me face to face and man to +man! You show the white feather!"</p> + +<p>"It means nothing of the sort."</p> + +<p>"You can't get out of it, sah."</p> + +<p>"I am a Northerner, and I do not believe in personal encounters with +deadly weapons, after the rules of the code duello."</p> + +<p>"A Northerner!" flung back Marline, with a curl of his lips and a proud +toss of his head. "Well, I am a Southerner, and we do believe in the +code duello. It is the only way for a man to satisfy his honor."</p> + +<p>"It is evident that is a point on which we cannot agree."</p> + +<p>"Then, you are going to back down—you will play the coward?"</p> + +<p>"You are making your language very strong and offensive. Will you be +good enough to remember you are on crutches, which makes it impossible +for me to strike you now?"</p> + +<p>"No man ever struck a Marline without spilling his blood for the blow! +It is a good thing for you, sah, that I am on crutches."</p> + +<p>"If you were not crippled, you could not use the language you have +within the past few moments, without getting my fist between the eyes."</p> + +<p>Marline sucked in his breath with a hissing sound through his teeth.</p> + +<p>"Never mind my condition, sah—hit me! Nothing would give me greater +satisfaction, sah!"</p> + +<p>"It is impossible. You will not be crippled long."</p> + +<p>"I shall recover as swiftly as possible. You may be sure of that, sah!"</p> + +<p>"There will be time enough to settle this little affair between us +then."</p> + +<p>"But the preliminaries can be arranged in advance, Mr. Merriwell. My +representative will call on any friend you may name, sah."</p> + +<p>It was plain enough to all that Marline intended to force a duel or +compel Merriwell to back down squarely.</p> + +<p>"If I decline to name a friend—if I decline to meet you in a regular +duel——"</p> + +<p>"I shall brand you as a pusillanimous cur, sah!"</p> + +<p>Frank's face paled a bit, but still his eyes met Marline's steadily.</p> + +<p>"You seem to forget you are not in the South," he calmly said. "If you +were on your own soil, you might be justified in pushing this thing as +you are, for that is the not entirely obsolete custom among Southern +gentlemen. But you are in the North, where duelists are criminals who +have not even the sympathy of the public in general. Under such +circumstances, you have no right to try to force such an encounter with +me."</p> + +<p>"You demanded satisfaction, sah, and I named the weapons. I know nothing +of your Northern ideas, and I care less. I do know that a man of honor +in your position would name a representative and have this affair +settled properly."</p> + +<p>"You have raised a point of honor on which we cannot agree, that is +all."</p> + +<p>"Then you refuse to meet me? You take water? Ha! ha! ha! I swear I did +think you were a coward all along! A short time ago all Yale said you +were a coward, but now, because you made two or three lucky plays in the +football game, all Yale is praising you to the skies. Well, sah, I will +show them the kind of a man you are! I will show them that you +challenged me, and then dared not meet me. I will brand you as the +coward you are, sah! It will give me great satisfaction, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"Look here, Marline," broke in Burn Putnam, "you are carrying this thing +beyond the limit. Merriwell has explained to you his position and made +it clear that such a meeting as you propose is utterly impossible."</p> + +<p>"That's right, that's right!" chorused the others.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Merriwell knew me at the beginning," said the boy from the South, +unrelentingly. "He knew I did not take any stock in fist-fighting—that +I made no pretensions of being what you call a scrapper. Yet he demanded +satisfaction of me for what he chose to consider an insult. That gave me +the chance to name the weapons, and I named them. It seems that he +sought to take an unfair advantage of me, thinking to force me into a +fist-fight, about which he knew I knew nothing, and, having the +advantage of me thus, give me a drubbing. It was a brutal attempt to +take advantage of me, but he was check-mated. Now, under the +circumstances, I have a right to push this matter as far as possible, +and I will do it! He'll meet me in a regular duel, or I will take great +trouble to brand him as a craven."</p> + +<p>"You'll get yourself into a very bad scrape, Marline," said Thornton. +"Sympathy will not be with you."</p> + +<p>"Bah! What do I care! I can stand alone! I am a Marline!"</p> + +<p>"Besides that," continued Tom, "there is another point to be +considered."</p> + +<p>Rob made a gesture of disdain, but Thornton hastened on:</p> + +<p>"Suppose you two would fight a duel and one of you should be seriously +wounded, what then? Why, an investigation would follow, and the truth +would come out That would mean expulsion for you both—it would mean +disgrace."</p> + +<p>"Bah!" cried Marline, once more. "I presumed I was dealing with a man of +honor, and that every person here was a man of honor. In such a case, if +one of us should be wounded, he would keep his lips closed, even if he +were dying. Not a word of the truth would he disclose, and no amount of +investigation would discover the truth. The victor would be safe."</p> + +<p>"That is much easier to talk about than it would be to put in practice. +I, for one, am against anything of the sort."</p> + +<p>"You do not count, sah."</p> + +<p>"Don't, eh? Well, we'll see about that! Frank Merriwell can't meet you, +and that settles it. If you try to force him, I'll report the whole +matter to the faculty, and the chances are about ten to one that you +will be fired from college. There, Mr. Marline, you have it straight +from the shoulder, and I trust you are satisfied."</p> + +<p>Thornton was astonished with himself for taking such a stand, as he was, +as a rule, a good follower, but no leader. He had a way of thinking of +things after others put them into execution, but now he was the one to +take the lead.</p> + +<p>Marline made a gesture of scorn.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sah, I am satisfied," he said; "I am satisfied that Mr. Merriwell +is a coward. He was looking for a loophole to crawl through, and you +have provided him with that loophole. He should feel very grateful to +you, sah!"</p> + +<p>"Marline," said Frank, sharply, "you can make a mistake by heaping this +on too thick! I can't stand everything, and you'd better drop it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, drop it, Marline!" cried some of the others.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll drop it for the present," said Rob, with deep +significance—"for the present, you understand. But I am not done with +Mr. Merriwell. My ankle will be all right in a short time, and then——"</p> + +<p>He paused, giving Frank a stare of hatred. Then, without another word, +he turned and swung himself away, aided by his crutches.</p> + +<p>All felt sure that the affair was not ended.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLIII" id="CHAPTER_XLIII"></a>CHAPTER XLIII.</h2> + +<h3>AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION.</h3> + + +<p>"Great Scott!" gurgled Old Put, staring after Marline. "But he is a +regular fire eater!"</p> + +<p>"He's a bad man—a blamed bad man!" fluttered Danny Griswold.</p> + +<p>"That's right," nodded Lewis Little. "He really wants to fight with +swords, I believe."</p> + +<p>"Of course, he does," nodded Andy Emery, who had not said a word during +all the talk between Merriwell and Marline. "Jack Diamond was another +fellow just like him when he first came to Yale."</p> + +<p>"So he was," said Putnam. "And it seems to me I have heard that +Merriwell met him."</p> + +<p>Frank smiled a bit.</p> + +<p>"We had a little go," he said. "He put up a fierce fight, too, for a +fellow that knew nothing about the science."</p> + +<p>"Oh, everybody knows about that!" said Put. "It was the other affair I +was speaking of. Didn't he force you into a duel with swords?"</p> + +<p>"That affair was not very serious," said Frank, evasively.</p> + +<p>"But I know it took place. He was a fire eater, and he had just such +ideas of honor as Marline holds. Thought it a disgrace to fight with +fists, and all that. You couldn't get out of meeting him in a regular +duel, and you did so. I've heard the fellows talking it over. Let's see, +who got the best of it?"</p> + +<p>"It was interrupted before the end," said Frank. "The sophs came down on +us, and we thought them the faculty. Everybody took to his heels."</p> + +<p>"And Diamond would have been captured if it hadn't been for Merriwell, +who stayed behind to help him out," put in Thornton. "The duel was never +finished."</p> + +<p>"Don't try it again, Merry," cried Danny Griswold. "The next one +wouldn't come out as well as that."</p> + +<p>"But what am I going to do?" asked Frank. "This fellow Marline will not +let up on me."</p> + +<p>"Don't pay any attention to him," advised Little.</p> + +<p>"That's right, ignore him," said the others.</p> + +<p>"That will be a hard thing to do. I am no bully, as you all know, but I +cannot ignore a man who tries to ride me."</p> + +<p>"Better do that than get into a fight with deadly weapons, and be +killed," said Put.</p> + +<p>"Or kill him," added Griswold.</p> + +<p>"Never mind if he does try to brand you as a coward," advised Emery. "He +can't make the brand stick. You are known too well here."</p> + +<p>Frank flushed a bit.</p> + +<p>"I don't know about that," he asserted. "It was only a few days ago that +almost everybody here seemed to think me a coward because I declined to +play football. They would be thinking so now if I had not played through +absolute necessity."</p> + +<p>"But what you did in that game has settled it so no man can call you a +coward hereafter, and have his words carry any weight," said Putnam. "I +believe you can afford to ignore Rob Marline. He is sore now because he +was unable to play in the game, and because you put up such a game. +He'll get over that after a time, and it's quite likely he'll be ashamed +of himself for making such a fuss. He's not much good, anyway."</p> + +<p>"Right there is where I think you make a big mistake," said Frank. +"Marline has been underestimated by many persons. He has sand, and +plenty of it. He is not responsible for his peculiar notions as to the +proper manner for a man to settle an affair of honor, for he was born +and brought up where such settlements are generally made with pistols."</p> + +<p>"Well, you can't fight him in the manner he has named, and that's all +there is to it. Nobody will blame you for not meeting him. Let him go it +till he cools off."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he will be cool by the time his ankle gets well," said +Griswold.</p> + +<p>Others came along and joined the crowd, and the talk turned to football. +Everybody seemed to want to shake hands with Frank, and his arm was +worked up and down till it ached. He was congratulated on every hand.</p> + +<p>Sport Harris stood at a distance and saw all this, while his face wore a +sour, hateful sneer.</p> + +<p>"It makes me sick to see them slobbering over him!" he muttered. "He'll +swell up and burst with conceit now. Hang him! He beat me out of my last +dollar yesterday, and now I'll have to take some of my clothes down to +'uncle' and raise the wind on them. Ain't got even enough for a beer +this morning, and my account is full at Morey's. This is what I call +hard luck! Wonder how Harlow feels this morning?"</p> + +<p>Rolf Harlow had formerly been a Harvard man, and he was an inveterate +gambler. Through him Harris had placed all his money on the Harvard +eleven. Sport had tipped Harlow to the condition of the team, and the +apparent fact that Harvard was sure to win, on which tip Rolf had +hastened to stake everything on the Cambridge boys. At the close of the +game Harris got away from Harlow as quickly as possible, finding him +anything but agreeable as a companion.</p> + +<p>Harris knew Marline hated Merriwell, and he felt sure the boy from the +South had nerve and courage, but, to his wonderment and disgust, Rob +would not enter into any sort of a compact against Frank.</p> + +<p>"Together, we might be able to do up Merriwell," thought Harris. "The +only man I ever, found who had the nerve to stick by me against +Merriwell was Hartwicke, and he was forced to leave college. I'll get +the best of the fellow some day."</p> + +<p>Later on, Sport heard something of the encounter between Merriwell and +Marline that morning. He listened eagerly to this, and he was seized by +a few thoughts.</p> + +<p>What did he care about Marline? If Merriwell could be led into a genuine +duel with the lad from South Carolina, it might result in the expulsion +of both from Yale, either if neither should be seriously injured.</p> + +<p>If Merriwell should be injured, all the better. If he wounded Marline, +the whole story might come out on investigation, and that would put him +in a bad box.</p> + +<p>Anyway, a duel between the two might bring about Merriwell's downfall.</p> + +<p>Harris set about stirring the matter up. He reported that Marline had +driven Merriwell "into his boots." There were a few fellows who "took +some stock" in Sport, and through them he worked to spread the story.</p> + +<p>Harris was industrious, and before another night all sorts of tales +concerning the encounter between the rivals were in circulation.</p> + +<p>Harry Rattleton, Frank's old-time chum, heard some of the reports, and +he lost no time in telling Frank just what was being said. Merriwell +smiled grimly, and said nothing.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do about it?" asked Harry, excitedly.</p> + +<p>"Nothing," said Frank.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" shouted Rattleton. "If you don't do anything, lots of the +fellows will think the stories are true."</p> + +<p>"Let them."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't stand it! I'd hunch somebody's ped—I mean, punch somebody's +head."</p> + +<p>"The fellows who heard it all know if Marline drove me into my boots."</p> + +<p>"All right!" said Rattleton. "If you don't do anything about it, I +shall. I'm going to find out who started the yarns, and then I'm going +to punch him!"</p> + +<p>And Rattleton went forth in search of some one to punch.</p> + +<p>And he was not the only one, as we shall see.</p> + +<p>Within three days Marline was able to get around, with the aid of a +cane. His ankle was improving swiftly, and he expected it would be +nearly as well as ever in less than a week.</p> + +<p>Marline had a following. There were some rattle-brained young fellows in +the college who looked on him with admiration, as it was known he came +from a fighting family, and was just as ready to face a foe on "the +field of honor" as any of his ancestors had been before him.</p> + +<p>Marline considered himself a "careful drinker," for he took about a +certain number of drinks each day, seldom allowing himself to indulge in +more than his allowance.</p> + +<p>He always took whiskey. Beer and ale he called "slops." Such stuff was +well enough to boys and Dutchmen, but "whiskey was the stuff for a man."</p> + +<p>Rob did not know he was forming one of the worst habits a man can +acquire—that of "drinking moderately." The moderate drinker becomes the +steady drinker, and, in time, he gets his system into such a condition +that he cannot get along without his regular allowance of "stuff." The +moment he tries to cut down that allowance, he feels miserable and "out +of sorts." Then he "throws in" a lot of it to brace up on. Perhaps it is +some time before he realizes what a hold drink has on him, and, when he +does realize it, in almost every case it is too late to break off the +habit. Gradually he increases his "allowance," and thus the moderate +drinker becomes a slave to liquor, and a drunkard.</p> + +<p>The only "safe way" to handle liquor is not to handle it at all.</p> + +<p>Marline had a father with plenty of money, and he was provided with more +than a liberal allowance while at college. He had money to spend, and +now, knowing the value of popularity, he began to spend it with unusual +liberality. As a result, there was a crowd of fellows who clung to him +closely in order to get as many drinks as possible out of him.</p> + +<p>Although Frank did not drink, he often went around with fellows who did. +He had a strong mind, and it was not difficult for him to resist +temptation.</p> + +<p>Thus it came about that Merriwell and Marline sometimes saw each other +in Morey's or Treager's, two well-known students' resorts. At first, +they seemed to avoid each other. Then Marline got the idea that +Merriwell was afraid of him, and he took to flinging out scornful +insinuations and staring at Frank contemptuously.</p> + +<p>It was difficult for Merriwell to restrain his passions, for never had +he known a fellow who could anger him like Marline, but he held onto +himself with a close hand.</p> + +<p>Jack Diamond heard of the affair between Frank and the boy from South +Carolina. Although Jack was from the South, he knew Merriwell as well as +anybody at Yale, and his knowledge told him Frank was in the right.</p> + +<p>It galled Diamond to think that anybody could sneer at Merriwell, and +not be called to account. He did not say much at first, but, after a +time, he began to feel that he had stood it about as long as possible.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Merry!" he exclaimed, as he stalked into Merriwell's room +one evening; "how long are you going to stand this?"</p> + +<p>Frank had been studying, but he flung down his book immediately.</p> + +<p>"Stand what?" he asked, smiling.</p> + +<p>"Why, the insolence of this fellow from South Carolina. I heard him in +Morey's last evening when he made that sneering remark about you, and it +has been galling me all day. I expected you would jump him on the spot, +but you never moved an eyelash."</p> + +<p>"What did you think I'd do?"</p> + +<p>"Punch him, confound it!"</p> + +<p>"How can I?"</p> + +<p>"How can you? With your fist, of course."</p> + +<p>"But I can't do it, you know. He has acknowledged publicly that he is no +fighter with his fists, and I'd seem like a bully if I hit him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, rot!" exploded Jack. "Think I'd let any fellow insult me and then +rub it in without giving him a thump on the jaw? Not much!"</p> + +<p>"Your ideas on that point seem to have changed since you came to Yale. +You will remember you did not believe in fighting with fists when you +came here."</p> + +<p>"That's right," nodded Jack. "I thought gentlemen never fought in such a +manner, but I have found out that even gentlemen are occasionally forced +to do so."</p> + +<p>"Marline holds just the same ideas as you held. I demanded satisfaction +of him, and he said he'd give it to me, with swords."</p> + +<p>"He's a chump! What he really needs is a good drubbing, and you ought to +give it to him."</p> + +<p>"And be called a bully. They would say it was a cowardly thing to do. +Really, Jack, I'm in a confounded nasty place!"</p> + +<p>"I believe you are," admitted Diamond, slowly. "But you must do +something."</p> + +<p>"Suggest something."</p> + +<p>"Fight him with the weapons he named!" cried the Virginian, hotly. "You +can do it, and I know you can get the best of him. I haven't forgotten +our little duel. Not much! Why, Merriwell, you disarmed me twice! You +can do the same trick with him."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not."</p> + +<p>"I know you can. If you disarm him twice, you can call him a bungler, +and refuse to continue the duel. Do it, Merry!" excitedly urged Jack. +"I'll stand by you—I'll be your second."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, old man; but aren't you afraid of getting into serious +trouble? If the faculty——"</p> + +<p>"Hang the faculty! We'll have to take chances. You can't stand his +insults, Merry, and you'll have to fight him with the weapons he has +named. That's the only thing you can do."</p> + +<p>"You may be right," said Frank, slowly. "I am getting sick of the way +the thing is going, but I don't want to make a fool of myself."</p> + +<p>"You won't; but you'll make a monkey of Rob Marline, and I'll bet on it. +Why, Merry, you are wonderfully clever with the foils, and you have +nerves of iron."</p> + +<p>"Still, there might be a slip, you know."</p> + +<p>"Are you afraid he'll do you up?"</p> + +<p>"Not that," said Frank, "although I know he might. I'll tell you the +truth. I hate Marline, and I might do him up. A sword is a nasty weapon. +What if I should run him through?"</p> + +<p>"I never saw the time yet when you were not your own master. I don't +think there is any danger that you will kill Marline, but you pink him, +just so he would remember you. He wouldn't blow. He's from the South. He +wouldn't blow if you pinked him for keeps."</p> + +<p>"I think you are right about that. Well, Jack, there's no telling what I +may be driven into. If I have to meet him in a duel, I shall call on you +to act as my second."</p> + +<p>"You may depend on me. I'll serve you with great satisfaction. Call him +out, Merry—call him out!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLIV" id="CHAPTER_XLIV"></a>CHAPTER XLIV.</h2> + +<h3>STUDENTS' RACKETS.</h3> + + +<p>Inza Burrage came back to New Haven with Miss Gale. Frank discovered she +was there by seeing her on the street. He started to join her and speak, +but she entered a store, and he lost her.</p> + +<p>That evening he started out to call on her, resolved to have a talk with +her and come to a complete understanding, if she would see him.</p> + +<p>He knew where Miss Gale was stopping, and he made his way to the house +by a roundabout course, thinking over what he would say in case Inza +consented to see him.</p> + +<p>As he approached the house he saw some one ascending the steps. The +person going up the steps carried a cane.</p> + +<p>Frank halted abruptly.</p> + +<p>"Marline!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>It was his rival.</p> + +<p>Rob rang the bell and was admitted to the house.</p> + +<p>Frank turned about and walked swiftly away.</p> + +<p>"That settles it!" he grated. "I don't want to see her now, for I am +sure she was playing double with me. She is stuck on Rob Marline. It's +all right! it's all right! I'll have to take Diamond's advice. Marline +shall have all the satisfaction he desires."</p> + +<p>On his way back to his room he met Browning, Diamond, Rattleton and +several other fellows, who were starting out for a jolly time. They were +singing, "Here's to Good Old Yale," and he immediately joined in with +them, his beautiful baritone adding to the melody which floated out on +the crisp evening air.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" cried Rattleton. "It's Merry! Come on, old man, and we'll have +some sport."</p> + +<p>To the surprise of all, Merriwell joined them, without asking where they +were going. He seemed ready enough for any kind of sport, and his +laughter rang the loudest and merriest of them all. He was overflowing +with jokes and witty sayings, so that the boys began to say to each +other that he was like the Frank Merriwell of old.</p> + +<p>They made the rounds of the "places." Nearly all of them drank beer, +but, although Frank seemed in a reckless mood, not a drop of beer or +liquor touched his lips. He seemed to enjoy the sport as much as any of +them, and still he remained sober.</p> + +<p>In fact, Frank was a leader in wild pranks that night. Before the +evening was over, the boys got two policemen after them, and were forced +to run to escape arrest.</p> + +<p>Rattleton was somewhat slower than the others in starting, and he soon +found one of the policemen was close upon him.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" cried the officer.</p> + +<p>"Go to thunder!" flung back Harry.</p> + +<p>"Stop, I tell yer!"</p> + +<p>"Save your wind! You can't catch me in a thousand years."</p> + +<p>"Can't?"</p> + +<p>Whiz—something flew through the air. It struck Harry between the +shoulders, knocking him forward on his hands and knees.</p> + +<p>Then the officer pounced upon him, picking up his stick, which he had +flung at the boy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I've got yer!" grated the policeman. "I'll teach yer to be tearin' +down an' shiftin' round people's signs! I saw yer when yer pulled down +the sign in front of the Chinese laundry, and the charge'll be larceny. +We're goin' to fix some of you frisky students."</p> + +<p>The police had been sore ever since their ineffectual attempt to get +upon the campus and arrest the students who were parading with the horns +captured from the band. Word had gone the rounds among the students that +the "cops" were watching for an opportunity to retaliate. Evidently this +policeman fancied his opportunity had come.</p> + +<p>Larceny! Harry realized the full meaning of the charge, and he knew it +would go hard with him if he were convicted. Thoughts of making a +desperate effort to slip out of his coat, and leave it in the officer's +clutch, flashed through his head; but the blow of the club had knocked +the wind out of him, and, just then, he did not have the strength to +make the effort.</p> + +<p>Where were the others? Had they all escaped? Had they abandoned him?</p> + +<p>"Git up!" ordered the policeman, releasing his grip on Harry a bit, in +order to change his hold.</p> + +<p>Swish! thump! bump!</p> + +<p>A dark body came out of the shadows and struck the policeman with the +force of a catapult.</p> + +<p>The officer was hurled through the air, his hold on Harry being broken. +He struck the stone paving heavily.</p> + +<p>A hand fastened on Rattleton's collar, a strong arm jerked him to his +feet, a familiar voice hissed in his ear:</p> + +<p>"Run!"</p> + +<p>It was Merriwell! Harry's heart leaped as he realized that. Frank had +not deserted him. Frank never deserted a friend.</p> + +<p>Rattleton was somewhat dazed, but Merriwell's hand directed him, and +away they sped. They heard the policeman behind them, heard him shout +breathlessly for them to stop, but they had no thought of obeying.</p> + +<p>Into a narrow space between two buildings plunged Frank, telling Harry +to follow. Merriwell came to a gate, but he seemed to see it, for all of +the intense darkness.</p> + +<p>"Over here!" he called to Harry.</p> + +<p>They heard the policeman plunge in behind them. Over the gate they +scrambled, not daring to pause long enough to find the way it was +fastened. Out into a back yard they dashed, hearing the officer run into +the gate and grunt as he was flung backward.</p> + +<p>There was a high fence around the yard, and it seemed that they might be +in a trap.</p> + +<p>Frank felt for a clothesline and found it. He seemed to see in the dark.</p> + +<p>"Over the fence, Harry—over the fence!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"Come on!"</p> + +<p>"In a moment."</p> + +<p>"What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"Lowering this line, so it will just catch Mr. Officer under the chin. +Get over the fence."</p> + +<p>Rattleton obeyed. He found a place where he could scramble to the top of +the fence, and there he sat, calling to Frank:</p> + +<p>"Come on—hurry!"</p> + +<p>The policeman came out into the yard. It seemed that Merriwell had been +waiting for him. Frank started to run, and the officer started after +him.</p> + +<p>"I have yer now!" grated the policeman.</p> + +<p>Frank led him directly toward the clothesline. Just before the line was +reached, Frank seemed to stumble and nearly fall. He did it in order to +duck under the line.</p> + +<p>A triumphant exclamation broke from the officer. It was cut short by +another sort of exclamation.</p> + +<p>The clothesline caught him under the chin. It snapped his head backward +and his heels forward. He went down flat on his back with a terrible +thump, and there he lay.</p> + +<p>With a triumphant laugh, Frank shinned up the fence and perched on the +top beside Rattleton.</p> + +<p>The officer was sitting up. He had seen more stars and fireworks than it +had ever been his fortune to behold before.</p> + +<p>"Ta, ta, old chappie!" tauntingly called Merriwell. "We'll see you some +other evening."</p> + +<p>"Stop—stop right where you are!" ordered the policeman, in a bewildered +way, looking around for the speaker. "You can't get away. It's no use +for you to try."</p> + +<p>"You're twisted, old man," laughed Frank. "Good-night, and pleasant +dreams! We certainly had you on a string to-night. Ha! ha! ha!"</p> + +<p>Then the boys dropped down from the fence into the next yard, made their +way to the street, and hastened toward Morey's.</p> + +<p>"Christopher? what a racket!" laughed Rattleton. "Why, I haven't been in +anything like this since I was a freshman."</p> + +<p>"It's good for a fellow once in a while," said Frank. "It stirs up his +blood."</p> + +<p>"But I was in a hard place when you came to my rescue, Merry. The cop +had me pinched, and he said the charge would be larceny. I thought I was +in for it."</p> + +<p>"I wasn't going to leave anybody to be locked up."</p> + +<p>"You never do, Merry; you always stick. It does me good to see you out +on a time like this, for you have not been like yourself in weeks. Now +you seem like the old Frank Merriwell."</p> + +<p>They reached Morey's safely. Entering, they discovered nearly all the +others of their party there ahead of them.</p> + +<p>And Rob Marline was there, drinking whiskey.</p> + +<p>As soon as Frank and Harry appeared, the others of the party surrounded +them, asking about their adventures.</p> + +<p>Bruce Browning was wiping the perspiration from his flushed face, while +he growled:</p> + +<p>"Haven't done anything like that for a long time. It was awful! Wouldn't +done it then if it hadn't been to escape arrest. Cæsar's ghost! think of +being arrested."</p> + +<p>"I was arrested!" said Rattleton.</p> + +<p>"What?" cried the others. "Come again!"</p> + +<p>"A cop pinched me."</p> + +<p>"No? How did you get away?"</p> + +<p>"Merriwell came to my rescue. He didn't desert me, if the rest of you +did. He saw the cop nail me, and he sent his buttons flying by running +into him. That gave me a chance to skip. I tell you, it took nerve to +tackle a cop like that."</p> + +<p>Rob Marline laughed sarcastically, but did not say anything. Rattleton +flushed with anger, but Merriwell did not seem to notice it.</p> + +<p>Harry went on with his story, telling of their adventures, and the party +shouted with laughter when he related the clothesline incident.</p> + +<p>The fellows were gathering about Merriwell, and Marline found that he +was being deserted, which added to his bitterness. He saw the boys +listening to the story of Merriwell's attack on the officer and the +trick with the clothesline, and the soul of the boy from the South was +filled with bitterness.</p> + +<p>"He's cutting ice with the gang again," thought Marline. "That must be +stopped."</p> + +<p>But how could he stop it? He thought of calling to those who had been +with him before Merriwell came in, and asking them to have another +drink. Then it seemed that he would humiliate himself by doing so, for +he would cause everybody to notice how he had been abandoned. So he +ordered another drink for himself, and drank it sullenly.</p> + +<p>Every time the boys laughed Marline grated his teeth. Things had not +gone right with him that night, and he was in an ugly mood. He had +called to see Inza Burrage, and had attempted to make himself "solid" +with her. In the course of his conversation he had made some disparaging +remark about Frank Merriwell.</p> + +<p>That remark was like a spark of fire in a keg of powder. In a moment +Inza flared up and exploded. She told him Frank Merriwell was a +gentleman. She told him Frank Merriwell was too much of a man of honor +to malign an enemy behind his back. She showed deep scorn and contempt, +and Marline left the house crestfallen and raging with anger.</p> + +<p>He had been touched on a tender spot. To have any one insinuate that +Frank Merriwell was more honorable than he, was like stabbing him to the +heart.</p> + +<p>The whiskey made Marline desperate. Little did he know that the boy he +hated was in a most reckless mood. Had he known it, he would not have +cared. There was not a drop of cowardly blood in Marline's body. He +longed for an encounter with Merriwell.</p> + +<p>At length, when he could stand it no longer, he arose to his feet. Some +one was complimenting Merriwell on his nerve. Marline had not tasted the +last glass of whiskey brought him. He took it in his hand, made two +steps toward Frank, and flung the stuff full into Merry's face!</p> + +<p>"If Mr. Merriwell has so much nerve, let him resent that!" rang out the +hoarse voice of the boy from South Carolina. "We'll see how much nerve +he has!"</p> + +<p>Frank took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the liquid from his face. +He was very pale, and his eyes gleamed with a glare that his best +friends had never seen in them before. But he laughed, and those who +knew him best shuddered at that laugh.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marline," he said, his voice calm and modulated, "will you be kind +enough to name your friend?"</p> + +<p>Marline looked around. Sport Harris was at his side in a moment.</p> + +<p>"I'll serve you!" Sport eagerly whispered.</p> + +<p>Marline felt that almost any one was preferable to Harris, but he saw +the others had drawn away. Harris seemed to be the only one with nerve +enough to stand by him. He felt forced to accept Sport.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Harris is my man," he said.</p> + +<p>Frank bowed gracefully.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Diamond will wait on him."</p> + +<p>A gleam of exultation came into Marline's face, for he felt that he had +driven Merriwell to the wall at last.</p> + +<p>Frank and Jack immediately withdrew from Morey's, and, later, the +Virginian sought Harris in his room.</p> + +<p>Frank awaited Diamond's return. He came back in about an hour</p> + +<p>"To-morrow, at sunrise," he said.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLV" id="CHAPTER_XLV"></a>CHAPTER XLV.</h2> + +<h3>THE DUEL.</h3> + + +<p>"Are you ready, gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>The sun was just peeping over the horizon.</p> + +<p>Beyond the city limits, near a strip of timber far down the Sound, five +persons had met.</p> + +<p>Two of them were Frank Merriwell and Robert Marline, who were to fight a +deadly duel there that beautiful morning.</p> + +<p>Two more were their seconds, Jack Diamond and Sport Harris.</p> + +<p>The fifth was a young collegian named Morton, who was studying medicine +and surgery. He had brought along a case of instruments, although he was +not certain this was to be a duel in deadly earnest.</p> + +<p>Merriwell and Marline, despite the fact that the morning air was keen +and cold, had stripped off their coats and vests and were in their shirt +sleeves.</p> + +<p>Now they stood facing each other, weapons in hand.</p> + +<p>Frank's face was calm and confident, as if he had not the least doubt +concerning the outcome of the affair. His nerves were under admirable +control. He was a trifle paler than usual.</p> + +<p>Marline, on the other hand, was flushed and nervous. He had taken +several drinks of whiskey to brace him, and Merriwell's calm confidence +was something he could not understand. At that moment, Frank seemed like +the duelist and Marline like the novice.</p> + +<p>The sun shot a single lance of light across the world, and then Diamond, +who had been chosen to give the signal, spoke the word that set the +rivals at each other.</p> + +<p>Clash! clash! clash! The bright blades clanged sharply on the morning +air. The sunshine glittered coldly on their polished lengths.</p> + +<p>At first the work was of a very scientific order, for each man seemed +feeling of the other to discover just how much skill he possessed.</p> + +<p>Marline was more than ever astonished, for he had scarcely fancied Frank +could be an expert with such a weapon. Now, however, he saw by the +manner in which Frank handled himself, by his every move, that he was a +skillful swordsman.</p> + +<p>The boy from the South attempted to force the fighting. The whiskey went +to his head, and he fought savagely, his teeth set and his eyes +gleaming. Deadly determination was in his every move. The seconds and +the surgeon watched breathlessly.</p> + +<p>Suddenly there was a cry. By a twisting movement of his wrist, Frank had +disarmed his enemy, sending Marline's blade spinning into the air.</p> + +<p>The sword fell with a clang on the frozen ground at Rob's feet, and he +instantly snatched it up. Then he came at Frank with the fury of one +driven mad.</p> + +<p>Merriwell was forced to give ground before the fierce onslaught of his +enemy. He knew well enough that Marline was exceedingly dangerous, for +he had flung discretion to the winds and was exposing himself in all +ways by his fierce desire to get at Frank.</p> + +<p>Merriwell did not wish to wound Marline, but hoped to humble him. +However, it began to look as if Frank would be forced to do his best in +self-defense.</p> + +<p>He had remarkable control of himself, and watched his chance. It came in +a short time, and again he twisted the sword from Marline's hand.</p> + +<p>Marline fell back before Merriwell's half-lifted sword.</p> + +<p>"Kill me!" he passionately cried. "Kill me now, or I'll kill you!"</p> + +<p>Merriwell lowered his blade.</p> + +<p>In a moment Marline sprang to the spot where his sword had fallen, +caught it up, and turned on Frank again.</p> + +<p>"On guard!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>Like a whirlwind, he came at Merriwell.</p> + +<p>Clash! clash! clash! It was a terrific battle now. The young surgeon was +excited and frightened.</p> + +<p>"It must be stopped!" he cried. "Marline is determined to kill him! We +must stop it!"</p> + +<p>Snap!—Frank Merriwell's blade broke within a foot of the hilt!</p> + +<p>With a hoarse shout of victorious fury, Marline thrust straight at +Frank's breast!</p> + +<p>Merriwell succeeded in foiling the thrust with the part of his weapon +that remained in his hand, but Marline's sword passed through Frank's +shirt sleeve at the shoulder.</p> + +<p>The seconds and the surgeon had started forward to interfere, but, with +a gasping curse, Marline flung his sword on the ground and covered his +eyes with his hands, his whole body quivering.</p> + +<p>Diamond caught up the weapon the Southerner had flung down, muttering:</p> + +<p>"There's no telling what he may try to do next. I'll keep this out of +his reach."</p> + +<p>But Marline had no thought of resuming the duel. When he lowered his +hand from his face, his shame was betrayed.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Merriwell," he said, his voice quivering, "I wish to apologize to +you."</p> + +<p>All were astonished.</p> + +<p>"For what?" asked Frank, calmly.</p> + +<p>"You have shown yourself more honorable than I," said Marline, although +every word cut him like the stroke of a knife. "Twice you disarmed me +and took no advantage of it. But when my turn came, my hatred for you +was so great I lost my head. I tried to kill you. I offer a humble +apology, and say what I never expected to say to any living being—you +have shown yourself more honorable than I."</p> + +<p>That was enough to touch Frank, and all the past was forgotten in a +moment. With an impulse of generosity, he held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"Take it!" he cried. "Let's call the past buried."</p> + +<p>Marline shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I can't!" he exclaimed. "I can't be a hypocrite. You have shown +yourself the more honorable, Merriwell, but I hate you still. I shall +try to forget it, but, with my disposition, it will not be easy. If I +conquer myself, some day, perhaps, I'll accept your hand—if you care to +offer it then."</p> + +<p>"When the time comes," said Frank, "my hand will be open to you."</p> + +<p>Then the dueling party broke up.</p> + +<p>When Frank reached his room, he found a letter from Inza awaiting him. +This is what he read:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Frank</span>: I have been a foolish girl, and I am ashamed. I +can't say more this way, but will explain everything when I see +you. Please come to me. Come as soon as possible.</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Inza.</span>"</p></blockquote> + +<p>Frank's heart gave a great bound as he read this communication. He could +not go to see Inza at once, but he sent word that he would call that +evening.</p> + +<p>When he arrived, he found Inza awaiting him alone, the girl's aunt +having wisely withdrawn.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank—I—I——" she began, and then she could not go on, for he +caught her in his arms and gave her a tight squeeze.</p> + +<p>"Don't let's talk about it," he said, cheerily. "I guess it was all a +mistake."</p> + +<p>"I had no right to bind you down, Frank," said Inza, softly. "It has +been a lesson to me. You know what is best, always, and after this you +shall have your own way in everything."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure of that?" he said, softly, looking into her clear +eyes, which immediately dropped. "Then, I'm going to have my way now."</p> + +<p>And a kiss followed, which seemed to be a complete forgiveness all +around.</p> + +<p>Then she told him of Marline, and he understood something of what had +led to the duel.</p> + +<p>But he did not tell Inza of that terrible encounter, and the girl did +not learn of it until some time later.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLVI" id="CHAPTER_XLVI"></a>CHAPTER XLVI.</h2> + +<h3>A STUDENTS' CONFAB.</h3> + + +<p>The days passed, and Frank turned again to his studies. He was anxious +to prove to the professors that he could learn his lessons, as well as +play football.</p> + +<p>To be sure, he did not give up his sports entirely, nor his recreation +at the gym.</p> + +<p>As the days slipped by, many of the students became more or less +interested in a big, burly freshman, who went by the name of Hock Mason.</p> + +<p>Mason had proved himself a regular bruiser on more than one occasion, +and he was such a thoroughly "bad man," that some of the boys grew +afraid of him.</p> + +<p>One night there was a crowd gathered in Frank's room, and it was not +long before the conversation turned upon the "bad man," who was hardly +known to our hero.</p> + +<p>"He's a terror!"</p> + +<p>It was plain Halliday thought so. The manner in which he uttered the +words showed that he was fully satisfied on that point.</p> + +<p>"Is he scientific?" asked Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"No; but he is a bulldog," answered Halliday.</p> + +<p>"And a brute!" exclaimed Harry Rattleton.</p> + +<p>"That's right," nodded Danny Griswold. "Look at my eye. I hadn't an idea +that he thought of hitting me till he let me have it. Knocked me flat. +Felt as if I'd been kicked by a mule."</p> + +<p>"What did you do to cause him to strike you?" asked Frank.</p> + +<p>"Nothing. Just looked at him."</p> + +<p>"If he keeps this up," grunted Bruce Browning, who was stretched on the +couch, puffing away at a cigarette, "his career at Yale will be short."</p> + +<p>"That's right!" cried Jack Diamond, showing his teeth. "Some one will +kill him. If he struck me, I'd shoot him in a minute—in a minute!"</p> + +<p>Diamond meant it. There was hot blood in his veins. Frank's example had +taught him to control his fiery temper to a certain extent, but there +were times when it would blaze forth and get the best of him for all of +anything he could do.</p> + +<p>"It's a pity some fellow can't get at him and lick the stuffing out of +him," said Bandy Robinson. "That's what he needs."</p> + +<p>"Well, who is there that can do it?" cried Griswold. "He's a perfect +giant, over six feet tall, and must weigh nearly two hundred pounds, +though there's not an ounce of fat on him. He's all bone and muscle. He +strikes a regular prize-fighter blow, and he can't be hurt. I tell you, +he is a good man to let alone."</p> + +<p>"That's right," agreed Halliday. "I saw him do up those coppers the +other night, four of them, and they all had their clubs out."</p> + +<p>"Did they hit him?" asked Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Hit him! Well, I should guess yes. They cracked him eight or ten times +over the head and shoulders."</p> + +<p>"Somebody said it didn't have any effect on him," observed "Uncle" +Blossom, who was chewing gum as if his life depended on it.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit more than it would if they had hammered a block of wood," +declared Halliday. "It made me sick the first time they cracked him on +the head, and it sounded exactly as if they struck a piece of hard wood. +I expected it would lay him out stiff."</p> + +<p>"But he kept on his feet?"</p> + +<p>"He never staggered! Cut his scalp open in three places, and he bled +frightfully, but that only seemed to make him worse."</p> + +<p>"Very interesting," commented Frank, his eyes sparkling. "It would be an +honor to subdue such a fellow as that."</p> + +<p>"Honor?" cried Halliday and Griswold. "It would be a miracle!"</p> + +<p>"If he lives, he'll become a prize fighter," said Blossom. "He has their +brutal instincts, and still he seems to have some brains."</p> + +<p>"That's what makes him such a bad man—his brains," cried Halliday. "He +fights with his head, as well as with his hands."</p> + +<p>"I must say, you interest me greatly in this freshman," said Merriwell. +"What did you call his name—Mason?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Hock Mason. You've seen him. He's that big, red-headed bruiser, +who——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I've seen him," nodded Frank. "I know him by sight."</p> + +<p>"It's a wonder he hasn't jumped on you yet. You must have attracted his +notice, for you are the most popular man in college."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'll get at Merry in time," grinned Griswold. "All he is waiting +for is the opportunity."</p> + +<p>Frank laughed.</p> + +<p>"I don't know as I care about having any trouble with this freshman +bully," he confessed.</p> + +<p>"I should say not!" cried the others.</p> + +<p>"But I shall not run to get out of his way."</p> + +<p>"You'd better."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps some of you are aware that I can put up a good, stiff fight +myself."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but you can't lick a fellow you can't hurt."</p> + +<p>"There is no man living that can't be hurt—if you find out his tender +spot. If I were forced into trouble with this Hock Mason, I should try +to find how I could hurt him."</p> + +<p>"While you were finding it, Merry, he would kill you."</p> + +<p>Frank laughed again, showing not the least annoyance.</p> + +<p>"You think so, and you may be right. As I said before, I don't know as I +care to have any trouble with him; but, at the same time, I am not going +to run away from him. I never saw a genuine bully yet that was not a +squealer when he knew he had met his master, and I'll wager something +Mr. Hock Mason can be cowed, for all of his famous fight with the +policemen."</p> + +<p>"If you'd seen that fight, you might have a different opinion," put in +Halliday. "All he had was his bare fists, and he knocked those four cops +out. Why, when he struck one of them fairly, the man went down like a +stricken ox, and lay quivering on the ground. He knocked out two of +them, and then he grabbed the others by the collars. Both let him have +it with their clubs, but he just thumped their heads together and +dropped them. They were knocked out, and I wondered if their heads were +cracked. That made him a king among the freshmen. They're so scared of +him that they shiver when he looks at them. I don't believe there is a +freshman who likes him, but they pretend to, and they got him to his +room after the fight, washed him up, plastered up his head, and then +went forth and swore they knew nothing about the affair. The cops +couldn't spot their man when they tried, for Mason came out the next +morning looking as if nothing had happened. He wears his hair long, and +he's had it clipped away around the wounds on his head, plastered the +cuts up, and then combed his hair over the plasters. I tell you, he is a +bad man!"</p> + +<p>"Every bad man meets his match some day," said Frank.</p> + +<p>"Mason's match is not to be found in Yale."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not."</p> + +<p>"He's bound to be cock of the walk."</p> + +<p>"And are freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors going to allow this +brutal bully to walk on their necks?"</p> + +<p>"What else can they do?"</p> + +<p>"Kill him!" cried Jack Diamond, fiercely—"kill him, by the eternal +gods! He can't walk on my neck! If he tried it, I'd kill him, though I +hung for it!"</p> + +<p>"I don't think it is necessary to kill him," smiled Frank. "There's +always some way of subduing a bully. That way must be discovered, and he +must be subdued."</p> + +<p>"We'll owe you a vote of thanks if you discover it and do the job," said +Griswold.</p> + +<p>"Well, you are liable to owe Merriwell a vote of thanks, then," grunted +Browning. "I've traveled all over with him, and I never saw him take +water for anything that stood on legs. There are a few bad men out West, +but they didn't faze him."</p> + +<p>"Merry is all right," said Halliday. "He's a corker, and athlete, and is +built of pure sand, but he'd have to be built of iron to go up against a +big ruffian like this Mason. About the only way to subdue that fellow is +to kill him, as Diamond suggests."</p> + +<p>"He is growing more and more insolent and aggressive every day," said +Griswold. "If something isn't done to check him, he and his crowd of +followers will run over us. They are all getting insolent, and we have +received notice that they'll appear in a body to-night with tall hats +and canes. Mason will lead them, and they don't think we'll dare tackle +them."</p> + +<p>"We'll rush them, if we're killed!" cried Diamond, springing to his feet +and wildly pacing up and down the floor. "Are you in it, fellows? +Hark—what's that? They're out now! They're singing! It's a challenge! +Oh, there'll be a hot time around here to-night!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLVII" id="CHAPTER_XLVII"></a>CHAPTER XLVII.</h2> + +<h3>DIAMOND STRIKES A BLOW.</h3> + + +<p>Forty freshmen, with tall hats and canes, commanded by the giant, Hock +Mason, were singing, "That Bully." In the most belligerent manner +possible, they shouted the line:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"We're lookin' for that bully, and he must be found."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Behind them were more freshmen without silk hats and canes, but prepared +to take a hand in the scrimmage, if the juniors tried a rush.</p> + +<p>The freshmen had grown bold and saucy. Hock Mason bullied them, and they +were afraid of him, but they knew the juniors were afraid of him, too.</p> + +<p>They sang and shouted. They marched up and down with Mason leading. They +began to express their fears that the juniors would not dare try a rush.</p> + +<p>The juniors saw the freshmen were out in force, and they were not hasty +about making an assault. They seemed to lack a leader. They kept +gathering, but held aloof.</p> + +<p>The freshmen grew bolder and bolder. They invaded the campus. The +juniors were gathered at their fence. It was plain the freshmen meant to +rush them, and attempt to take the fence. The juniors prepared to +struggle to the bitter end.</p> + +<p>On came the freshmen. The others were outnumbered. It looked as if many +of them were afraid, and were keeping out of the <i>mêlée</i> that must come.</p> + +<p>The freshmen marched past the line along the fence. They were insulting. +They turned and marched back. Then, at a signal from their giant leader, +they attempted to sweep the juniors from the fence, and take it by +storm.</p> + +<p>There was a charge, a clash, and the battle was on.</p> + +<p>But it afterward developed that the juniors were far more crafty than +the freshmen thought. They had not concentrated their entire force at +the fence, but their main body were keeping out of sight and waiting for +the onset to begin, knowing the freshmen were in a mood to try something +desperate and unusual.</p> + +<p>The moment the freshmen made a rush for the fence, the second body of +their antagonists came with a wild charge.</p> + +<p>Frank Merriwell led them!</p> + +<p>In a moment such a battle was taking place there at the fence as had not +been witnessed since the old days at Yale—the good old fighting days.</p> + +<p>Almost immediately the freshmen were on the defensive, doing their best +to retain their hats and canes.</p> + +<p>Frank singled out Hock Mason, believing the best course was to engage +his entire attention without delay. He was urging the freshmen on, and +no one seemed to stand before him.</p> + +<p>With all the nerve he could command, putting all his strength and skill +into the effort, Merriwell went at Mason. He came upon the fellow like a +tornado.</p> + +<p>Frank did not try slugging tactics, but he caught Mason's cane with both +hands, and, giving it a twist and a whirl, snapped the big freshman into +the air and fairly flung him over his shoulder, tearing away the cane.</p> + +<p>It is possible that never before in all his life had Hock Mason been +handled in such a summary manner. He struck the ground with a thump, +bewildered beyond measure by what had happened, for he had not dreamed +any man at Yale could handle him that way, even if he were taken by +surprise.</p> + +<p>But Mason was not hurt in the least, and he was furious.</p> + +<p>Laughing triumphantly, Frank Merriwell spun the cane into the air and +caught it with the skill of a baton-thrower when it came down.</p> + +<p>Roaring like an enraged lion, Hock Mason scrambled to his feet. Somebody +gave Merriwell a push from behind, nearly throwing him down, and Mason +struck him behind the ear.</p> + +<p>It was one of the giant freshman's sledge-hammer blows, and Frank +dropped like a log.</p> + +<p>"Cuss ye!" snarled the bully. "I'll fix ye!"</p> + +<p>The brute in his nature was aroused, and he kicked the fallen lad in the +ribs with his toe.</p> + +<p>"Shame! shame!" cried a score of voices.</p> + +<p>Bruce Browning, with a roar of rage, tried to reach the brutal fellow, +but Jack Diamond was quicker.</p> + +<p>Jack had torn a heavy cane from a freshman, and now he wielded it, butt +foremost, with all the strength he could command.</p> + +<p>Whack!</p> + +<p>The blow might have been heard anywhere on the campus. It fell just +where the furious Virginian had intended it should—across the side of +Mason's head and behind his ear!</p> + +<p>The fellow who had stood on his feet before the blows of the policemen's +clubs now fell as if he had been shot, pitching headlong over Frank +Merriwell.</p> + +<p>Frank sat up, still grasping the cane he had captured from the bully. +Jack caught his hand and pulled him to his feet.</p> + +<p>Hock Mason lay at full length on the ground, gasping for breath.</p> + +<p>"He's dying!" cried somebody, horrified.</p> + +<p>The rush was over, freshmen and juniors stopped struggling in a moment, +and all gathered around the spot where the giant lay. His heavy rasping +breathing was terrifying.</p> + +<p>"He is dying, Diamond!" whispered Browning, in Jack's ear.</p> + +<p>"I don't care!" returned the Virginian, passionately.</p> + +<p>"But think—think what that means!"</p> + +<p>"I don't care!" repeated Jack. "He struck Frank—kicked him when he was +down! You know, Browning—you know how Merriwell stood by me on our trip +when all the rest of you turned against me, because I was out of sorts. +You know how he stood by me when I raved at him. Another fellow would +have told me to go to the Old Nick. I haven't forgotten those things. I +am ready to do anything for him!"</p> + +<p>"But if it should happen that you have killed this freshman——"</p> + +<p>"What then?"</p> + +<p>"It will go hard with you. A little while ago, in Merriwell's room, you +were saying you would kill him. It will look like a premeditated +murder."</p> + +<p>This hit Jack hard, but it did not stagger him.</p> + +<p>"I can't help it. I did the trick to keep him from killing Merriwell. +Merry was down, and that brute was kicking him. No one would dare try to +stop Mason with bare hands. I used the best and only means to stop him. +If he dies——Well, I'll take my chance with a jury of honest men."</p> + +<p>Browning felt that Diamond had nerve, for all that he was hot-headed and +passionate.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll hope the fellow isn't hurt much."</p> + +<p>Some one was bending over Mason, fanning him, while others were pushing +the crowd back.</p> + +<p>"Get back—give him air! Do you want to smother him to death?"</p> + +<p>"Smother time, perhaps," chirped Danny Griswold, who could not hold back +the pun, for all of the gravity of the situation.</p> + +<p>The rush had begun and ended so quickly that the faculty did not seem to +be aroused. Some of the students were watching for the expected +appearance of the professors, however.</p> + +<p>Water was brought, and Mason's temples were bathed. He continued to +breathe hoarsely for some time, plainly drawing his breath with the +utmost difficulty, but the sound gradually lessened, and he finally +struggled to sit up.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he growled, harshly. "Let me +alone! Let me get up!"</p> + +<p>Some one offered to help him.</p> + +<p>"Get out!" he snarled, flinging the fellow off. "What do I want of help? +What's the matter with my head? It is whirling."</p> + +<p>He got up, although it was with the utmost difficulty he could do so, +and there he stood in the midst of the crowd, swaying and putting his +hands to his head.</p> + +<p>Some could not believe their eyes. They had not thought it possible Hock +Mason could betray weakness.</p> + +<p>"Somebody struck me!" he harshly grated, glaring around. "Where is he? +I'll wring his neck as if he were a chicken! Where is the fellow?"</p> + +<p>All were silent.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll find out who it is," declared the bully, "and when I do, +I'll make him weep tears of blood. I'll make him wish he never had +been born. I'll——What's the matter with my head? It's going +around—around—around——"</p> + +<p>He would have fallen, but some of the freshmen caught hold of him, and +he was led from the campus toward his room.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLVIII" id="CHAPTER_XLVIII"></a>CHAPTER XLVIII.</h2> + +<h3>FACING THE BULLY.</h3> + + +<p>The events of that night created a sensation, forming a topic of general +conversation.</p> + +<p>Strangely enough, very few seemed to know who had struck Mason, and +those who did, kept silent, not wishing to be drawn into the affair, +being friendly toward Diamond.</p> + +<p>Jack was not at all excited or alarmed over it, and he did not show +concern when he was told over and over that the giant freshman would be +sure to make good his threat, if possible.</p> + +<p>"Let him try it!" said the lad from Virginia. "Next time I will finish +him. I do not propose to fool with a beast like him."</p> + +<p>From the campus a party of students went direct to Frank's room. Frank +had the cane he had taken from Mason.</p> + +<p>"It will make a fine ornament for my room," he laughed, as he placed it +conspicuously over the mantel.</p> + +<p>"Jove!" cried Danny Griswold. "You should be proud of it. You took it +from Mason so quick that the fellow was dazed."</p> + +<p>"That was the flittiest pring I ever saw—I mean the prettiest fling I +ever saw," excitedly declared Rattleton. "How did you do it, Merry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that was a simple trick," smiled Frank.</p> + +<p>"It would have bumped the wind out of any other fellow, but it didn't +seem to damage Mason much," observed Charlie Creighton.</p> + +<p>"It was Diamond's little rap that damaged him," grunted Browning, who +had again captured a couch.</p> + +<p>"That was a corker!" broke forth Banny Robinson.</p> + +<p>"A corker!" echoed Halliday. "I should guess yes! It dropped him in his +tracks, and I saw the cops hammer him over the head with their clubs +till they were tired without bringing him to his knees."</p> + +<p>"I intended to lay him out when I struck him," said Jack, his eyes +flashing. "I hit him on exactly the right spot."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry you did it, old man," said Creighton, soberly.</p> + +<p>"I'm not!" returned Diamond, instantly.</p> + +<p>"He is sure to make it hot for you."</p> + +<p>"Let him try it! He was kicking Merry, and Merry was down. If I'd had an +iron bar, I should have cracked him with it, after seeing him sink his +toe into Frank's ribs."</p> + +<p>Merriwell took a long step toward Jack and grasped his hand.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Diamond," he said, soberly and sincerely. "It is a true +friend who stands by a man when he is down."</p> + +<p>He glanced around at the others a moment after saying this, and the eyes +of some of them failed to meet his. They remembered how, a short time +before, Frank had been somewhat unpopular because of his refusal to play +on the football team, and many of them had turned against him. They knew +well enough that Merriwell had not forgotten it, and he thought of it +when he spoke. Diamond was one of the few who had stood by him when he +was most unpopular.</p> + +<p>"The time has come," said Browning, slowly, "when this bully must be +shown that he is not cock of the walk."</p> + +<p>"Who'll show him?" cried several voices.</p> + +<p>"Merriwell didn't hesitate about tackling him to-night—and got the best +of him in a fair way. He struck a foul blow, and——"</p> + +<p>"A terrible blow it was," confessed Frank, soberly. "I felt as if I had +been kicked in the head by a mule."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'll kill a weak fellow with a fair blow of his fist!" exclaim +Halliday.</p> + +<p>"If we can't do anything else," said Browning, "we'll have to organize +against him. If we were to do that, we could bring him to time after a +while."</p> + +<p>Danny Griswold lighted a cigarette, and perched himself on top of the +table.</p> + +<p>"If Merry will be our leader we may do something," he said.</p> + +<p>"I am not in favor of the scheme," declared Frank.</p> + +<p>All regarded him in surprise.</p> + +<p>"You are not?" they cried.</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"It seems cowardly for several fellows to band together against one."</p> + +<p>"But it's all the way he can be subdued. What can we do?"</p> + +<p>"I am not certain it is the only way he can be subdued."</p> + +<p>"Suggest another."</p> + +<p>"I won't make any suggestions to-night, but I will think it over."</p> + +<p>"We should organize for the protection of Diamond," suggested Creighton. +"He is bound to find out Jack struck him the blow that knocked him out, +and then——"</p> + +<p>"Don't worry about me," broke in the Virginian. "I am not afraid of Hock +Mason. He might kill me, but he'd never be able to make me squeal."</p> + +<p>This was not boasting. Those who knew Jack Diamond best realized that he +spoke nothing more than the simple truth. Brute force might conquer him +physically, but his heart could not be conquered in such a manner.</p> + +<p>Creighton was in earnest about forming some sort of a combination, +offensive and defensive, against Mason, but Merriwell would not go into +it, and the scheme failed to go into effect.</p> + +<p>Some one suggested that Mason might be hurt more severely than they +supposed, and Robinson went out to find out, if possible, about it. He +finally returned, but brought no information.</p> + +<p>"It would be a good thing if he couldn't get into bed for a day or two," +said Halliday; "but you'll see him about as well as ever to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Ben was right. Mason came forth to chapel in the morning, and, from his +appearance, no one could have told that he had been knocked out in such +manner the night before.</p> + +<p>Straightway the giant freshman set about trying to discover just who it +was that struck him, but those he questioned did not know, or lied by +saying they did not know.</p> + +<p>Mason grew more and more furious as time progressed and he failed to +learn what he desired. He swore that he would find out before night, and +the fellow should suffer.</p> + +<p>At noon a crowd gathered at the fence and talked the matter over. +Charlie Creighton was there, and again he was in favor of organizing +against the freshmen.</p> + +<p>While they were talking, Mason was seen approaching.</p> + +<p>"Here he comes!" was the general exclamation.</p> + +<p>"And he's out for blood!" declared Creighton. "His manner shows that. +There is going to be trouble."</p> + +<p>Before reaching the fence, Mason encountered Danny Griswold. Instantly +he collared the little fellow.</p> + +<p>"Griswold," he said, "I know that you know who struck me last night. If +you don't tell, I'm going to give you the worst drubbing you ever +received."</p> + +<p>Danny shrank away, saying:</p> + +<p>"I didn't see the fellow hit you."</p> + +<p>"But you know who did it. You can't deny that. Who was it?"</p> + +<p>"I can't tell."</p> + +<p>Mason raised his heavy fist.</p> + +<p>"Tell, or I'll break your pretty little nose!" he grated.</p> + +<p>There was a step near at hand, and a calm voice said:</p> + +<p>"Drop it, Mason! You should be ashamed to bully a man smaller than +yourself. Don't dare to strike him!"</p> + +<p>Hock looked around in astonishment.</p> + +<p>Frank Merriwell was close at hand, coolly standing there, with his hands +thrust into his pockets.</p> + +<p>"Hey?" cried Mason, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"You heard what I said, freshman," spoke Frank, as coolly as ever.</p> + +<p>There was a stir at the fence, for the students there saw all and heard +all.</p> + +<p>"Jingoes! Merriwell has a nerve!" gasped one.</p> + +<p>"Mason will thump him, sure!" said another.</p> + +<p>"If he does——"</p> + +<p>"Hark!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I heard what you said," flung back the bully; "but what you say +chops no frost. If I want to thump this chap I'll thump him, and twenty +fellows like you can't stop me."</p> + +<p>"You overestimate your ability, freshman," said Frank, and his coolness +was most exasperating. "If you thump that chap, one fellow will thump +you."</p> + +<p>"Jee whiz!" palpitated one of the students at the fence, "Now he's in +for it!"</p> + +<p>"There'll be gore spilled!" muttered Creighton.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry for Merriwell!" said another.</p> + +<p>"Eh?" gurgled Hock Mason, more astonished than ever. "Is that a fact?"</p> + +<p>"That is."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm going to thump him!"</p> + +<p>Again he lifted his fist, and Danny Griswold cowered before it.</p> + +<p>"Stop, Mason!" cried Frank, his voice hard and cold. "Strike him, and +I'll give you a mark to remember me by!"</p> + +<p>"Ho, ho!" sneered Mason, and he smashed Griswold in the face.</p> + +<p>The moment the bully struck the little fellow, he released his collar +and whirled toward Frank.</p> + +<p>Merriwell kept his word.</p> + +<p>Crack—Frank's fist struck fairly on Hock Mason's left eye, and the big +bully was knocked down in a second.</p> + +<p>The witnesses gasped with astonishment.</p> + +<p>With a roar of rage, Mason leaped to his feet and came at Merriwell, +somewhat blinded and dazed, but raging like a mad bull.</p> + +<p>With the utmost ease Frank avoided the big fellow, and then he struck +Mason again.</p> + +<p>The second blow did not knock the giant down, but it stopped him a +moment, and the blood began to run down his face.</p> + +<p>Frank's fist had cut a long gash over the bully's right eye, and the +blood quickly began to blind Hock, for already his left eye was swelling +swiftly, showing it might be entirely closed in a few moments.</p> + +<p>Mason wiped away the blood with his coat sleeve, and went at Frank with +another rush.</p> + +<p>Merriwell dodged, thrust out his foot, and tripped the freshman, sending +him to the ground with a thud.</p> + +<p>Over by the fence a little party witnessed all this with astonishment +unspeakable.</p> + +<p>Was this Mason, the freshman bully, who was being handled in such a +manner by Merriwell? Was this the man who had knocked out four New Haven +cops?</p> + +<p>Mason had struck at Frank savagely enough to lay him out, but Merriwell +easily dodged the blow.</p> + +<p>Now the bully got upon his feet the second time. Blood was streaming +down his face, and he was fast going blind. He looked around for +Merriwell, but saw him dimly and indistinctly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, hang you!" he cried. "You took me by surprise, and I can't see you +now. If I could get hold of you——"</p> + +<p>"But you can't do it, you know," said Frank, cheerfully, as he skipped +out of the reach of his enemy's long arms.</p> + +<p>Mason whirled around dizzily. He began to realize that it would be +foolish to attempt to get the best of Merriwell then.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll fix you for this—I will!" he grated.</p> + +<p>"You think you will, but you won't," was the calm reply. "I shall be on +the watch for you, and this is but a taste of what you'll get the next +time you go up against me. Your days as a bully around here are over. I +told you I would mark you, and I have. Whenever you look in a mirror for +some time to come you will see something to remember me by."</p> + +<p>"Whenever I look in a mirror for some time to come I shall remember you, +and I'll repeat my vow to make you regret the day you ever saw me. Next +time we meet to fight, I'll hammer you within an inch of your life!"</p> + +<p>Then, holding a blood-stained handkerchief to his bleeding eye, he +turned and hastened away.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XLIX" id="CHAPTER_XLIX"></a>CHAPTER XLIX.</h2> + +<h3>TO THE RESCUE.</h3> + + +<p>Danny Griswold danced and crowed with delight.</p> + +<p>"Oh, scissors!" cried the little fellow. "I don't mind the crack he gave +me a bit. It was worth it to see him get done up like that. And it was +done so quick!"</p> + +<p>The fellows at the fence rushed forward and gathered around Merriwell.</p> + +<p>"Never touched you at all, did he?" asked Creighton.</p> + +<p>"Didn't come within a hundred miles of me," smiled Frank.</p> + +<p>Then they got him by the hand, shook it, congratulated him, complimented +him, expressed their wonder, and some of them almost seemed to doubt if +they had actually seen Hock Mason done up in less than two minutes.</p> + +<p>"Quickest job on record," declared Silas Blossom. "Biff—biff—it was +over. Didn't suppose he could be licked like that."</p> + +<p>"He wasn't licked," said Frank. "It is a mistake to think that. I took +particular pains to give him the first soaker in the left eye, and that +eye was closing up on him so he couldn't see out of it very well. Then I +let him have the next one on the right eye, and skinned my knuckles, +see? Those knuckles cut him over the eye, and he bled as if he had been +stabbed. The blood got into his eye, and he was more than half blind. +That was what stopped him, and I hoped all the time that I might do it, +for I will confess that I have no desire to receive one of his +prize-fighter thumps. I was lucky to do the trick just as I planned it."</p> + +<p>"And you had a nerve to stand up to him at all," said Deacon Dunning. +"Especially here on the campus at this time of day, when it would mean +something serious if the faculty knew of the fight."</p> + +<p>"That was another thing I was thinking about," said Frank. "I wanted to +end the scrap as soon as possible, so we'd not be seen at it by anybody +who'd make trouble for us. Hope it won't kick up a muss and get us +hauled over the irons."</p> + +<p>They were astounded by Merriwell's coolness. He did not seem in the +least ruffled by his encounter with the "bad man" of the freshman class, +and was not particularly elated by his easy victory. He seemed to take +it as a matter of course—a thing he had known would end just as it did.</p> + +<p>It was not long before every freshman and junior knew what had happened, +but all alike were slow to believe it possible. Frank Merriwell, +single-handed, had got the best of Hock Mason—no, no, that could not be +true!</p> + +<p>The most of them wished to believe it, but could not at first. Mason was +not popular among the freshmen, although he was their leader. He had +bullied them too much, and he had many secret enemies, who pretended to +his face that they were his friends.</p> + +<p>The eyewitnesses of the encounter were forced to tell the story over and +over till they were tired. Every one seemed to desire to know to the +minutest particular just how Merriwell had gone to work to do the trick.</p> + +<p>Some said it was pure accident, while others declared Hock Mason could +not be knocked out by an accident. The latter were inclined to give +Frank credit for all he had done, but the most of them prophesied that +Mason would kill Merriwell as soon as his eyes were in condition to +allow him to see properly.</p> + +<p>Diamond had not seen the encounter, a fact which he bemoaned very much.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Christopher!" he cried. "It was just my luck not to be around, and +I'd given ten dollars to see it."</p> + +<p>Frank told him how Danny had refused to divulge the knowledge Mason had +desired.</p> + +<p>"That shows little Gris has sand," said Jack. "But I'm sorry he didn't +speak right up and tell Mason who it was. I don't want anybody to get +thumped for keeping my secrets."</p> + +<p>"It's all right. I don't think Mason slugged him hard. Anyway, he only +made a sore place on Danny's cheek bone."</p> + +<p>"I am going to take pains to let Mason know who it was thumped him with +the cane. You're not going to fight him alone, Merry."</p> + +<p>But that did not please Frank at all.</p> + +<p>"You're going to do nothing of the sort, Diamond," he promptly declared. +"The fight is on between Mason and Merriwell now, and you will keep out +of it. I haven't made any talk about it, but it's my object to subdue +this fellow, if possible, so there will be no further trouble with him."</p> + +<p>"You may need help."</p> + +<p>"I think not. It will be better for one man to do the job, as that will +humiliate him, while he is such a bull-headed chump that he would never +submit till he was killed if there was a party against him."</p> + +<p>Diamond seemed to feel sorry that he could not get into it somehow. He +even accused Frank of crowding him out. He had formed such a strong +hatred for Mason that he felt as if it would be the greatest +satisfaction of his life to do something to humble and crush the fellow.</p> + +<p>But Frank knew Jack well enough to be sure it would not do for the +hot-blooded Virginian to be deeply mixed in the affair, as he would not +hesitate at anything in order to get the best of the freshman he hated.</p> + +<p>Diamond's soul rose up in scorn and contempt for a brutal fellow like +Mason. He actually felt that it would be a desirable thing to call Mason +out and shoot him in a duel.</p> + +<p>Merriwell's popularity rose to the flood when it was known that he had +not hesitated to face the freshman bully in defense of Danny Griswold, +and had got the best of the encounter. Every one congratulated Frank, +and shook hands with him till he was tired of it all, and felt like +keeping out of sight in his room.</p> + +<p>But he knew it would not do to keep close in his room, for then it would +be said that, although he had faced Mason once, he was afraid of the +vengeance of the infuriated bully.</p> + +<p>Frank went out more than had been his habit for some time. He had been +devoting himself with unusual closeness to his studies, his main object +being to stand so well in the spring that there would be no drawback +about going onto the baseball team.</p> + +<p>Mason kept close in his room, had a doctor, and made the excuse that he +had inflammation of the eyes so he could not appear at recitations and +found it impossible to study.</p> + +<p>To those who knew all about it, the bully's excuse provided great +amusement.</p> + +<p>Three evenings after the encounter a jolly party gathered in Traeger's. +Ale was freely consumed, stories told and jokes sprung.</p> + +<p>Frank Merriwell was one of the party, and, as usual, he drank nothing +but "soft stuff." Under no circumstances could he be induced to take a +drink of liquor.</p> + +<p>Frank's temperance principles were so well known that it was seldom any +one urged him to drink anything. Occasionally they would jolly him, and +he was often spoken of as the "Worthy Chief of the Good Templars." He +did not mind this, however, and he often said that, as he never drank +anything but raw alcohol of the rankest kind, and he couldn't get that +at the places he patronized, he refused to take anything at all.</p> + +<p>But he could be as jolly as any of the rest, and his stories and songs +always "took." He was the life of any party, and, naturally, his society +was much sought.</p> + +<p>While the party was making merry in Traeger's, Dismal Jones wandered in. +He paused and regarded them sadly, then said:</p> + +<p>"Feasting, song and merriment within; cold, bitterness and misery +without."</p> + +<p>"Without what?" chirped Danny Griswold.</p> + +<p>"Without yonder portal," solemnly returned Jones. "As I approached this +gilded snare of Satan, I chanced to behold one who hath lately removed +from one eye a beef-steak poultice, and whose other eye is in the +neighborhood of several strips of plaster."</p> + +<p>"Mason?" cried several.</p> + +<p>"Verily thou hast named him," bowed Dismal. "He stood there shivering in +the bitter cold, while about him gathered his wretched followers. It was +a sad and heart-rending sight. I was touched—no, I mean I was afraid I +would be touched, and I hastened hither to seek something that would +drive from me memory that sad spectacle. Hot toddy, please."</p> + +<p>"Mason?" exclaimed Diamond. "I wonder why the fellow is hanging around +here?"</p> + +<p>"Looking for Merry, perhaps," laughed Paul Pierson.</p> + +<p>"He wants to look out, or he will get merry thunder," laughed Lewis +Little.</p> + +<p>"He got that the last time," said Andy Emery.</p> + +<p>"Boys," said Danny Griswold, with sudden seriousness, "I believe there +is something in the air."</p> + +<p>"What?" asked several.</p> + +<p>"Dust," chuckled Danny. "There's a high wind to-night."</p> + +<p>"Hit him quick!" cried Halliday. "Hit him hard!"</p> + +<p>"A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!" laughed Joe Gamp, a big, hulking fellow from New +Hampshire. "Darned if that little runt ain't alwus doin' that. A-haw! +a-haw! a-haw!"</p> + +<p>Gamp had a laugh that was infectious. He seldom burst into a hearty roar +that every one in hearing did not roar also. On this occasion Dismal +Jones was the only man who did not join in the laughter. Dismal sipped +his hot toddy, and looked sad and reproachful.</p> + +<p>Mason was forgotten. Jokes and stories followed. Merriwell sang a song. +The party showed no signs of breaking up, and Frank decided that he must +get some sleep, so he reluctantly bade them good-night.</p> + +<p>"I'm going along," said Rattleton, rising.</p> + +<p>"Don't want us all to go to protect you from Mason and his gang, do +you?" asked Puss Parker.</p> + +<p>"I think not," smiled Frank. "I am not afraid of Mason himself, and I +hardly think he'll call on any of his friends to help him lick me. +Good-night, fellows."</p> + +<p>"Good-night!"</p> + +<p>"Good-night, Merry!"</p> + +<p>"So long, old man!"</p> + +<p>"Good luck, Frank!"</p> + +<p>Any one hearing them bid him good-night would have known he was a very +popular fellow. Every man there joined in the general chorus, and Frank +went out laughing, his heart warm within his bosom.</p> + +<p>"A jolly lot of fellows, Rattles," he said, "and white men, every one of +them."</p> + +<p>"Oh, they are jolly enough," admitted Harry; "but I hope you have not +forgotten that almost every one of them turned his back on you when they +fancied you were afraid of Rob Marline and did not dare play on the +football team."</p> + +<p>"It is best to forget such things as that," returned Frank. "It seemed +to all of them that I showed the white feather, and, not knowing me as +well as they might, they were disgusted. It also seemed that I was +willing to let Yale go on the field with a weak team when it might be +strengthened if I would play. Yale men are loyal to old Eli. They will +forgive a personal affront quicker than anything that looks like +cowardice or treachery toward Yale."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, if that's the way you look at it, I have nothing to say."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_L" id="CHAPTER_L"></a>CHAPTER L.</h2> + +<h3>AGAINST ODDS.</h3> + + +<p>Five minutes after Merriwell and Rattleton left Traeger's the latter +came rushing back, hatless, excited and out of breath. He burst in upon +the merry party, gasping:</p> + +<p>"Quick? quick! They've got him!"</p> + +<p>"Hey?" cried several, astounded. "Got who?"</p> + +<p>"Merry!"</p> + +<p>"Who's got him?"</p> + +<p>"Gang with—masks—over—faces!" palpitated Rattleton.</p> + +<p>"What's this?" shouted Paul Pierson. "The deuce you say!"</p> + +<p>"It's right," declared Harry. "Mason's gang—know it was—Mason's gang!"</p> + +<p>Every man was on his feet.</p> + +<p>"To the rescue!" shouted Jack Diamond.</p> + +<p>Out of Traeger's they poured. Rattleton led them. He took them to the +dark street where the gang had suddenly jumped out and pounced upon +Merriwell and himself.</p> + +<p>"It was right here," he said. "Yes—here's my hat. I got a soaker in the +jaw—knocked me stiff for a moment. They piled onto Merry. Had a cab +waiting—bundled him into it. Before I could give him a hand, they were +carrying him off in the cab."</p> + +<p>"How many of them?" asked Pierson.</p> + +<p>"I don't know—six or seven."</p> + +<p>"Well, they have got away with him. They're gone. There is no cab in +sight. What are we going to do?"</p> + +<p>"Try to follow some way!" cried Diamond. "We must find them! We must +stand by Merriwell! Oh, curse it! We might have known something was up +when Jones told us he saw Mason outside."</p> + +<p>"Sure!" agreed the others.</p> + +<p>"I said there was something in the air," put in Griswold, but no one +paid the slightest attention to him.</p> + +<p>"We should have gone along with Merry," grated the excited Virginian. +"Then, if the gang had tried to jump him—oh, we'd given them a hot +time!"</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose they'll do with him?" asked somebody.</p> + +<p>"Do?" palpitated Rattleton. "The infernal skunks will do something +dirty! Mason is playing to get square. He has sworn to hammer the life +out of Merry, and he'll try to keep his word."</p> + +<p>"It's a dirty trick!" fluttered Diamond. "If Merry is harmed, we should +stand together and tar and feather Mason."</p> + +<p>"We will!"</p> + +<p>Every man there uttered the shout, and they were in earnest.</p> + +<p>For some moments they lingered near the spot, and then they started +along the street in the direction Rattleton said the cab had taken. They +found a policeman after a time, and he had seen a closed cab go past in +a hurry. He told them the direction it had taken.</p> + +<p>They tried to trace the kidnaped junior, but the attempt was a failure. +At last they gave it up. Vowing vengeance on all freshmen in general and +Hock Mason in particular, they went back to Traeger's.</p> + +<p>The story spread. It was not long before every junior abroad that +evening knew what had happened. Fierce were the threats made against the +freshmen.</p> + +<p>The hour grew late, and some of the fellows decided to go to Merriwell's +room and wait for him. They anticipated that he would be released after +Mason had obtained his revenge.</p> + +<p>To their astonishment, Merriwell's door was not locked. They opened it +and walked in.</p> + +<p>Merriwell was there!</p> + +<p>"Come in, fellows!" called Frank, cheerfully.</p> + +<p>He was examining some of his clothes. They were the clothes he had worn +that evening, and a glance showed they were torn and ruined.</p> + +<p>"Just looking over this suit, to see how much it was damaged," Merriwell +laughed. "It strikes me it is knocked out. Won't ever be able to wear it +again."</p> + +<p>Then he saw them standing and staring at him in astonishment, and he +asked:</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"Rattleton must have been stringing us!" exclaimed Puss Parker.</p> + +<p>"Lot on your nife—I mean not on your life!" spluttered Harry. "I gave +it to you straight."</p> + +<p>"But Merriwell is here—all right."</p> + +<p>"How long have you been here, Merry?" asked Browning.</p> + +<p>"Came in about ten minutes ago," answered Frank. "Just had time to +change my clothes before you chaps drifted in."</p> + +<p>"Then they did carry you off?"</p> + +<p>"Rather."</p> + +<p>"But you're all right?"</p> + +<p>"Never was better."</p> + +<p>"Mason didn't get revenge on you?"</p> + +<p>"Not this evening."</p> + +<p>"Tell us about it!" cried Browning and Halliday, together.</p> + +<p>"Yes, tell us," urged Parker. "You've been in some kind of a scrimmage. +That's evident by the appearance of the clothes you have taken off. Tell +us what happened."</p> + +<p>"I suppose Rattles has told you how they jumped us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, they had me before I could do a thing. I rather think Mason got +his hands on me. Anyhow, it was some big fellow with the strength of +Samson. Before I could strike for myself I was bundled into a cab, and +two or three of them were in there with me. They told me to keep still. +My hands were twisted behind my back and tied. Then they carried me +off."</p> + +<p>"Didn't I give it to you straight?" cried Harry.</p> + +<p>"Where did they carry you?" asked Halliday, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Somewhere out of town. They didn't talk much—didn't want me to +recognize their voices, I suppose. I kept still, as they told me, but I +was trying to work my hands free all the time. I found I could do it, +but I waited till they stopped and bundled me out of the cab. Then——"</p> + +<p>"Then?" cried the listening boys, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Then I slipped my hands out of the ropes and sailed into them."</p> + +<p>"Wish I'd been there," grunted Browning, with unusual animation.</p> + +<p>"Go on, Frank—go on!" cried the others.</p> + +<p>"It was a right tight little scrap," laughed Merriwell; "but they were +taken by surprise, and that gave me a show. One or two of them got hold +of me. They tore my clothes. Once they got me down, but I managed to get +away and got onto my feet. I told them I was going to mark the whole +crowd so I would know them in the morning, and I think I did it for the +most of them. It was dark, or I should have known them, for I ripped the +masks off nearly all of the gang. Every time I could, I slugged a fellow +in the eye, and some of them will have their peepers decorated +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Rattleton fell to laughing.</p> + +<p>"Oh, gee!" he cried. "They were monkeying with a cyclone! They'll +remember you, Merry!"</p> + +<p>"I intended that they should. At last, seeing I could not lick the gang, +and they were bound to get the best of me in the end, if I persisted in +trying to do so, I took to my heels and ran for it. One fellow gave me a +red-hot chase. He was a sprinter, fellows. I found I had drawn him on +ahead of the others, and I slacked till he was close at my heels. He +thought he was overtaking me. All at once I stopped short and turned on +him. He couldn't stop or dodge, and he ran against my fist. Well, I am +dead sure he'll bear my mark to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Merriwell was congratulated. Alone and single-handed he had bested his +enemies, a feat that was sure to add to his record.</p> + + +<h3>THE END.</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_FAMOUS_Frank_Merriwell_Stories" id="THE_FAMOUS_Frank_Merriwell_Stories"></a>THE FAMOUS Frank Merriwell Stories</h2> + +<h3>By BURT L. STANDISH</h3> + +<h3>"<i>BEST OF ALL BOYS' BOOKS</i>"</h3> + + +<p>No modern series of tales for boys and youths has met with anything like +the cordial reception and popularity accorded to the Frank Merriwell +Stories.</p> + +<p>There must be a reason for this and there is. Frank Merriwell, as +portrayed by the author, is a jolly, whole-souled, honest, courageous +American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the boys. He has no bad +habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea that it is not necessary +for a boy to indulge in petty vices to be a hero. Frank Merriwell's +example is a shining light for every ambitious lad to follow.</p> + + +<p><i>Twenty-four volumes ready</i></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's School Days<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Skill<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Chums<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Champions<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Foes<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Trip West<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Secret<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell Down South<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Loyalty<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Bravery<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Reward<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Races<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Faith<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Hunting Tour<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Victories<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Sports Afield<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Power<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell at Yale<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Set-Back<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Courage<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's False Friend<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Daring<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Frank Merriwell's Brother<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_MOTOR_POWER_SERIES" id="THE_MOTOR_POWER_SERIES"></a><i>THE MOTOR POWER SERIES</i></h2> + +<h3>Donald Grayson's Famous Motor Stories for Boys</h3> + + +<p>Mr. Grayson is an accomplished writer of up-to-the-minute juvenile +stories which are eagerly read by modern American lads.</p> + +<p>In his new series, his characters have exciting adventures with every +kind of motor-driven machines—motor cycles, automobiles, aeroplanes and +submarines.</p> + +<p>You may readily see what a vast field for adventures Mr. Grayson has +chosen.</p> + + +<p><i>Now Ready</i></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE'S MOTOR CYCLE<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE ON HIGH GEAR<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE FROM AUTO TO AIRSHIP<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE AFLOAT IN THE CLOUDS<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE'S SUBMARINE CRUISE<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE IN STRANGE WATERS<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE'S MOTOR BOAT<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE'S WINNING RACE<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE'S NEW AËROPLANE<br /></span> +<span class="i0">BOB STEELE'S LAST FLIGHT<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale, by +Burt L. 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Standish + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + +Author: Burt L. Standish + +Release Date: February 1, 2011 [EBook #35127] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE + + BY BURT L. STANDISH + +AUTHOR OF "Frank Merriwell's Schooldays," "Frank Merriwell's Trip West," +"Frank Merriwell's Chums," "Frank Merriwell's Foes," "Frank Merriwell +Down South," etc. + + + PHILADELPHIA. + DAVID MCKAY, PUBLISHER, + 604-8 SOUTH WASHINGTON SQUARE. + + Copyright, 1897 and 1904 + By STREET & SMITH + + Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + + + + +[Illustration: "The door opened and in walked Frank Merriwell."] + + + + +FRANK MERRIWELL'S RETURN TO YALE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +GREETINGS ON THE CAMPUS. + + +"Ah, there, Merriwell!" + +Frank Merriwell was crossing the campus at good old Yale, and this cry, +in a familiar voice, sounded from Durfee Hall. + +He turned his eyes toward the favorite dormitory, and seated at an open +window on the ground floor he saw his classmate, Jones, he of the famous +nickname, "Dismal." + +"Hello, Dismal," called Frank, "aren't you going to come out and shake +hands with a fellow?" + +"I would if it wasn't for the shower," responded Jones, whose usually +solemn face was graver than ever. + +"Shower?" repeated Frank, looking up in surprise at the perfectly clear +sky. + +"I see that you've just arrived, so that you probably haven't noticed +it," said Dismal, coming out of his window to avoid going around through +the hall. + +He came slowly across the grass plot that lay between him and Frank and +held out his hand, saying: + +"How are you, Frank? I'm glad to see you." + +Frank, who had just come from the railway station, had a gripsack in +each hand. He set them down upon the grass and shook Dismal's hand +warmly. + +"There it goes!" exclaimed Dismal, with something like animation, "the +shower's begun again." + +Frank's brows wrinkled in perplexity. + +"I don't see any signs of a shower," he said. + +"That's because you haven't been here all the morning," returned Jones, +solemnly. "I've been sitting there in my window for fully three hours +watching it; it's been a perfect rain of gripsacks on the campus. Every +fellow that comes along stops to shake hands with everybody he meets, +and every time he stops, down goes his gripsacks." + +Frank laughed. + +"You're the same old cheerful joker, Dismal," he said. "But you're +beginning early. If you keep up this sort of thing you'll actually get +caught laughing before the end of the junior year." + +There was a faint shadow of a smile on Dismal's face as he responded: + +"Well, anyhow, Frank, I'm glad to see all the fellows come trooping +back. Are you glad to get here yourself?" + +"Why, of course I am." + +"Had a good time during the vacation?" + +"I always have a good time," said Frank. "Don't you?" + +"Oh, yes, in my way. To tell the truth, I spent most of the summer +dreading the day when I should have to come back to the confounded old +books, and lectures and examinations; but I got here yesterday, and now +I'm dreading the time I shall have to go away again." + +"Then I see that you're sure to enjoy yourself during the junior year," +said Frank, stooping to pick up his gripsacks. + +"When I've got my room in order I'll come around and go to luncheon with +you." + +"Do!" replied Dismal. "I'll go back to my window seat and watch the +shower. Hello! there comes Browning, and he's loaded down with +gripsacks, too. My, but there'll be a perfect torrent!" + +Big Bruce Browning came up with friendly words of greeting, and as +Dismal had predicted, he set down his gripsacks in order to get his +hands free. + +"It's getting worse and worse!" remarked Dismal, as if worried about it, +"for here comes Rattleton and Diamond from one direction and Harold Page +from another." + +The last named students were on their way, just as Frank had been, to +their respective rooms, and each carried more or less baggage, except +Diamond, who, being something of an aristocrat, had sent all his traps +to his room on a wagon. + +Seeing Frank standing near Durfee, they all turned toward him, and in a +moment there was a lively exchange of greetings and small talk. + +Four of these students, Merriwell himself, Jack Diamond, Bruce Browning +and Harry Rattleton, had not been long separated, to be sure, but after +a sporting trip which they had undertaken across the continent, it was +like meeting after a long absence to find themselves together again at +Yale. + +It was the beginning of a new college year, and members of all classes +were trooping back to begin their work. + +While these juniors were discussing all manner of things that interest +students, such as the prospects of the football eleven, the make-up of +next year's crew, and the coming elections into secret societies, +members of other classes were scattered about the campus chatting in +much the same way. + +Among those who appeared upon the famous quadrangle were many who +belonged to the incoming freshman class. It was easy to recognize them, +for, as Rattleton observed: + +"You can tell a freshman with the naked eye." + +They were either proceeding in a fearful hurry, as if they thought they +were in danger of getting in late to an examination, or they were +standing in awkward idleness looking at the strange buildings and +evidently not knowing which way to turn and dreading to ask anybody a +question. + +The juniors smiled indulgently as a group of three or four candidates +for the freshman class passed them. + +The newcomers were discussing an examination from which they had just +come, telling each other how they had answered certain questions and +wondering if they would get marked high enough to pass. + +"I can sympathize with them," remarked Diamond. "I know just the kind of +shivers they're suffering from." + +"What jolly good subjects those fellows would be for a quiet hazing," +remarked Page. + +"You mustn't forget," said Frank, "that we're juniors now, and therefore +out of it so far as hazing is concerned." + +"That's right," added Browning, "the freshies are nothing to us; they're +far beneath us." + +"Except in one sense," said Frank. "The sophomores, you know, will get +even for the hazing we gave them, by taking it out of the freshies, and +so it becomes our duty, in a way, to take care of the freshmen and see +that they get fair treatment." + +Speaking of this it may be well to explain that in all colleges the +juniors take this attitude toward the freshmen. + +As a rule the freshman receives the attention of a junior with a great +deal of gratitude, but also as a rule he does not find that it amounts +to very much. + +The junior is ever ready to give him a good deal of solid advice, and a +great deal more ready to get the freshman to do errands for him, and all +manner of odd jobs that the freshman is quite sure to do, until, as the +boys say, he tumbles to the fact that after all the junior is really +making game of him. + +"Speaking of hazing, though," said Page, suddenly, "I've got a new +room." + +"Have you? Where is it?" asked Rattleton. + +"It's up High Street a way, in one of the oldest houses in New Haven." + +"Good room?" asked Browning. + +"Capital! I've got to do some grinding this year and the room will suit +me exactly for that, but there'll be hours when the books can be +forgotten, and then you fellows'll find that the room is a corker for +cards or any sort of jollification." + +"I don't see what that's got to do with hazing," remarked Merriwell. +"You said that the hazing reminded you of it." + +"Yes, I'll tell you why, or rather I'll show you. There's something +about that room that would be perfectly immense if we were sophomores +now. Come down and see it, will you?" + +"Better wait a week," said Browning, picking up his bags, "I'm busy +now." + +"How extraordinary!" remarked Dismal Jones. "If the faculty should hear +that Browning was busy they'd give him a warning!" + +Browning frowned in mock anger and Frank, putting on an expression quite +as solemn as Dismal's own, and laying his hand on Dismal's shoulder, +said: + +"The fact is, boys, Jones has become ambitious. He knows that the +election of class-day officers is only a little more than a year away, +and he's getting himself into training for one of the positions." + +"Oh, go on, it isn't so!" exclaimed Dismal. + +"That's just his modesty," continued Frank, "for of course he doesn't +want to push himself forward, but he's quietly waiting for his friends +to recognize his great ability, and as we're his friends we just want to +boom him from now on, and I take this occasion of nominating Dismal +Jones, Esquire, as class wit." + +Rattleton burst into guffaws of laughter, while the others smiled. + +"The idea is humorous enough to elect him!" said Diamond. + +"Well, if he's going to be a candidate," added Browning, "we must put +the campaign through in proper fashion. We must organize a Dismal Jones +Club and have an emblem. + +"I move that we all wear crape upon our left arm and mourning bands upon +our hats until the election." + +"Great Scott!" howled Rattleton, "the time for mourning will be after +Jones is elected." + +Jones listened to this joking with stolid good humor; never a smile +lingered on his face, but his solemn eyes showed no resentment. + +"It's all right," he remarked when they gave him a chance to speak, "you +fellows think you've got me on a long string, but I'd like to bet that +if I should run for a class office, I wouldn't be last in the race! + +"Of course," he added, hastily, "I haven't really any insane notion of +doing such a thing." + +The students laughed again, picked up their gripsacks and prepared to +separate. + +"Say!" called Page, eagerly, "what about coming down to see my room?" + +"Oh, we've got a whole year ahead of us," growled Browning. + +"I'll run down in the course of an hour or two," said Frank. "I don't +think there's anything to do at my room, and I'll be glad to learn the +way to yours. What's the number?" + +Page told him, and Frank exclaimed: + +"Why! some of the professors live there, don't they?" + +"Pretty much the whole house," responded Page, "is let out to students +and instructors; I believe Prof. Babbitt has his room there----" + +"Babbitt!" interrupted Rattleton; "he's the most unpardonable crank in +the whole faculty." + +"Well, I shall let him alone, and I've no doubt that he will let me +alone," returned Page. "He's a good deal of a hermit, I'm told, and I +don't think that his being in the same house will make a particle of +difference to me. Anyhow, there's the room and I want you fellows to see +it." + +"I'll be down in a little while," said Frank, and the others also +promised to come in the course of a day or two. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IMPRISONED IN A CHIMNEY. + + +Frank found that there was nothing whatever in his room to demand his +attention, and so, after he had unpacked his grips and put away their +contents, he went down High Street to call on Page. + +The house in which Page had taken a room was made of stone. Its walls +were very thick, the ceilings low, and everything about it made it seem +like a relic of the last century. + +This is indeed what it was. In former days it had been the residence of +one of the wealthiest men in New Haven, but that was long ago; for years +it had been used wholly as a lodging house. + +Page's room was on the second floor. It was very large and cheerful. +Three windows looked out on the street and in each of them was a broad +seat provided with heavy cushions. + +On the opposite side of the room there were two old-fashioned benches +built against the wall. Between the ends of these benches and right in +the middle of that side of the room was one of the ancient chimneys of +the house. + +It came out three or four feet into the room and gave the place an +antique and interesting appearance. Page had hung a lot of ornaments in +the way of fencing foils, boxing gloves, baseball bats, and other +materials used by students, upon this chimney. + +After Frank had taken a general look around the room he said: + +"It's a nice old den, Page, and I think the chimney there is the best +part of it. What a pity that there isn't a fireplace. There ought to be, +and it strikes me that there was at one time." + +Saying this, he knelt down before the chimney and examined the stones of +which it was made. These had been painted white. Frank thought he could +see a line that indicated what had once been an opening. Page watched +him in silence. + +"There certainly was a fireplace here at one time," said Frank, rising, +"and if I were in your place I'd have the stones cut away so that you +can use it again. An open wood fire there would look immense in winter." + +"That's a good scheme, Frank," responded Page, "and it was that chimney +that led me to speak of the room. I didn't know it when I hired the +place, but since I've got in I've discovered that--well, I'll show you." + +With this he stooped over by the chimney, put his hand upon what +appeared to be a little projection from one of the stones, turned it, +and opened a door. + +Within the door there was revealed an old-fashioned fireplace, deep and +high. All it needed was andirons and poker to make it complete. + +"Well, that's funny!" exclaimed Frank. + +"Isn't it?" returned Page. "I got on to the thing wholly by accident. +When I was hanging up some of the things there I stumbled and caught +hold of that little projection for support. + +"The thing turned in my hand, and the first thing I knew the door was +open. It opened a little hard, showing that the thing hadn't been used +for a long time." + +"Didn't the owner of the house speak of it?" + +"I don't think he knows anything about it." + +"Have you told him?" + +"Not much!" + +"Why not?" + +"Well, because it just struck me that such a place as this was a kind of +a secret worth keeping. You can see for yourself that it was the evident +intention of the person who set up this door that it should be a secret. +The hinges are perfectly concealed, and it has been fitted in and the +edges painted in such a way that only the closest inspection would give +a fellow a suspicion that there was any opening there." + +At this moment there was a knock, and Browning came in. + +"I thought you were coming next week?" exclaimed Page. + +"Well, I found I'd nothing better to do than run down here. What's that +you're looking at?" + +The boys explained the matter to him, and in his slow way he admitted +that if they were sophomores it would be quite possible to utilize this +secret door in the course of hazing freshmen. + +"As we're not in the hazing business now," he said, "I can't see any use +for the place, Page, except for you to hide in when your creditors +call." + +"Huh!" retorted Page, "it's my habit to keep my bills paid." + +"It'll make you unpopular if the fellows know that." + +"I was telling Page," said Merriwell, "that if I had the room I'd take +down that door entirely, get some andirons and burn a log of wood on a +winter evening." + +"That's a good scheme," returned Browning, "but if I should do anything +of that kind I should never get a stroke of work done here; this room +was never meant to study in, but it's an ideal loafing place." + +With this he threw himself upon one of the window seats and looked out. +The others took places on the other windows and for a few minutes their +conversation turned upon college topics. + +Then Browning, who was a little restless, as most students are +immediately after a vacation, said he would have to be going. Page urged +him to wait, but he shook his head. + +"By the way," he said, with his hand upon the door, "I've got some +news." + +"Well?" said both the others together. + +"I regret to say it isn't pleasant news, but it may be important to you +two; it certainly is to me." + +"Spring it!" exclaimed Page. + +"Cut the preface!" said Merriwell. + +"Babbitt has announced an examination for juniors in mathematics." + +"What!" + +Merriwell and Page were so surprised that they sat down suddenly. +Browning remained standing by the door. + +"It's a fact," he said. + +"But what can that mean?" asked Merriwell. "We had our regular +examination last spring." + +"I know we did, but Babbitt's going to have another just the same." + +"Where did you learn it?" + +"On the bulletin board, of course. The notice was put up not more than +an hour ago." + +"When is it to be?" + +"Three days from now." + +Page looked blankly at Merriwell. + +"I never was any good at mathematics," he said, "and after a summer +without a thought of it I don't believe I could do an ordinary sum in +multiplication." + +"Well," responded Frank, doubtfully, "it can't be that the examination +will have any serious consequences for us fellows if we passed last +spring." + +"There's no telling how serious Babbitt may make it," said Browning. +"The notice on the bulletin board, of course, doesn't give any +explanation, but I met Frost, the fellow who graduated a couple of years +ago, you know, with high honors in mathematics, and who was made +instructor in one of the lower departments of that course. + +"I knew Frost quite well when he was a student, so I asked him if he +knew anything about this." + +"What did he say?" + +"He smiled a little queerly and answered that Professor Babbitt had his +own ideas." + +"In other words, Frost wouldn't tell?" + +"Oh, no, that's not it; Frost is a member of the faculty now, you see, +and of course he has to speak very respectfully of the older men. + +"I got a very distinct idea that Frost regarded Babbitt's examination as +all nonsense, but he did explain to me what Babbitt's idea about it is." + +"That's what we want to know." + +"It's just this way," said Browning, sitting down. "It seems our class +is enlarged by the addition of quite a number of men who have graduated +from or studied at other colleges. + +"They have applied for admission into the junior class, and there's got +to be an examination for them, of course; in fact, the examination for +such candidates is going on now." + +"That's quite a usual thing," remarked Merriwell. + +"Yes, certainly, but Babbitt has declared that the examination of last +spring was very unsatisfactory. He says men can't go ahead in +mathematics unless what they have done before is thoroughly learned, and +he proposes to find out just what sort of talent there is in our class +before he begins a year's work." + +"He'll find out what I can't do!" groaned Page. + +"Probably he knows that already," said Merriwell. + +"That's the substance of it, anyway," added Browning. "Babbitt's idea is +to strike an average as to what the class can do and proceed from that." + +"Then I shouldn't think," said Merriwell, "that the examination should +have any terrors for us." + +"You'd think," exclaimed Page, "that Merriwell looked at an examination +as he would a plunge in the surf, just a little dip for the fun of it, +and it's all over. It won't be so with me." + +"Don't worry," responded Frank, "you've got three days in which to +cram." + +"And that's just what I'll do, I'm thinking." + +Page dropped his chin upon his hands and looked gloomily at the floor. + +"I'm sorry to give you unpleasant news," said Browning, rising, "but I +told you I thought it was important. So long." + +With this he went out. + +"Oh, well," said Page, after a moment, "I'm not going to be knocked out +by that! I'll just go into the examination and do as well as I can and +take chances; that's what the rest of us have got to do." + +"That's the best way to look at it," Frank answered, "and I don't think +I shall bother my head with cramming for it. + +"If I were you, Page, I'd go down to some of those second-hand stores on +the street and see if you can't pick up a pair of old-fashioned +andirons. You don't want to get new ones, you know, for a place like +this, they wouldn't seem appropriate." + +"That's so," Page answered, with a queer smile, "I believe I'll adopt +your suggestion at once. How would you place them?" + +"Why, just as they are placed in every other fireplace," Frank answered, +"one on each side; that is, if the old chimney will draw." + +"Perhaps it won't," said Page. + +"I hadn't thought of that," continued Frank. "It may be that the place +was closed up because the chimney was defective. Let's see if we can +find out." + +So saying, he knelt and entered the fireplace. Once inside it was easy +to stand upright, for the chimney was broad, and as he looked up he +could see that it ran with a slight incline clear to the roof. + +"There's nothing to prevent a fire from being built here," he said, with +his eyes turned upward. "Such a chimney as this would draw like a +furnace." + +Page made no response. + +"I declare," Merriwell added, "it makes me wish that winter had come so +that I could see a roaring old blaze of logs here. Doesn't that strike +you about right?" + +As Page made no response, he turned to look at his classmate, and then +discovered that the secret door to the fireplace had been closed. + +With his eyes turned upward and seeing the little patch of light at the +top of the chimney he had not noticed that the light from the room had +been shut off. + +"Hello, there!" he called, feeling along the wall to find the door. "I'm +no freshman." + +There was no sound from Page's room. Frank found a match in his pocket +and struck it. From inside it was easy enough to distinguish the +outlines of the secret door that concealed the fireplace. + +It was not possible, however, to discover any way by which it might be +opened. The latch was the kind used on doors, but strong, and with no +knob on the inside. + +Frank pushed against the door with some force. It did not yield in the +least degree. + +"Seems to me," he thought, "that Page has a queer idea of fun to lock me +in like this. I've a good mind to kick the door down." + +He thought a moment before deciding to do this, and reflected that it +would hardly be a good-natured way of treating the joke. + +If Page meant to have some fun with him by making him a prisoner, the +joke would be all the more successful if Merriwell should get mad about +it and break open the secret door. + +"I think," thought Frank, "that I'll get even with Page for this in a +way that will surprise him." + +His match went out just then and he began to feel in the darkness of the +stones that made the chimney. They were untrimmed stones, so that the +interior surface was very irregular. + +Just above his hand, but within reach, was an iron bar crossing the +chimney; it was put there to bind the walls. + +Frank drew himself upon this and then, being in the narrow part of the +chimney, was able to work his way upward by clinging with hands and feet +to the rough edges of the stones. + +It was slow progress, but not difficult, and sure. The only question +would be whether the opening at the top of the chimney would be large +enough to permit of his crawling through. + +He had got about halfway up when he halted in his journey. He had heard +voices, and he recognized both of them. + +He knew that he was on the level of the room above Page's, and he +realized that the sounds of talking came to him distinctly because there +was a fireplace there that connected with this same chimney. + +The voices he heard were those of Prof. Babbitt and Instructor Frost. + +"The fact is, Frost," Babbitt was saying, "I'm aiming this examination +at certain men in the class, and I've no hesitation in saying so. +There's that fellow, Merriwell, for example; I'd like to force him to do +more studying." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TURNING THE TABLES. + + +"This is growing very interesting," thought Frank, bracing his knees +against the stones of the chimney so that he could hold his position +easily. + +"Why, I thought that Merriwell ranked high, professor?" said Frost. + +"He's no fool," growled Babbitt, "and if he would study hard I presume +he might lead the class in scholarship, but as it is, he spends most of +his time in athletics and skylarking." + +"Oh, not quite so bad as that!" + +"Yes, it is. He's naturally bright, and by a very little attention to +his lessons he's able to get marks that enable him to pass along with +fair standing, while most of his time is given to anything but work. It +isn't right that anybody should get through Yale so easily; it's bad for +the rest of the students." + +"I have an idea," said Frost, quietly, "that Merriwell's example isn't +regarded as a bad one by other members of the faculty." + +"Ah, you're just as bad as the students themselves in your fondness for +that scamp!" exclaimed Babbitt. "He seems to fascinate everybody he +meets except me." + +"Yes, I think you're an exception." + +"I believe you are trying to be sarcastic, Frost, but it doesn't make +any difference; my mind is set on making an example of Merriwell so that +the other fellows in his class who follow his lead will be frightened +into studying harder." + +"Do you then mean that this examination is aimed directly at Merriwell?" + +"Not quite so strong as that. There are others, of course, but he's a +natural leader, and I don't at all fancy the easy way he takes things, +and then bobs up at examinations with enough knowledge to work out his +papers." + +"I should think," suggested Frost, "that that was all the professors +could require of a student." + +"That's because you're young!" snapped Babbitt. "You ought to forget +that you've been a student----" + +"Excuse me, professor, but I think just the contrary. It seems to me +that the more an instructor remembers of his student days the better he +will be able to get along with his classes." + +"All right, then, you stick to your theory, and I'll stick to mine. +Meantime, look at this paper; that's what I asked you to call for." + +"Is this the examination paper that you're going to set before +Merriwell's class?" + +"Yes." + +There was then a silence of some minutes during which probably Mr. Frost +was studying the examination paper. At last he remarked: + +"Well, I've looked it through." + +"What do you think of it?" asked Babbitt. + +"Do you want my honest opinion?" + +"Of course I do! Why else should I get you up here?" + +After a slight pause Mr. Frost said: "It seems to me that the +examination is very one-sided." + +"Eh?" + +"Why, it is all aimed at a certain line of work, and doesn't cover +anything like all the work done in the course of the year." + +"Well, I have my reason for that!" + +"I supposed so." + +"I know that fellow Merriwell's weakness; I know just where he's likely +to be faulty, and if he can pass that paper he'll do better than I think +he can." + +"Why, Prof. Babbitt," exclaimed Frost in an indignant tone, "it looks as +if you were purposely trying to trip Merriwell so as to get him +disciplined, or dropped!" + +"The faculty can do with him what it likes," remarked Babbitt, crossly, +"when I've handed in the marks on this paper." + +"I must say it doesn't seem to me to be fair," said Frost. + +"I don't care for any opinion of that kind," retorted Babbitt. + +"Then I don't see why you asked me for any at all." + +"Well, well," and Babbitt seemed to be struggling with his temper, "you +and I won't dispute about it. You've got your work and I've got mine. I +asked you about this paper because I thought you'd sympathize with me in +my design." + +"I can't sympathize with you in it, Prof. Babbitt, and I wish if you're +going to give an examination that you would give one of the usual kind, +including in the questions, problems that cover the entire year's work, +and so get an idea----" + +"The idea I want to get will come from the answers to these questions, +Frost." + +"Then I suppose I couldn't persuade you to make up another paper?" + +"No, sir; I'm going to take this to the printer at once, and by +to-morrow morning the copies will all be here in my room, where I shall +keep them until the hour for the examination." + +"I'm sorry you told me about it," said Frost. + +"Why?" + +"Because I think well of Merriwell and the others----" + +"I suppose you'd like to warn them of what's coming." + +"Prof. Babbitt!" + +Frost spoke in a loud tone; he was evidently very angry. + +"Oh, well," exclaimed Babbitt, "don't fly in a rage at that suggestion; +of course I know that you won't betray any secrets of the faculty. I +simply said that I supposed you'd like to warn that rascal, Merriwell." + +"You've no right to think even as much as that!" returned Frost, "but +you may be very sure that whatever I wish to do I shall not expose the +questions on that paper. Good-day, sir." + +"Good-day," said Babbitt, and immediately afterward there was a slamming +of a door. + +Then Frank heard the professor grumbling to himself, but what he said +could not be made out. A little later there was the sound of a door +opening and closing again. Prof. Babbitt had doubtless started to the +printer's with the examination paper. + +Frank then resumed his trip up the chimney. He had heard no sound from +Page's room, and he was just as determined as before to turn the joke +upon his classmate. + +As he passed the level of Prof. Babbitt's room he saw that the fireplace +of the chimney had been closed in the same way as in Page's room, but in +this case the door was not a secret one, and at the moment it stood +partly open. This was what enabled him to hear so plainly the +conversation between the instructors. + +When he came to the chimney top he squeezed through without much +difficulty, and dropped out upon the roof. + +The next question was as to getting down to the street, but to an +athlete like Frank, there was little difficulty in that problem. + +New Haven is often called the City of Elms. There were a number of these +and other trees growing about, and one of them extended its branches +toward the roof of this house in such a way that Frank could grasp it. + +He took hold of it with the idea of climbing along to the trunk of the +tree, and then shinning down, but the branch bent under his weight until +his feet were not more than ten feet from the ground. + +Accordingly Frank let go and came down with nothing more than a bit of a +jar. He had landed in the yard beside the house, from which he saw that +an alley led between buildings to an adjoining street. + +His hands and clothes were grimy with soot. + +"If I should go through High Street this way," he thought, "and should +meet Page, he'd have the laugh on me in earnest. I'll just skip out the +other way, get into my room and clean up and then give him a surprise +party." + +Accordingly Frank hastened through the alley and so to his room. He met +nobody on the way with whom he was acquainted, and as soon as he was in +his room he washed his hands and face thoroughly and changed his +clothes. + +"So, then," he thought in the midst of this operation, "Prof. Babbitt +wants to make an example of me, does he, and he knows my weak points, +eh?" + +"Luckily, I know my own weak points, too, so far as mathematics is +concerned, and in the next three days it strikes me that I can do a bit +of grinding that will enable me to give the professor a surprise party. +If my guess is right as to the kind of examples that will be put on that +paper, I shouldn't wonder if I could give the other fellows a lift, +too." + +Meantime, Harold Page, having made his friend a prisoner in the +fireplace, had gone from his room for the purpose of finding some other +fellow whom he might bring back to share in the fun of Frank's +discomfort. + +As his room was at some little distance from the campus, he did not +expect to find anybody on the street near it, so he started on a run in +the direction of the college, for it was not his intention to keep Frank +a prisoner more than a few minutes. + +He had not gone very far before he met a classmate, whose name was +Mortimer Ford. Ford was not a very popular fellow, although it could not +be said that anybody had anything special against him. + +He was acquainted with Frank and the particular crowd that chummed with +him, and sometimes took part in their doings, but on the whole he was +rather outside the circle in which Frank had been a leader from the +start. + +If Page had had his wish, he would have met Rattleton, or Browning, or +Diamond, or some of the others more closely associated with Merriwell, +for he knew that they would enjoy the trick with better humor than +anybody else. + +When he saw Ford his first impulse was to go and look up somebody else, +but Ford called out to him: + +"Hello, Page, how long have you been back?" + +"Oh, I came back a week ago," Page answered, "and engaged a room, got it +in order, and then went away again. I came back for good this morning." + +"Glad to see you," and Ford shook hands. "What are you hurrying for?" + +"Oh, nothing much," responded Page, awkwardly. + +"I didn't know but you were trying to run away from that examination +that old Babbitt has got up," said Ford. "Say! that is a nasty blow, +isn't it?" + +"It will bother a good many of us, I reckon." + +They were standing on the sidewalk, and while they were talking Page was +keeping his eyes out for some other friend. + +There were no other students in sight, and he began to feel a little +ashamed of the small trick he had played on Frank. + +"I guess I'll go and let him out," he thought, "Ford will do as well as +anybody else to see the fun." + +So he said aloud: + +"Come down to my room a minute, Ford; I've got something to show you." + +"I wish it was a case of beer," remarked Ford, falling in with him and +walking along, "or perhaps it's something better than that?" + +"It's nothing to drink, but it's something better than that, just the +same." + +"Tell you what I wish it was." + +"What?" + +"Babbitt's examination paper." + +"Great Scott! why don't you wish you owned the earth?" + +"I do." + +"You might as well wish that as to think of getting hold of Babbitt's +paper. There isn't a secret society in Yale, you know, that is closer +than an examination paper. There's hardly a case on record where one has +been got in advance." + +"Oh, I know it," said Ford, in a mournful tone; "of course it's hopeless +to think of getting hold of the paper, and I hadn't any idea of trying +to, but that's the only thing that's worrying me just now, and so I +spoke of it." + +"Merriwell doesn't seem to think the thing's going to be very serious," +said Page. + +"He wouldn't think anything was serious," answered Ford. + +Just as they were entering the house where Page had his room, Prof. +Babbitt came out. They had seen Instructor Frost go out and turn in +another direction a moment before. + +The students touched their hats to the professor, wished him +good-morning, and passed in. + +Prof. Babbitt grumbled a surly reply, and turned away toward the +college. + +Page wondered as he went upstairs whether Frank had kicked down the +secret door to the chimney. + +"It would be just like him," he thought. "Confound him! I wouldn't much +blame him if he did!" + +The minute he came into the room he glanced at the chimney. + +"It's all right," he said to himself, and he felt a little triumphant. +"It isn't often a fellow can catch Merriwell, and although it's a small +kind of a trick, it will be something to speak of hereafter." + +"Well, this is a snug sort of place," remarked Ford, looking around the +room. "The ceiling is a little low, but the window seats are broad and +you've got soft cushions. I don't see anything the matter with this; +where's your bedroom?" + +"Over there," responded Page, pointing to a door. "What do you think of +this?" and he pointed to the chimney. + +"It takes up some room," was Ford's comment; "but you've got plenty of +that to spare." + +"You know what it is, don't you?" asked Page. + +"A chimney, I suppose?" + +"Exactly, and it follows that it's hollow." + +"I suppose so, unless it's been filled up." + +"It hasn't been filled up," said Page. "When they put modern heating +into the house they closed up the fireplace that was here, and I had +some notion of opening it again, but I've decided not to." + +He spoke now in a loud tone of voice, hoping that Merriwell would hear +him. + +"Why not open the fireplace?" asked Ford. + +"Because I've got a pet that I want to keep there." + +"A pet?" + +"Yes. It's just the place for it----" + +"What is it, a big dog?" + +"No, though it's big enough." + +"Queer place to keep a pet," remarked Ford. "How can you get him in +there?" + +"Why, he's in there already." + +"What! Now?" + +"Certainly." + +"I don't hear anything." + +Page was on the broad grin, and Ford crossed the room out of curiosity. +He struck his hand smartly on the chimney, whereat Page exclaimed: + +"I wouldn't do that, you might frighten him." + +"But what in the mischief have you got there?" + +"I'll show you in a minute. Now, then, old boy, want to see the light? +Does you want to come out for a little time?" + +Page spoke soothingly as if he were addressing a small cat. + +"Shall I let him come out?" he went on, mockingly; "shall I let him have +a little taste of fresh air and sunlight, poor thing?" + +He listened as he spoke for some sign of Merriwell and it bothered him a +little that he got no reply. + +Ford looked on in wonder. + +"Don't be so long about it!" he exclaimed. "Open up the thing if there's +any way to do it, and let's see what you've got." + +"All right, then; don't be frightened if he should run out suddenly," +answered Page. + +He put his hand on the knob of the secret door, and threw it open; then +he stepped back, smiling broadly. + +"There isn't anything there!" exclaimed Ford. + +"What!" and Page got down on his knees and thrust his head into the +fireplace. + +Of course he realized in an instant what had happened. He knew that +Merriwell must have climbed out at the top. + +"Great Scott!" he thought, "if Frank should know that I brought a fellow +up here to see the foolishness, how he would turn the laugh on me." + +"Has the thing, whatever it is, vanished?" asked Ford. + +"Gone completely!" answered Page in a tone of disappointment. "He must +have flown out of the top of the chimney." + +Ford got down, too, and looked up. + +"Why, yes," he said, "if it was a bird, of course it would get out that +way. You ought to have known better than to put a bird in such a place. +What was it, a parrot?" + +"No, not exactly," said Page. "I guess I won't say what it was until +I've made some search for it." + +At this moment there was a knock at the door. Page, still on his hands +and knees, answered "Come in." + +The door opened and in walked Frank Merriwell. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +READY FOR THE TEST. + + +Page got up looking very sheepish. + +He expected that Frank would begin to turn the laugh on him. Nothing of +that kind happened, for the first moment Ford and Frank were speaking +together. + +They had not met since the close of the last term, and they shook hands +in a friendly way, and made polite inquiries about each other's +vacations. + +"What have you got here?" asked Frank, then, stepping toward the +fireplace with a queer look at Page. + +The latter had not the nerve to answer. + +"I suppose it used to be a fireplace," said Ford. "It looked when I came +into the room just as if there was no opening into the chimney at all, +but this door fits very closely." + +"Were you trying to use the chimney as a telescope when I came in?" +asked Frank. "I saw you were both on your knees, looking up." + +"No," replied Ford, "Page had something in there, he won't say what it +was, some kind of a pet, I believe, and it has flown out." + +"No wonder," remarked Frank, dryly; "it would be a pretty poor kind of a +pet that wouldn't fly out of a place like that." + +"If it was an unusual kind of a bird," suggested Ford, "why don't you +give notice of it to the police? It sometimes happens that they recover +missing pets." + +"Oh, I guess I won't say anything about it," responded Page, blushing +furiously. + +Frank could not control his laughter, so he threw himself into a window +seat, and looked out, having his back to the other two. + +"What are you laughing at, anyway?" asked Ford. + +"Oh, at my thoughts!" chuckled Frank. "I think Page ought to offer a +thousand dollars or so reward for his missing pet." + +"You hold your tongue, Merriwell," said Page, "and some time or other +I'll make it right with you." + +"Are you two fellows putting up some kind of a job on me?" exclaimed +Ford, suspiciously. + +"Oh, no, on my honor!" exclaimed Frank, quickly. "I was just thinking of +a little joke that you don't know anything about." + +"Aren't you going to spring the joke?" + +"No, I'm going to keep it to myself." + +Page looked immensely relieved, while Ford, after a doubtful glance at +both of them, turned his attention again to the chimney. He pushed the +secret door back into place and then opened it again. + +"Mighty funny idea, isn't it?" he said, half to himself. "Certainly, +nobody would ever believe that that fireplace could be opened without a +pickax." + +"I supposed it was solid," responded Page, "and got at the secret +entirely by accident." + +"Opens easy, doesn't it?" + +Ford kept opening and shutting the door. + +"If this was in the olden times," he said, "when men had to hide from +enemies, what a racket it would be to shut one's self in here and then +climb out through the chimney." + +Frank turned his back again to conceal his chuckle, while Page answered +that he thought it would be a good scheme. Then he added: + +"I think I'll take the door down and make a fireplace of it." + +"And not get your bird back?" + +"No. Hang the bird!" + +"Well, of course, that's for you to say. As for myself, I'm going to get +over to my room and look up mathematics for a while." + +"I shouldn't think you'd need to," said Frank. + +"Oh, a man grows rusty after three months away from the books, you +know," answered Ford, "and an examination always makes me nervous, +anyway. So long." + +With this he left the room. + +"Say, Merriwell," said Page, the moment the door was closed, "I don't +know whether to feel obliged to you, or be as mad as a hornet." + +"I don't see any reason for either feeling." + +"Well, I am obliged to you for not turning the laugh on me when you had +the chance to, and I ought to be mad for your getting out in the way you +did." + +"What should you have shut me in there for," asked Frank, "if you did +not expect me to use my wits?" + +"I just did it on impulse," Page answered, "and had no intention, +anyway, of keeping you there more than a few minutes." + +"It's all right, Page, I didn't mind it a little bit. I went straight +out." + +"I see you did." + +"Now, see here, Page," said Frank, seriously, "I want to ask a favor of +you." + +"Granted." + +"Keep that door closed during the next few days." + +"What, the door to the fireplace?" + +"H'm! h'm!" + +"Why, yes, I'll do that, but why? I shouldn't have it open more than a +minute or two at a time to show the fellows." + +"Don't do that." + +"Not show it to the fellows?" + +"Not to anybody." + +"I said I'd grant your favor and so I will, but what in the world is on +your mind?" + +"I'll tell you," said Frank, with a little pause, "after the +examination." + +"Babbitt's examination?" + +"Yes." + +"All right I suppose you've got some first-class trick you want to tell, +and you haven't got time to get it in shape until the examination is +over, is that it?" + +"That's asking too much, Page. I'll tell you all about it later; +meantime, it is a fact that men like you and me have got to put in some +pretty hard licks if we want to pass that examination." + +"Oh, thunder and Mars!" groaned Page, "I've made up my mind not to think +of it. It's impossible for me to cram up on a whole year's work in three +days." + +"It might not be necessary to." + +"How else can a fellow stand a chance of passing?" + +"Well, suppose we should study just one part of the subject, and let the +rest of it go?" + +"And then there might not be a single question on that subject, Frank." + +"Yes, and again they might all be on that subject." + +"It isn't likely." + +"But it might be so, Page." + +"Do you mean to say, Frank, that you'd recommend a fellow to take a kind +of gambling chance like that on an examination paper?" + +"Well, not as a general thing, but seriously I do think it would be a +good scheme this time. You see, Babbitt is springing this examination +unexpectedly, and everybody knows that he's got queer ideas. Now I think +it would be quite like him to center the whole examination on one +topic." + +"Why should he do that?" + +"Well," answered Frank, slowly, "with the idea, perhaps, of catching the +fellows by surprise." + +"He don't need to take all that pains for me," said Page, dismally; "he +could floor me if his examination Was made on the simplest things. If I +was like Ford, now----" + +"Oh, Ford doesn't need to worry, of course. He led the class in +mathematics last year, didn't he?" + +"Yes, and the year before, too. The idea of his being worried about the +examination is all nonsense." + +"I know it is," said Frank, "except that he's got his ambition up to +keep at the lead; that's a natural ambition and decent, and I suppose +he'll do a lot of grinding to get ready for the exam." + +"I'd grind, too, if I thought there'd be any use in it." + +"I believe there will, Page, and if you don't mind following my lead, +I'll tell you what subject to grind on." + +"Do you mean to say that you're going to cram up on just one part of +it?" + +"Exactly, and what's more, if you'll agree to it, I'll come over here +with my books and we'll grind together. We'll get Browning, Rattleton +and Diamond, and one or two others in our crowd, and do the job +together." + +"It's a bully idea!" exclaimed Page, "if it would only work. Gee! but +wouldn't it be just great if we should happen to hit on the topic that +old Babbitt has chosen and every one of us write a perfect paper?" + +"I can't think of anything that would suit me better," Frank answered. + +"Then let's try for it. It's just a chance, but I'm with you, +Merriwell." + +"All right, then, and you'll remember you're to say nothing about that +fireplace, and you're not to open it until after the examination!" + +"I'll remember, but you won't forget to tell me what it all means?" + +"I'll let you into the whole business after Babbitt has examined the +papers." + +It was not a very difficult matter for Frank to persuade his closest +friends to join him in preparing for the examination by studying hard on +one particular topic. + +They were so in the habit of following his lead that although they all +regarded the effort in the same way that Page did, that is, a gamble, +they were willing to take the chances if Merriwell was. + +Frank was almost perfectly certain that it was not a gambling chance, +because he remembered well enough how he had been faulty in that topic +at the spring examination, and if Babbitt was going to try to trip him, +that was the subject surely that he would select for his purpose. + +Three days was none too long for the boys to refresh their memories on +the subject and prepare themselves well on this one topic. + +They started in in the middle of the afternoon and worked together under +Frank's direction until dinner time. + +He proved to be as hard a task master as Babbitt himself could have +been. The boys were not exactly surprised at that, for it was natural +for Frank to do with all his might whatever he undertook, but they joked +him a good deal while at dinner about turning professor. + +"That's all right," Frank answered, "you can have your joke. If we come +out on this as I expect to, you'll be glad enough that you adopted my +plan." + +"I must say I rather enjoy it," said Diamond, frankly. "Studying by +one's self is dull work, but when there are half a dozen or so grinding +away, somehow the time passes more quickly." + +In the same way they worked until late that night, and began again early +the next morning. + +Diamond offered the use of his room as a meeting place, and Puss Parker, +who had been let into the scheme, suggested that they come to his room, +too. Frank said no. + +"We began in Page's room," was the way he put it, "and we might as well +work it out there." + +"His room is so far out of the way!" grumbled Browning. + +"A little walk won't hurt you any," responded Frank. "I'd much rather +keep at it there, for I'm used to the room." + +So it was agreed that the grinding should continue at Page's, and it did +until the day of the examination. + +They had other duties to perform, of course, during these days, but the +regular work of the college had not entirely begun, so that most of +their time could be put in to preparing for their examination. + +They allowed none of the other students to interrupt them, and for that +matter, most members of the junior class were grinding in much the same +fashion. + +They had only one caller during the entire period. This was Ford, but he +did not find them at work. They were just returning to the room from +dinner on the evening before the examination, when they met Ford leaving +the house. + +"Ah, Page, I was just up to see you." + +"Sorry I wasn't in," Page responded. "What was it, something special?" + +"Oh, no," answered Ford, a little doubtfully, with a glance at the +others in the party; "let it go until some other time." + +"If it isn't important, then," said Page, "I wish you would, for we +fellows are----" + +"Sporting your oak, are you?" + +"That's it exactly. We're trying to get up on mathematics and so we +don't admit any callers." + +"All right, then," said Ford, "I'm doing much the same at my own room. +Good luck to you." + +Frank did not keep the boys at work late that evening. They had pretty +well covered all the ground that he had chosen, and he believed that +they would be better able for the test the next morning, so at ten +o'clock he ordered them to their rooms, and they obeyed as readily as if +they were a crew training under their captain for a race. + +At nine o'clock the next morning all the junior class assembled in one +of the big rooms of Osborn Hall. Prof. Babbitt was there ahead of them +with a number of assistants to look out for keeping the students in +order and to prevent any possible attempt at cheating. + +The students found their places by means of slips of paper on the top of +each desk. Merriwell was a little amused to notice that he was placed +far from the friends with whom he usually associated. + +"I wonder if Babbitt thinks I would cheat?" he thought. + +There was a bundle neatly done up in brown paper on the professor's desk +at the head of the room. He stood near it until all the students were in +their places, each with a pad of blank paper before him, and a number of +sharpened pencils. + +Then the professor broke the string with which the bundle was tied, and +calling up his assistants, handed them several papers each to +distribute. + +They were the papers from the printer containing the fatal questions. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +ONE OF THE MISSING PAPERS. + + +Three or four minutes passed while the assistants were distributing some +papers. Then one of them approached the professor and said: + +"I need two more for my section, sir." + +"Well," said the professor, looking around the room, "if you're short +two, somebody must have two to spare." + +Nobody said anything. + +"Which of you," asked the professor of his assistants, "has two more +papers than necessary." + +No one answered. Prof. Babbitt looked very savage. + +"I counted that bundle of papers just as soon as it came from the +printers," he said, sharply, "and there was just the number called for. +The printers never make a mistake, and I'm sure they haven't this time." + +Still there was silence in the room. + +"Gentlemen," said the professor, this time addressing the students, "see +if any of you have an extra paper accidentally stuck to the one on your +desk; there must be two spare papers here somewhere in the room." + +Every student took up his paper, felt of it, shook it, but without +result; the room was certainly two papers short, and two students sat, +therefore, with nothing to do. + +The professor frowned. + +"I'm certain," he exclaimed, "that I made no miscount. Mr. Jackson," +turning to one of the assistants, "count the students here." + +Mr. Jackson counted and found that there were one hundred and forty-six. + +"That's it," said Prof. Babbitt, "and I had one hundred and forty-six +papers. This is very extraordinary." + +He glared savagely about the room, his glance resting longest upon the +desk where Merriwell sat. Frank was already busily engaged in working +out the first problem. + +Most of the other students had already gone to work, but some of them +were idly watching to see what the professor was going to do, and hoping +that he would postpone the whole examination. + +This may have been in his mind; but if so, he thought better of it. + +"We shall have to go on," he said, presently. "I will write out two +papers for those who are short." + +He did so, and in the course of a few minutes all the students were at +work. + +Frank could not help but smile when, after a rapid glance at the +problems on the paper, he saw that he had hit exactly the subject chosen +by the professor to floor him. The questions were all confined to the +one topic which he and his friends had been studying on. + +"Now, unless they lose their heads," he thought, "they'll all write a +perfect paper." + +He had previously warned them not to be in a hurry during the +examination. + +According to the custom at Yale a written examination of this kind lasts +for three hours, that is, three hours is the longest time during which +any student is allowed to work at the problems. + +If he has not finished in that time, he has to stop. If, however, he +should get through the paper in less time, he has the right to withdraw +from the room. + +"Now boys," Frank had said, "if you find that you can work all the +problems take them slowly, so that you make sure that you get them +right, and then, if you get through before the time is up, hang around a +while. + +"It might cause the professor to think queer things if he should see us +get up after an hour and a half or so and walk out; he would wonder how +we did it, and of course we don't want to let him suspect that we +crammed on one topic." + +The boys understood the wisdom of this advice, and Frank's only anxiety +now was lest Rattleton or Page should get excited at the ease of the +paper and write too hurriedly. + +The others he knew would be cool. + +Believing that the professor would watch him more narrowly than anybody +else, he made a good deal of pretense at being puzzled over his +problems, and worked each one out separately on a piece of paper before +transferring the problem on the paper which was to be passed in as his +examination. + +There was nothing very unusual in this method, for most of the other +students did much the same thing. The only point about it is that it was +unnecessary in this case for Frank to do it at all, because the problems +were so familiar that he could have worked each one out at the first +trial. + +Early in the examination Ford, who had a seat in the back part of the +room, raised his hand. + +Prof. Babbitt saw him and nodded. + +The raising of the hand implied that Ford wanted to ask a question. He +was a favorite with Prof. Babbitt naturally, and so the professor gave +him leave to go up to the desk and make his inquiry. + +Ford walked down the aisle with an examination paper in his hand, and as +he passed Frank's desk his hand struck a little pile of blank papers +that happened to be lying on the very edge, and knocked it to the floor. + +He stooped quickly, saying: "Excuse me," in a low voice, and replaced +the papers. + +Prof. Babbitt, of course, was looking that way at the moment. + +"You would do your work just as well, Merriwell," he exclaimed, sharply, +"if you didn't spread it all over your desk. Your examples won't work +out any easier for taking up the whole room with them." + +Frank colored; it was unusual and extremely unpleasant to be rebuked in +this way before the entire class. He had not realized that he had left +his blank papers so carelessly but even at that, he knew that the rebuke +was not deserved. + +"The professor has just as good reason," he reflected angrily, "to scold +Ford for being careless." + +There was nothing to say about it, but it made Frank bitter, and all the +more determined to make his paper so correct that the professor could +not help giving it a perfect mark. + +He pushed his loose papers together in a pile squarely in the middle of +the desk and resumed his work. + +No one heard what Ford asked the professor; it was some question +concerning the paper, and when the professor answered it, it was in a +tone of surprise. + +"I should hardly think that the question was necessary," he said, +"though of course I don't blame you for wanting to be careful about it." + +Ford muttered that he wanted to be sure that the problem was correctly +printed on the paper, and when the professor told him that it was, he +bowed and returned to his desk. + +Few of the students paid any attention to this matter, and those who did +promptly concluded that Ford was so anxious to lead the class that he +got nervous and had therefore asked some question that any child could +have understood. + +The incident was soon forgotten, and for an hour or two the students +worked away at their papers in silence. + +The only thing that troubled Frank was that he could have completed the +entire paper within an hour if he had tried. + +As it was, he had worked out every problem except the last on his loose +sheets of paper, and transferred most of them to his regular examination +paper by the end of two hours. + +He was greatly relieved to notice that none of his best friends had left +the room. A few students had gone out, probably because they were +utterly unable to answer the questions. + +For the sake of killing time, Frank had already written out the last +problem on loose paper twice, and he was now at the bottom of his pile +with one sheet of blank paper left. + +He glanced at the clock; almost an hour to spare. He finished his +regular paper up to the last problem, and then, drawing the one +remaining blank sheet toward him, began again to work that out. + +Again and again he had seen Prof. Babbitt looking sharply at him, and +more than once the professor had walked by his desk in the course of his +strolling around the room. + +Twenty minutes passed, and Frank believed that it could be of no use to +waste time longer, so he crumpled up the loose sheet on which he had +been working in his left hand, and started to work out the problem on +his regular examination paper. + +Just then Prof. Babbitt turned up from around the corner of another +desk, brought his hand down upon Frank's left hand, and held it there. + +"Now, then, Merriwell," he exclaimed in a thundering voice, "I've got +you. This will mean your expulsion from Yale, sir, and nothing short of +it." + +Frank had looked up with a start of surprise at first; now he drew back +and looked the professor in the eye, defiantly. + +"Don't you say anything to me, sir," exclaimed the professor, sharply. + +"I hadn't thought of saying anything," responded Frank, in a dignified +way. + +"Keep quiet, sir! what have you got in your hand?" + +"My pencils." + +"You're impudent, sir; I mean, of course, your other hand." + +Frank's face turned first pale, and then red, and then pale again; all +the students and assistants in the room were looking at him. He knew +that the professor suspected him of some low trick, and it cut him deep +to think that he should be accused in this public way. + +"I've got a piece of blank paper there," he said, slowly, "on which I +have been working out the last problem." + +"Oh, indeed," returned the professor, sarcastically. "A piece of blank +paper, eh? You're quite sure it was a piece of blank paper?" + +"It was until I began to figure on it." + +"Oh, you're quite sure of that?" + +"I am, sir." + +"And I can tell you, and I'll make an example of you to the whole class +in so doing, that when you thought to conceal that paper by crumpling it +up in your hand, I caught sight of the under side of it." + +Frank made no response. He had not the slightest idea what the professor +was driving at. + +"I tell you, I saw what it was in an instant," added the professor. + +"Very well, sir," said Frank, rather sharply, "I've nothing to say." + +"Oh, you haven't! Very well, then, what's that?" + +The professor pointed to the printed examination paper which lay on the +desk in plain sight. + +"I don't intend to be treated like a schoolboy, sir," exclaimed Frank, +starting to rise, and making an effort to draw his hand away from the +professor's. "If you have any accusation to make against me, you can lay +it before the faculty, but I will not sit here to be browbeaten and +insulted in this fashion." + +He drew his hand away, but in so doing made no effort to keep his grip +on the paper that he had used for figuring. + +The professor snatched the paper as it was falling, smoothed it out, and +held it up before the entire class. + +"You see, young gentlemen," he cried, "Merriwell has been doing his +examples on the back of one of the stolen examination papers." + +Frank fairly gasped when he saw that this was the fact. + +When the professor had announced that the two papers were missing, he +had looked with the utmost care all through his desk to see whether one +of the missing papers had somehow got laid down there, and was certain +that only one had been given to him; yet here was one of the papers, and +he had been unconsciously working out an example on the back of it. + +"We shall lay this matter before the faculty at once," said Prof. +Babbitt, sternly; "and meantime, Merriwell, you may leave the room." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE PROFESSOR'S CASE. + + +Frank held his head high as he walked out of the room. There was a flush +upon his face, but nothing there or in his manner to indicate his real +feelings. + +They were in truth very much confused. He was simply bewildered at the +discovery of one of the examination papers on his desk. + +How it got there he could not imagine. His heart burned with rage at the +way in which Prof. Babbitt accused him in the presence of all the class, +and he felt, too, how hopeless it would be to clear himself in the face +of this damaging evidence. + +Expulsion would follow, unless there could be some explanation of the +matter. + +Frank knew that he could explain nothing, and the thought of the +disgrace that awaited him was very hard to bear. With it all, however, +there was a consciousness of absolute innocence that gave him strength +to leave the room much as if nothing had happened. + +"My best friends will know that I am not guilty of any such conduct," he +reflected, "and the rest of them may think as they like." + +At the outside door of the hall, he paused, in doubt as to what he +should do next. Knowing that Babbitt, already disliking him, would +insist on his expulsion, Frank was inclined to go straight to his room +and pack up his belongings. + +The event had made everything about the college extremely distasteful to +him, but it was only for a moment, and then he realized how sad he would +feel at having to go away from good old Yale forever. + +"It won't do," he said to himself, emphatically. "I must make some kind +of effort to clear myself; there's no hope of persuading Babbitt that +I'm innocent, but there must be members of the faculty who would believe +me, and it would not be right to go away without trying to show them +that I've been straight in this. If I should leave without making the +hardest kind of a defense, everybody would be justified in believing me +guilty." + +With this thought in mind, Frank debated for a moment whether it would +not be well to go straight to the office of the dean and tell him all he +could about it. + +"That won't do," he concluded, "because Prof. Babbitt will report the +matter to the dean at once, and if I should go there first, it would +look as if I were trying to get an advantage by assuming frankness. No, +the only thing to do is to go over to the room and wait there until I'm +summoned; that will come soon enough, but I wish the summons were here +now." + +Frank's wish was gratified. He had just come to a decision as to what he +should do, and was going down the steps of the hall when one of the +instructors who had acted as an assistant at the examination came +hurrying after him. + +"Merriwell, wait a moment," he said. + +Frank turned and touched his hat. + +The instructor looked worried, and his voice trembled a little as, +laying his hand on Frank's shoulder, he said: + +"Merriwell, Prof. Babbitt has sent me to tell you to report at the +dean's office as soon as the examination is over." + +"Very well," Frank responded, "I'll be there." + +"I hope," added the instructor, hesitatingly, as he looked earnestly +into Frank's eyes "that there's an explanation of this thing, +Merriwell." + +"So do I," Frank responded, "but what it is, is more than I can tell +now." + +The instructor sighed and returned to the examining room. + +Frank saw several students approaching whom he knew and, not caring to +have any conversation with them, he started away at a rapid pace. There +was a full half hour to pass before the examination would come to an +end. + +He put it in by walking about the city at such a distance from the +college buildings that he was not likely to meet any acquaintances. + +It was a dreary walk, for all the time he suffered the thought of +disgrace as well as the maddening perplexity that accompanied the +discovery of the examination paper on his desk. + +"One might almost think," he reflected, "that Babbitt had put up this +job on me for the sake of squeezing me out of college, but I don't think +Babbitt is mean enough for that. The paper probably got there by some +confounded accident. I certainly cannot account for it on any other +theory." + +Just as the city clocks were striking noon, Frank entered the campus and +proceeded to the dean's office. The dean gave him an inquiring glance as +he entered. + +"Prof. Babbitt told me to report here at this hour," said Frank, +quietly. + +"Ah!" returned the dean, "Prof. Babbitt is conducting an examination, I +believe, which should be over at this time; doubtless he will be here in +a moment. Sit down, Merriwell." + +Frank took a chair in a corner of the room, and Waited, while the dean +kept at work at his usual affairs. + +Fully a quarter of an hour passed before Prof. Babbitt came in. When he +did so, he had his arms full of examination papers, and he was +accompanied by a man whose face was vaguely familiar to Frank, but whom +he did not know by name. + +It was a resident of New Haven whom he had seen on the street from time +to time during his college career. + +Babbitt gave Frank a scowling glance and remarked: + +"Ah! I see that with your customary nerve you're here. We will settle +this matter, therefore, without delay." + +The dean laid down his pen and looked up in surprise. + +"What is the matter, Prof. Babbitt?" he asked. + +"I am compelled, dean," returned the professor, "to accuse Merriwell of +cheating in an examination. I hardly need say that I should not make the +charge unless I had ample proof to sustain it." + +The dean looked over his glasses at Frank in a way that showed that he +was not only shocked, but vastly surprised; then he gave an inquiring +glance at the man who had come in with Prof. Babbitt. + +"Excuse me, dean," said the professor, "this is Mr. James Harding. I +thought that you were acquainted with him." + +"I have not met Mr. Harding before," responded the dean, "although his +face is familiar." + +"I'm glad to make your acquaintance, sir," said Harding. + +The dean rose and both shook hands. Then the dean hesitated a moment and +said: + +"Won't it be as well, Prof. Babbitt, to postpone the inquiry as to +Merriwell until----" + +"No, excuse me," interrupted the professor, "I've brought Mr. Harding +here for a purpose. He can tell you something that has a bearing upon +Merriwell's case." + +"Oh, very well. Step this way, Merriwell." + +The dean sat down, and Frank advanced to a place in front of his desk. +Babbitt's mouth was open to talk, but the dean ignoring him, turned to +Frank. + +"This is a very grave charge to be laid against a student, Merriwell," +he said, "and I can't tell you how it grieves me that you should be +suspected. + +"We have all had a high opinion of your honor. I will add frankly that I +hope you can clear yourself." + +"Thank you," responded Frank, huskily. "I'll try to, for I'm absolutely +innocent, but I'm afraid there's nothing else that I can say in my +defense." + +"That can hardly be possible," responded the dean. "What are the +circumstances, professor?" + +"Why, the case is as plain as day!" exclaimed Babbitt, quickly. "This +examination was set as a test for the class, a special test, I may say, +and on the strength of it I expected to require certain students, like +Merriwell and his particular friends, to go over a portion of last +year's work. + +"I knew from the examination of last spring just where they were weak, +and I drew up this paper in such a way that the students themselves +would be readily convinced of their weakness and so be the more willing +to study." + +The dean nodded to show that he understood. + +"Now, then," continued the professor, "I had the papers printed by the +college printer in the usual way, with just enough copies to go around. + +"I counted the papers when they were delivered at my room by the +printer, and found them to be one hundred and forty-six in all. I tied +the papers up in a parcel and left them in my room until this morning, +when I took the parcel to Osborn Hall. There I opened the bundle and +when the papers were distributed, it proved that two were missing." + +Prof. Babbitt paused, as if expecting the dean to make some comment. He +did not do so, but looked straight ahead, and so the professor went on. + +"I must say that I instantly had my suspicions of Merriwell, for during +the past three days he has been frequently at the house where I have my +room. + +"I kept my eyes on him during the entire examination, and I could easily +see that he was not conducting himself as usual. He used up a great deal +of paper and was evidently nervous. + +"At length I took a position back of his desk, where I could watch what +he was doing without being observed. Presently I saw him work out the +last problem on the examination paper, and work it out correctly, too. + +"Then, as he crumpled up the paper on which he had been figuring, I +caught a glimpse of the other side of it. I pounced upon his hand and +discovered that he had been figuring upon the back of one of the missing +question sheets." + +The professor's voice had a triumphant ring when he came to the end of +his little speech. There was evidently no doubt in his mind that what he +had discovered would be sufficient proof to the dean of Frank's +crookedness. + +The dean pursed up his lips and looked absently up at the ceiling for a +moment, and then turned to Frank. + +"If I understand the professor correctly," he said, slowly, "you had two +of the question papers on your desk instead of one?" + +"Yes, sir," Frank responded. + +"How did the second one get there, Merriwell?" + +"I don't know, sir." + +Prof. Babbitt snorted contemptuously. + +Frank flushed and glanced at him angrily, but held his tongue. + +"Didn't the professor make any inquiries when he discovered that two +papers were missing?" asked the dean. + +"Yes, I did----" + +"Let Merriwell answer, please." + +"He did," said Frank, "and I examined my desk, as I thought, thoroughly, +to see if an extra paper had been placed there by mistake. I found none +and went to work without any further thought on the matter. I worked out +the problem on the back of the question paper without knowing what it +was until the professor pounced on me." + +"And is that all you can say about it?" + +"Everything, sir." + +The dean turned to Prof. Babbitt and said: + +"I can't deny that the discovery of a paper under such circumstances is +very suggestive, but I take it for granted that you have some +explanation of your own to offer as to how Merriwell got possession of +it?" + +"Indeed I have, and that is just why I brought Mr. Harding here," +replied Babbitt. "Tell the dean what you saw, Mr. Harding." + +"I suppose," said Harding, "that it was simply some harmless prank of +students at first, for we who live in New Haven are quite accustomed to +such things, don't you know." + +"I don't think I do," replied the dean, sharply, "for I haven't the +slightest idea what you're talking about." + +"Come right to the point, Mr. Harding!" added Babbitt. + +"Well, sir, I live in the house next to the one occupied by Prof. +Babbitt and some of the students. + +"One day I was astonished, as I happened to be looking out of my window, +to see a young man climb out of the big chimney at the top of Prof. +Babbitt's house. + +"He went around on the roof for a moment, looking for some way to get +down, and at last caught the limb of a tree which bent under his weight +until he could drop safely to the ground. + +"Then he hurried away through an alley that led to another street. There +was no doubt that he was trying to escape observation." + +"Had you ever seen this student before?" asked the dean. + +"Many times, though I never knew his name until now----" + +"I was the student," interrupted Frank, quietly. + +"The impudence of that confession," exclaimed Prof. Babbitt, hotly, "is +enough to drive a man crazy! The great chimney in that house, dean, +hasn't been used for many years, and the fireplaces have been boarded +up, but an athlete like Merriwell could go up and down easily and you +can see how he could effect an entrance by going into the fireplace of +the room under mine, which is occupied by one of his friends, and so +climbing up through the chimney to my room----" + +"May I ask a question?" interposed Frank. + +"Certainly," responded the dean. + +"Mr. Harding," said Frank, "what day was it when you saw me climb out of +the chimney on the roof?" + +Harding was silent a moment, and then said: + +"I hadn't given the matter any thought until a few moments ago, when +Prof. Babbitt met me and remarked that he was in great trouble because a +student had somehow entered his room and stolen a paper. + +"I then told him what I had seen and he asked me to come here and tell +the same thing to you. I think that this thing occurred on Tuesday." + +"Are you quite sure?" asked Frank. + +Mr. Harding took some envelopes from his pocket and looked them over. + +"Yes," he said, "I had an important letter come a few minutes after +that, and I see by the postmark here that it was delivered on Tuesday. I +am certain that it was Tuesday." + +"I only wish to say," said Frank, turning to the dean, "that it was on +Tuesday that Prof. Babbitt took his question paper to the printer. The +printed examination papers could not have been delivered before +Wednesday at the earliest." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A FORCED CONFESSION. + + +There was a sarcastic smile on the dean's face as he turned to Prof. +Babbitt and asked: + +"That doesn't seem to justify your charge, does it?" + +"Why--why----" stammered the professor. "At first blush perhaps it +doesn't, but, don't you see, it shows that he had found the way to my +room, and the fact that he was idling away his time in Page's room +beneath ever since, is proof enough that he was waiting his chance to go +up again. + +"I'm sure he got the paper, for I have taken a glance at the answers +given by him and his particular crew of friends, and I find that every +one of them passed perfect papers, and, without cheating, not more than +one of them could have answered more than one problem." + +"You see, Merriwell," said the dean, "the circumstances point very +unhappily----" + +"I know they do, sir," said Frank, "and I feel miserable about it, but +there's an explanation of how I and my friends have passed perfect +papers, that I'm perfectly willing to state." + +"Do so, then." + +Frank thereupon related Page's joke just as it happened. He told all +about the conversation he had overheard between Babbitt and Instructor +Frost, and then described how he had got his friends together and led +them in studying up the subject. + +"It may be that you call that cheating," he concluded, "but you must +understand that none of us knew what problems the professor was to put +upon the paper. + +"We only knew the general subject which he had chosen for the +examination, and we set to work to make ourselves solid on that subject, +and it seems that we did so." + +"Why, yes," responded the dean, with a queer smile. "I must say that if +your story is correct, the professor has nothing to complain of. He +wanted to compel you to work up on points that you were weak on, and it +seems you did so. + +"Of course it was a very unusual thing for you to get the warning as to +what the subject of the examination was to be, but if the professor +himself gave the warning----" + +"Who would have dreamed," exclaimed Babbitt, "that a rascally student +was listening in the chimney!" + +"Tut! tut!" exclaimed the dean, "don't use harsh language, professor. I +don't think the situation justifies it. According to Merriwell's story, +he was in the chimney without any idea of listening to you, and I think +any of us who can remember our student days will admit that if we had +been in the same position we would have done substantially what he did." + +Prof. Babbitt bit his lip. It was not at all pleasant for him to find +that Frank had a friend in the dean, who, next to the president, is the +highest official in the college. + +"All this," he muttered, "doesn't explain the fact that two examination +papers were missing!" + +"True," answered the dean, "and we shall have to think that over. +Merriwell, will you step into the next room for a short time, please?" + +Frank obeyed, and he felt certain that he read in the dean's eyes +perfect belief in his story. + +"It'll come out right somehow," he thought, as he closed the door upon +the dean, Babbitt and Mr. Harding. + +He could hear their voices in earnest conversation for fully a quarter +of an hour. They were doubtless discussing the discovery of the extra +paper upon Merriwell's desk, and Frank wondered what conclusion they +would come to about it. + +Meantime, another event was taking place that led to a solution of the +mystery. + +One by one the students finished their work on the examination papers +and left the hall; few of them went away from the door; the most +gathered there talking excitedly about the accusation against Merriwell. + +There were some who professed to believe that Merriwell had been up to a +sharp trick, and had actually stolen the question paper, but the great +majority indignantly denied it. + +There are many students who would have no scruples against cheating at +an examination, but few would think of descending so low as to commit +theft for the purpose. + +Frank's friends were in the majority, and very loud in their assertions +as to his honorable conduct. + +Among the first to leave the room after Frank's exit was Dismal Jones; +he stood around with his hands in his pockets saying nothing, but +looking from one to the other with a very worried expression upon his +solemn face. + +Among the last to leave was Mortimer Ford. He walked through the group +with a jaunty air, as if confident that he had come out of the +examination in good order, and started for his room. + +Jones tried to speak to him, but Ford simply said: + +"Ah, there, Dismal, I hope you didn't get plucked," and continued on. + +Dismal scowled savagely and stood for a moment looking at Ford's +retreating form, and then he turned about, and catching Diamond by the +sleeve, said: + +"See here, Jack! I want to speak to you for a minute." + +"What's the matter?" returned Diamond, feeling a little impatient and +provoked, for his mind was full of Frank's trouble, and he could not +think of talking of anything else. + +"It's about Merriwell," whispered Jones, "and I want you and Rattleton +and Browning and Page to come here." + +He withdrew to one side, and Diamond, with a mystified expression, +touched Rattleton on the shoulder and beckoned him to follow. + +"What's up, Dismal?" said Rattleton. + +"Get the other fellows," replied Jones. + +The others were soon drawn from the group of excited students, and then +Dismal said: + +"I've got the key to this whole thing, and if you fellows will help turn +it, we'll get Merriwell out of this scrape in less than no time." + +The boys were too astonished to reply, and Dismal went on: + +"Yesterday," he said, "a fellow came to me and after a lot of hemming +and hawing and beating about the bush, told me that he could put me onto +a way to pass Babbitt's examination perfectly; he also said that I could +give the same tip to my friends. + +"I'm not letting any tips on examinations go by, you can bet on that, +and so I made him tell me what the racket was. He said he had got hold +of two copies of Babbitt's paper." + +"Who was it?" exclaimed the boys, eagerly. + +"Wait a minute," said Jones. "He said the printer accidentally struck +off more than was necessary, and he got the copies in that way." + +"What way?" + +"Oh, I don't know, I didn't ask particularly, because"--Dismal hesitated +a moment--"because, well, I'm not putting up a front for being a +preacher, or a goody-goody boy, but I didn't quite fancy taking part in +a cheat like that, and I told him so. + +"Besides that, I couldn't see any reasons why he should give this favor +to me: he and I have never been chummy, and I don't believe that he got +them from the printer, either." + +"Well, well, who was it?" demanded Rattleton, excitedly. + +"Ford." + +"Ford, of all men!" + +"Yes, he was the fellow." + +"It's just as Merriwell says," said Page. "Ford is crazy to lead the +class, and he will take any means for getting a paper." + +"How is it going to help Merriwell?" asked Rattleton. + +"You fellows must get after Ford," responded Jones, "and make him own +up. Do you remember how he passed down the aisle and asked Babbitt a +question?" + +"Yes." + +"And don't you remember Merriwell's papers were knocked off his desk?" + +"I saw that something had happened," responded Diamond, "but I sat too +far away----" + +"Well, the papers were on the floor," responded Jones, "and I'd like to +bet a dollar to a button that Ford tucked in that extra examination +paper when he picked the papers up." + +The boys looked seriously at one another a moment, and then two or three +said together: + +"Let's call on Ford!" + +Away they went at once, and in a few minutes were at Ford's door. + +"Come in," he said, when they knocked. + +One of them tried the door, but found that it was locked. + +"Wait a minute," called Ford, and they heard him crossing the room. + +Rattleton heard the scratching of a match at the same moment. Something +seemed to go wrong with the key, for Ford fumbled at the lock for a +moment before he opened the door. + +"Hello!" he said in a tone of surprise. "Come right in." + +Rattleton dashed past the others, and ran to the fireplace. There was no +excuse for a fire in September, but a tiny blaze was there, +nevertheless. + +Rattleton put his hand upon it instantly, to beat the flame out, and +stood up with a partially burned and charred fragment of paper in his +hand. + +"What are you trying to do?" demanded Ford, indignantly. + +"Dock the loor--I mean lock the door," cried Rattleton, excitedly, to +Browning. + +The latter immediately closed the door, turned the key, and stood with +his back to it. + +"We'll settle this thing in a hurry," continued Rattleton, shaking the +charred paper aloft; "this is a part of Babbitt's examination paper." + +"Well, what of it?" asked Ford, angrily; "why shouldn't a man burn up a +piece of paper that he's got no further use for?" + +"Because you left the paper you've been at work on with your answers in +the examination room!" retorted Rattleton, "and this is an extra sheet. +It shows what became of the two sheets that Babbitt missed." + +Ford looked from one to another of the students and broke into a laugh. + +"Well," he said, "I don't feel called upon to make any explanation to +you fellows, but as I understand it, your particular friend, Merriwell, +will have a good deal to explain." + +"By all that's good," exclaimed Diamond; wrathfully, "you'll do the +explaining for him." + +"Me?" + +"Yes, you, you skulking hound! You had those two papers; here's Dismal +Jones, to whom you confessed to having got hold of them. You wanted +Dismal to take one, hoping that he would give it away to Frank and the +rest of us, so that if any exposure came we'd be mixed up in it. I know +your sly trick!" + +Ford had turned very pale. He sank into a chair, shut his teeth +together, and muttered: + +"You're doing a good deal of guesswork; but if you're trying to pick a +row go right along; I'm not afraid of you." + +"We're not here to pick a row, Ford," said Page; "I'm beginning to see +through the whole thing. + +"You're about the only one, except Merriwell, who knew how the chimney +in my room communicated with Babbitt's, and I remember you were coming +away from my room at one time when we were coming from dinner. You had +been up there then to steal the papers. You managed to work one of them +off on Merriwell's desk to-day. Rattleton there has got a part of the +other." + +"Well, see here," said Ford. "What does it all mean? Ever since there +were colleges, students have done their best to get ahead of the +faculty, and if I've succeeded, what's the harm? It isn't hurting you +fellows, and no student ever tells on another." + +He said this with a haughty air, as if to imply that they would be +beneath contempt if they should report his doings to the faculty. + +"We're not going to do any tell-taleing--I mean tale-telling," blustered +Rattleton. "We're here to make you do that." + +"What do you mean?" + +"I tell you," said Browning, slowly, and there was a dangerous glitter +in his eyes, "I'm not above telling tales in a case like this, and if +you don't go straight to the dean and tell him the truth, I'll go and +lay the matter before him, and what's more, Master Ford, I'll give you +such a thumping that you'll carry the marks as long as you live." + +Browning spoke quietly, but there was a businesslike ring in his tone +that Ford could not misunderstand. + +The others were very quiet, and they looked at Ford, awaiting his +answer. + +"You take a mighty high attitude," he muttered. + +"Shut up," muttered Browning, savagely. "I for one won't hear any +argument about it; you've got to do what we say, or take the +consequences. And to make certain of those consequences, I'm going to +give you a licking now!" + +Browning pulled off his coat, threw it upon the floor, and advanced upon +Ford. The others stood aside, their eyes glistening, and their fists +fairly itching to take a share in Ford's punishment. + +As to the latter, he retreated to a corner, and placed a chair between +himself and Browning. + +"Hold on," he said, huskily. "You've got the best of me because there +are so many of you----" + +"I propose to lick you alone!" interrupted Browning. + +"All the same," suggested Dismal Jones, slowly, "when Browning gets +through with him, I think the rest of us will take a turn one at a +time." + +Ford was thoroughly frightened. + +"I give it up," he stammered. "You force me to it I'll do what you say, +and I guess my standing in the class is good enough, as I never have +done anything before this----" + +"Never been caught at it," interrupted Diamond, sarcastically. + +"Don't waste any talk," said Browning; "he's going with us to the dean's +office now; Merriwell is probably there at this minute trying to make +Babbitt believe in a student's honor." + +Saying this, Browning put on his coat and unlocked the door; then he +turned to Ford. + +"Come along," he said. + +Trembling like a leaf, Ford crossed the room, picked up his hat from the +table, and went out into the hall. + +The other students followed closely after. + +As he came to the stairway Ford made a leap. In his excitement he +probably hoped that he might be able to run away from these angry +fellows, and possibly escape making the confession that they wished him +to make. + +With an angry laugh they all leaped after him and caught him as he was +two steps down the stairs. + +The result was that the whole pack of them went tumbling down the flight +and landed with many a bruise in a heap at the bottom. + +When they got up Browning had his strong hand clinched in Ford's collar +until the miserable rascal was almost choking. + +In this way he was fairly pushed across the campus, to the great +astonishment of all the students who happened to be there at the time. + +He was marched straight up to the dean's office, where the students +entered without knocking. + +The dean was still talking with Babbitt and Mr. Harding. + +Frank, in the adjoining room, wondered what all the commotion was about. +The dean wondered, too, and said sharply: + +"Gentlemen, gentlemen, what does this mean?" + +"It means, sir," said Browning, respectfully, "that an infamous outrage +has been attempted, by which an honorable student is made to suffer. +Ford will explain." + +Ford did explain with many cringing appeals for mercy, and with many +protests against the violence with which the students had treated him. + +The dean listened with growing indignation, while even Babbitt was +stirred to anger against his favorite student. + +The upshot of the matter was that Babbitt withdrew his charges against +Frank, and even went so far as to make a sort of apology for having +suspected him. + +Ford's case went before the whole faculty at its meeting that evening, +with the result that he was suspended for one year. + +"I never was so relieved in my life, Merriwell," said the dean, as he +shook Frank's hand, "for if it had been proven that you had done this +thing, I am afraid I should have lost all faith in students, but----" + +And there was a sly twinkle in his eye. + +"I think we shall have to recommend that Prof. Babbitt stuff his chimney +with bricks and mortar, or else move to a new room." + +"He needn't fear that I shall invade the chimney again," responded +Frank; "I'm only too glad that the matter has turned out so that there +is no doubt about me. + +"Well," said the dean, thoughtfully, "you ought to learn some kind of a +lesson out of the experience, I suppose. Let's take it for granted, +Merriwell, that you'll give your mathematics a little more attention +this year." + +Frank, smiling, assured the dean that he would do so, and there the +matter ended. + +At a later time Page asked Frank why it was that he had insisted on the +fireplace being kept secret until after the examination. + +"Because," said Frank, "I had got a tip there that was too valuable to +lose. If you had shown the opening to everybody, it struck me that +perhaps Babbitt would hear you. With his suspicious nature, he might +conclude at once that we had good papers because, somehow, we got into +his room and found the questions. + +"As it happened, you see, the showing of the fireplace resulted in even +worse than I feared. It gave Ford his opportunity, and one of the +reasons why I insisted on studying in your room was to prevent any such +thing by having your room occupied all the time. + +"That scheme failed, because Ford watched his chance and got in while we +were at dinner." + +"I'll have my door fitted with a combination time-lock!" exclaimed Page; +"he could have unlocked it as it is now with a button hook." + +"You'd certainly better put on a better lock if you think of keeping +pets in the chim----" + +"Oh, come off, Frank! I thought I'd heard the last of that." + +Frank laughed pleasantly, but from that time on he never mentioned the +subject. + +"It's just as well," he said. "I think we are lucky to get out of the +affair so easily." + +"Right you are," answered Browning. And then, after a pause, he +continued: "Got a letter this morning. Important news." + +"Of what?" asked several. + +"About the intercollegiate games to come off in New York. Friend of mine +at Princeton says they are bound to beat us." + +"Not on your life!" came in a chorus; and on the moment the affair of +the examination papers was forgotten and all of the boys were talking +about the contests to come off and wondering who of the Yale students +would take part. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +PICKING OUT A TEAM. + + +"One, two, drop!" + +At the word there was a sudden thud as four bodies fell to the ground. +Immediately afterward there was a creaking and a sound of straining as +the four prostrate men pulled with all their might at a rope. + +Then there were long breaths and grunts, and presently one of the four +exclaimed: + +"I say, Merriwell, I didn't suppose you were going to say 'drop' until +you had counted three!" + +"You had no business to suppose any such thing," responded Frank, +seriously, and yet with a smile; "the man who gives the word in a tug of +war sometimes doesn't count at all, and you've got to get used to +falling at one word only." + +"It will be a pistol shot in New York, won't it?" + +"That isn't decided on. You didn't get the rope under your knee when you +fell, Taylor." + +"I know," responded the one addressed, "and that was because the word +'drop' came before I was ready for it." + +"Look out for it next time, then. That will do for the present." + +At this word the four young men stood up and looked at Merriwell to +await his next command. + +They were in the gymnasium at Yale. A corner of the main exercise hall +had been set apart for them and screened so that their work could not be +seen or interrupted by other students. + +Four short pieces of wood had been nailed to the floor at intervals of +about five feet. At each of these blocks or cleats a student stood with +his hand upon a rope that was tied to a post a few feet distant from the +nearest cleat. + +These four were stripped to the thinnest of athletic costumes, but +Frank, who stood by directing their work, was in his usual street +clothes. + +He was training the four to represent the college in a tug of war that +was to be one feature of some intercollegiate games to take place early +in the following month. + +The contests were to consist of all kinds of indoor exercises, as the +season for outdoor sports had come to an end. + +There was to be leaping, wrestling, trapeze and horizontal bar work, +maneuvers on the giant swings, fencing and so on. + +The entries for these events were not limited to any one class; freshmen +could contest as well as seniors, and as a matter of fact many ambitious +fellows in the freshman class were in training for the big event. + +Every day the wrestlers got together in the gymnasium and varied their +work at the machines by wrestling with each other. + +The leapers, too, made daily efforts to jump a little higher or a little +farther than they had the day before, while those who made specialties +of tricks upon the bar and trapeze spent hours every day in perfecting +themselves in their feats. + +The students talked of little else when they met on the campus, or in +one another's rooms of an evening. + +Four colleges were to be represented in the meet, namely: Yale, Harvard, +Cornell and Princeton. The contests were to take place on neutral +ground, and for this purpose the big Seventh Regiment Armory in New York +City had been engaged. + +The college year had hardly begun before arrangements for this athletic +meeting were under way. + +As is usual in such matters, where the whole college is concerned, the +management was given to a committee of upper classmen. + +There were three on this committee, Jack Rowland, and Bed Hill from the +senior class, and Frank from the junior. + +It was not Frank's intention to take any active part in the contests, +although he was well known throughout the college as a first-class, +all-round athlete. + +It seemed to him better that the contests against the other colleges +should be made by those who were specialists in one line or another. He +talked this matter over with his particular friends shortly after the +term began. + +"It won't seem quite right to see you out of it," protested Rattleton, +"for when we had our sporting trip across the continent you were always +coming in at the last minute to pull victory out of defeat, no matter +whether we were jumping, running, playing ball or horse racing." + +"That's another story," Frank replied. "When we were sporting it across +the continent there were only nine of us, and we were not all Yale +students at that. Here there are several hundred healthy men to choose +from. + +"I don't think there's much doubt that out of all the students now in +college there is some one who could beat me at any one thing I might +undertake to do, from wrestling to trapeze work." + +"But," said Diamond, "if you should go into training for any one event, +I think you'd come out on top." + +"And that's what I don't care to do!" retorted Merriwell. "I'd rather be +an all-round man than be able to do just one thing; I shouldn't know +which to choose if I were to start in training." + +"But we may lose a cup in some branch of sport if you don't go in." + +"Oh, no, I think not. Besides that, there's going to be one event in +which I can take a kind of share, and where perhaps I can be as useful +to Yale as if I were contesting." + +"What's that?" + +"The tug of war." + +"Is there going to be a tug of war?" + +"Yes, siree!" + +"Who's going to be on the team?" + +"Will it be on cleats or on the level floor?" + +"Will it be on the ground?" + +These and many other questions of a similar kind were asked so rapidly +that Frank had no chance for a reply. At length he explained that the +team had not been chosen, and that anybody might be a candidate. + +"The managing committee," he said, "has asked me to take charge of the +training, and we're going to have trials in a corner of the gymnasium +every afternoon. As soon as the team is made up, we shall get down to +daily practice." + +It was perfectly natural that the tug of war should arouse more interest +throughout the college than any of the other events. + +Of course it was important that one or another student should be in +training to meet the best wrestler or jumper from the other colleges, +but the tug of war was an event in which the whole college was +represented. + +There is never anything like a team event to arouse the enthusiasm of +students. + +A tug of war team consists of but four men, to be sure, but at that they +are supposed to be, and generally are, the strongest men in the college, +and so students of all classes looked to them for holding up the glory +of the college. + +There was another thing that made the tug of war team especially +interesting at this time. For two or three years Princeton had been very +successful in the tug of war, whether pulling against other colleges of +against outside athletic organizations. + +It had happened that three very strong men in a certain class had gone +onto the team in their freshman year and had stayed there ever since. + +That was greatly to the advantage of the Princeton team, for with three +men on it who were perfectly used to each other, and who had had a great +deal of experience, the team was not only powerful, but it made every +other team afraid of it. + +There is a great deal more in this than those who are not athletes +imagine. A team that has the reputation of always winning is apt to +strike terror to the hearts of its opponents and rattle them so that +they cannot do their best. + +Princeton naturally was very proud of its tug of war team and perfectly +confident of carrying off the prize for that event. This was understood +not only at Yale, but at Harvard and Cornell, and at each of these three +colleges there was a determination to "down" Princeton if possible. + +So it happened that when the managing committee at Yale announced that +they would examine candidates for the tug of war team, there was so much +interest in it that a perfect mob of students gathered at the gymnasium +eager for a place upon the rope. + +Rowland and Hill, the senior members of the committee, were inclined to +dismiss the whole crowd and then quietly pick out four men according to +their own judgment, but Merriwell opposed this policy. + +"There may be perfect giants concealed in that crowd," he said, "and if +there's only one, we want to discover him. Give them all a trial." + +"But it would take weeks," exclaimed Hill, "to arrange those men in +teams and make them pull against each other until we could sift out the +best four!" + +"I don't think we need to have them pull against each other to find out +what they're worth," Frank responded. + +"What other way is there?" asked Rowland. + +"I have an idea that I can sift that crowd in a week." + +"Well, then, you'd better try it." + +So it was agreed that Frank should undertake to examine the candidates +for the team, and to superintend its training. + +His plan for examining the applicants caused a good deal of amusement at +first, but it proved to be remarkably effective as well as a great time +saver. + +In a tug of war, as in many other sports, it is not only brute strength +that tells, but quickness and skill. Frank believed a good deal more in +the head work of tugging than he did in solid muscle. + +"If a man can't drop right every time," he declared, "he isn't fit for +the team. If he can drop right, he's got the making of a tugger." + +To test this he had a rope fastened securely to a post, and the +candidates in squads of four took hold of this rope and dropped half a +dozen times at Frank's command. He gave brief explanations of what was +necessary for them to do, to each squad before giving the word; then he +watched the men go down, showing them where they had been in error and +had them try again. + +It took no more than half a dozen minutes for as many trials and then +another squad was brought on. + +In this way he easily tested from thirty to forty men an hour, and so in +the course of three days had given every candidate for the team a +chance. + +After that it was an easy matter for him to strike off the list fully +three-quarters of the candidates; that left from twenty to thirty who +might still be useful. + +These men he tried in groups of four also, but continually shifted the +men from one group to another so as to find out which of them worked +together to the best advantage. + +At length, after ten days of patient examination in this way, he had +Rowland and Hill come behind the screen and watch the efforts of six men +who had been selected as the best team workers in the whole college. + +The matter was discussed very frankly, not only by the members of the +committee, but by the candidates themselves, for everybody was anxious +that the best possible team should be selected and nobody would have +been offended if he had been left off. + +It was decided at last that Bruce Browning should be the anchor of the +team. He had been Frank's choice almost from the start, for he was heavy +and cool, and from past experience Frank knew that Bruce could be quick +if it was necessary. + +It is the anchor in a tug-of-war who does the head work for the team. + +"I'd rather have a good anchor and three weak men," said Frank, +emphatically, "than three giants on the rope directed by an anchor who +is either excitable or slow." + +Everybody agreed that Bruce was just the man for the Yale anchor, and +after a good many trials Taylor, of the senior class, and Jackson, of +the sophomore, were assigned places on the rope; that left one vacancy. + +Merriwell recommended that the other three men who had stood the test so +far be trained equally, so that two at least could rank as substitutes +in case of sickness or other difficulty. + +The committee and the members of the team suggested that Frank himself +should take the vacant place on the rope. + +"Everybody knows you've got the muscle and the head, and with you and +Bruce on the rope, we'll have as perfect a team as possible." + +Frank hesitated a little before accepting this suggestion, but he +finally yielded, for without conceit he felt that he could be more +useful than the others, and he had a natural eagerness to take an active +part in the contest. + +Nevertheless, he continued to direct the training of the team, using +Rattleton as a substitute on the rope while he stood by and gave orders. + +In this way he got the men so that they could fall at the word and fall +right, and when this had been gained he took Rattleton's place and gave +over the direction of the movements of the team to the anchor. + +After that there was a good deal of practice in pulling at voluntary +teams from among the students. + +It proved that there were no four students in the college who could stay +on the cleats half a minute against the team that Frank had selected and +trained; so practice teams were made up of five, six, and sometimes +eight men. + +The dead weight of eight men proved to be a little too much for the +regular team, although the latter was never pulled off the cleats. + +All in all the Yale students were greatly satisfied with their tug of +war team, and as the time for the intercollegiate contests approached +their confidence grew. + +They believed that they would be able to get away with Princeton, and it +did not seem to strike them at all that the other colleges were in it. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +HUNTING FOR A FRESHMAN. + + +The contests were to take place on a Wednesday evening. On the Monday +previous all the Yale athletes went to New York. + +Special permission from the faculty had to be obtained for this absence +from the college, but there was no difficulty in getting that, as there +is hardly a professor at Yale who does not have a strong interest in +athletic events. + +As New Haven is but two hours' ride from New York, it might have been +possible for the students to attend to all their duties on the +Wednesday, and still get to New York in time for the events, but that +would never do for the contestants. + +Nobody knows better than men who train how easy it is for an athlete to +get thrown out of order by a change in diet and air. The finer the +training the greater care there has to be. + +Therefore, the managing committee for Yale felt that it was absolutely +necessary to give the contestants at least two whole days in New York +City, in order to get used to the slight change that would result in +their leaving familiar quarters in New Haven. + +Students who were not contestants in the intercollegiate sports were not +allowed to leave New Haven so early, and so it was a comparatively small +party that went with Frank and the other members of the committee to +rooms that had been engaged for them in the Murray Hill Hotel. + +It would probably have amused an outsider if he could have known the +great care taken to prevent those students from being harmed by illness +or anything else. + +They were grown men and able to take care of themselves ordinarily, but +from the time they went into training they were like so many children in +charge of a nurse. + +They were informed as to just what they could eat and what they must let +alone. Not one of them was permitted to smoke, and every one of them was +required to do just so many hours of exercise of some kind every day. + +While they remained in New Haven it was no very difficult matter to see +to it that every one of the contestants obeyed the regulations of the +managing committee. + +In New York it was not quite so easy, for the members of the committee +were a good deal occupied in discussing arrangements with the committees +from other colleges who were quartered at different hotels. + +When it happened that all the committee had to be away from the Murray +Hill at the same time, the oversight of the Yale crew was left to +Browning, who was the most experienced athlete among them. + +There was not much for him to do, for each one of the contestants had a +programme of exercise laid out for him. + +There was to be just so much walking, and at certain hours, and the rest +of the time, except for meals, was to be put in in resting. + +It was understood that as often as possible the entire crowd should walk +together, and this they did on the first evening after their arrival. + +They went up Fifth Avenue to Central Park, and walked rapidly for fully +an hour among its winding paths; then they returned to their hotel, had +baths, and went early to bed. + +During the next day, Tuesday, the contestants were left pretty much to +themselves, as the members of the committee were away most of the time. + +After one of the meetings with the committees from other colleges, the +Yale managers, finding that a number of things had to be done, divided +up the work and separated. + +Three or four hours later Rowland and Frank met on the way to the hotel +where their companions were staying. They reported to each other what +they had done, and then fell as usual into discussing the prospects for +victory. + +"I saw the Cornell tug of war team out for a run," said Rowland. + +"Ah! What do they look like?" Frank responded, without much show of +interest. + +"Beef!" said Rowland. + +"Not dangerous, then, eh?" + +"Why, no, I presume not. They look as if they could carry you fellows +around on one hand, but it seemed to me they were clumsy in their +running." + +"I don't fear them," said Frank; "I'd heard from some other fellows that +Cornell was counting on weight more than anything else, and as you know, +I take more stock in head work." + +"There's this to think of, though," remarked Rowland, "if a beefy team +gets the fall on you by the fraction of a second, you simply can't stand +it. That's the time when dead weight will tell." + +"The Cornell beefeaters won't get the drop on Yale," returned Frank, +quietly. + +"No, I guess not, and for that matter, so far as I can hear, there seems +to be no doubt in anybody's mind that the real contest will be between +Yale and Princeton." + +"Have you seen the Harvard men?" asked Frank. + +"No, but we know all about them, don't we?" + +"I think so. They're a game lot, but I don't think they can stand +against us. The fact is, Rowland, I'm thinking more of the other events +than of the tug of war just now." + +"So? I would have supposed you would be capable of thinking of nothing +else." + +Frank shook his head. + +"The tug of war doesn't worry me a little bit," he said, "but as one of +the managers I should feel pretty badly if we fell down on everything +else." + +"Oh, we're not going to fall down; there are two or three events, you +know, in which we are almost certain to win. The high leap, for +example----" + +"That's just what I've been thinking of," interrupted Frank. + +"Why, are you afraid of Higgins?" + +Higgins was a member of the freshman class who had shown most unusual +power in jumping, and had easily beaten all the other Yale students who +had tried for that event. + +"I hear that Cornell has a man named Stover," said Frank, "who thinks he +can beat everybody at the high jump." + +"Yes, I've heard of him, too," Rowland responded, "but what of it? +Higgins has broken the record in private practice----" + +"That doesn't make it certain that he will do as well at the armory." + +"No; but he's in good condition, isn't he?" + +"First rate." + +"Then I wouldn't worry about him." + +"I'm not worrying exactly, and in any case, if our fellows do their best +and we get beaten, there's nothing to complain of." + +At this point in their conversation the two arrived at the Murray Hill +Hotel. They went at once to the suite of rooms that had been engaged for +the athletes, and found most of the contestants reading or dozing. + +A few were out for a walk. All the students asked eager questions as to +the final arrangements and so on. After several questions had been asked +and answered, Rowland remarked: + +"There'll be hard times in Princeton this winter if the orange doesn't +get most of the cups." + +"Are the Princeton men offering odds?" asked Browning. + +"Not quite so strong as that, but they're putting up loads of money." + +"Is the betting any heavier than usual?" asked Frank. + +"Perhaps not," Rowland answered, "but if not I must have come across the +betting crowd. It seemed as if they had begged and borrowed every dollar +they could lay hold of and had brought it here to put up on the +different events." + +"How is the betting going?" asked Browning. + +"I didn't pay very much attention to it, but it seemed to be about even +as between Princeton and Yale on the tug of war, and on some of the +other events the Princeton men were asking for odds rather than giving +them. + +"What impressed me most was that it looked as if it was the Princeton +crowd that had the most money." + +"Why," asked Frank, in a surprised tone, "it wasn't the Princeton +contestants who were doing the betting, was it?" + +"No, but some of the students." + +"That's queer." + +"Why?" + +"Here it is Tuesday afternoon and the Princeton fellows who are going to +see the contests are not due before to-morrow afternoon. It doesn't seem +to me probable that the Princeton faculty would let the general run of +students come up here at this time any more than the Yale faculty would +allow our men to come." + +"Can't help that," said Rowland, "there's a raft of Princeton men in +town going around with orange ribbons in their buttonholes and hunting +for chances to bet money against Yale, Harvard and Cornell." + +Frank made no response, but remained for a moment in thought, while the +others continued to talk about the betting. Presently Frank asked where +Higgins and Mellor were. + +Mellor was another freshman athlete. He was a giant in stature, and one +of the best wrestlers that had ever been seen at Yale. + +There was a good deal of confidence that he would win the cup for +wrestling, for from all that could be learned of the wrestlers +representing the other colleges, there was no one who could compare with +him in strength, and his skill seemed to be all that would be needed. + +"They're taking in the town," answered Browning. + +"What!" exclaimed Frank, aghast. + +"Oh, not in any improper sense," said Browning. "They're just out for a +walk, and I didn't see any objection to their taking it in such a way +that they could see some of the principal streets." + +"No, that's all right," responded Frank, in a tone of relief; "when are +they due back?" + +"In about half an hour." + +More than half an hour passed, and neither Higgins nor Mellor had shown +up at that time. Rowland and Hill were away on some other business +concerned with the management. + +Frank was getting anxious. He could not have said exactly why, for so +far as Mellor and Higgins were concerned, he had a good deal of respect +for them, but he was fearful of accidents, as if they were little +children unable to care for themselves. + +He did not betray his anxiety to Browning or the others, but remarked +after a time that he had another errand to do, and went away, leaving +instructions that no contestant should leave the hotel until his return. + +Then he went down to Madison Square and stood for a moment looking +doubtfully at the several hotels in that vicinity. He knew that the +Princeton athletes had had rooms engaged at the Fifth Avenue, but this +thought was not in his mind at the moment. + +"The Hoffman House," he was thinking, "is one of the most celebrated +hotels in New York, and a place to which all strangers like to go." + +As it was the time of year when days are short, it was already dark as +night, although it was yet some time before the usual evening dinner +hour. + +Frank strolled across to the Hoffman House, and went in at the main +entrance. A number of men were in the lobby, but apparently there were +no students among them. + +He went slowly past group after group, and turned at length to the +barroom. + +This place was famous at that time for its remarkable collection of +valuable paintings and statuary; it was often referred to jocosely as +the "art gallery." Every stranger in New York regarded it as one of the +most interesting sights of the town. + +It was pretty well filled with customers when Frank entered, but +everything was quiet and orderly. + +At the farther side of the room, and partly concealed by the bar, which +took up the very middle, was a group of young men just on the point of +leaving by the door that opens upon Twenty-fifth Street. + +"Too bad you've got to hurry," one of them remarked in a pleasant voice. + +"I'm overdue at the hotel already," said another, "and must get back +before they become anxious about me." + +Frank could not see the speaker, but he recognized the voice as that of +Higgins. + +"He has no business in here, confound him!" thought Frank, angrily. "No +one but a freshman would go into a barroom even out of curiosity, at +such a time as this." + +He crossed the room, intending to speak to Higgins and walk back to the +hotel with him, and give him some earnest advice on the way. + +Higgins was a little in advance of the group as they went out, and so +Frank did not catch up with him before they were all out upon the +sidewalk. + +He noticed that all the men who had been speaking with Higgins wore +orange ribbons in their buttonholes, but it struck him, too, that +somehow they did not look like students. + +He had no time to reflect upon this doubt, for just as he stepped out +upon the dark street he saw one of the crowd pretend to stumble and fall +rather heavily against Higgins. + +"I beg pardon," this man said, quickly. + +"It's all right," Higgins responded, as he staggered to the curb under +the force of the shove. + +At that instant Frank saw another in the crowd making a movement which +showed that he was going to trip Higgins and cause him to fall. + +The attempt was not made, for acting instantly upon his impulse, Frank +leaped from the doorway and caught the fellow a terrible blow upon the +side of the face. + +It sent him reeling halfway across the street before he finally lost his +balance and fell full length. + +The attack was so unexpected and sudden that most of the others in the +group did not stir for a second. + +There was one exception to this. + +It was a man who had edged forward in order to make sure of tripping +Higgins if the first man should fail, and he was so intent upon +accomplishing this that he did not stop when Frank's form shot past him +to attack the other. + +Therefore when Frank wheeled about to defend himself in case the others +should fall upon him, he saw this man just in the act of giving Higgins +a violent kick upon the shins. + +It was all happening so quickly that at this instant Higgins had just +made his reply to the apology of the man who had shoved him, and was +only beginning to regain his balance. + +The kick in the shins did the business for him. He fell upon his hands +and knees, and just then Frank struck out again. + +He was never so thoroughly aroused in his life, and his blows fell like +rain upon the Princeton man's face and chest. The latter would have +suffered a square knockdown if he had not been standing so that he fell +against his comrades. + +The others, recovering a little from their first astonishment, made a +feeble effort to close in on Frank, but it would have taken more than +them to stop him then. + +He beat them off vigorously, striking without mercy at any one who came +within reach. + +"Cheese it, there's a cop!" exclaimed one of the party suddenly, and +they all took to their heels. + +Higgins by this time had got up and was supporting himself against a +lamp-post. + +"Can you walk?" asked Frank, quickly. + +"I guess so," responded Higgins, so surprised that he could hardly +speak. + +Frank took him by the arm and marched him back to the barroom, through +which they went to the lobby, and then out by the ladies' entrance upon +Twenty-sixth Street. + +The scrimmage had taken place so quickly and quietly that it had +attracted no attention within the barroom, and as Frank and Higgins were +not followed, it seemed probable that the cry of alarm about a policeman +coming was false. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE FINDING OF MELLOR. + + +"Now, Higgins," said Frank, rather sharply, as they were well out on +Twenty-sixth Street, "what have you been up to?" + +"Why," answered Higgins, hesitatingly, for he had not yet half recovered +from the surprise of the event, "nothing but swapping boasts with those +Princeton fellows and refusing to drink with them." + +"It's small business for a Yale student to boast of what he can do," +exclaimed Frank, in disgust. + +Higgins bit his lip and said nothing; although he was a freshman of but +few months' standing, he had already learned that in athletic matters +the word of a manager is law, and that a student in training would no +sooner dispute his manager or trainer than a soldier would dispute an +officer. + +"And did you refuse their drinks?" demanded Frank in the same sharp +tone. + +"On my honor, Merriwell, I did. Do you suppose I would take such risks +just previous to----" + +"Don't talk to me about risks," Frank interrupted; "here it is only the +day before the contests, and you're not back at the hotel at the time +you're ordered to be." + +"I know that," Higgins responded humbly, "and I'm sorry for it, but I +didn't realize how the time was going by after I got in with those +fellows. They're very pleasant chaps, and I must say that I can't +understand for the life of me why it was you sailed into them so." + +Frank was too irritated to explain for a moment. It was very seldom that +he spoke as sharply as this to a comrade, and he would not have done so +on this occasion if he had not been so anxious for the success of Yale +in every possible event. + +As they walked along he noticed that Higgins was perfectly steady, and +although there was a slight flush on his face, there was no sign that he +had been drinking. The flush undoubtedly was due to mortification and +excitement. + +"See here, Higgins," said Frank, at length, in a quieter tone, "don't +you know that those Princeton students, as you call them, were trying to +disable you?" + +"I never dreamed of such a thing." + +"It's a fact." + +"How do you know, Merriwell?" + +"I saw the attempt made, and for that matter you got kicked in the shins +and tumbled over, didn't you?" + +"Yes, but I supposed that was an accident of the scrimmage." + +"It was nothing of the kind; it was a put-up job, and if I hadn't sailed +in it might have lamed you so that you couldn't jump. That was what they +were after." + +"Whew!" exclaimed Higgins. "I think I'm a good Yale man, if I am a +freshman, and I hate Princeton and all the rest of them, but, on my +honor, Merriwell, I didn't think that a student of any college would +resort to such a low-down trick." + +"I don't believe it, either," said Frank. + +"Well, that----" + +"What made you think those fellows were students?" + +"Why, they said they were; they gave the year of their class, which made +them out to be seniors. They had big wads of money that they wanted to +bet, and they got into conversation with me by asking what odds would +put up on myself in the high jump." + +Frank grunted to express his disgust, and asked: + +"Did they talk like students?" + +"I thought so." + +"I don't believe they were," said Frank, "for there was something in +their manner that didn't make them seem like students, and besides that, +I can't believe any more than you that Princeton men would try to win +out in these contests by deliberately disabling any of our fellows. + +"Of course, I can understand how, in an exciting match like a game of +football, a man's temper might get the best of him, but to try to lame a +fellow in cold blood hours before the beginning of the event is a little +too much for me to think of when it comes to a student, whether he's +from Princeton, Harvard or anywhere else." + +"Then, who were these fellows?" asked Higgins. + +"They may be New York gamblers, for all I know," Frank answered, "but in +any case I think they are men not connected with Princeton in any way, +who are trying to make sure of their bets by disabling the leading +contestants in the other colleges." + +"Then but for you I suppose I might have been seriously lamed?" + +"I don't know, Higgins; I'm taking no credit for what I did, but I hope +you see that you made a grave mistake in not coming back to the Murray +Hill on time." + +"I do, and will look out that such a thing doesn't happen again." + +"Where's Mellor?" asked Frank, suddenly. + +"I don't know." + +"Didn't he start out with you?" + +"Yes, but we didn't keep together long." + +"Where did he go?" + +"We separated at the corner of Thirty-second Street and Broadway. I was +for going down Broadway, but he said that he wanted to see something of +the Tenderloin district." + +"The Tenderloin!" exclaimed Frank, with a groan. + +Instinctively he hurried his steps. + +"Hasn't Mellor turned up yet?" asked Higgins, hurrying along with him. + +"No, and unless he's more careful than you were there's no telling what +mischief he may have got into." + +Higgins looked as penitent as if he had been guilty of a serious crime. +The flush on his face had entirely gone now, and he was quite pale. + +"See here," exclaimed Frank, cheerfully, "you've had your scolding, so +now brace up and forget it. If you feel the slightest soreness from that +kick, give yourself a good rubbing when you get to the hotel, and go to +bed." + +"Aren't you coming?" asked Higgins, for Frank had stopped short. + +"No." + +"What shall I say to the fellows?" + +"Nothing; or you might tell them that I met you and ordered you to the +hotel; if they ask for me, you don't know where I am, and that's all +there is to it." + +Higgins nodded and went on obediently to the Murray Hill. + +Frank, boiling with indignation and sore with anxiety, set off toward +the corner of Thirty-second Street and Broadway. He had no foolish idea +that he would find Mellor there, but as that was the last place where he +had been seen, it seemed to be the most sensible point from which to +begin a search for him. + +When he arrived at the corner he looked about a moment and then entered +a hotel, and going to the telephone closet, rang up the Murray Hill and +asked for Browning. + +"Bruce," he said, when he heard a familiar hello in the receiver at his +ear, "has Mellor returned?" + +"No, but Higgins has." + +"All right. Good-by." + +"Hold on, Frank." + +"Well?" + +"Are you coming back soon?" + +"I don't know." + +"Rowland and Hill expect you to take a run with us up the avenue this +evening." + +"I'll be there if I can." + +"What are you up to, anyway?" + +"That's my business, old fellow; say nothing about it, but if I don't +turn up, go ahead with your run without me." + +With this Frank hung up the receiver without giving Bruce any further +chance to ask questions. + +His object in not explaining what he was about was to prevent any of the +contestants from worrying. He was pretty sure that Higgins would not +speak of his own adventure, and he did not care to have even cool-headed +Browning suspect that there was anything so serious in the wind as a +deliberate plot to disable Yale athletes. + +It seemed to Frank as if he had never been in so serious a situation. +There had been times in his travels when one adventure or another had +brought him in danger of his life, but at such times his mind was +usually easy; now he was oppressed by responsibility and anxiety for +others. + +The credit of Yale depended upon the good showing at the intercollegiate +games; whether they won or lost was not so much of consequence as that +the Yale crowd should do their best. + +As one of the managers, Frank felt responsible for the good condition of +every man in the party. + +He set out down Sixth Avenue looking to right and left and glancing in +at the door of every saloon he passed. + +Near the juncture of Sixth Avenue and Broadway are a number of places +where gamblers resort, and it was in one of these that Frank half +suspected and feared to find Mellor. + +Business was lively in all these places at this hour. Men of all +conditions were at the bar discussing all manner of sporting events. + +Once in a while, as Frank made his way through the crowded barrooms, he +overheard some remark about the coming college games, but it did not +seem as if the professional sports took very much interest in them, and +nothing occurred to give him any clew as to Mellor's whereabouts. + +He continued on down the avenue, running through every place he came +across, until he got as far as Twenty-third Street. There he paused, +feeling rather discouraged. + +It is worse than looking for a needle in a haystack to hunt for a man in +New York. + +Farther down the avenue there were other saloons, but he had already +passed out of the district most frequented by gamblers. + +He had no other theory on which to pursue his search, and it seemed to +him that it might be better to return to the hotel and let Mellor turn +up or not, as it might happen. + +A public telephone sign caught his eye across the way, and he again went +over and rang up the Murray Hill. This time it was Rowland that he asked +for, and when Rowland was at the 'phone Frank told him briefly that he +was on the hunt for Mellor. + +"Don't mention it to anybody," Frank added, quickly. + +"Have you any idea what's become of him?" asked Rowland. + +"Mighty little," answered Frank. "But if he hasn't returned to the hotel +yet I'll make another short trip before I give it up." + +Mellor had not returned, and the conversation with Rowland was not +continued. + +Frank retraced his steps up the avenue, but this time he did not make so +careful a search as he had before; he simply glanced in at various doors +and passed on. + +At length he turned in at Thirtieth Street, intending to call at a +drinking resort on Broadway, which was known to be popular with +gamblers. + +He had taken but a few steps when a sound of laughter attracted him and +he paused suddenly. It came from his right hand. + +He noticed that he was standing near the side door of a saloon which he +thought he had thoroughly investigated on his downward trip. + +He remembered then that he had not looked in at any of the so-called +private rooms at the back. + +This laughter evidently came from such a room, and he was quite certain +that he distinguished Mellor's voice. He waited a moment until the +laughter ceased and then he heard this in thick accents: + +"Shet 'em up 'gain! I c'n rasshle any man 'n Nighted Shtatesh, drunk er +shober." + +It was Mellor's voice, and Frank's heart sank like lead. For one +miserable instant he was in doubt as to what he had better do. + +His disgust and anger were so great that he felt like leaving Mellor to +his fate, for it would serve the freshman right to let him continue +filling himself up and so lose all chance of making a decent appearance +in the contests of the following evening. + +Then it occurred to Frank that after all there might be some little hope +that Mellor could pull himself together sufficiently to make a good +effort. + +In any event he was a Yale student, and as such Frank felt bound to look +after him; so after the slightest hesitation he entered the side door of +the saloon and opened a door leading into the small room from which had +come the laughter and the sound of Mellor's voice. + +He saw the big freshman with a silly smile on his face seated at a +table, holding an empty glass unsteadily in his hand, and trying to talk +with three companions, each of whom wore a rosette of orange-colored +ribbon upon the lapel of his coat. + +None of the three had been in the crowd with Higgins, so far as Frank +could remember their faces. + +They did not look up when Frank entered, for they supposed, as Mellor +himself did, that the bartender was coming in to get an order. + +"Fill 'em up!" said Mellor, stupidly, rapping his glass upon the table. +"Letsh have 'nother round." + +His eyes were bleary, and although he glanced at Frank he failed to +recognize him. The latter stood still for a second or two to control his +indignation; before he spoke the bartender entered with a bottle of +champagne, the cork of which was already drawn. + +"I suppose it's the same, gents?" he said, in a businesslike tone. + +"Shame old Shampaggeny water," returned Mellor, holding his glass upside +down. + +One of the men at the table reached over and righted Mellor's glass, +which the waiter promptly proceeded to fill. + +"Here'sh ter good ol' Yale!" stammered Mellor, bringing the glass to his +lips with the aid of the man who had helped him to hold it steady. + +Frank could remain quiet no longer. He reached over the table, and with +a sweep of his arm knocked the glass from Mellor's hand and sent it +flying against the wall, where it broke in a hundred pieces. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A REPORTER'S INFLUENCE. + + +The wine spattered in the face of the man who was helping Mellor. The +latter looked up in stupid wrath, and then it dawned on him suddenly +that the interruption came from his manager. + +He gasped, hiccoughed, sat back in his chair and tried to rise. +Meanwhile the other two fellows with the orange rosettes had sprung to +their feet, and were trying to push Frank from the room. + +In this the waiter joined them, and, for a moment, therefore, Merriwell +had his hands full. They were lively hands, though, and in much less +time than it takes to narrate it he had struck out right and left and +landed stinging blows upon the faces of two of his antagonists. + +The bartender, who was a heavy fellow, who had probably had plenty of +experience in dealing with tough customers, set down the bottle of wine +and attacked Frank with great fury. + +He made the mistake of supposing that he could hustle the intruder out +by mere force, and in so doing he put up both hands to catch Frank by +the shoulders. + +This gave the athletic student a better opportunity than he could have +asked for. In quick succession the bartender got two blows, one full +upon the mouth, and the other on his neck. + +He went down on the floor with a thump, and catching at the table for +support, overturned it. The bottle of wine fell upon him and drenched +him. + +The others, who had staggered back under the force of Frank's first +blows, now tried to push their way out. The room was a very small one, +and there was but one door. + +It was evident that they were not there for fighting, and had no wish to +defend their drunken companion, no matter what Frank's object in making +the attack had been. + +As Frank's only anxiety was in getting Mellor away, he did not attempt +to stop the others from going out. + +The rumpus attracted the attention of everybody in the main room of the +saloon, and by the time the bartender had been sent to the floor a dozen +or so others, most of them customers of the place, came crowding up to +see what was the matter. + +"Letsh not fight, Mer'well," said Mellor, with a tremendous attempt at +dignity. "Letsh not get mixed up in a row." + +He, too, tried to walk out, but the way was now barred with other +bartenders who had come to the relief of their comrade. + +They might have fallen upon Frank and beaten him badly, for they far +outnumbered him, if it hadn't been that at that moment a policeman took +a hand in the affair. + +He had been passing the side door of the saloon at the very moment when +Frank struck the glass from Mellor's hand. + +He had entered at the first sound of a ruction, and had been in time to +get a glimpse of Frank as he struck the bartender to the floor. + +There was a lot of excitement and confusion for a moment, during which +Frank stood with his fists still clinched and his jaws shut hard +together, waiting for the next turn. + +Everybody connected with the saloon denounced him as an intruder, and +the one who had made all the trouble. + +Frank thought hastily of explaining the real situation, but he refrained +from doing so, as that would surely make the whole thing public, and he +did not want any such disgrace to be attached to Yale's part in the +intercollegiate games. + +So when the policeman roughly put him under arrest he submitted quietly +and went to the station house. A couple of bartenders followed, dragging +the almost helpless Mellor with them. + +Yale's champion wrestler at that moment was too far gone to realize +fully what was taking place. He staggered along between the bartenders, +protesting that there had been a "mishundershtanding," that he was a +gentleman, and that as soon as the matter had been explained he would +return to the saloon and "set 'em up" for everybody. + +Frank walked in silence, feeling extreme humiliation, not for his +arrest, but for the disgrace that a Yale athlete was bringing upon his +college. + +When they stood before the sergeant in the station, the policeman told +briefly how he had heard a row in progress in the saloon and had got +there in time to see Frank doing all the fighting. + +The sergeant looked at the bartenders, and one of them said: + +"This man," pointing to Mellor, "was entertaining a party of friends in +the back room when the other chap came in, and without saying a word +tried to clean the place out. Everything was peaceable and quiet until +he came in." + +The sergeant took up a pen, and looking at Frank, asked: + +"What is your name?" + +"Frank Merriwell," was the quiet response. + +"Huh!" grunted the sergeant, as he wrote the name, "I thought from your +looks you would say Jones of nowhere. What is your residence?" + +"New Haven." + +"Have you got anything to say for yourself?" + +"Not at present." + +The sergeant looked surprised, and hesitated a moment before he asked a +number of other questions. + +They were such questions as are always put to prisoners concerning their +age, their reasons for being in the city, and their own account of what +had happened. + +Frank gave his age, but to the other questions refused to reply. +Accordingly the sergeant ordered both him and Mellor to be searched, and +after a vain attempt to get any information out of Mellor, both were +locked up. + +A considerable crowd had collected in the main room of the station house +during this, and Frank remained quietly in his cell until he felt +certain that all the curiosity seekers had gone out. + +Then he called to a doorman and asked if he might speak to the sergeant +or the captain. It took a little persuasion to get permission to do +this, but Frank got it finally, and was taken upstairs again. + +The main room of the station was then deserted by all except the doorman +and the sergeant. The latter looked at the young prisoner inquiringly. + +"I'd like to send for somebody," he said, "and will pay liberally for a +messenger. You've got my money, and therefore know that I can pay any +decent charge." + +"Yes," said the sergeant, "you're well heeled. Who do you want to see?" + +Frank thereupon gave the name of a Supreme Court judge. The sergeant's +eyes opened wide. + +"What do you want of him?" he asked. + +"He'll come down here in a hurry," Frank answered, "if he knows that I'm +locked up." + +The sergeant sat back in his chair and thought a moment. It was +perfectly plain to him that Frank was not intoxicated, and his whole +manner was that of a gentleman. + +The sergeant was probably wondering whether the name Merriwell might not +be a false one, and whether this prisoner might not be the son of the +judge mentioned. + +While he was wondering what he had better do about it, a young man +entered the station with a businesslike air, and stepping up to the big +desk, said: + +"Good-evening, sergeant, anything going on?" + +Then he caught sight of Merriwell, and exclaimed: + +"Great Scott, Merriwell, what are you doing here?" + +"I'm a prisoner, Mr. Matthews," Frank responded. + +The young man stared at Frank for just an instant, and then turning to +the sergeant, said: + +"Anybody in the captain's room?" + +"No," was the reply. + +"Come in here," said Matthews, taking Frank by the arm and walking him +across the room. + +When they were in the captain's room, Matthews shut the door, motioned +to a chair, and sat down opposite Frank. + +"Now, then," he said, "what's got into Yale?" + +"Mr. Matthews," Frank responded, "I hate to say that I'm sorry to see +you, but a newspaper man is the last man in this whole world that I +would care to tell this story to." + +"Well, but see here, Merriwell," responded Matthews, earnestly, "a +newspaper man isn't a born fiend, you know; I'm not likely to forget +that I'm a graduate of Yale, and I certainly am not going to hurry off +with an item to my paper that will bring you into any disgrace. + +"Yale graduates are getting to think a good deal of you, Merriwell, and +I brought you in here to see if there might not be some way to help you, +not to get a sensational item." + +"I beg your pardon, Mr. Matthews," said Frank, "but I had an idea that +when a man became a reporter he could think of nothing but news and +things to write about." + +"That's business," said Matthews, "sure enough, but I'm an old Yale man, +at least I'm older than you, but I graduated only a couple of years ago, +you know, so sing your song and let's see if there isn't something I can +do." + +Thereupon Frank told the reporter all about his difficulty. He explained +how Mellor was hopelessly drunk in a cell, and how he had got arrested +while making an attempt to get Mellor away from his companions. + +"By Jove!" said Matthews, under his breath at last, "I don't blame you +for doing what you did, Merriwell, but perhaps it would have been better +if you had avoided a row and simply induced Mellor to go out with you." + +"I don't think I lose my head very often," Frank responded, "but I must +confess I did then. It was just maddening to see him soaking there with +three scoundrels who had undoubtedly set out to get him filled up. +Anyhow, there's no use regretting what I did, for here I am, and next to +having Yale win in the contest to-morrow night, I'd rather keep this +thing from becoming public." + +"I can fix that easily enough," said Matthews, confidently. "The +sergeant doesn't know that you're a Yale man, and even if he should, +I'll prime all the other reporters who cover this district at night, and +get them to say nothing about it. You needn't worry on that score, +Merriwell, the only thing to do is to get you and Mellor away from the +station house." + +Frank then told how he had wanted to send for the judge referred to. + +"He's known me since I was born," he explained, "and was an intimate +friend of my father. There's no doubt that he would believe me, and I +suppose his word would go with the police." + +"Yes, it would, but it's a long way to his house, and he may not be at +home. The captain will be in in two or three minutes, and we'll see if I +haven't got influence with him." + +In less time than Matthews had supposed, the captain came in. To Frank's +great astonishment, the reporter easily persuaded the captain to release +the two students. + +It is not very often that a police captain has an opportunity to do a +favor to a newspaper man, and when a chance does occur, he's quick to +take it, for the reporters of New York newspapers can make or unmake a +policeman's reputation. + +The only thing in the way of letting the students go was the fact that +the bartenders in the saloon where the fight occurred had made a charge +against Frank. + +That was quickly fixed by the captain, who went himself to the saloon +and suggested that the charge be withdrawn. + +Of course the suggestion of the captain was enough. The bartenders were +glad to withdraw the charge if he advised it. + +Therefore Frank had not been a prisoner half an hour before he and +Mellor, accompanied by Matthews, were rolling across the city in a +closed cab on their way to the Murray Hill. + +When they arrived there they used a good deal of caution about going in, +for Mellor was quite as stupid as he had been at first, and both +Matthews and Merriwell were anxious to prevent anybody from becoming +aware of his condition. + +They got him into the Turkish bath there without observation, and gave +an attendant a liberal fee to look after him for the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +ON THEIR GUARD. + + +The other Yale men were out for their evening run when Frank was at last +ready to join them. + +He did not try to follow them, for he had been so disturbed by the +excitement of his adventure with the police, that he thought it best to +rest; so when the students returned they found Frank in bed, and no one +disturbed him. + +Next morning early he got Rowland and Hill together and explained the +whole affair to them. They were indignant, mad and disgusted all +together. + +"We'll send Mellor back to New Haven on the first train!" exclaimed +Hill. + +"It would serve him right," added Rowland, "if the faculty should hear +of this and expel him." + +"The faculty mustn't hear of it," said Frank, decisively. "The thing +I've worked for most in all of this is to prevent any sort of disgrace, +and if Mellor can be put into condition for making a wrestle, it'll be +better for all of us that he should go into the contest." + +"He'll never be able to last a single round," groaned Hill. + +"If he should go down at the first catch," said Rowland, "everybody +would suspect that he was out of condition, and then what would come of +it?" + +"Well, perhaps he isn't so badly off as you think," suggested Frank. "He +may be able to put up a good front. Let's go down and see how he is." + +The suggestion was adopted at once, and the three went down to the +Turkish baths. The assistants who had been feed to look after Mellor +said that the student was asleep on a couch. + +Frank and the others went to the sleeping room and stood by the couch +looking at Mellor in silence for a full minute. + +As he had been very carefully rubbed and thoroughly steamed the night +before, and as he had been sleeping for many hours, he looked now quite +as well as usual. + +The three managers looked at each other and nodded. They understood each +other; it was better that Mellor should be allowed to appear in the +wrestling match that night, even though he was almost surely doomed to +defeat. + +They were about to withdraw when the wrestler opened his eyes. + +"Hello, boys," he said, suddenly, and he sat up. + +"How are you feeling?" asked Merriwell. + +"Bully!" replied Mellor, with emphasis. Then his face flushed and he +looked down at the floor. + +"I guess you remember what has happened," remarked Hill, contemptuously. + +"Yes, I do," responded Mellor. + +"What do you think of yourself?" asked Rowland. + +"You're a fine man to carry Yale's banner to victory, aren't you!" +demanded Hill, savagely. + +"Hold on, fellows," interrupted Frank; "there's no use in rubbing it in. +How did it happen, Mellor?" + +"Oh, it's just my confounded foolishness," Mellor replied, with a groan; +"I wanted to see a little bit of city life, but I had no idea of +drinking. I had heard of a place where all sorts of toughs resorted, and +I went in there simply to look on." + +"Better have stayed in the hotel," muttered Hill. + +"Go on," said Merriwell. + +"Well, there was quite a crowd there, and among them were two or three +Princeton students." + +"How do you know?" + +"Why, I saw the orange colors that they wore, and I heard them offering +bets on Princeton to other men who were standing around." + +"Did you speak to them?" + +"Not until they spoke to me." + +"How did that happen?" + +"Why, one of them caught my eye, looked at me sharply, and then asked +politely if my name wasn't Mellor, and if I didn't belong to Yale. I +felt kind of flattered at being recognized----" + +"It made you think you were a great man, didn't it?" exclaimed Hill + +"Oh, keep still!" said Frank. "Let him tell his story; this is important +to all of us." + +Mellor ground his teeth and exclaimed: + +"You can't make me feel any worse about this than I feel already." + +"We don't want you to make any confession, Mellor," said Frank, gently; +"that isn't what we're after, for, unfortunately, I know only too well +what you'd have to confess to. + +"The point we want to get at is, what these Princeton men said, for I'm +inclined to think that there's something of a conspiracy on foot to down +Yale and the other colleges by unfair means." + +Mellor looked a little puzzled, but answered: + +"After I had admitted who I was, the fellow who spoke to me asked how I +felt about the wrestling match. I told him I was all ready to meet +Princeton's best man, and then he asked if I was betting any money on +it. I shook my head, and he said 'that's right.'" + +"What followed?" + +"Oh, there were a number of polite remarks, and the crowd got around; +the Princeton men suggested that it would be pleasanter if we were by +ourselves, and I felt that they were right. + +"They were so decent about it that I had no hesitation in going into a +back room with them. There they asked if I was taking anything." + +"Did you say you were taking everything that came your way?" asked Hill. + +"No, I didn't. I told them I was in training, and could take nothing but +Bass' ale." + +"Huh!" grunted Hill. + +"Did they set up a bottle?" asked Rowland. + +"Yes. It was about the dinner hour, at which time I was allowed to take +ale, and I thought that it would do no harm; of course it was wrong--I +admit it now, but at the time I thought a single glass of ale wouldn't +hurt me, and it would be more polite to these chaps to go through the +form of drinking with them. So they had a bottle of champagne, and I +drank ale." + +Mellor hesitated. + +"You seem to have had your head about you," remarked Frank. "How did you +happen to get to drinking champagne?" + +"I don't know," he answered, gloomily; "the ale seemed to make me half +drowsy, whereas usually I don't feel any effect from it at all, and I +guess I thought that a drop of wine would brace me up." + +"I see it all!" exclaimed Frank. + +The others looked at him inquiringly. + +"Knockout drops!" he said. + +"By Jove! I bet you're right!" exclaimed Rowland. + +"It was anything to get the Yale champion fuddled and they knew well +enough that he wouldn't take more than one glass of ale, so unless I'm +greatly mistaken they drugged his ale and got him completely +unbalanced." + +"It's a monstrous outrage!" cried Rowland. + +Hill looked contemptuous and said nothing. + +Merriwell turned to Mellor with the remark: + +"Lie still a while longer and get breakfast when you want it. I'll see +you in your room later, and if you think you're going to be fit, we'll +have you in the contest to-night just the same." + +"Great Scott!" cried Mellor, "you wouldn't bar me out of that, would +you?" + +"We were thinking of it," said Hill. + +"You'll have to pull yourself together, Mellor," said Frank, seriously, +"for unless you can make a good showing we don't any of us want you to +appear." + +Mellor bowed his head upon his hands, and the others left him. As soon +as they were out of hearing Hill said: + +"Perhaps it's nothing better than could be expected of a freshman, but +anyhow, we've got to bring this matter to the attention of the Princeton +managers at once." + +The others agreed, and they went to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where they +found the Princeton managers at breakfast. + +The case was not explained to the Princeton men in full, but enough was +said to make them certain that Yale had reason to suspect a trick on the +part of men wearing Princeton colors. + +The indignation of the Princeton managers was too great for expression; +one of them was so hot-headed that he wanted a row at once with +Merriwell for seeming to suggest that Princeton men could be capable of +such treacherous conduct. + +Frank hastened to assure him that no Yale man thought such a thing +possible. + +"We think some rascals are playing off under Princeton's colors," he +said. + +The Princeton managers were sure that this must be the case, for no +students had accompanied them to the city excepting those who were to +take part in the contests. + +They declared their intention of keeping their eyes open for men wearing +the Princeton rosettes, and promised to do everything possible to have +such men arrested, if any charge could be brought against them. + +So there the matter had to rest. There was no doubt that the Princeton +men were in earnest, and that they would do what they could, but that +did not seem to promise very much. + +The scoundrels who were anxious to make money by betting on Princeton +could not be arrested for simply wearing an orange rosette, and there +was no way of preventing further trouble, therefore, except for Yale men +to hang together and take the greatest care not to put themselves in the +way of strangers. + +It was agreed by Frank and his companions that nothing should be said to +the contestants about the matter, for fear that they might get nervous, +and so be unfitted for doing their best in the evening's games. + +The day passed, therefore, very quietly for the Yale athletes. They went +in a body to a gymnasium and had two or three hours' practice, and in +the afternoon they had a walk through Central Park. + +Mellor appeared to be quite himself, except that he was silent, and that +he looked solemn. The other students supposed that this was due to his +anxiety about the wrestling match, and no questions were asked, although +there were a few good-natured jokes about his nervousness. + +He took all the jokes quietly, and made no retort. + +Nothing happened during the day to give the Yale managers any new +anxiety. They kept their eyes open all the time for a sight of the bogus +Princeton men, but failed to see them. + +When at last evening came, and they went up to the Seventh Regiment +Armory for the great contest, they felt that with the possible exception +of Mellor, everything was in as good condition as could be hoped for +Yale victories. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE WRESTLER. + + +There was an immense crowd in the Seventh Regiment Armory that evening. +Nearly everybody present was a friend of one or another of the colleges +represented in the contests, and excitement ran high. + +The seating had been arranged so that Yale students and their friends +occupied a solid tier of seats upon the side of the hall near the +center. + +Directly across the hall, in a similar tier, were the students and +friends of Harvard. + +On the same side with Yale was the Cornell crowd, and directly opposite +them the Princeton crowd. + +The rest of the spectators sat as near their favorite college as they +could, with the result that long before any of the games began, the +building fairly roared with college cries mingled together, each crowd +trying to outdo the others. + +It seemed as if there would be no lungs or voices left to cheer the +athletes, but if any one had such a fear it must have been because he +was not acquainted with students' voices. + +An excited Yale or Harvard man can give the college cry somehow when he +would be unable to conduct a conversation above a whisper. + +The very middle of the hall was left vacant. All the contests were to +take place there, and, therefore, in full view of all the spectators. + +The athletes had their dressing-rooms at the ends and sides of the +building, and there were so many of them that each college had a number +of rooms for itself. + +The Yale managers took their men up to the armory about half an hour +before the call for the first event. + +Dressing-rooms had been picked out in advance, and the men belonging to +the tug-of-war were put into one room by themselves. + +The Yale crowd in the audience cheered frantically when they recognized +their companions marching across the floor to their dressing-rooms. + +Shortly after that the Princeton men came in, and then there was a wild +howling from the other side of the room. + +So it went on, and so it continued all through the evening, for there +was hardly a moment when there was not something going on to arouse the +enthusiasm of one college or another, and if by any accident there was a +hitch in the proceedings, there was plenty of excited students in each +faction to stand in front of the tiers of seats and lead their comrades +in cheering on general principles. + +As there were many events, and many entries in each one, the programme +was put through rapidly, and as often as possible, two or more events +were being contested at the same time. + +The object sought for by each college was to gain as many victories, or +in other words, first places, as possible, but in some events, like +wrestling and fencing, where only two men could contest at a time, it +was necessary to have two or three and sometimes four bouts in the same +event. + +This was not the case in such a sport as leaping, for there all the men +could compete at the same time, and one set of trials decided the +matter. + +In wrestling it was necessary to draw lots to decide which colleges +should compete first. + +Then lots were to be cast to decide which college the winner of the +first bout should wrestle with, and so on. + +Each wrestling bout consisted of three rounds, with a short rest between +each two. + +As three rounds at wrestling is likely to tire any but the very +strongest man, the next bout was set down a full half hour later on the +programme in order to give the winner time to rest. + +It was the same with the tugs of war. One tug was put upon the programme +early in order that the winners of it might have time to recover their +breath and be in condition to meet the next comers. + +It would be an impossible task to describe all the many events that +succeeded each other rapidly that evening. Every one had its interest +and importance, although in the audience at large, as it had been at +Yale, the tug of war was watched for with the greatest anxiety and +excitement. + +There may be space, however, to indicate the outcome of one or two minor +events in which Frank and his companions were especially interested. + +The first thing on the programme consisted of the contests in high +jumping and the first bout in wrestling. The jumpers went through their +work at one end of the floor, while the wrestlers struggled at the +other. + +The drawing of lots resulted in putting Mellor of Yale against Grant of +Cornell for the first try. + +The Yale managers almost groaned aloud at this piece of ill luck. If +there was anybody among the wrestlers representing the other colleges +that they feared, it was this same Grant. + +He was fully as large and muscular as Mellor, and had easily downed +everybody who had met him in his own college. + +With Mellor in good condition the Yale men would have believed that the +chances were at least even for his victory; as it was, those who +understood the case were certain that the Yale freshman would be turned +down quickly. + +Of course the managers said nothing openly after the lots were drawn, +but they exchanged views in private just before Mellor went out to begin +his work. + +"Tough luck," remarked Frank, between set teeth. + +"I wish we had sent him back to New Haven," grumbled Hill. + +"It's a confounded shame," exclaimed Rowland, "that Mellor couldn't have +had a chance to meet Sherman of Harvard first. He could probably throw +Sherman even if he were still half full, and that would give him some +kind of a standing, but now he'll go out there and get turned down so +dead easy that everybody will laugh at Yale, and the rest of our fellows +will get rattled." + +"I don't think the rest of us will get rattled," said Frank, "and +perhaps Mellor won't be such an easy victim as you think." + +"Let us hope that he gets at least one fall," muttered Hill. + +There was no time for further talk about the matter, and they went out +to the main hall to see the event. + +At the upper end of the floor Higgins was taking his first leap, but the +managers paid little attention to him. They hoped he would win, but they +were confident that whatever happened he would make a good showing, and +they could not take their eyes from their champion wrestler. + +Mellor was still looking as solemn as if he were at a funeral. His face +was rather pale, and he sat in a chair at one side perfectly motionless +until the call came to enter the ring. + +Grant of Cornell, on the other hand, was laughing and chatting with his +managers, and his face was pink with health. + +At the call he bounded from the chair and pranced into the ring nimbly, +and as the Yale managers looked him over they felt worse than ever. + +Mellor got up slowly and walked, as if he dreaded the ordeal, out to +meet his adversary. + +"That's right, Mellor," whispered Frank, as the wrestler passed, "take +it easy and don't get excited." + +Mellor gave Frank a grateful look. It was the only encouraging word he +had received from his managers since his foolish scrape. + +He shook hands with Grant, and then stepped quickly back to his +position. It was a catch-as-catch-can match, and for an instant the two +big fellows stood warily watching each other before they advanced. + +Meantime Yale and Cornell were setting up a chorus of howls to encourage +their respective champions. + +The two got together with a sudden jump that surprised everybody. + +It was expected that Grant would take the offensive, but it seemed that +Mellor decided upon the same policy, for the floor fairly shook when +they met and began a mighty struggle. + +Frank's eyes glowed, and his heart seemed to rise to his throat as he +watched the muscles stand out on Mellor's arms and back. + +"There's big stuff in that fellow," he said, half aloud. + +"If he only had staying power," retorted Hill, in disgust, "but he's +wasted all that in his jag." + +The words were hardly out of Hill's mouth before there was a heavy thud, +as the two wrestlers went down; then such a roar went up as the building +had not yet heard, for Yale's man was on top. Mellor rose quickly and +ran to his dressing-room, followed by his managers, who overwhelmed him +with compliments. + +He said nothing, but stood up to be rubbed and taken care of. + +"You took him completely by surprise that time, Mellor," said Frank. +"Now the next time he'll be on his guard for that, and you'll have to +pursue different tactics." + +Mellor nodded. + +He did not appear to be suffering from loss of breath or any sort of +exhaustion, so the managers left him with his trainer to see how the +jumping was getting on. + +They arrived upon the floor just as another terrific chorus of Yale +cries went up. + +Higgins had cleared the bar after every other contestant had failed. + +It was a grand start for Yale. One first place had been gained, and with +Mellor's success it looked as if another was certain. + +The floor was quickly cleared of the posts that had been set up for the +jumpers, and the Harvard and Cornell tug of war teams came on for the +first pull. + +In this, as in the wrestling, the order of the trials had been decided +by lot. + +Leaving the tug of war for the moment, we will glance at Mellor's +further work as a wrestler. + +While Harvard and Cornell were getting into position for their tug, he +went out again to the floor for his second set-to with Grant. + +As Frank had predicted, Grant was wary this time; he waited for Mellor +to take the offensive, and the latter was slow in doing so. They got +together at last, and for a few seconds each struggled vainly to +overcome the other. + +Then they stood still, and those who were giving their especial +attention to them felt the greatest excitement because the men were +evidently tremendously in earnest, and very evenly matched. + +After a good deal of dancing about the ring, and many a vain attempt to +bring on a fall, Grant got in a sudden trip that brought Mellor to his +knees. + +Then, exerting all his weight and force, Grant crowded the Yale man down +until his side was on the floor. + +No fall could be counted until Mellor's shoulders were both squarely on +the floor, and, therefore, Grant was crowding with all his might to +prevent his antagonist from turning on his face. + +When a wrestler lies over on his stomach with his arms outstretched, it +is almost impossible to turn him. + +It looked as if Mellor were trying to get into this position, for then +Grant would be compelled to stand off and give him a chance to spring +up. + +Grant, of course, was trying to do just the reverse, for having Mellor +so nearly down, he did not care to give him a chance to get on his feet +again. + +Just how it was done it was hard to see, but suddenly Mellor seemed to +rise as if he were on a trap that rose by the force of a concealed +spring. + +With a wonderfully quick movement he broke his hold and got a new one, +and before anybody realized what his attempt meant, he had turned his +antagonist over and brought Grant's shoulders squarely down upon the +floor. + +Then the building shook with howls. Yale had won the first bout in +wrestling, and at the same instant Harvard had beaten the Cornell tug of +war team. + +The Yale managers were happy. It seemed now as if Mellor were certain of +carrying off the cup for wrestling. + +According to the fall of lots he was to tackle Sherman of Harvard next. + +Sherman was a comparatively slender, but very wiry fellow. He was +considerably under Mellor's weight, and as the latter had shown unusual +skill it was thought that the Harvard man would prove an easy victim. + +So he did in the first round. Mellor downed him almost as easily as he +had turned down Grant, but as it proved that was the end of the Yale +freshman's staying power. + +He had put all his force into the two set-tos with Grant and the first +with Sherman; when it came to the second set-to with the latter there +was a long, exciting struggle, which ended in Mellor's going under. + +He showed his exhaustion plainly after that, and his limbs quivered when +he went out for the third set-to. + +He struggled well, and really made a good showing, but the Harvard man +downed him at last, and with that defeat Yale's chances for coming out +ahead in the general tournament were badly damaged. + +Nevertheless Frank and the other managers felt that Mellor had made so +good a showing that nobody would suspect that he had disobeyed +regulations and unfitted himself for making the contest. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A TRICK. + + +As might be expected, there was a big chorus of shouting when the Yale +and Harvard teams came out for their trial in the tug of war. + +Matters had been running rather evenly between the four colleges; each +had gained at least one first place, and there was no reason for the +friends of any college to be discouraged about the general result. + +The Harvard men seemed to be as fresh after their victory over Cornell +as if they had not exerted themselves. + +They appeared to have about the same weight as the Yale crew, and were +made up in much the same way; a particularly heavy man as anchor, and +three lighter but evidently very muscular fellows upon the rope. + +It had been decided that the fall should be at a pistol shot. + +As there are several ways of conducting a tug of war, it will be well to +explain that in intercollegiate games, when held indoors, the +contestants always brace themselves upon cleats. + +The rope which they hold lies loose upon the floor between the two +teams. At a point midway between the two sets of cleats there is a chalk +mark on the floor. + +A ribbon is tied around the rope at the point where it crosses this +mark. + +When the men have fallen it is their object to pull the rope away from +their opponents, and so bring that ribbon further and further toward +their cleats. + +In a closely contested match it sometimes happens that the position of +the ribbon will not vary more than two or three inches during the entire +tug. + +The time is taken, and at the end of four minutes the victory is awarded +to whichever team has the ribbon upon its side of the chalk mark. + +In this pull with Harvard, Frank's training proved to be of the greatest +value. He had laid the greatest stress upon the fall. + +When the pistol shot came the Yale team dropped like one man to the +general eye. + +It seemed as if the Harvard team dropped at exactly the same instant, +but when the excited spectators looked at the ribbon on the rope, they +saw that it was fully six inches upon the Yale side of the chalk mark. + +After the fall there was a silent moment of hard tugging upon each part, +but the ribbon did not budge. + +Meantime Bruce was manipulating the rope that ran around his belt, and +keeping his eyes fixed upon the Harvard anchor opposite. + +"How is it, Bruce?" whispered Frank. + +"We've got 'em," muttered Bruce, in reply. + +Frank said nothing, for in the course of training he and Bruce had +discussed this matter so many times that Frank knew well what policy the +anchor would pursue. + +It is often said that a miss is as good as a mile, and in the case of a +tug of war an inch is certainly as good as a yard. + +It might have been possible for the Yale team by constant tugging and by +occasional surprises to get the ribbon much farther over to their side, +but that was not the policy that had been decided on. + +If the team should win, there was Princeton still to be pulled, and +every ounce of strength would be needed then; so, having the advantage +of Harvard, the boys simply held to the rope, using only enough strength +to keep what they had gained. + +It cost them a good deal of effort to keep it. + +About a minute had passed since the fall, when the Harvard anchor +suddenly gave his men the word, and leaned far back upon the floor. + +It was a mighty tug. Slowly but apparently surely the ribbon moved +toward the Harvard cleats. + +Bruce caught the end of the rope in a knot, and muttered: + +"Hold hard!" + +The boys did hold hard, but in spite of that the rope gradually slipped +through their hands. + +"It can't last long," whispered Bruce, "keep cool." + +A few seconds of such mighty tugging was indeed all that any team could +stand, and presently the Harvard men rested, having gained three or four +inches. + +To many of the spectators it seemed now as if the ribbon was even with +the chalk mark, and the Harvard crew were setting tip wild cries of +triumph. + +The Yale team, however, had been lying low. Bruce and his men had simply +resisted the Harvard tug like so much dead weight, and the instant that +the Yale anchor saw that the Harvard team had come to rest lie +exclaimed: + +"Pull!" + +Then the Yale team gripped the rope and strained at it in earnest. + +Their effort came like a yank, and in less than three seconds all the +space that had been lost in Harvard's long tug was recovered. + +So the contest went on to the end. Harvard frequently made desperate +efforts to get the ribbon on its side of the line, and each time the +Yale team had to lose a little ground, but each time they made a +complete recovery, and at the end of four minutes the victory was with +the blue. + +The Harvard team got out of sight as quickly as possible, while the Yale +men went to their dressing-room, followed by the wild cheering of their +friends. + +For the next few minutes the Yale spectators paid little attention to +what was going on on the floor. They busied themselves in cheering each +member of their team. + +Puss Parker led the cheering. He stood in front of the Yale tier and +shouted: + +"What's the matter with Browning?" + +An immense chorus responded: + +"He's all right." + +"Nine cheers for Browning," demanded Parker, and then the rah-rahs came +rattling forth like volleys from a battery. + +Then Parker asked what was the matter with Merriwell, and so on until +the others in the team had been complimented in the same way. + +Frank was well pleased, but the complete victory was not yet won, and +besides that, as manager, he had a keenness in all the other contests. +So as soon as he could do so he returned to the main room and watched +what was going on. + +The other members of the team, with the exception of Bruce, also +returned. + +The anchor, with his usual indolence, preferred to remain in his +dressing-room and rest, although, to tell the truth, he did not feel the +slightest fatigue. + +Frank found nothing to be dissatisfied with, although victories for Yale +were not piling up as well as he could have wished. + +All the Yale athletes had made a good showing, and there was no blame to +be cast upon anybody for losing, with the possible exception of the +unhappy Mellor, but there proved to be good men in the other colleges, +and one by one events were decided with a first place now to Cornell, +now to Harvard, now to Princeton, and so also to Yale. + +The longer the evening grew the closer the contest seemed, and at +half-past ten, when nearly all the events had been decided, it was still +a matter of doubt as to which college would carry away the trophy. + +The tug of war between Princeton and Yale was set last on the programme, +not because it was thought that it would settle everything, but because +it was the event that created the most general interest. + +A good many unfinished bouts in other sports were being rapidly worked +off. + +As it drew near to eleven o'clock Harvard and Cornell gradually lost +their grip upon their chance for first place, and at last, when it was +time for the great tug, it proved that Princeton and Yale scored exactly +the same number of points. + +Therefore the result of the tug would decide whether Yale or Princeton +should carry away the tournament trophy. + +The thing could not have gone better for the spectators at large, but it +made the students representing the two leading colleges excited and +nervous. + +The moment the last unfinished bout was decided, Frank hurried to the +dressing-room, followed by the other members of the team and the +managers. + +He halted at the door with a great start of fear. Bruce lay across the +threshold, his right wrist in his left hand, and glaring across the room +savagely, while his jaws were shut hard together. + +"For Heaven's sake, Bruce! what's the matter?" asked Frank. + +"I've sprained my wrist," he muttered, "and by the feeling I guess I've +sprained my ankle, too!" + +"How did it happen?" + +"A dirty trick, Frank, and the scoundrel who did it is somewhere in the +room. I managed to get here at the door so as to grab him if he should +run out, and also to prevent you from taking the same fall I did." + +The other members of the team and the managers were now at the spot. + +"Be careful when you go in," said Bruce. "The floor has been soaped or +greased just in front of those lockers there, and it won't do for any +one else to get such a fall as I've had." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +OFF THE CLEATS. + + +"Did you say the fellow was still in the room?" asked Frank, in a low +voice. + +"Yes, I was sitting near the door with my head down when I heard a +rustling noise back of me. I supposed I was all alone, and turned about +to see who had come in. I caught sight of a fellow dodging behind that +middle row of lockers." + +"Who was he?" + +"I don't know. Never saw him before. I thought he was a thief who was +going through our clothes for watches and pocketbooks, so I made a jump +and went for him. Right at the corner of the lockers my foot slipped and +I went down full length. I could have helped myself from being hurt even +at that if it hadn't been that the floor was so thoroughly greased that +my hand slipped, and my whole weight came down on my right wrist. The +pain was fearful for a moment, and it don't feel very good yet. I saw +that it was a trick." + +"Didn't the fellow get out?" + +"No. I was bound that he should be caught somehow, and as there was too +much howling outside to make myself heard, I couldn't call for help. I +dragged myself to the door here, and if he had made any attempt to get +by I'd have held him if it killed me." + +"He may have got out of a window." + +"I think not, or I should have heard him." + +"We'll find out about this," said Rowland, emphatically, "but meanwhile +the call is on for the tug of war with Princeton. Can you----" + +The question was not completed, for Browning, with a wry face, held up +his right arm. + +His wrist was swollen to almost twice its usual size. + +"I couldn't pull a baby," he said, regretfully. + +The fellows looked blue, and Hill groaned dismally. + +"Rowland," said Frank, in a quick, decisive tone, "go back into the hall +and tell the committee of arrangements that our anchor is disabled, and +that we shall have to have five minutes to get our substitute in order." + +"Who in thunder can you substitute?" asked Hill + +"Rattleton." + +"But he never trained as anchor." + +"I'll put him on the rope." + +"Who will be anchor, then?" + +"I will." + +"You!" + +"Why not?" + +"You're too light, Merriwell." + +Frank shrugged his shoulders + +"If you can think of anybody else in the college," he said, "who is +better qualified than I am to meet this emergency, bring him along." + +"No, no!" exclaimed the others in chorus, "you're the man, Frank. This +is your event, and the team may win out with you after all." + +"It isn't a question of winning out now," he responded, "but of taking +our part in the tournament. Go on, Rowland, and when you've spoken to +the committee, call for Rattleton, and have him come here in a hurry." + +Rowland went away, and then Frank stepped over and lifted Browning into +a chair. + +"One of you fellows," he said, "find somebody to get a physician. There +must be a hundred of them in the audience." + +There were several other students not connected with the team about the +door at this time, and two or three of them started away at once. + +"Now, then, Hill," said Frank, quietly, "let's see what we can do about +this rascal that has tried to disable us." + +Hill nodded and stepped into the room. + +"The rest of you fellows," said Frank, "stay at the door and don't let +anybody out." + +"Look out for the greased spot," said Bruce, warningly. + +Hill and Frank went into the middle of the room, where there was a +double line of lockers extending nearly its whole length. There were two +windows at the end, one of which was down slightly at the top, the other +was closed. + +They looked up at it, and then at each other. + +"He hasn't gone out," said Frank, confidently, in a low tone. "Try all +the lockers." + +They started down, one on each side, opening first the doors of closets +in which they and their companions had placed their clothes. + +Nothing had been disturbed there. + +As they went they found nothing but empty lockers, but presently Frank +came to one the door of which he could not open. + +The handle was simply a knob, and the door was held fast by a Yale lock. +He looked at it a moment, then, drawing back, gave the door a terrific +kick squarely upon the lock. + +The thin wood broke at once, and another kick splintered it from top to +bottom. + +At that instant a man dashed out, tried to push Frank aside and make for +the door. Frank recognized him at once as one of the men he had seen +with Higgins at the Hoffman House. + +"No, you don't!" he exclaimed hotly, catching the fellow by the arm and +giving him a smashing blow on the side of the head. + +Hearing the rumpus, Hill came running around the corner just in time to +meet the two as they were staggering along. He promptly gave the +scoundrel a rattling series of blows that dropped him to the floor half +stunned. + +"Come in here," called Frank, and the other students came crowding into +the room. + +"Let's kick him to death!" exclaimed one, excitedly. + +The students were so angry that they might have put this suggestion into +execution if Frank had not called a halt. + +"Find a cord," he said, "and bind this fellow hand and foot; then we'll +notify the committee of arrangements and go on with the tug of war." + +A cord was quickly found, and the man was tied so thoroughly that there +was no possibility that he could escape. Then, while Frank and the +others were getting ready for the tug, Hill looked up the committee of +arrangements and explained the situation. + +It may be said in passing that the matter aroused a great deal of +indignation on all sides, and that an investigation was made, which +resulted in showing that the man Frank had captured was a common +gambler, and that there were several others who had put up a great deal +of money on Princeton, and then taken every means they possibly could to +bring about Princeton's victory. + +He could do this only by disabling Princeton's adversaries. It was found +that attempts had been made to injure both Harvard and Cornell men as +well as those from Yale. + +Two or three of the gambler's confederates were found in the hall and +put under arrest, and the next morning they were taken to police court +on a charge of malicious mischief, for which they were severely +punished. + +As it was perfectly certain that no Princeton man had any hand in the +matter, or any knowledge of it other than had been given to the managers +by the Yale team, nothing was said about it at the time, for everybody +was anxious that the tug of war between Yale and Princeton should be +pulled on its merits. + +The master of ceremonies announced that an accident had happened to +Yale's anchor, and that Merriwell would take his place, with Rattleton +as substitute on the rope. + +There was a good deal of dismay at this in the Yale ranks, for although +everybody had confidence in Frank, all knew that a change in the make-up +of a team at the last moment is likely to be disastrous. + +Nevertheless, Merriwell was greeted with a big cheer when he went out to +the floor and wound the end of the rope around his belt. + +He put Rattleton on the farther end of the line, and moved Taylor up to +his own old position. There was then a breathless moment, while both +sides waited for the pistol shot. + +When it came, the eight men went down at the same instant. It was +evident that the Princeton team had observed the success of Yale men in +dropping, and had determined not to let them get an advantage in that +way. + +The ribbon stood exactly at the chalk mark, and the first few seconds of +violent pulling failed to budge it more than a hair's breadth in either +direction. + +The great audience stood up and cheered as they had not done since the +evening began. It was a delight to see two teams of strong young men so +evenly matched in strength and skill. + +On the Yale side there was fear in spite of the enthusiastic cheering +that Merriwell's weight would be against them in the end, and not a few +called attention to the fact that the Yale team had already pulled once, +while Princeton was perfectly fresh. + +These things were thought of, too, on the Princeton side, and that made +the wearers of the orange more confident. + +As in the former pull, there was a short period of rest after the first +tug. The anchors eyed each other warily, and the men lay on the rope, +crossing their legs over it, and waiting for the signal to tug again. + +Frank saw the Princeton anchor whispering to the man in front of him. + +"If that's a command to pull," he thought, "it's given too openly, and +it's probably a dodge to throw us off our guard." + +It seemed to be so, for the Princeton men gave one sudden yank at the +rope, and then lay still. + +The yank did not stir the ribbon, and it did not call out any answering +pulls from the Yale men. Many of the spectators wondered at this, and +began to set up shouts to Merriwell to order a pull. + +He remained perfectly quiet, paying no attention to the shouts around +him, apparently not hearing them. In fact, he was not more than half +conscious that there was anybody in the room except the three men +directly in front of him and the four adversaries on the opposite team. + +A full minute passed, during which there was some pulling by each side, +and still the ribbon remained squarely over the chalk mark. + +The spectators left their seats, so great was their excitement, and in +spite of the efforts of the policemen who were stationed in the hall, +crowded down upon the floor until they were within a few feet of the +opposing teams. + +Old men in the crowd who had graduated from college before Frank and his +companions were born, were quite as excited as the younger men. + +"Don't let it be a draw, Merriwell," shouted one white-whiskered man, +waving his hat frantically. + +"Princeton! Princeton!" came in a big chorus from the other side of the +room, as the Princeton team lay closer to the floor and pulled at the +rope with might and main. + +The muscles of their arms and shoulders stood out like whipcords and the +perspiration started from their brows. They were doing their best, to +say the least, to prevent a draw. + +It was a splendid tug; the ribbon at last began to move. It took its +course slowly and by little starts and halts toward the Princeton side. + +The palms of the Yale men fairly burned as the cord slipped by. It was +not much, but as before, an inch at the end of four minutes would be as +good as a yard. + +Frank's face was set in an expression of intense determination, and the +perspiration stood out upon his brow, too, although he was exerting +little force. + +Inch by inch he was paying out the rope from his belt, a thing that had +to be done in order to prevent his crew from being pulled to their feet. + +Frank was waiting his opportunity; it came as he had foreseen, just at +the instant when the Princeton men had exerted all the force of which +they were capable. + +He knew when this minute had arrived, not by any expression upon their +faces, but by the fact that the Princeton anchor hastily caught his end +of the rope in a knot in order to hold the advantage that had been +gained. + +Then Frank said in a tone that could not have been heard by any of the +spectators: + +"Now, boys!" + +On that instant the three Yale men who had been lying almost on their +backs, sat up, made a quick grab at the rope a few inches in front of +where they had been holding it before, and then strained back suddenly, +and with all the force that they could muster. + +The Princeton anchor, who had supposed that the Yale men were exhausted +also, was taken completely by surprise. + +He had knotted his rope and could not pay it out as the opposing tug +came; the result was that while there was yet a full minute to spare, +the Princeton team stood up suddenly, pulled squarely off the cleats by +the victorious sons of Yale. + +The shouting changed on the instant; there had been a wild, triumphant +howling on the Princeton side because the ribbon had gone fully fifteen +inches beyond the chalk mark. + +Now it traveled so rapidly toward the Yale side that there was no +measuring the distance; that did not matter anyway, for when a team is +pulled squarely off the cleats, the tug is done. + +Frank, therefore, had the double satisfaction of seeing his college win +the general trophy and of meeting successfully a serious emergency that +had occurred in the special sport which he had undertaken to manage. + +It was a great evening for Yale, and one that all men who were students +in the college at that time will never forget. + +"I tell you, I wouldn't have missed it for a good deal," said Rattleton, +when they were on their way to Yale, the day following. + +"It's too bad Browning was hurt," answered Frank. + +"It's not serious," said the big fellow. "It will soon be all right, so +the doctor says." And this proved to be true. Inside of ten days his +wrist was as well as ever. + +"Another contest is on hand," said Rattleton, one morning to Frank. "Do +you know we are up for admission to the Pi Gamma Society?" + +"Yes," answered Frank. + +"We'll catch it hot soon--when they initiate us." + +"Oh, I reckon we can stand it," came from Frank, with a quiet smile. + +He did not dream of all that was in store for them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +BLACK MARKS. + + +There were about twenty students in a room that would comfortably hold +six; four of them, looking very solemn, were arranged along one side of +the room with their backs to the wall; the others were seated on such +chairs as there were or upon the floor. + +The study table in the middle of the room had been cleared of books, and +a covering of newspapers had been put on top of it. + +The air was thick with smoke from pipes, cigars and cigarettes. The four +who stood with their backs against the wall were not adding anything to +the fumes; they were the only ones present who were not smoking. + +Every window was down and the transom was closed. It is the theory among +students that the smoker can stand a thick atmosphere, but that if one +is not smoking it soon becomes very disagreeable to him. + +One would have said that this theory was correct if he had taken but a +glance into the room, for the four solemn persons looked far from well, +while the others were evidently enjoying themselves to the utmost. + +Each one of the others had something in his hand besides his pipe or +cigar; two or three had brooms, some horsewhips, some baseball bats, +some canes, others umbrellas, and so on. The one who was apparently the +leader had an iron poker. + +"Who is the next neophyte who wishes to become acquainted with the +mysteries of Pi Gamma?" he asked. + +"It's Merriwell's turn next," answered one of the others. + +"Very well, then, fetch him in." + +At the mention of Merriwell's name the four solemn students against the +wall glanced at each other. + +"Hi, there! Hi, there!" called several voices. "No talking to each +other!" + +All the other students turned furiously upon the solemn four and glared +fiercely. One of the four opened his lips as if to say something, then +thought better of it, and shut them again. + +"If you want to make a link in the mystic chain of the Pi Gamma," +exclaimed the leader, sternly, "you'd better keep your mouth shut!" + +The student thus addressed looked as if he was aching to say that he had +not said anything, but his eyes simply wavered and otherwise he remained +perfectly still. + +"I guess they'll behave themselves," declared the leader. "Go out and +bring in Merriwell." + +Frank was about to take his first step in the long and trying initiation +into the secret society known as the Pi Gamma. These are the two Greek +letters standing for P and G, respectively. + +What they mean is known only to the members of the order, but the +society is generally known by an abbreviation of its initials. + +In this way, with the characteristic humor of college students, the +order of Pi Gamma is generally known as the "Pig." So, too, members of +the order are sometimes referred to as "Pigs." + +No one is supposed to take any offense at this, for, on the contrary, it +is a mark of honor to be a member of the order, and if a man can say +after he has graduated that he belonged to the "Pig," he makes it known +that his social standing was very high. + +No one can become a member of this society until he has reached the +junior year; then students are elected from the junior class by the +members of the senior class in blocks of five. The initiation of each +block of five covers a period of one week. + +The juniors elected at the same time with Frank were Harry Rattleton, +Jack Diamond, Bartley Hodge, and John Henderson. It was these four who +formed the quartet of silent students with their backs to the wall. + +They had received their notification of election on the evening before, +and with it certain instructions. From that moment until the end of the +initiation the neophyte was forbidden to laugh, or to speak aloud unless +addressed by a "Pig" in good standing or a member of the faculty. + +If he was spoken to by one of his companions, not a member of the order, +the neophyte was not to answer. + +He was to attend strictly to all his college duties, and whenever he set +foot upon the campus, he was to run at full speed and not stop running +until he had left the college grounds. + +He was to do without question anything commanded of him by any member of +the Pi Gamma during the week. + +In Frank's case this last rule had been put to the test at once by +commanding him to go to a well-known store in the city and buy one match +and one toothpick and bring the articles to the student who asked for +them. Frank had complied promptly. + +He went into this thing, as he did into everything, in a good-natured +but businesslike way. + +He knew that it was the custom for students to be put in embarrassing +situations during the initiation, and he made up his mind to stand his +share of it without grumbling. + +Besides the rules already noted, each of the neophytes was told to write +an essay upon a given subject and have it ready for reading on the +following evening when the senior members of the society would meet the +neophytes in Baker's room. + +Baker was the president of the "Pig," and it was he who held the poker +during the deliberations. + +The neophytes had assembled promptly, and then had been conducted to the +room of a senior named Rowe, from which they were called one by one to +read their essays. + +Frank's turn had come last, because there was so much respect for his +nerve that the students wanted to give him a particularly hard test, and +they believed it would be more effective if they made him wait until +toward the end of the evening. + +Accordingly, Rattleton and the others had been through with their essay +reading before Frank was summoned. + +A couple of seniors went out after Baker gave the order, and presently +returned with Merriwell. + +The latter looked as unconcerned as if he were attending an ordinary +recitation. He coughed a little as he entered the smoky room, and then +said, "Good-evening, gentlemen," in his pleasantest tone. + +"Ah, ah! Put down one black mark," exclaimed Baker, severely. + +Frank looked surprised. He had been told when notified of his election +that black marks would be entered against the name of every candidate +for every disobedience of the rules, and that if a neophyte got as many +as ten black marks he would not be permitted to become a member. + +"The neophyte has evidently forgotten the rule about speaking aloud," +remarked Baker. + +Every one of the seniors present took out a little memorandum and made a +mark against Merriwell's name. + +Frank had really forgotten the rule for the moment, and his lips parted +to say, "Beg pardon," or something of that kind, when it occurred to him +that that would bring him another black mark. + +In fact, the instant his mouth opened, out came the memorandum books, +but he shut his lips hard together, and the books went back into the +students' pockets. + +"We will begin with a little music," remarked Baker. "Neophyte +Rattleton, come forward." + +Rattleton at once stepped up and stood in front of Frank. Their eyes +met, but each kept his face steady. + +"Neophyte Merriwell," continued Baker, placing his hand upon Rattleton's +shoulder, "this is a bass viol. This is your bow," and he handed him an +umbrella. "We want you to play Mendelssohn's Wedding March." + +Frank took the umbrella and looked from Rattleton to Baker in amazement. + +"Play, neophyte," thundered Baker. + +Frank was not certain whether he caught the idea or not, but after a +little further hesitation, he took Rattleton by the shoulder and moved +the umbrella back and forth across that young man's stomach two or three +times. + +"We don't hear any music!" bawled the seniors in chorus. + +"Give him a black mark, then!" commanded Baker. + +Out came the memorandum books, and down went another black mark against +Frank's name. + +"Whew!" he thought, "this won't do! I must be slow or stupid; if I don't +catch on pretty soon I'll get more black marks against me than I can +stand." + +"Give us something that we can hear!" roared the seniors. + +The three juniors who had been through it and who were still standing +with their backs against the wall, were having a particularly hard time +of it just now. Their lips were twitching with an almost uncontrollable +desire to laugh. + +Frank caught Rattleton again by the shoulder and again sawed the +umbrella back and forth across his stomach, at the same time grunting in +a wheezy way to imitate the sounds of a bass fiddle. + +"You're out of tune!" cried one of the seniors. + +"Play louder!" shouted another. + +"He's playing on the open strings all the time!" exclaimed a third. +"Make him move his fingers, won't you?" + +Frank caught this idea at once, and, throwing his left arm around +Rattleton's shoulders, he moved his fingers up and down on Rattleton's +chest as if he were touching the strings of an instrument. Meantime he +kept up his grunting and humming as loud as he knew how. + +The seniors roared with merriment. Rattleton was shaking with laughter, +and the three solemn juniors against the wall looked as if they would +explode. + +Frank was perspiring in the effort to do the thing as ridiculously as he +knew how, and yet keep his face straight. + +"Oh, but look here!" cried Baker, suddenly, "this won't do!" + +He took out his memorandum book, and all the students followed suit. + +Frank stopped fiddling. + +"Keep on until I tell you to stop!" cried Baker. "That's a black mark, +anyway." + +In despair of ever doing anything right, Frank began to saw away again +for dear life. + +"I call your attention," shouted Baker, above the uproar, "to the fact +that this neophyte is making loud sounds with his voice." + +"That must be a black mark, then!" declared the other seniors, taking +out their books. + +Frank wanted to protest that he had been told to make a noise, and that +he could not very well obey one rule without breaking the other, but he +thought it best to keep quiet. + +He learned later that the complaint against his making a loud noise was +made for the very purpose of causing him to protest, for that would have +brought another black mark against him. + +As he kept his mouth firmly closed the seniors failed to catch him +there, but they put a black mark down nevertheless, so that within the +first five minutes of his initiation Frank had had four points scored +against him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE TEST OF NERVE. + + +Frank felt really worried about it, although it did seem to him that the +marking was absurdly unfair. + +"These fellows haven't any reason to complain of a professor's marking +of examination papers," he thought, "if this is the way they treat a +fellow student." + +"It's nearly time for the test of nerve," remarked Baker, "and we'd +better have the essay read before this neophyte gets so many black marks +that his case will be hopeless. Get up on that table, Merriwell." + +Frank started to climb up on the table, but as soon as his knee was upon +it a half dozen of the seniors yanked the table from under him and he +fell to the floor. + +There was a great roar of laughter at this, but Merriwell kept his face +straight and did not so much as grunt. + +"No black mark that time!" he thought. + +"I told you to get on the table!" roared Baker. + +Frank obeyed this time by making a sudden jump that brought him squarely +upon the center of the table before it could possibly be yanked from +under him. + +There was a roar of applause at this, and the students gathered around +to listen to the essay. + +Frank took his manuscript from his pocket. + +"What was the subject you were told to write on?" asked Baker. + +Frank looked at the paper and read: + +"Why is a Hen?" + +The four other juniors exchanged winks; each one of them had been told +to write upon the same topic. + +Just then there was a knock at the door, and, after a moment, Bruce +Browning was admitted. + +Browning was already a member of the order, although he was a classmate +of Frank's. He had become so by being dropped at the end of his freshman +year, as already related in this series of stories. + +When that happens a popular student keeps up his society relations with +his former classmates, so that Bruce, although he was a junior in the +standing of scholarship, was a senior when it came to society matters. + +The fact that he was still a classmate of Merriwell's had led him to +decide that he would take no part in the initiation. The students, +therefore, were surprised to see him enter. + +"I thought you weren't to be here!" exclaimed Baker. + +"I wasn't," Browning answered, "but I've got something important to say +to you." + +He spoke in such a serious tone that Baker at once went over to him, and +after a few whispered words they shut themselves into Baker's bedroom, +which adjoined the study. + +"You remember Miller?" asked Browning. + +"You mean the tough customer that sells cigars?" + +"Yes." + +"I do remember him; what of him?" + +"He's got a grudge against Merriwell. I think Frank at some time or +other interfered in some dirty work he was up to, and so he's laying for +Frank." + +"Well, what of it?" + +"He's heard that Frank has been elected to the 'Pig,' and he declares +that he'll take advantage of the initiation to raise hob with him." + +"Huh!" + +"I thought I ought to let you know about it." + +"Well, yes, but I don't see what Miller can do." + +"Nor I, either, but it'll be just as well to be on your guard, you +know." + +"All right, and we'll try and look out for it." + +"How's Merriwell getting on?" asked Browning. + +Baker grinned. + +"He's standing it like a man," was the reply, "just as we supposed he +would, but he'll get black marks enough to sink a ship before the +night's over." + +Browning chuckled. + +"I'll bet he takes those black marks seriously," he said. + +"Well, why shouldn't he?" returned Baker. "It's the last time we'll get +the chance to roast a good fellow like Merriwell, and we're going to +make it hot for him, I tell you." + +"Go ahead, he'll stand it," said Bruce. + +Having delivered his message of warning, Bruce left the room. Then Baker +returned and ordered Frank to begin his essay. + +"Speak up loud and clear," he said, "for when you're told to talk, we +expect you to talk." + +Frank unfolded his manuscript and began to read: + +"The problem of the hen is one of the most interesting subjects in +ornithology." + +"Hi! hi! hi!" yelled the seniors, rapping the floor with their clubs, +umbrellas, brooms and so on. + +"It seems to me very appropriate," continued Frank, reading from his +paper, "that this subject should be discussed by a 'Pig'----" + +This word was a signal for the most terrific uproar that the room had +yet witnessed. All the seniors made a dash at Frank with their clubs, +brooms, umbrellas and so forth, raised in the air. + +They brought them down in great whacks upon the table; he stood as still +as a statue. If he had attempted to dodge he would certainly have been +hit. + +"The idea of a neophyte using that word!" they cried. "Give him a black +mark!" + +Accordingly, the memorandum books came out and down went another black +mark. + +It then flashed upon Frank that it must be a rule of this order that no +neophyte should refer to it as the "Pig," and unhappily in his essay he +had done so a dozen times or more. + +He quickly decided to pretend to read, but really to speak offhand and +so avoid using the troublesome word, but there came another knock at the +door. + +This time it was Prof. Adler, whose room was in the building, and who +called to protest against so much noise. + +"You see what it is, professor," said Baker, throwing the door wide +open. "You were once a 'Pig' yourself, I believe." + +"Yes, I was," the professor answered, trying hard to repress a smile as +he looked at Merriwell and the four solemn juniors, "but really it's +getting late, gentlemen, and I think you ought to take your initiation +elsewhere." + +"Well, perhaps we have gone far enough at this stage," said Baker. "At +any rate, professor, we won't trouble you any more to-night." + +"I hope you won't," said the good-humored professor, "for I should hate +to report you." + +With that he went away, and the next stage in the initiation began +immediately. + +Each of the five neophytes was blindfolded with a towel tied around his +head; his hands were then bound behind his back, and a long cord +attached to them; then they were sternly ordered to remember the rule of +obedience. + +"If you obey you'll come to no harm," said Baker, earnestly, "but the +slightest act of disobedience may run you into serious trouble." + +When the blindfolding and binding had been completed the neophytes were +taken out to the campus and so to the street; there three or four +seniors went with each neophyte in different directions about the city. + +The seniors kept hold of the rope and walked several yards behind the +neophyte, telling him when to turn to the right or the left. + +In this way Frank was made to pass close to moving wagons, and to go to +the very edge of embankments where if he had taken another step he would +have had an unpleasant fall. + +For more than an hour he was kept moving about in this way, completely +baffling the efforts of the seniors to rattle him. He did everything +they told him promptly, and never a word escaped his lips. + +He had made up his mind that come what would he would not get another +black mark. At last as he was crossing a street he was told to halt. He +did so, feeling under his feet at the moment the rail of a street car +track. + +Then his "mentors," as his companions were called, gathered around him, +threw the loose end of the rope over his shoulders and told him to stay +where he was. + +"Remember, neophyte," said one of them, slowly, "the command is to stand +still, no matter what happens." + +Frank made no response, but it was evident that he understood them. + +A moment later the mentors went away, where, or how far, Frank could +only guess. + +It was late in the evening, and the street was very still, but somewhere +in the distance Frank could hear the rumbling of a car; it drew nearer +and nearer, and at length he could hear the buzzing of the trolley wire. +It seemed directly over his head. + +"I see what this is," he thought; "they have put me between the double +tracks of the line so that I'll think that a car is going to run me +down. + +"Of course, these fellows are not going to injure me, and so if I stand +perfectly still the car will pass close beside me. If I should move I +might get run over. I can imagine that some fellows might be completely +unnerved by this test." + +The rumbling of the car became louder and louder; then there was a +single clang of a bell and it stopped a short distance away; some +passenger evidently was getting out. The bell rang again, and the car +started. + +The motorman kept up a loud clanging of his footbell as he approached +Frank; the latter, remembering his instructions, stood perfectly still, +confident that the car would rush past him without touching him. + +Suddenly, just as the car was upon him, Frank was pushed violently and +fell face forward in front of it! + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +FRANK WANTS MORE. + + +The car was going at full speed when Frank fell. On the instant the +motorman reversed the current and applied the brake hard, but although +the wheels immediately began to turn in the other direction, it was +impossible to check the advance of the car completely. + +It slid for a few yards along the rails, sending up a shower of sparks, +and pushing Frank's body along ahead of it. + +Frank's first impression was, when he felt the push, that it was a part +of the initiation. The mind acts with marvelous quickness under such +circumstances, and what he thought was that, instead of being placed +beside the car tracks, he was really directly upon them and thus in the +way of the car, and that this push had been given him at the very last +minute in order to knock him out of the way. + +It was but the fraction of a second, of course, before he realized his +mistake, for he received a severe blow from the car platform. + +Knowing then that this was either a mistake in the initiation, or +something not on the programme, and that at all events he was in serious +danger, he made the most desperate effort to help himself. + +Naturally this was no easy matter, for his hands were tied behind his +back and his eyes were blindfolded. + +The knots had not been tied with the greatest skill, but the line was a +stout one and in the short time he had to make the effort, Frank could +not release his hands. + +He was more than half stunned by the collision, but he kept his wits +sufficiently to roll over and over in front of the moving car, trying +the best he could to kick himself out of its way. Meantime the car was +rapping him repeatedly. + +It was all over in a second or two, but the time seemed terribly long to +the neophyte. + +He was only half conscious of what happened, but he knew that the noise +of the wheels upon the rails had ceased, and that he was picked up in +strong arms and carried somewhere; then his brain whirled and everything +became a blank. + +That was the way the event seemed to Frank. The way it appeared to his +mentors was this: + +Following the usual custom of such initiations, they had stood Frank +close to the car tracks, but not so close that the passing car would +have so much as brushed him. + +Such events were not so uncommon in New Haven as to make them dangerous +when conducted in the ordinary way. Motormen get used to the pranks of +students and accordingly send their cars past blindfolded figures at +full speed, oftentimes clanging the footbell furiously in order to help +out the joke by alarming the neophyte as much as possible. + +Sometimes a motorman who is new to the business gets so disturbed at the +sight of the blindfolded figure near the rail that he stops the car just +short of him. + +In any event no trouble had arisen before this from this feature of +"Pig" initiation. + +Having left Frank beside the track, as we have stated, the mentors +withdrew and stood in the shadow of a big elm from where they could see +the result of the test without being observed by the motorman or anybody +else in the vicinity. + +They were watching the affair with great interest, although pretty well +convinced that Merriwell's nerve was so strong that he would stand the +test without trouble. + +They were disappointed when the car stopped to let off a passenger, but +were satisfied when it proceeded again and rapidly gained full speed. + +Then they were amazed to see a figure dart rapidly out from the shadow +of another tree not far away and make straight toward the neophyte. + +They wondered at it, but were not alarmed, for their first impression +was that it was some man who was unfamiliar with students' doings, and +who believed that the blindfolded figure was in real danger. + +They rather expected, therefore, to see this stranger catch Merriwell up +and drag him aside. Their horror may be better imagined than described +when they saw the stranger push Merriwell in front of the car and then +leap across the tracks just missing the car himself, and disappear. + +The alarmed and indignant seniors dashed from their hiding place and ran +with all possible speed to Merriwell's assistance. They came up to him +just as the car stopped sliding forward, and began to move back under +the force of the reversed current. + +The excited motorman was jabbering curses upon the foolish conduct of +students generally, and altogether too busy with his apparatus and too +rattled to get down from the platform. + +The conductor and the few passengers in the car, disturbed by the slight +collision, were moving toward the platform to see what was the matter. + +Rowe, who was in charge of the party of seniors, immediately picked +Frank up and carried him toward the sidewalk. + +"Get a move on, boys!" he exclaimed, under his breath. "We must get +Merriwell out of sight as quick as possible." + +"Shan't I go for a doctor, Dick?" asked one of them. + +"Yes," answered Rowe, hurriedly; "bring him to my room, but keep mum." + +One of the seniors sped away down the street, another took hold of Frank +with Rowe to help carry him, while the last member of the party fell in +behind his companions, determined if they were followed to beat off +pursuers. + +This action on the part of the seniors might seem rather peculiar to +those who are not wholly familiar with secret society matters. + +They did not stop to discuss it, for each one of them knew in a flash +just what must be done. + +Secret societies at Yale are very powerful organizations. In past years +there were some efforts to disband them and prevent the students from +organizing them. + +All these efforts failed; the more the faculty tried to suppress the +Greek letter orders, the more firmly the students clung to them, until +at last the faculty had to let the societies alone. + +The students knew, however, that there were plenty of men in the +government of the college who would be glad of any excuse to suppress +the societies and no better excuse could be found than the fact that a +student had been injured in the course of an initiation. + +Therefore, when Frank was knocked in front of the car, Rowe and his +companions knew that it would not do at all to let the accident become a +matter of public knowledge. So, before the people on the car half +realized what had happened, they had carried Frank across the street, +got over a fence into the grounds surrounding a private house, and were +rushing along toward a thick clump of shrubbery. + +When they were concealed in this they paused for an instant to get their +breath and make a hasty examination of the neophyte. + +By that time Frank was wholly unconscious. There was a red spot upon his +forehead, his clothing was torn and his hands were bleeding a little +from scratches. + +The wounds and bruises would not have disturbed the seniors +particularly, but Frank's unconsciousness gave them genuine alarm. + +"We must keep moving!" exclaimed Rowe. + +"Let me take my turn at carrying, then," said the one who had been +acting as rear guard. + +This was done. They proceeded across the lawn, climbed another fence +into a garden and, having crossed this, came to another street. + +They were now fairly safe from pursuit by the passengers on the trolley +car, who, as a matter of fact, gave the matter no further thought when +they were told by the motorman that the affair was a lot of students' +nonsense. + +As it was now very late in the evening the streets were almost deserted +and by acting cautiously the seniors succeeded in getting Frank to +Rowe's room without interference. + +There they laid him upon a bed and hastened to apply restoratives as +well as they knew how. + +"It would be simply awful if it should prove that he was dead!" +exclaimed Rowe, with a groan. + +"He isn't dead," said one of the others; "we'll fetch him around----" + +At this moment the student who had gone for a doctor burst into the room +bringing the physician with him. + +The doctor laid a case of instruments upon the table as he passed and +bent over the bed where Frank lay. At that moment Frank opened his eyes +and, seeing a strange face above him, said in a surprised tone: + +"Hello, what do you want?" + +"Humph!" muttered the doctor, "I thought I was going to have a fine +chance to set broken limbs or do some other clever job in surgery. I +guess you've cut me out of an operation, young man." + +"Hey?" said Frank, trying to sit up. + +His bones ached and he gave up the attempt. + +"What's the matter, anyway?" he asked. + +"How do you feel, Merriwell?" asked Rowe, anxiously. + +"Kind of sore," returned the neophyte. "I should think I'd been in a +football scrimmage. Oh!" + +His eyes brightened as he remembered what had happened to him. + +"Something went wrong with the----" he began, intending to say "with the +initiation," when he caught sight of the doctor's face. + +Seeing that a stranger was present and remembering his instructions to +keep the initiation a secret, Frank hesitated an instant and then said: + +"Machinery." + +"Yes," answered Rowe, understanding the point, "the machinery broke +down, but it wasn't our fault." + +"I took that for granted," Frank remarked. "How did the car get along?" + +The seniors laughed. This question showed them better than anything else +could that Frank was not dangerously injured. + +"The car seemed to stand it pretty well," Rowe answered. "How is he, +doctor?" + +"Well," answered the physician, who had been making an examination, "I +don't see any evidence of broken bones, and what is more surprising +still, the young man's brain doesn't seem to have suffered under the +strain to which you have subjected him." + +"I can stand more than that!" muttered Frank. + +"There's nothing for me to do here," said the doctor. "I should advise +him to go to bed and lie still for the rest of the night. If he feels +badly in the morning you can send for me." + +With this the doctor took himself off. Frank then slowly sat up. + +"There are some aches about me," he said, with a wry grimace, "but I +suppose the more I talk of them the more black marks I'll get." + +"Oh, hang the black marks!" exclaimed Rowe. "There's been initiation +enough for you, old fellow, and there isn't a doubt that when the matter +is explained to the rest of the 'Pigs,' that you'll be excused from any +further test." + +"No, siree!" exclaimed Frank, emphatically. + +"Eh, what's that?" + +"If you think," responded Frank, "that I'm going to do the baby act and +crawl out of the rest of the circus you're mistaken." + +"But----" + +"There's no 'but' about it! I've been through worse things than this and +if you fellows don't put the initiation through just as if nothing had +happened, I'll be hanged if I'll join the society." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE LEAP INTO THE RIVER. + + +"That's the right kind of talk anyway!" said Rowe, "and it's just what +we might have expected from you, but really, Merriwell, this was the +last thing on the programme for to-night, and even if that scoundrel +hadn't pushed you in front of the car we should have made you go to bed +at this time." + +"Well, I'm bound to obey you in any case," said Frank, "but speaking of +that, am I at liberty to talk?" + +"Of course, for you're in the presence of members of the Pi Gamma in +good standing." + +Rowe grinned when he said this, for he thought of the black-mark +nonsense and realized that Frank took it in earnest. He added: + +"Out of consideration for this accident, Merriwell, I shall ask the +president to score off the black marks already entered against you and +let you begin with a clean record." + +"Well, I can't object to that," said Frank, "for I must say it struck me +that some of those marks were chucked on rather harshly." + +"You'd better not make any criticisms of the way this society is run," +declared Rowe, sternly. + +"That's so; I take that all back, but what I wanted to say was that it +seemed to me as if somebody had interfered with the game." + +"That was it exactly, Merriwell, and it was something that we shall have +to take a hand in before long." + +"How did it happen?" + +The others told Frank what they had seen. He listened thoughtfully and +remarked: + +"Some fellow evidently had a grudge against me." + +"It looks that way," responded Rowe. + +"Who do you suppose it could be?" + +Before Frank could answer there was a knock at the door and Baker +hurried in. + +"Ah!" he said, in a tone of relief, "I see you've got through all right. +There was something I meant to tell you, Rowe, and I forgot all about +it." + +"What was it?" asked Rowe. + +"Why," answered Baker, "Browning came in, you remember, just before we +started in on Merriwell's essay?" + +"Yes. I wondered what he wanted." + +"Well, he came in to say how he had heard that Miller, the cigar dealer, +had it in for Frank, and that we'd better look out lest Miller take +advantage of the initiation to put up some dirty job. Of course I meant +to tell you about it before you took the neophyte to the street, but +Prof. Adler's interruption drove it clean out of my mind. I didn't think +of it until I was half through with Rattleton, who was the neophyte in +my party. + +"I see you've got through to-night all right, but it'll be just as well +to look out----" + +Baker stopped, for there was something in the expression of the faces +before him that aroused his curiosity. + +"What's the matter?" he asked, suddenly. + +They told him and he listened with growing indignation. + +"It must have been Miller!" he exclaimed, at last. "Didn't any of you +fellows recognize him?" + +Now that Miller's name was mentioned the students thought that they did +recognize him, but they could not be sure of it. + +"We must find out about it!" said Baker, earnestly. "This thing has not +only endangered a student's life, but it has put all secret societies at +Yale in danger of their existence. + +"If Frank had been seriously hurt the faculty would surely hear of it +and nothing would convince them that we weren't to blame for it. Miller +must be prevented from doing anything of this kind again." + +"Probably he won't try it again," Frank remarked, "for if he saw how +successful his trick was, he must be convinced at this minute that I was +maimed for life, if not killed." + +"Merriwell insists on going on with the initiation," said Rowe, "and I +have told him that, under the circumstances, we would erase all the +black marks against him." + +"That's right," responded Baker, solemnly. "I think we'd better go on +with the initiation just as usual, and meantime some of us will look up +Miller and see what we can do about him." + +"I rather wish," suggested Frank, "that you could wait on that until the +initiation is over, so that I can take a hand in it." + +"It won't do to lose any time," returned Baker. "You go to bed, +Merriwell, for you'll probably find that you need rest; the rest of us +will go and have an interview with Miller." + +As Frank was bound to obey, he made no further objection to this plan, +and accordingly went to his room. Baker and Rowe and the others +proceeded to the little shop where Miller did a cigar business. + +They found it closed. Usually it was open until after midnight. By +patient inquiry they learned where Miller lived and they went there. +Miller was not at home. + +The students rather wished that they could report the matter to the +police, but that would have brought the Pi Gamma affairs into public +notice and so they decided not to do so. + +It might be said right here that during the rest of the week of +initiation they made vain efforts to get track of Miller. He had +disappeared. + +An assistant was in charge of the shop, who pretended to be very much +mystified at his employer's absence. Whether he was telling the truth or +not could not be proved. + +The main fact was clear; Miller had played his trick so successfully on +Frank that he was afraid of the consequences and was keeping out of +sight. + +Frank was a little lame on the following day, but not sufficiently so to +be kept from going about as usual. The initiation, therefore, proceeded +during the week according to regular custom. + +During the daytime Frank attended lectures and recitations with +regularity, and as he afterward said, did rather more studying than at +any other week during his college career. + +Every evening there was a meeting of the "Pigs" in the room of some +senior member, where exercises of a more or less ridiculous nature, +similar to those already described, were had. Usually, too, there was an +excursion upon the street, but in these instances the neophyte was not +blindfolded. + +Frank had had to do numberless small errands, and one evening was +devoted almost wholly to sending him from house to house to ask for a +piece of cake or a slice of bread. + +His mentors always stood near to see that he followed out the +instructions literally, and in every case he complied. + +Rattleton and Diamond suffered more from the experiences of these +evenings than they had on the occasion when their nerves were tested by +being driven blindfolded through the streets. + +Diamond lost his temper several times and flatly refused to go on with +the initiation, whereupon the seniors would give him a host of black +marks. + +He took the black marks as seriously as Frank did, and always became +very penitent. + +"I suppose I can do what other fellows have had to do," he grumbled, +"but I can't see any sense in such tomfoolery." + +Then the seniors would discuss the matter gravely, and decide that as +Diamond was a well-meaning fellow, they would let the black marks go +this time, so that he could start over with a clean score. + +Before the week was over Frank began to see through the black-mark +farce, and he realized that it was a part of the scheme to make a +neophyte get as many black marks against himself as possible, and then +as a special favor allow him to start over again; nevertheless, he +continued to obey instructions as carefully as possible. + +The most trying experience he had in this line was when the seniors +arranged matters with several young ladies who were acquaintances of +Frank's, so that they should meet him one after another, speak to him, +and try to engage him in conversation. + +On each of these occasions a senior member of the order happened to be +near, and Frank was compelled to put his hand to his lips and shake his +head at every pretty girl who spoke to him. + +Some of the girls understood the situation, and others were mystified. +The result was, therefore, that as every one of them appeared to be +indignant and offended, Frank accumulated a lot of trouble which it took +him several calls later to overcome in the way of making apologies and +explanations. + +He never complained, however, and at last the final night of the +initiation arrived. + +Up to this time not one of the neophytes had been near the society's +rooms. These were known to be on the top floor of a high building not +far from the college. No student not a member was ever admitted to them, +and what there was there was one of the mysteries of the society. + +On this evening Frank and the other neophytes were again blindfolded and +dressed in long gowns that had hoods attached to them. + +The hood was pulled over the neophyte's face. His hands were then bound +behind his back, and half a dozen mentors accompanied him on his trip. + +On this occasion each of the mentors had a long horsewhip. They walked +at some distance from him and guided him in the way he should go by +touching his face on either side with the end of the whip; when Frank +felt the lash brush his right cheek he turned to the right, and _vice +versa_. + +The mentors, as before, left him alone sometimes for half an hour at a +stretch. On each of these occasions he had no idea where he was or what +was being done. + +As a matter of fact, warned by their previous experience, the mentors +kept within sight, but no effort was made to do Frank an injury. + +The object of the long waits was to try the neophyte's nerves as much as +possible, so that he should be in proper condition for the final test. +The most trying of these consisted of the jumping from the bridge. + +After having been driven this way and that until his head was completely +turned, Frank knew that he was approaching the railroad tracks, for he +heard the sounds of passing engines. + +Presently two of the members stepped beside him in order to prevent him +from stumbling, for he was now upon the sleepers themselves. + +They walked beside him thus for some distance until at length the +neophyte knew that he was on a bridge; he remembered the place then, or +thought he did. + +Several railroads that pass through New Haven enter the street by +crossing the Quinnepiac River on a drawbridge. + +Frank was certain that he was on this bridge, and for that matter his +guess was a correct one. + +The students conducted him to the middle of the bridge, and after +halting him, told him to move forward very cautiously by shuffling his +feet along on the boards. + +He did so, and presently was aware that his toes were projecting over +the edge of the bridge; that meant that the draw was open. + +Just below him he could hear the gurgling of the water as it flowed past +the piles. + +He stood there in silence for a few minutes, and then another party +approached, bringing with them Rattleton, Diamond, Henderson and Hodge. +The five neophytes were then together. + +A whispered consultation took place among the seniors. Apparently they +were trying to prevent the neophytes from hearing them, but as a matter +of fact the neophytes heard every word, which was exactly what the +seniors intended. + +The discussion was as to whether the tide had risen far enough, whether +the ropes were all right and would hold, and whether any of the +neophytes were too nervous to risk the plunge. + +Of course the waiting neophytes understood it all. They realized that +they would be ordered to jump into the water. It was not a pleasant +thought. + +There was not one of the juniors who would not have relished a dive if +he had had his eyes open and had been dressed for the occasion, but it +is quite another thing to stand bound and blindfolded above a rushing +current and leap out into the darkness. + +At last it was decided that Rattleton should go over first. The seniors +talked in low tones and acted generally as if they were greatly excited +by the seriousness of the occasion. + +Even Frank, who was perfectly cool through it all, wondered if +everything was so arranged that no accident could occur, and he felt a +little sorry for Rattleton, who was so excitable that the sudden shock +of jumping and landing in the water might produce unpleasant results. + +With it all the seniors were very slow in their procedure and every +minute of suspense made it harder for the waiting neophytes. + +At last Baker, in a low tone, reminded Rattleton of his promise to obey +orders, and then told him to jump. + +Frank, of course, could not see a thing, but he heard a little grating +sound as Rattleton's feet left the planks. An instant later there was a +loud splash in the water. + +"Pull him in quick!" exclaimed the voice of Rowe, "we don't want him to +catch cold. Hurry it up!" + +"There, he's coming to the surface!" said another voice. + +This remark was followed instantly by a loud coughing and sniffing. + +"Poor Harry's got his mouth full of water," thought Frank. "I'll look +out for that when I go over." + +With a great bustling about and a lot of excited exclamations the +seniors pulled Rattleton up and started him off as fast as he could go +toward the college. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE LAST STAGE. + + +It was Diamond's turn next, and he went off the edge as promptly as +Rattleton had. The same sort of action followed his jump, and Frank was +surprised that Diamond appeared to have swallowed as much water as Harry +had. + +"I should have thought Diamond would keep his mouth closed," thought +Frank. + +Hodge's turn came next, and he, too, left the bridge promptly. + +Henderson weakened when the command came to him. Instead of jumping he +drew back with a little gasp. + +"Jump, neophyte!" exclaimed Baker, in a low but stern voice. "It's too +late for you to hope for any special consideration now. What others have +done you must do, too!" + +"Great Scott!" muttered Henderson. + +Frank heard his steps wavering upon the planks, and then, with a little +quivering cry, the frightened neophyte jumped over. The splash that +followed his jump was very loud, and it was followed by a lot more of +splashing. + +"Thunder and Mars!" cried Baker, "the rope's broken." + +"Do you suppose he can swim?" inquired the voice of Rowe, anxiously. + +"How can he with his hands tied?" + +"Then he'll drown." + +"We mustn't let him!" + +"Did one of you bring along that boat hook that I told you to bring?" + +"Yes, here it is." + +"Catch it into his clothes before he floats too far." + +"Whew! how fast the tide runs!" + +"Have you got him?" + +"Yes. No! the hook's got loose." + +"Try again, then, quick!" + +"Good Lord! suppose he's become unconscious from fear, there'd be no +saving him then." + +Frank ached to have his bandage removed and his hands unbound so that he +could go to the help of his companion. + +"When it comes my turn to conduct an initiation I'll bet I'll fix things +so that there won't be any such accident as this," he thought. "It's +outrageous to put an unoffending fellow like Henderson through this sort +of trial and then let a slip occur." + +It was a great temptation to Frank then to forcibly release his hands +and jump into the water after Henderson, but he reflected that after all +there were plenty of seniors present who had courage and who knew the +water well. + +He decided that it was best to leave the matter in their hands, but he +listened anxiously for some sound of Henderson's voice to assure him +that all was well. + +He did not hear Henderson's voice, but he did hear a great many more +exclamations of anxiety and doubt as the seniors seemed at last to get +the big hook securely fastened in the neophyte's clothing. + +Then there was a lot of tugging and hauling, and after a time the sound +of retreating footsteps. + +"I guess Henderson will come out of it all right," thought Frank, "for +it seems that he can walk." + +"It's nearly time to close the draw," said Baker, hastily. "Now, +Neophyte Merriwell, it's your turn. Remember your instructions, and when +I give the word, jump." + +Frank shrugged his shoulders. It was a slight action, but the seniors +could see it, for a big electric lamp upon one of the bridge pillars +lighted the scene brilliantly. It was very evident that Merriwell's +nerve had not been shaken. + +"Be ready to pull him out at once, boys, and don't let the rope slip +this time!" said Baker. "One--two----" + +Baker spoke very slowly, and although he appeared to be perfectly +unmoved, Frank's heart nevertheless was beating fast He wondered how far +he would fall before he struck the water. + +He dreaded the chill that would come upon him suddenly, but he had no +fear of the result, and he was fully determined that he would do his +share in this as promptly and boldly as any man who had ever been +initiated. + +"Three!" said Baker. "Jump!" + +Frank leaped at once, far out from the bridge. He had his lips tightly +closed, and he held his breath to avoid taking in a lot of water. + +To his immense surprise he did not touch the water at all. He could not +have fallen two feet before he was caught in strong arms and lifted back +to the bridge. + +Nevertheless he heard a loud splash and a voice saying: + +"Pull him out at once." + +"Oh, come off, Rowe!" exclaimed Baker, in a loud tone of voice, "have +you forgotten that there's nobody to follow Merriwell?" + +"Yes, that's so," was the reply, "I'd clean forgotten that." + +"Well, I'll be hanged!" exclaimed Frank, "if this isn't a worse shock +than jumping into the river itself. Was that the way you treated the +rest of them?" + +"Give him a black mark for talking," said Baker, with a hearty laugh. + +Frank said "Humph!" but nothing else as the students hurried him across +the bridge back to land. + +He was immensely amused by the experience, and on the way to the society +rooms he thought it all out, and came to a conclusion on the matter that +was very nearly correct. + +At high tide the water in the Quinnepiac River comes almost to a level +with the bridge. + +The boys always arrange their initiations in such a way that the bridge +test shall take place at high tide, and they choose an hour when no +trains are due to pass. + +Then a small fee persuades the bridge keeper to open the draw. A big, +flat-bottomed boat is procured and made fast to the bridge just in front +of the open edge. + +Half a dozen of the students get into this boat; some of them receive +the leaping neophyte in their arms and clap their hands over his mouth +so that he shall not cry out. + +At the same time other students topple a big log into the water so as to +make a splash. + +The rest of the farce is carried on as described, with the result of +making the waiting neophytes believe that their companion has had a cold +plunge into the river. + +Time was when the students made the neophytes really jump into the +water, but it was found that many a student whose nerve was supposed to +be perfectly good, suffered such a shock from sudden contact with the +water that he became seriously ill, so that test was modified in the +manner described. + +The last stage of the initiation that can be described was one of the +most ridiculous. + +Frank was still blindfolded and bound. He was led, he knew not where, +but at last halted within a doorway. There his hands were untied and he +was told to kneel. + +He did so, and found that he was at the foot of a flight of stairs. + +"You are now going to ascend," said Baker, solemnly, "to the mystic +regions of Pi Gamma. It is becoming that a neophyte should enter there +in a modest attitude, therefore you will go on your hands and knees +until commanded to rise. Proceed." + +Frank immediately began to climb the steps upon his hands and knees. The +moment he began to move his ears were fairly deafened with a hideous +uproar. + +It seemed as if a tribe of demons had been let loose around him. There +was an infernal clatter, made, as he afterward learned, by beating upon +tin pans and shaking large squares of sheet iron. + +There was a chorus of savage yells and shrieking. The air was foul with +the odor of firecrackers that were exploded close to his ears. Every +kind of barbaric noise that student ingenuity can invent was brought +into play. + +"By the bones of Caesar!" thought Frank. "If I hadn't been pretty well +seasoned by adventures before this, I believe I should be scared." + +As it was, far from being scared, he shook with laughter as he slowly +and patiently climbed up the stairs. It seemed as if they would never +end. + +It was a winding stairway, and went from the ground clear to the top of +the high building. + +Later he learned that this was a back stairway built expressly for the +students, whose society rooms were in the top of the building. + +It seemed to him as if he had climbed higher than the top of the +Washington monument when at last he found no steps in front of him, and +the diabolical racket ceased as suddenly as it had begun. + +He was told to rise, and he did so with a sigh of relief. He was then +led two or three paces and ordered to sit down. + +He did so, and felt that he was in something like a swing. There were +chains at each side of him, holding the seat. He was told to grasp these +chains tightly, and hang on, lest he be dropped the entire distance to +the ground. + +"That would be a pretty long fall," thought Frank, who at the moment +really believed that there was a well beneath him that extended clear to +the bottom of the building; so he gripped the chains and heard the voice +of Baker crying: + +"All ready, send him up." + +"I'd like to know how much farther up I can go," thought Frank. + +He heard the creaking of a windlass and knew that he was rising. As he +went up his seat swung back and forth a little, making him feel all the +more how important it was that he should hang on securely. + +This journey was as long, and in one sense as trying as the climb +upstairs had been. There was no noise in connection with it, except the +constant creaking of the windlass. + +Blindfolded as he was, it really seemed as if he had been hauled up at +least a hundred feet when at last the creaking ceased and he was lifted +from his seat. + +Then he was laid upon an inclined plane, feet downward. It seemed steep, +too, and when his fingers accidentally touched the little rail at the +side he noticed that it was well greased. + +He did not need to be told then what was to happen, for he knew that he +would be sent whizzing down this plane to land--somewhere. + +"Is the tank all ready?" asked somebody, who was holding Frank by the +shoulders and thus keeping him from sliding down. + +"Yes," came a muffled voice that seemed far, far below. "Let him go!" + +The hands on Frank's shoulders were released, and he promptly began to +rush down the plane. + +In less than a second his feet had come in contact with a mattress, and +as the force of his fall brought him to an upright position, a glass of +water was flung into his face. + +At the same instant the bandage was torn from his eyes, the hood raised, +and he found himself standing in a well-lighted room surrounded by a +group of laughing and interested seniors. + +He turned with an expression of the utmost amazement to the plane down +which he had slid. He saw that the distance up which he had been slowly +raised by the windlass was less than ten feet. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +MAKING THINGS INTERESTING FOR MILLER. + + +"It's funny," remarked Frank, with a smile, "how far a man seems to be +going when his eyes are shut." + +There was a chorus of laughter at this, in which Rattleton and the other +neophytes, who were present, joined. + +Order was quickly restored by Baker, the president, who announced that +there was yet one more step in the initiation to be taken. What this +step was cannot be described here. + +It must be remembered that the order of Pi Gamma is a secret society, +and every member of it is sworn to keep its secrets sacredly. Among the +things that they are not allowed to tell are the very tests which have +already been narrated, but such secrets are really common property in +New Haven. + +So much of the initiations are conducted upon the public streets and in +a public manner that there has been no violation of the rules of the +order in telling of Frank Merriwell's experience. + +What followed in the rooms of the society, however, must be omitted out +of respect to the serious character of the proceedings and the fact that +the members of the order regard them all as of considerable importance. + +It is proper to say that no further tests were required of the +candidates; they had passed their week's ordeal successfully, and the +other proceedings were conducted with their eyes open. + +The end of it all was conducted with vociferous cheering on the part of +the old members of Pi Gamma, and each of the new members came in for a +lot of hearty handshaking and congratulations. Then the whole affair +wound up with a supper in the society's largest room. + +At this there were not only the seniors who had initiated the first +block of juniors, but also a number of graduates who had paid a visit to +New Haven for the sole purpose of taking some part in an initiation +ceremony. + +Two or three college instructors, who had been members during their +student days, were present, and no one there appeared to enjoy the +occasion more than did Prof. Adler, the one who had warned the boys that +they must conduct their initiation more quietly as long as it took place +in a college room. + +On such an occasion as that the students and professors are pretty much +on the same terms. The professors, to be sure, are addressed by their +titles, and spoken to respectfully, but there is none of the restraint +of the classroom, and no fear whatever that any of the professors +present will report unpleasant things to other members of the faculty. + +The supper was a good one, and naturally enough it was thoroughly +enjoyed by the new members, the more so as a part of their trial during +the week of initiation was the fact that they had been compelled to +limit their eating to the plainest articles of food. + +All pies and cakes had been forbidden, and in fact nothing that could be +called a luxury was allowed to pass their lips. Those who smoked had +been deprived of that habit also. + +Now the seniors who had been the most severe in compelling an obedience +to these rules fairly overloaded their new associates with attention. + +They made a point of heaping the junior's plates with more good things +than they could possibly eat, and a plentiful supply of cigars and +tobacco was placed before them. + +After the eating was finished speeches were in order. Pres. Baker called +upon one after another of the older members, and eventually each one of +the new members had to make remarks. + +Prof. Adler spoke briefly but with undoubted sincerity of the pleasure +it gave him to be associated with the students' society in this way, +declaring it as his belief that they were helpful to the college and +that it was a mistake to try to suppress them. + +This from a member of the faculty was especially interesting to the +boys, and it brought out thunders of applause. + +The younger members got through their speeches very well, being greeted +with loud cheers whether they said anything of consequence or not. + +As was to be expected, Rattleton twisted his words hind side forward a +good many times, and at last sat down, blushing and feeling that he had +never made such a fool of himself. + +The older members apparently thought differently, for they applauded +long and heartily until the abashed student had to rise and bow. + +Frank spoke easily and quietly. He made no attempt at oratorical +effects, but declared that he felt it an honor to be a member of Pi +Gamma, and assured them that he should look forward to the time when he +could get even for the miseries he had endured for a week in inflicting +the same tortures upon another fellow. + +This was the spirit that the members appreciated best, and of course +they cheered tremendously. + +The most effective part of Frank's speech, however, and the one that +created the greatest interest, was not applauded at all. + +"Perhaps you don't all know it," he said, "but some of you will remember +that there was an incident connected with my initiation that was not on +the programme." + +The room became very quiet. All the seniors had been informed of +Miller's attempt to do Frank an injury, and the only ones there who did +not know it were the graduates and a few members of the faculty. + +"I think my friends know me well enough," Frank continued, "to believe +me when I say that I haven't the slightest desire to be revenged upon +the man who put me in such danger of my life. It was a low-down, +dastardly trick and the work of a coward." + +There was a low murmur of assent at this. + +"A man who would do such a thing as that," Frank went on, "is really +unworthy the contempt of a Yale student and so from one standpoint it +might be well enough to let the matter drop. + +"On the other hand, we are bound to consider the possibility of such a +thing happening again. If the man who did the trick escapes without any +sort of punishment, he may attempt it again, or he may boast of it to +some companion as cowardly and mean as himself, and the result may be +that at some future time a student may be treated in a similar way and +not have the luck to come out of it as well as I did." + +Frank paused a moment, for the deathly silence with which his hearers +listened was a little embarrassing. + +"I have said that I didn't care for revenge," he said, in a moment, "but +now that I am a full-fledged member of Pi Gamma, I feel that I have a +right to look at it as an offense against the society rather than +against me as an individual." + +"Right!" exclaimed one of the seniors, in a low tone. Others nodded +approval. + +"I think it would be dignified and proper," Frank continued, "for the +society to take some kind of action on the matter, and if it is +allowable I should like to make a suggestion." + +"Go ahead," said Baker, promptly; "there is no member from whom a +suggestion on this matter would be more fitting. What do you think we +should do?" + +"I'm not thinking," Frank answered, "of passing any vote to do one thing +or another, but it strikes me that in a perfectly harmless way we can +take the law into our own hands a bit and fix Miller, for there's no +doubt that he was the guilty one, so that he will never molest a student +again as long as he lives. + +"You see," and he smiled good-humoredly, "I'm fresh from my experience +with the tortures of Pi Gamma." + +All the listeners smiled broadly. + +"It is one thing," he added, "to endure these tortures with a feeling +that you are in the hands of your friends, but quite another, I should +think, to go through such an ordeal with a feeling that the fiends and +demons surrounding you are hostile. + +"I can tell you frankly that for my own part, during the worst parts of +the initiation, I felt always that you were friends of mine and that I +was perfectly safe to trust myself in your hands no matter what +extravagant things you seemed to be doing. + +"I think that if Miller should be put through some such proceeding it +would--well, it would likely tear what little nerve he has into +tatters." + +Frank hesitated a moment and then sat down. The room was perfectly still +while the members of the order looked at one another doubtfully. + +"I don't quite see," remarked Baker, presently, "how the society of Pi +Gamma can put a man who is not a student through an initiation." + +"Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that," responded Frank, hastily, but +without rising. "I was only thinking that the society has such means for +terrifying a man that it ought to be easy for us to devise a plan for +giving Miller a good scare." + +"Yes, that's the scheme!" exclaimed Rowe, earnestly. "I wouldn't favor +putting him through anything like the farce with which we treat +neophytes, but it does seem to me that we might give him a dose in +earnest somehow." + +Other members gave their assent to this suggestion and then somebody +asked: + +"But what can you do about it if you can't find Miller?" + +"That's a damper!" responded Rowe, gloomily. "I understand that he's +skipped." + +"He's come back," said another senior. + +"So?" + +All eyes were turned upon the speaker. + +"I saw him in his shop on my way to the rooms this evening," said the +senior. + +"Then he's got over his scare. Probably he may have heard that Merriwell +wasn't seriously injured and so thinks the thing's blown over." + +"We'll show him the contrary!" growled Baker. + +"But how shall we do it?" + +After a moment of thought Baker rose and said: + +"I think as Merriwell has suggested that it is just as well that the +society should not pass any vote on this matter, but with your +permission I'll appoint a committee to take the matter in charge. + +"They can meet after the ceremonies of this evening are over and decide +what to do about it. It is probably too late to undertake anything +to-night." + +"Miller keeps open until after midnight," somebody suggested. + +"Yes, but it's after midnight now and we don't want to act without being +thoroughly prepared. Unless there is some objection I will appoint the +five new members with Rowe and myself to act as a committee to consider +this matter and take such steps as we think best." + +There was no objection to this and so the matter was considered settled, +but the interest of the students in it was so great that they had little +desire to talk of other matters, and before long the meeting adjourned +for the night and the members of the committee assembled in one of the +smaller rooms to lay plans for Miller's punishment. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +MILLER'S NERVES. + + +There is no need to give an account of the long discussion held by the +committee; what they did in the matter is of more importance. + +A good many wild plans were suggested; hot-headed Rattleton was in favor +of severe measures that would have given Miller pain if they had not +produced serious injuries. + +Jack Diamond, too, who had lost his temper more than once in the course +of his initiation, argued in favor of giving Miller a punishment +something like a flogging at the stake. + +Frank resolutely sat down on all propositions of this kind. + +"I don't care to have any hand in it," he said, "if it comes to taking +this man when he's only one against a good many and giving him a +drubbing. If that was the question I'd tackle him single-handed and give +him a chance to defend himself. + +"What we want to do is to give him an experience that he won't forget as +soon as he might a licking." + +It took some argument for Frank to bring his loyal friends around to his +view of the case, and they were not fully satisfied until he himself had +mapped out a plan that promised good sport and success. + +In accordance with this plan Frank did not leave his room on the +following day. There were lectures and recitations to be attended to, +but he cut them and did not even show his face at the window. + +Meantime the other fellows were busy in making preparations for the +serious work of the night. + +Most of these preparations were done in one of the rooms of the society, +but a little took place elsewhere; for example Baker and Diamond +arranged to meet as if by accident in front of Miller's cigar store. + +They chose an hour when Miller was certain to be behind the counter. He +was there, and after the two students had said good-morning, as if they +had just met for the first time during the day, Baker remarked, in a +loud voice: + +"I got up so late this morning that I had to run to lectures after +breakfast without a smoke and I haven't had time for one since. I guess +I'll burn a cigar. Will you join me?" + +"Thanks," responded Diamond, in the same tone, "I will." + +Accordingly they entered the store and Baker called for cigars. Miller +set a couple of boxes on the counter while the students made their +selection. + +"I never smoked this brand," remarked Baker, "but it looks pretty good." + +"It'll do if it will burn," responded Diamond, biting off the end and +turning to the alcohol lamp for a light. + +"How's Merriwell getting on?" asked Baker, as he handed out a bill for +Miller to change. + +Diamond's back was toward the cigar dealer, but he was facing a mirror, +and in it could keep careful watch of Miller's face. Meantime, Baker was +studying Miller also. + +The cigar dealer's face was very grave, and if any one not interested in +the matter that was weighing upon the students' minds had been present, +he would probably have noticed nothing. + +Both students, however, were convinced that Miller was greatly +interested in the question and anxious for the answer. + +Diamond drew a long breath. + +"He's in a mighty bad way," he said. + +"Why!" exclaimed Baker in surprise, "I thought the doctor reported that +he was doing very well?" + +"You forget," said Diamond, "that the doctor always said that he was +doing very well under the circumstances." + +"Oh! and I suppose that under the circumstances meant that the situation +was very serious, eh?" + +"Serious! Why, man alive, you don't seem to realize that Merriwell +narrowly escaped death outright!" + +"Huh! I hadn't thought it was as bad as that." + +"Well it was!" continued Diamond, and it seemed to take him a long while +to get his cigar lighted, while Baker was slowly counting his change. + +Miller was fussing with the cigar boxes with his head bent down. + +"If Merriwell's muscles hadn't been as tough as steel," continued +Diamond, "he would have croaked before this." + +"Oh, no! Oh, no!" returned Baker, as if incredulous. "I'm sure you're +exaggerating the matter, Diamond, on account of your interest in your +friend." + +"Exaggerate nothing!" retorted Diamond, indignantly. "I guess I've spent +hours enough with Merriwell to know his condition." + +"And you say he's worse this morning?" + +"Decidedly! The critical stage in his trouble has come on and the doctor +has cleared the students out of his room. That was why I was out for a +walk instead of watching by his bedside. I'm going back there now, for I +can't bear the thought of being so far away." + +"Well, it would be simply awful," remarked Baker, with long breath, "if +he should----" + +"Why don't you say die and have it out!" blurted Diamond. "That's what +he's in danger of, poor chap." + +"Well, if he should die," added Baker, "there ought to be a lot of +trouble for the chap who pushed him in front of the car." + +"Ah! if we only knew who that was!" said Diamond. + +"I suppose that will always be a mystery," said Baker, and with this +both left the shop. + +"The miserable scoundrel!" exclaimed Diamond, under his breath, as soon +as they were well outside. "There isn't any doubt that he was the fellow +that did it." + +"Of course there isn't," responded Baker, "but what makes you so +emphatic in saying so now?" + +"Why this! If Miller had had a spark of manhood in him he would have +made some inquiry about Merriwell while we were talking about him. The +very fact that he kept his mouth shut showed that he was afraid to speak +for fear of giving himself away." + +"Oh, he's the one, sure enough," Baker declared, "and I don't think +there's any doubt that we've given him a good bit of fright for a +starter. Now if he doesn't skip the town----" + +"Rattleton and the others will look out for that," interrupted Diamond. + +At that moment they saw Hodge idling in a doorway across the street and +they knew that Rattleton must be loafing in a similar way in some other +spot. + +These two had been detailed to keep watch of Miller, dog his footsteps +wherever he went, and if he made any attempt to leave town, keep him +back by force if necessary. + +Miller did not attempt to leave town. Probably he was too cautious to do +so, for that might have been the means of bringing suspicion upon him. + +Baker and Diamond in his shop had declared that the attack on Merriwell +would probably remain a mystery; therefore it is likely that Miller +reasoned that it would be safer for him to stay where he was as if he +were entirely ignorant of the whole matter. + +Although Rattleton and Hodge kept their watch on him faithfully +throughout the day, no other of the students interested in the case went +near him until early in the evening. + +Then Rowe and Henderson dropped in. Rowe went in first and bought a box +of pipe tobacco. While he was waiting for his change Henderson came in +with a very gloomy face. + +He nodded silently to Rowe, laid a coin on the counter and asked for a +cigar. + +"Why! Henderson," exclaimed Rowe, jocosely, "what's gone wrong with you? +Has the faculty suspended you, or is it simply stomach ache?" + +"Oh! don't joke about it!" responded Henderson, dismally. + +"Joke about what?" + +"Haven't you heard?" asked Henderson, in the same melancholy tone. + +"Heard what?" + +"About Merriwell." + +"No. That is, nothing since morning. Has he----" + +"Yes. He's gone!" + +The two students looked at each other as if in great consternation. Rowe +drew a long breath and remarked: + +"Great Scott! that's awful." + +Henderson sighed too, and both went out together without another word. +Then they got around the nearest corner and burst into a perfect fit of +laughter. + +"Say! but he looked as if he'd seen a ghost," chuckled Henderson. + +"Gee whiz!" returned Rowe, "but he was blue. How will he look to-night, +eh?" + +"I'm just burning up to have the fun begin," answered Henderson, "and we +shall have to wait until midnight." + +"Yes, later than that if he shuts up at the usual late hour, but perhaps +he'll start home earlier." + +"I shouldn't wonder," remarked Henderson, "if this should work on his +nerves through the evening and cause him to try to skip the town." + +"We shan't lose him," returned Rowe, in a satisfied tone, "and the only +thing we've got to do now is to kill time until the hour comes for +business. Let's play billiards." + +Accordingly they went to a billiard hall and knocked the balls around +until they were tired of walking about the tables. For the others +interested, as well as those, the time passed slowly. + +A number of students, including Merriwell, who were to take part in this +affair, assembled at the society rooms about the middle of the evening, +thinking that possibly Miller might take fright and shut up his shop +earlier, but the hours passed and Miller still stuck to his counter. + +Hodge and Rattleton, who, now that it was dark, stood nearer to the +cigar store, could see that Miller was growing nervous as the time +passed. + +He paced restlessly up and down back of his counter and occasionally +shifted the position of boxes and did other things to indicate that he +was suffering from extreme anxiety. + +When customers came in he greeted them gruffly and had little to say, +whereas his usual custom was to talk freely. + +After eleven o'clock, when the store happened to be free from customers +for a moment, the boys saw him empty his cash drawer into his pockets +and also take what money there was in his safe and stow that in his +clothes, too. + +From that time on he put whatever money came in into his pockets instead +of into the drawer. They judged from this that he had made up his mind +that he must leave town, and that he was taking all the money that he +could lay his hands on with him. + +Finally, a little before midnight, he seemed to feel that he could stand +the strain no longer, and prepared to shut up the shop. + +He turned the lights down hastily, as if he feared that some customer +might enter and detain him longer. He went out, locked the door behind +him, and started rapidly toward his lodgings. + +He lived at some distance from his shop, and had to pass through a long, +quiet street to get there. Even in the daytime few persons were usually +stirring upon this street, and at this hour it was entirely deserted. + +Miller went along part of the time with his head down, and part of the +time turning his eyes in every direction. + +He was just approaching an intersection with another street when two +figures in long, black robes with hoods drawn over their heads seemed to +rise from the ground in front of him. + +As a matter of fact, they had simply stepped from behind a tree, but +Miller's mind was in no condition to take things as they were. + +He gasped with fright the minute he saw them, stopped short and then +tried to run back. The figures leaped after him, and clutched him by the +arms, while one clapped a hand over his mouth. "It'll be safer for you," +said one of them, sternly, "to make no resistance, for if you do you'll +be beaten to a pulp in less than no time." + +Miller chattered with fear. In spite of this threat he might have tried +to break away, but he saw other figures apparently rising from the +ground. + +He was quickly surrounded by not less than a dozen, all in black cloaks +and hoods. He could not see the faces of any of them clearly. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +TRIED BY THE "PIGS." + + +If Miller had not been guilty of the assault upon Frank, he might +possibly have had faith that no Yale student would do him a serious +injury, though that is doubtful, for he had the idea which many ignorant +people hold that students are nothing short of young barbarians when +they get to playing pranks. + +As it was, he was fully convinced that he was in for the most horrible +tortures, even if he were permitted to escape with his life. + +He was in such an agony of fear that if he could have done so he would +have disregarded the threats of the leader and yelled at the top of his +lungs, but his very fear prevented this, to say nothing of the fact that +one of the students kept his hand ready to close over Miller's mouth. + +The cigar dealer was so paralyzed with terror that he could only +chatter. A few disjointed words came out which seemed to be to the +effect that he hadn't done it purposely. + +If the students had needed any further proof that he was the guilty +party, this would have settled it. + +They were sufficiently satisfied, however, before they began their +operations, and this partial admission merely stimulated them to more +active work. + +The dozen or so who had come out in hoods to capture the man, surrounded +him and walked him rapidly toward the building in which the Pi Gamma had +its rooms. + +In so doing they passed more than one person on the streets, but no more +than a little curious attention was paid to them. + +Whoever saw them supposed that some process in a secret society +initiation was going on, and if they caught sight of the unhooded figure +in the middle of the group, they undoubtedly supposed that it was a +neophyte. + +Miller longed undoubtedly to cry for help whenever the party met +anybody, but with a student clinging to each arm and hands raised to +choke his voice, he dared not so much as whisper. + +So at length he was brought without interruption to the back entrance of +the building, where he was hustled into the doorway and blindfolded. +There, strangely enough, he found his tongue for a moment. + +"You fellers let me alone, or you'll all go to jail for it," he +muttered. + +A chorus of hoarse, long-drawn "ahs!" was the answer to this. + +The outer door was closed then, and Miller was told to kneel. + +"I won't do it!" he protested. "I'm not going to have my head struck off +with an ax----" + +"Kneel, you scoundrel!" cried the voice of Baker, who was the leader of +the party. + +They did not wait for him to kneel, but pushed him to his knees. He +found himself as the neophytes did, at the bottom of a stairway; then +they told him to mount, and prodded him in the back and legs to make him +start on. + +Miller started, for he could not help himself. His journey upward then +was like that described in the case of Frank during his initiation. + +What he felt cannot be described, for Miller, so far as is known, never +told anybody about it. + +He arrived at the top of the long, winding flight of stairs in a state +of almost complete collapse. The noise had been more deafening and +hideous than ever had been endured by any neophyte. + +The whole force of the Pi Gamma were out to make the thing a success, +and every kind of racket that ingenuity could devise was added to the +usual programme. + +When at last Miller found that there were no other steps ahead of him to +be climbed, he stumbled forward, face downward, and lay upon the floor +gasping and groaning. + +The noise suddenly ceased, for Baker had held up his hand and the +students who understood the programme obeyed his silent command +immediately. + +"The mystic gates have been passed," remarked Baker, in a solemn tone. +"It is understood that the person who has thus entered within the circle +of Pi Gamma is not a member and that he has been permitted to come here +simply that he may defend his own life. + +"We will, therefore, proceed to try him at once. Set the prisoner on his +feet." + +A couple of students lifted Miller up, and obeying another sign from +Baker, took the bandage from his eyes. + +Miller looked around then with a stare of fright and surprise. The +hooded figures had disappeared and in their places were students dressed +just as he was accustomed to seeing them. + +The room was a large one, but what it contained besides the students he +was too frightened to notice. His knees were shaking and his lips +quivered, although in the presence of these rather familiar faces he +tried to pull himself together and look cool. + +"Miller," said Baker, sternly, standing squarely in front of him, "you +are in a very serious situation, and it is necessary for your safety +that you should have as good control of yourself as possible. We intend +to give you every chance for your life." + +"I ain't done nothing!" muttered Miller. + +"That will be found out later," was the stern reply; "meantime you're in +no condition to defend yourself. We'll give you a bracer so that you may +be able to understand what goes on and take part in it the best way you +know how." + +With this Baker nodded to a senior, who immediately came forward with a +glass filled with some kind of liquor. + +"Drink this," said Baker. + +He held it out to Miller, who took it with a trembling hand. + +"You're going to poison me," he stammered. + +"In the presence of all these witnesses?" returned Baker, sharply. +"Hardly. The stuff will not harm you; if you don't drink it you'll be +worse off." + +Miller still hesitated. He looked doubtfully at the liquor, smelled of +it and then stared helplessly at the faces around him. + +Baker raised his hand. At the signal every student seized a club of some +kind and got in a circle around Miller, holding the clubs up. + +"We don't want any nonsense about this," said Baker then. "You can +either drink that dose now or the clubs will fall." + +The instant he had spoken every student brought his club down hard upon +the floor close to Miller's feet. The man fairly danced in an agony of +fear, and a part of the liquor fell from the glass. + +"Drink!" thundered Baker. + +The cigar dealer then put the glass to his lips and poured it down with +one gulp. Baker nodded in a satisfied way. + +"Now put him in the prisoner's chair!" he said. + +Two of the students then led Miller trembling and more than half +convinced that he had taken deadly poison, to the swing in which the +neophytes had been drawn up to the ceiling. + +Miller was seated in the chains and told to grip the chain and then the +windlass was worked, and he was raised three or four feet from the +floor. + +The students grouped themselves in front of him, seated on chairs; Baker +alone remained standing. + +It seemed to Miller then as if everybody moved very slowly. He thought +he could count a hundred between every two words that were uttered. +Before many minutes had passed it seemed to him as if he had been a year +in this place. + +This sensation on his part was due to the liquor he had drunk. It was a +harmless preparation of hasheesh, a well-known Indian drug that, taken +in sufficient quantities, is poisonous, but in small doses produces +simply a half dream-like effect upon the mind that causes the time to +seem intolerably long. + +It is a dangerous drug to fool with, but the preparation of it in this +instance had been made by a senior who was the best student in college +in the department of chemistry. + +He knew just how to put it together so that the effect on Miller's brain +would not endure for more than two hours and would leave him entirely +uninjured. As he expressed it: + +"It won't do him half as much harm as an ordinary jag, and he'll +remember everything that occurs during the time that he's drugged, and +everything that's done will impress him most seriously." + +Taking his fear and the influence of the drug together, therefore, +Miller was in very ripe condition for the trial that then took place. + +It was really very brief, for knowing that the time was passing slowly +to the victim, the students hurried through the proceeding in order to +get more quickly to the climax. + +"Miller," said Baker, sternly, "you are accused of pushing Frank +Merriwell in front of a moving car. What have you to say for yourself?" + +"I--I--I----" stammered Miller, very slowly. + +"If you're going to tell the truth," interrupted Baker, "you can take +less time about it. We know the facts, for you were seen by four of us +and recognized. We should have let the matter pass if it hadn't resulted +fatally." + +"I didn't go for to do any real harm," answered Miller, the perspiration +breaking out upon his face. + +"But you admit that you did do it?" + +"I just thought I'd give him a scare." + +"Very well, gentlemen," said Baker, calmly, "what's your verdict?" + +"Guilty!" thundered the students in chorus. + +Miller trembled so that the chains to which he was clinging rattled. + +"See here," he said, feebly, "I don't see how it could be fatal, for I +heard that Frank Merriwell was seen around on the streets day before +yesterday." + +"Then you doubt, do you, that your cowardly trick has proved fatal?" + +"How could it," asked Miller, "if he was going around just as usual? I +think this is some infernal trick of you students----" + +"You'd better speak respectfully." + +"Well," stammered Miller, "I don't want to cause no offense, but you +told me I could defend myself, and I ain't going to believe that Frank +Merriwell was seriously hurt. I'm sorry for it if he was, and I won't do +it again." + +"Take him down and let him see the body of his victim!" said Baker, in a +solemn tone. + +Miller started so when he heard this that he almost fell out of the +chain loop. The windlass creaked, and he was set down on the floor. + +Baker's command had set his fears going afresh, and he trembled so that +he could hardly stand upright. A couple of students caught him by the +arms and pushed rather than led him to one of the small rooms of the +order. + +A door was opened and Miller was forced inside. He gave a loud gasp when +he entered, fell upon his knees, and beat his hands helplessly upon the +floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HUMPERDINK TO THE RESCUE. + + +What Miller saw was this: + +A room lighted by one solitary candle and rendered more gloomy by heavy +curtains hanging before the windows; a cot bed was in the middle, and +upon it was a body all covered over with the exception of the face, and +the face above it was that of Frank Merriwell. + +It need hardly be said here that Frank was as much alive at that moment +as he had ever been in his life, but his face had been covered with +chalk so as to resemble that of a dead man. + +Miller was thoroughly convinced that Frank was dead, and he was not too +frightened to realize that he had admitted having been the cause of it. + +"Oh! what shall I do? What shall I do?" he groaned. "I never meant that +it should be as bad as this!" + +"It isn't a question of what you shall do," remarked Baker, sternly. + +The other students had come into the room and now stood around, looking +on solemnly. Not one of them so much as winked at another for fear that +the spectacle would lose some of its force upon the mind of the +frightened victim. + +"The point is," continued Baker, "that you are not in a position to do +anything; the question is, what shall we do?" + +"He ought to have his head chopped off where he is!" muttered Bruce +Browning, gruffly. + +Miller started and edged away from the spot where he was kneeling. + +"No!" exclaimed Baker, sternly; "that would be too easy; I should rather +think that it would be better to boil him in a vat!" + +"Or might burn him alive out on the marshes!" said another. + +"I think a good straight forward hanging is the best thing for him!" +muttered Jack Diamond. + +"Oh, for Heaven's sake, gentlemen!" groaned Miller, "don't let it be +to-night. Give me a chance to make up for this!" + +"How can you make up for it?" retorted Baker. "Do you know any way of +restoring a dead person to life?" + +"No, I don't, but I never would have gone to do it if I'd supposed that +it would be serious, so help me, I never would!" + +"I don't think that that makes any difference." + +At this moment there was a stir in the room back of the students. Baker +turned inquiringly. + +One of the students who had really been present all the time now +pretended to be coming in from the outside in a hurry. + +"Prof. Humperdink," said this student, "is on the way, and will be here +in a minute or two." + +"Ah!" responded Baker, in a tone of relief, "perhaps then that may make +things better, for, of course, while we are bound to punish this man +Miller, we want Merriwell restored to life if such a thing can be done." + +"Humperdink can do it if anybody can!" said Rowe. + +"Do you mean to say, gentlemen," gasped Miller, "that there's a chance +that Merriwell may be restored?" + +"We can't tell until Humperdink comes," responded Baker, solemnly. +"Haven't you ever heard of Humperdink?" + +"I don't think he buys his cigars at my store," responded Miller. + +"No, he probably doesn't," responded Baker, significantly. "Humperdink +doesn't indulge in ordinary tobacco; he smokes the root of snake plants +found in the wilds of Africa. One whiff of it for an ordinary man is +fatal." + +Miller stared in a way that showed he believed every word. He was not in +a condition to doubt anything that was told to him. + +That is one of the effects of hasheesh, but even without the drug it is +more than likely that he would have believed everything said to him on +this occasion. + +"Humperdink," continued Baker, "knows all the mysteries of nature. He +has experimented with all poisons, and eats them as readily as the rest +of us do ordinary food. In the old days he would have been called a +magician. Really he's a very great scientist, and if there's any +possible hope for Merriwell he'll know it. Ah! here he is." + +At the moment when Miller had been taken into the room where Merriwell +lay apparently dead, another student had slipped into the dressing-room +of the little theatre, which was a part of the society's quarters, and +had put on a long gown, white wig and beard, and concealed his eyes with +dark glasses. + +He now came tottering feebly across the room toward the students. + +"What have ye here?" he asked in a high, cracked voice. + +"One of the students has died, professor," responded Baker, in a tone of +deep respect, "and the circumstances were so peculiar----" + +"Dead, eh?" returned the "professor," stopping short in his walk, "then +I can't do anything for him." + +He turned about as if he would go away. + +"Oh! don't give it up!" screamed Miller, "come in and give him something +to bring him back to life; do it, I beg you, for my sake!" + +"Your sake," sneered the "professor," "you are not worth the turn of a +thumb!" + +"Oh, but you don't know how much depends on it!" cried Miller. + +"I don't know!" fairly shouted the professor. "I know everything! I know +that you caused that young man's death; I know that you pushed him in +front of a moving car; I know that you didn't mean to kill him, but that +you would be glad to do so if you could do it safely; I know that you're +a cold-hearted wretch!" + +Miller again beat his hands upon the floor helplessly. + +"Yes! Yes!" he groaned, "I'm all that, but I don't want him to die! Do +save him if you can, professor." + +"It's this way, professor," said Baker, quietly. "This man groveling on +the floor is not worth the turn of a thumb, but the rest of us are very +fond of Merriwell, and would like to have him restored to life if such a +thing can be done. + +"Do it for our sakes, and the sake of science, professor." + +"Well," grumbled the "professor," after hesitating a moment, "for the +sake of science I'll take a look at him. The rest of you clear out." + +He turned slowly into the dark room, while the rest of the students +withdrew, taking Miller with them; then a long ten minutes passed. + +Meantime, acting according to their former programme, the students in +the main room discussed various plans for the punishment of Miller. + +The victim of their fearful proceeding squatted on the floor, rocking +his body back and forth, moaning and wringing his hands. + +At last "Prof." Humperdink appeared in the doorway and started slowly +across the room. Miller jumped to his feet, ran to him, and caught him +by his robe. + +"Tell me," he cried, frantically, "will he recover?" + +"Bah! don't touch me!" returned the "professor," giving the cigar dealer +a vigorous kick. + +Miller fell over on his side, while the "professor" went slowly out of +the room. + +"Why don't you ask him," said Browning, anxiously turning to Baker, "has +he succeeded or failed?" + +"He must have failed," responded Baker, sadly, "or he would have said +something about it. We'll take the prisoner in there again and decide +what to do with him." + +By this time Miller was a complete wreck. He could not possibly stand +upon his feet, and students picked him up to carry him to the darkened +room. + +Just then the door of that room opened again, and Frank appeared in the +doorway. + +He had rubbed some of the chalk off his face so that he appeared more +natural than before, but he leaned against the doorpost as if weak. + +"Well, fellows," he said, feebly, "what's the matter?" + +The students set up a great shout, ran to Merriwell, grasping his hand +and congratulating him warmly. Frank appeared to be dazed by the +proceeding. + +"What's the matter, anyway?" he asked. "What am I here for in this +condition?" + +"You've been dead!" shouted the students, in chorus. + +"Dead, is it?" + +"Yes, and Prof. Humperdink has restored you to life." + +Frank looked as if he did not believe it. + +"This is some joke," he said. + +"Joke? Why, we thought you were going to tell us what happened in the +other world." + +"I'm not going to tell anything until I understand this!" he retorted. +"Hello, there's Miller." + +During this Miller had been half lying in a chair where the students had +dropped him at sight of Frank. He was staring in speechless astonishment +at the figure in the doorway. + +The probability is that he was still so frightened that he believed that +Frank had not really come back to life, but that it was his ghost that +was speaking. + +"What's Miller doing in the Pi Gamma rooms!" exclaimed Frank, starting +toward him. "He's the fellow that pushed me under the car! Did you bring +him up here for me to give him a thrashing?" + +This was said in such a perfectly natural tone, and Frank appeared to be +so much in earnest, that Miller was restored to a good deal of his +ordinary condition. + +He jumped up from the chair, and tried to make for the door; of course, +he was caught before he could get out. + +Then while he was held there, Baker pretended to explain to Frank that +death had taken place and that Humperdink had restored him by some +secret scientific process. + +"We had Miller here," he concluded, "so that we might punish him for +causing your death." + +Frank listened very gravely. + +"Well," he said, "the main thing is that I'm alive again. As for you, +Miller, you deserve to be hanged just as much as if you had succeeded in +what you tried to do, but I'm so much alive again that I'm inclined to +beg the boys to let you off." + +"Oh, don't let them hurt me, Mr. Merriwell!" groaned Miller. "On my life +I didn't mean to do you any harm, and I'll never do anything wrong again +as long as I live." + +"I think it's safe enough to take his word for that," said Frank, +turning to the others. + +They looked a little doubtful, but Baker answered for them. + +"Well, Merriwell is the most interested party, and what he says ought to +go. You may get out, Miller, but remember if there is ever any sign of +you attempting dirty work with a student again, we'll be after you, and +next time we won't give you any chance for a trial, either." + +"I'll behave myself for the future, I will, so help me!" stammered +Miller, as he made for the open door. + +After he had been seen well out of the building the students indulged in +an uproarious laugh at the success of their plan, and all declared that +it was a much better way of getting even with the cigar dealer than any +of the plans suggested by the other students. + +They had another supper on the spot to celebrate the event, and they +were not surprised a day or two later to learn that Miller had disposed +of his cigar business and left New Haven forever. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +FRANK HAS A VISITOR. + + +After the affair with Miller matters went along quietly for some time +with Frank. + +He turned to his studies with a will, paying particular attention to +mathematics, so that no complaint might be made against him by Prof. +Babbitt. + +One day he was deep in a problem in geometry when there came a loud rap +on the door. + +"Come in." + +The door opened, and in walked Ben Halliday. Frank looked up in +surprise. + +"Hello! Hally," he called. + +"Hello! Merriwell," said the other, a trifle stiffly. + +"What's the matter, old man? You are not usually in the habit of +knocking in that manner. Usually you walk in without being invited." + +"Perhaps I have been a little too free in that respect," said Ben, +significantly. + +"Free! Not at all. You know any of my friends are welcome here at any +time. This is Liberty Hall." + +"That sounds all right, Merriwell," said Ben, remaining standing; "but, +if you mean it, why should you say I am too fresh and take too many +liberties?" + +"I say so? Why, I never said anything of the sort Has any fellow +reported me as saying that?" + +"I heard it." + +Frank came to his feet instantly. + +"Heard me say so?" he cried. "Is that what you mean, Hally?" + +"No; I mean that I have heard you did say so." + +Merriwell advanced and placed his hands on the shoulders of his visitor, +looking straight into Ben's eyes. + +"Halliday," he said, slowly, "have I ever been anything but a friend to +you?" + +Ben moved uneasily, and then answered: + +"I do not know that you have." + +"Did you ever know me to say anything behind the back of either friend +or foe that I did not dare say to his face?" + +"No." + +"Did you ever know me to lie?" + +"No." + +"Then you will believe me, I think, when I tell you I did not say you +were too fresh and took too many liberties. Some chap has been trying to +make you my enemy. I have seen of late that you acted strangely but did +not know why. Now I understand it. But I am surprised that you could +believe such a thing of me." + +Halliday was confused. + +"Well," he falteringly said, "you see it's this way: I knew you hated to +throw up your grip on the football team and drop out entirely, and +somebody said you were jealous of me because I did such good work +against the Indians. You know my run in that game was compared with your +famous run in the Princeton game last season. And you have not been just +like yourself lately. Sometimes you have not looked at me when we met." + +"Is that so?" asked Frank, in surprise. "I didn't know it. Must be my +mind is on my studies too much. And still I made a dead flunk the day +after the Carlisle game. There had been so many reports that the Indians +had a new trick that was sure to enable them to win, and, knowing as I +did what bulldogs they are to play, I was all nerved up with anxiety. +Couldn't seem to keep my mind on my studies for a week before the game, +and it grew worse and worse the nearer the time came. After it was over, +I found I might as well have taken part in the game." + +"That's just it!" cried Halliday, quickly. "That's why I dropped around +to see you." + +"Eh? What do you mean?" + +"Why don't you get back on the team?" + +"Get back? What are you driving at? You're doing good work. + +"I don't want to crowd you out." + +"You wouldn't. They need you as full-back." + +"You played that position in the game with the Indians." + +"But I am not to play it again. I am quarter-back now." + +"Is that right?" cried Frank, in surprise. "Your position has been +changed? How did that happen?" + +"Quigg is out of it for the season. You know he was hurt in the last +game. Doctor says he must not play any more this year. I have been +shoved into his place in a hurry." + +"What's that for?" + +"Forrest did it. A new man is going to be tried at full-back--Rob +Marline. Forrest is desperate. He says the team is broken all to pieces, +and stands a poor show with either Harvard or Princeton. This will be a +dismal season for Old Yale." + +Frank turned pale and seemed to stagger a bit, as if he had been struck. +It was a shock for him to know that Yale was in danger. He had supposed +she was all right and everything was running well. + +"We did not make the showing against the Indians that we should have +made, although we beat them," Halliday went on. "But for my lucky run, +we might have been beaten." + +"I didn't know----" began Frank, falteringly. + +Ben made a fierce gesture. + +"What's the matter with you Merriwell?" he savagely cried. "Didn't know? +You should know! You are the fellow of us all who should know. You have +changed, and it has not been for the better. I tell you we stand a slim +show with Harvard and Princeton, and you are needed just as you were +needed at the tug of war. That being the case, you have no right to shut +yourself up here in your room and plug away, seeming to take no interest +in anything but your studies and recitations. You have been the most +popular man in college, but your popularity is on the wane. I'll tell +you why, if you want to know." + +Frank was still whiter, if possible. Was this Halliday talking to him in +such a manner--Halliday, who had ever seemed to stand in awe of him? It +was plain enough that Ben was giving him a "call down," but what shook +Merry the most was the fact that he began to feel that it was merited. + +"I should like to know," he said, slowly. + +Ben could not tell what effect his words might have on Frank, but he was +reckless, and he did not care. + +"You can punch my head, if you want to," he said, "but I am going to +talk plain. Don't seem to be anybody else who dares to talk to you. They +kick and growl and say things behind your back, but they don't come +right at you with what they want to say. They are saying that you are +afraid to play on the eleven this year." + +Frank stiffened up. + +"Afraid?" he said, hoarsely. + +"Yes." + +"How can they say that? Have I ever shown fear?" + +"They do say it," came doggedly from Halliday. "They say you made a +lucky run in the Princeton game last year, and you know it was a case of +dead cold luck. It gave you a great rep., and you are afraid of taking a +fall down if you play this season. That's exactly what they are saying, +and," added Ben, for himself, "I'll be hanged if it doesn't look that +way from the road!" + +Frank bit his lip and stood staring at Halliday. He showed no anger, but +it was plain that he was astonished. Up to that moment he had not +realized he stood in a position where he could not withdraw from +football, baseball, or anything else in that line of his own desire +without being regarded as cowardly. Now he saw it plainly enough. + +Halliday had been doubtful as to the manner in which Frank would take +his plain talk, but he was determined to tell Merry what was being said, +and he would not have hesitated had he felt certain it would produce a +fight. + +But Frank saw Ben was speaking the truth, and, instead of being angry, +he experienced a sensation of gratitude. Still he was determined to know +all about it. + +"How long have they been making this kind of talk, old fellow?" he +asked. + +"Ever since it was known for sure that you had decided not to try out +for the eleven this fall." + +"And this is the first I have heard of it!" + +"They didn't talk so much at first," explained Ben. "It wasn't known +then but your place could be filled easily." + +"You were put in my place." + +"Yes, but I should have been placed elsewhere if you had come on." + +"And they think that would have strengthened the team?" + +"Of course it would! I tell you the fellows have a reason to growl when +they see Yale putting out a weak eleven while the best man in college +refuses to get into gear and give a lift." + +"What sort of man is this Marline?" + +"A good runner and a pretty punter." + +"Sand?" + +"Guess so." + +"Then what's his weak point?" + +"Temper." + +"Quick tempered?" + +"Like a flash of powder. Loses his head. Forrest says he may lose any of +the big games for us by getting mad at a critical point, but still he is +the best man we have." + +Frank walked over to his window and looked out, his back toward +Halliday. Ben stood watching him with no small anxiety. + +Now it was over, and he had relieved his feelings by speaking out +plainly, Ben wondered at his own boldness. He had been flushed with +excitement, but he felt himself growing pale and cold. + +"Lord, what a crust!" he thought. + +Three minutes passed this way, and then Frank whirled around with +startling suddenness. + +"Do you practice to-day?" he asked. + +"Yes." + +"I'll come out to the park." + +"What for?" + +"Don't know yet. I'll look on, anyway." + +"Shall I tell Forrest?" + +"No, you needn't say anything about it." + +"All right." + +Halliday was well pleased with the result, for he felt sure Merry was +aroused. + +"How do I know I am wanted on the eleven?" Frank asked. "It's all made +up now, and----" + +"Heard Forrest say he'd rather have you for full-back than Marline." + +"Well, I'll come out and see you practice." + +So Ben left. At one time he had been envious of Merriwell, but now, like +others, he realized that Merry was too good timber to be lost from the +eleven. Halliday overcame his selfishness, and, for the interest of Old +Yale, desired to see Merry back on the team. + +Besides that, Ben was not pleased to be changed from full-back to +quarter-back and have a fellow like Marline given the position he had +played very well thus far that season. He felt that he had much rather +be put off the eleven entirely to give room for Frank. + +After Ben left, Frank attempted to return to his studies, but he could +not fix his mind upon them. He went down to recitation in a dazed +condition, and made a flunk, much to the surprise of those who knew he +had turned into a "greasy grind" of late. + +Frank's mind was uneasy, and it wandered constantly. The knowledge that +he had been regarded as cowardly in declining to go on the eleven was +gall and wormwood to him. + +He was glad Halliday had come to him and let him know how matters stood, +and surely no one could have closer at heart the welfare of Yale in all +directions. + +He began to understand that he had won a position in athletics from +which he could not voluntarily withdraw without being misunderstood and +maligned. + +That afternoon Halliday came around for Frank, and found him with his +sweater and rough clothes on, ready to leave his room. + +"I was afraid you would forget," said Ben, in a confused way. + +"Little danger of that!" muttered Frank. "I haven't been able to +remember anything else but what you said to me this forenoon." + +"Hope you didn't lay it up against me, Merry." + +"Don't take me for a fool, old fellow!" came rather sharply from Frank. + +They left the college grounds and took a trolley car out to the park. +Forrest and the team were there ahead of them. A hundred spectators were +watching the men catch punts. + +Bob Cook was there. He was not coaching; he was standing at one side by +himself, watching the men, something like a disconsolate look on his +face. This was not like him; it was significant. + +As they entered the gate, Halliday touched Merriwell's arm, quickly +saying: + +"There he goes!" + +"Who?" asked Frank. + +"Marline. He's getting out to take some punts." + +Frank knew Marline by sight, but he had never given the fellow much +attention. Now he deliberately sized him up. He saw a well-built, +healthy-looking lad, who carried himself gracefully, almost arrogantly. +There was more than a suggestion of conscious superiority in Marline's +manner. + +Punk!--a strong leg sent a twisting ball sailing toward Marline. He ran +under it with an air of confidence, and caught it easily, gracefully. + +"I take it he is one of the fellows who show up well in practice, at +least," said Frank. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS. + + +The appearance of Frank on the ground soon attracted attention. Of late +there had been much talk about Merriwell and there was not a college man +interested in football who had not expressed an opinion concerning his +ability or his withdrawal from the sport. + +Early in the season Walter Gordan had made a try for the eleven, but had +soon been turned down. Sport Harris could not have been induced to play +football, but he took much interest in the team, as he wished to know +how to place his "dough" on the great games. + +Harris and Gordon were watching the men at practice, but the latter saw +Merriwell as soon as he entered the park. + +"Well, hang me!" he muttered, staring. + +"What's the matter?" asked Sport. + +"Look there--with Halliday!" + +"Yes, I see--why, it's Merriwell!" + +"Sure." + +"What's he out here for?" + +"Don't ask me!" + +"Thought he was out of it. Hasn't seemed to take any interest in the +eleven this season." + +"Perhaps he thinks he's stayed away till it is so late he'll not be +asked to come on the team. He couldn't keep away any longer." + +"Well, he's needed on the eleven, and that is a fact. He has disgusted +his friends by pulling out of the game." + +Gordan laughed. + +"He seems to think he can retire on the laurels he has won." + +"Well, he never made a bigger mistake in his life," said Harris. "Yale +doesn't have any use for shirks. If he thinks he can retire because he +made a great run in the Princeton game last fall, he is mistaken." + +"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." + +"If he's played on the eleven this fall, I should have been forced to +put my money on Yale. Now we've got a weak team, and I have put up +something on Harvard as soon as this. I am getting all the bets I can +before it is generally known that Yale is weak." + +"What if Merriwell should be taken on?" + +"There is no danger of it, and he couldn't play the whole game, anyway. +As full-back, however, he would have strengthened Yale's weakest point. +It is remarkable, but we haven't a man besides Merriwell this season who +is fully qualified to play the position." + +"What's the matter with the new man?" + +"Marline?" + +"Yes." + +"He's a grand-stand player. All he cares about is to do something pretty +to win the admiration of the ladies. He will work for Marline, and not +for the team. Mark what I say. The team was weak enough when it went +against the Indians, but it is weaker still with Halliday at quarter and +Marline at full. Harvard is better than she was last season, when we +beat her by a fluke, and she will walk right over our team. Put your +money on Harvard, Gordan, and you will win everything." + +"Hello!" exclaimed Walter, suddenly. "What's up now?" + +"Cook is talking with Merriwell, that's all." + +"That means something." + +"Get out! Cook is coach, but he isn't running the team." + +"I tell you it means something! See--Cook calls Forrest. Now the captain +of the eleven is coming over. See that! They are talking together. I +tell you that means something, Harris!" + +Gordan was excited, and he seemed to impart his excitement to his +companion. With the greatest eagerness they watched the little group. + +Perhaps the trio spent ten minutes talking, and then there was a move +that added to the excitement of Gordan and Harris. + +"What's Merriwell going to do?" asked Sport, catching his breath. + +"Do!" exclaimed Walter, in deep disgust. "Can't you see? He's going to +practice!" + +"Practice? Great Scott! That means----" + +"That means that he is sure to play on the eleven!" + +Gordan and Harris were not the only ones interested in Merriwell's +movements. + +Tom Thornton, who had once been an enemy to Frank, and was now very +friendly toward Rob Marline, the new man, who was expected to play +full-back, was watching Cook, Forrest and Merriwell. + +In catching a ball, Marline ran past Thornton, who asked: + +"What's up over there, Rob? Why are those fellows talking with their +heads together?" + +"I don't know," was the answer. "Maybe Merriwell wants to get onto the +eleven." + +"If he wants to, he'll do it." + +"He can't. Positions all taken." + +"Somebody'll be fired." + +"'Twon't be me." + +"Don't be so sure of that," thought Tom, but he did not speak the words +aloud. + +After a little Merriwell was seen preparing to practice. Halliday was at +it already. Happening to be near Ben, Thornton heard him observe to a +player: + +"I've done the job for Yale this time. Got Merriwell back. They will +have to thank me for that." + +"Got him back?" said the other. "Why, how is that? Where will he play?" + +"Full-back, of course." + +"But Marline." + +"Marline will be given a chance to rest." + +Thornton nodded. + +"Knew it!" he muttered. "Rob is a good fellow, and this isn't a square +deal. He won't be given a show. Merriwell is all right as a player, but +he has no right to refuse to play and then come on after things are +fixed and knock some other chap out. I'll tell Rob." + +So, at the first opportunity, Thornton told Marline what he had heard +Halliday say. + +Marline was from South Carolina, and he was proud as Lucifer. In fact, +his manner of always speaking of South Carolina as the "one" State in +the Union was often little short of exasperating. He was haughty and +overbearing, proud of his birth, inclined to boast, and utterly blind to +his own shortcomings. + +No one questioned Marline's courage. He came from a family noted for +courage and daring. His great-grandfather was a patriot officer of +Revolutionary times, and his father had won a commission in the +Confederate Army in the War of the Rebellion. The blood of fighters and +heroes ran in Marline's veins. + +For all that, there was no one at Yale who could make himself more +offensive than the boy from South Carolina. He had a way of sneering at +everybody and everything outside his native State, and when he set out +to call anybody down, the most withering and biting sarcasm flowed from +his tongue. + +Marline was smart intellectually, but whimsical and set in his notions +and beliefs. Once let him express an opinion and he would not confess +himself in the wrong even when absolute proof lay before him. Instead, +he was pretty sure to want to fight the fellow who offered the proof. + +As an orator the youth from South Carolina had no superior in college. +He was strong in argument, and it was through him that Yale had +succeeded in wresting from Harvard the honors in the annual debate. + +With the professors he stood unusually well, as he was regarded as a +brilliant scholar, and he had never been known to take part in any of +the students' carousals. + +Marline's face grew dark as he listened to Halliday. + +"They can't drop me without playing me at all," he said, harshly. + +"Can't! Guess you don't know Walt Forrest. He wouldn't hesitate a second +if he thought he could improve the team. He doesn't allow his feelings +to interfere at all with the discharge of what he thinks is his duty." + +"If they try to kick me out, there'll be a hot time, sah!" flashed the +boy from South Carolina. "I'll show somebody that I'm not to be used +like I am a dog!" + +"Don't blame you," nodded Tom. "It is a dirty trick." + +Marline was rattled. Three times he tried to catch a punted ball, and +three times he dropped it, something remarkable for him to do--something +that made the boys stare at him in surprise. + +In the meantime, Merriwell was on the gridiron, and he was taking all +kinds of twisters with his old-time confidence and skill. Three balls +were in use, and, after a time, it happened that, in running under two +of them sent into the air at the same time, Marline and Merriwell +collided. + +Frank struck Rob in such a manner that he was thrown to the ground, but +he flopped over, sat up, and took the ball that belonged to him, +laughing in a good-natured way. + +Marline paid no attention to the ball he had started after, but stood +looking down at Frank, his face utterly bloodless and his eyes gleaming. + +"Sah," he said, after a few seconds, as Frank was getting up--"sah, you +ran into me!" + +"Believe I did, old man," laughed Merriwell. "No harm done, I hope. +Didn't upset you, and you did me. I'm all right." + +"But you ran into me, sah!" + +"Couldn't help it, you know," declared Frank, with unfailing good +nature. "Accidents will happen." + +"Accidents, sah, may often be avoided." + +"It is difficult to avoid them on the gridiron." + +"You may apologize, sah." + +Marline was standing there, his arms folded, his dark eyes looking +daggers at Merriwell. His pose was graceful, and he really looked +handsome, for all of his arrogant bearing. + +Frank whistled his surprise. + +"Apologize?" he said, slowly. "Do you really mean that?" + +"I certainly do, sah." + +When Rob Marline addressed anybody as "sah" in that manner it was a +warning. The word was one seldom used by him since coming to Yale. To a +great extent he had adopted the manners of the North, and had suppressed +any little peculiarities of speech that might indicate his Southern +blood. Now, however, he felt that he was a South Carolinian, and the +dignified and haughty "sah" of the South suited his mood. + +Frank paused a moment, looking straight into the eyes of the hot-blooded +youth who had demanded an apology. He seemed in doubt, but quickly made +up his mind. + +"I never heard of an apology on the football field," he said; "but, as +you seem to think me to blame for this little accident, I ask your +pardon. I trust that is satisfactory." + +To this Marline made no answer, but with a contemptuous movement of his +body, turned about and stepped away. + +A few of the players near at hand had seen and heard everything. All +were astonished. To them it seemed that Marline had cowed Merriwell, and +a feeling of disdain for the latter mingled with their astonishment. + +"That beats the band!" said one to another. "Is this the same Merriwell +we have thought such a lion?" + +"It's plain," said the other, "that the fellows who have been claiming +he really has less nerve than is generally supposed were right. He is +afraid of Marline--I can see that. Marline comes from a fighting family, +and he would challenge Merriwell to meet him in a genuine duel. +Merriwell can scrap, but he has no relish for swords or pistols. He has +been cowed by the fellow from South Carolina." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HALLIDAY IS PUZZLED. + + +Two teams were made up, and a short game was played, while the coachers +kept at the men like relentless slave drivers. + +The appearance of Frank on the field had seemed to awaken Bob Cook. He +opened up on everybody, and the men seemed to find it inspiring to have +him scold them. + +During the first half Merriwell played full-back on the eleven that was +pitted against the regular 'Varsity team. He went into the game as if it +was of the utmost importance. Once he went through the center of the +opposing team, and once he went around the left end. Had he been well +backed up, the regular eleven would have found difficulty in securing +two touchdowns, one of which was made by Marline. + +On the last half, much to his disgust, Marline was taken off the regular +eleven and placed at full-back on the other team, while Merriwell was +given his place. + +Then the 'Varsity eleven seemed to have new life, and the men played +like so many tigers. The "irregulars" could do nothing with them. +Merriwell kicked a goal from the field, besides making one of his +surprising and bewildering runs. + +Marline played desperately, but he gave up in disgust before the end, +realizing he could not make a good showing under such conditions. In his +bosom his heart was heavy and bitter. + +"If I am pulled off the team without having a show, somebody shall +suffer!" he vowed. + +The practice game over, the men pulled on their coats and started for +the two trolley cars which were waiting at the entrance to the park. +Halliday got a seat beside Frank on one of the cars. + +"You're right in it, old man!" said Ben, enthusiastically. "Why, you +worked as if you were in training!" + +Frank smiled. + +"I suppose I forgot the possibility of making myself lame. Til feel it +to-morrow." + +"Never mind. You showed everybody that you are as good as ever. Marline +will get walking papers." + +Merriwell's face suddenly became sober. + +"I don't know as that will be using him square, Hally," he said, in a +low tone of voice. "I presume he has been told he should play half-back +on the eleven." + +"Told nothing!" snorted Ben. "Forrest don't tell us fellows we can play +anywhere, and there's not a man but knows he's likely to be dropped any +time. He told Marline to come and practice, and I'll go my last dollar +that is all." + +"Still Marline has every reason to suppose he'll be given a show in some +sort of a game." + +"Huah! If he supposes too much, he'll get left." + +"I don't like to crowd anybody. You know that, Hally." + +"You are too careful about crowding somebody. You are forever preaching +that any fellow must fight his way through this world, but you never +fight unless forced to do so. By the way, how could you apologize to +that overbearing cur?" + +"Well," said Frank, deliberately, "I permitted my good judgment to +govern my action." + +"Good judgment be hanged! Why, he was insulting!" + +"A trifle overbearing, perhaps, but it's natural with him. You know he +comes from South Carolina." + +"What of that? Is he any better for that reason?" + +"Not in the least, but it is probable that he has been brought up to +think so. And it is certain that he has sand. He can't be driven into +his boots, and I'll bet on it. South Carolina produces tigers, and +Marline is one of them, or I have taken his measure wrong." + +Halliday looked at Frank in doubt and astonishment. + +"Is it possible you are afraid of Robert Marline, Merriwell?" he asked. + +"No," was the calm reply; "but I think you will remember that I had a +little trouble with one hot-blooded Southerner since entering college. +The Southern aristocrat seldom fights with his fists, but he is none the +less ready to fight. I am willing to confess that I do not care to +become involved in a duel with pistols or swords. Can't afford to take +the chances of being found out and expelled, even though honor should be +satisfied without the death of either concerned. I have been hot-headed +in my day, but I'm trying to hold myself down. I'd rather apologize for +the accident to Marline than to have him challenge me to a duel. That's +the whole of it, and----" + +"What will the fellows think?" + +"Let them think what they like!" exclaimed Frank, flushing. "A person +who is forever considering what some one will think if he does this, +that or the other is forever miserable and uneasy." + +"But they'll say Marline cowed you." + +"Let them." + +"They'll say it is proof you have not the courage every one has +thought." + +"Let them." + +Ben looked hard at Frank, and then slowly observed: + +"Thought I understood you, Merriwell, but I'm blowed if I do!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +FRANK'S VISITORS. + + +Despite himself, Frank was somewhat disturbed by what had taken place +that afternoon. He knew Halliday was right in saying it would be +believed he had apologized to Marline through fear of the proud +Southerner. + +Merriwell was no more than human; he did not fancy being thought a +coward. + +Who does? + +Had it been simply one or two persons who thought him afraid of the lad +from South Carolina he would not have minded, but for nearly every one +in college to think so--well, that was different. + +And the peculiar combination of circumstances made the situation more +trying than otherwise it could have been. + +Frank could not help feeling some sympathy for Marline, for all of the +fellow's natural arrogance and overbearing manner. It was easy for +Merriwell to imagine himself in Marline's position. + +"It would cut me," he thought. "I might hold my temper, but it would cut +me to have any fellow step in and shove me out without letting me have a +show to see what I might do." + +Sentiment demanded that Marline should be given an opportunity to play +full-back on the Yale team; but sentiment should not enter into college +sports, and no one knew that better than Frank Merriwell. The football +or baseball team that is run on sentiment can never be a winner. + +Yet it seemed to Merry that, under any circumstances, he would be placed +in a false position before every one. He had refused to take an interest +in football, and had held aloof till the very day that it was known +Halliday had been changed from full-back to quarter-back and Marline had +been given Ben's former position. Then Merry had suddenly appeared on +the scene and seemed to oust the new man before the latter had a show to +prove his capability. + +To Frank this seemed a cowardly thing to do, and nothing but the +knowledge that the eleven was weak and really needed him could have +induced him to go on the field. + +He did not want to fight Marline, and he was determined not to fight +Marline if he could avoid it. Still he realized that his enemies would +say he feared the lad from South Carolina, and his friends might believe +it was true. + +"Well," thought Frank, after meditating on the situation, "it will not +be the first time I have been thought a coward. I can stand it. If +Forrest says he needs me I shall play for the love of dear old Yale. +Rather than have Yale lose through my failure to do everything in my +power, I'd be branded a coward for life!" + +This settled in his mind, he went to bed that night and slept +peacefully, quite unaware that at Morey's a gay party had gathered about +Rob Marline, who was "opening things" and vowing publicly that he would +drive Frank Merriwell off the gridiron forever. + +In case Frank showed a determination to get into the game again, Marline +swore he would never give him a moment of peace till they met face to +face on the "field of honor." + +"I come of fighting stock, gentlemen," said Rob, his face flushed, his +legs unsteady, his tongue unloosed, and a glass of "velvet" held aloft. +"My grandfather killed his man, and my father has been concerned in more +than one affair of honor. I am an expert with the sword, and I can shoot +as well as the mountaineers of my native State--the fairest spot on the +American continent Merriwell will not have a chance with me if we ever +do meet. With the blades, gentlemen, I'll run him through in less than +thirty seconds; with pistols I'll lodge a ball in his heart at the first +fire. But he'll never dare to meet me. The way he took water to-day +proved that. He will crawl like a whipped dog." + +If Marline had not been drinking freely he would not have said so much. +The wine was in his head, and he was not responsible. But he meant every +word he spoke, and he did not require "Dutch courage" in order to back +up his talk. + +In the morning Frank awoke refreshed by a good night's sleep, took a +cool dip, scrubbed down hastily, got into his clothes in a hurry, and +was away to chapel, looking as fresh and rosy as a healthy youth should. + +Merriwell took such care of himself that he was in perfect condition. He +had not given up physical exercise, although he had thought of keeping +out of football that season. Every day he spent a certain amount of time +in the gym, and not a minute of that time was wasted. + +Under no circumstances did Merriwell believe in radical dieting. At the +same time he believed in common sense, and he knew a fellow could do +himself no more harm than by overloading his stomach. The gourmand makes +himself heavy of body, and dull of brain. + +Frank had quite forgotten the unpleasant occurrence of the previous +afternoon, and he dipped into his studies after the earnest manner that +had marked him of late. + +On returning from recitation in the middle of the forenoon, he found +visitors in his room. They had been admitted by "Honest John," the +colored porter. + +"Lor' bress yeh!" grinned the white-headed old darky, showing his teeth +in a broad grin--"Lor' bress yeh, Mistah Merriwell! Nebber see no +purtier gal in all mah bawn days!" + +"Girl!" cried Frank, astonished. + +"Lor' bress yeh, yes! Purty's a picter, Mistah Merriwell." + +"Girl in my room?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"You let her in, John?" + +"Yes, sah; but dar's a lady wif her, sah." + +"Oh, ha!" + +"Yes, sah--got a face dat'll stop a trolley car, sah. Looks like it war +cut out of wood, sah, an' mighty hard wood at dat. De gal smile, but de +ole woman nebber smile at all." + +Frank looked puzzled, and Honest John began to look troubled. + +"Hope Ah ain't done no harm, sah?" he faltered. "De ladies said dey +knowed yeh, sah, an' dey war yeh friends." + +"But I do not know of any friends in New Haven who would come to my +room." + +John showed alarm. + +"Lor', sah! hope dis ain't no scrape, sah! Mebbe yeh don't want teh see +'em? I'll jes' go an' 'splain yeh ain' heah--I'll say yeh been called +away sudden by de deff ob yeh grandmam." + +"Never mind, John. My grandmothers died years ago, and my visitors may +be aware of the fact. I'll see them myself, although I don't care to be +bothered by visitors at this time of the day." + +"Hope it's all right, sah," said John. "Yo' boys hab to be careful, sah. +If yo' git too wild----" + +But Frank was hurrying to his room, regardless of the darky's words. + +Honest John followed. He listened outside the door after Frank entered. +He heard a girlish cry of delight, and an exclamation of pleasure from +Merriwell. + +"Lor' sakes!" he chuckled, holding one crooked hand over his mouth, as +he stood crouching at the door. "Suah dat don' soun' lek trubble! Yo' am +all right, John. Jes' yo' watch fo' Mistah Merriwell when he come out, +an' yeh'll get a tip fer lettin' de ladies in. Hey--what am dat?" + +He held his ear close to the door and listened again. Then the crooked +black hand was pressed still closer over his mouth, and his whole body +shook with emotion as he tiptoed away. + +"Lordy! Lordy!" he exploded, when he considered himself at a safe +distance. "I know dat soun' any time Ah heah it. Smack! smack! Dat war +kissin'! Heuh! a-he-uh! a-he-uh! If Mistah Merriwell don' make dat tip a +whole dollah, dis coon ain't took his size an' suckumfrence!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +AN UNWILLING PROMISE. + + +When Frank stepped into his room he was astonished to find himself face +to face with his old-time sweetheart, Inza Burrage, and her aunt, Miss +Abigail Gale. + +Inza hurried toward him, uttering a joyous cry, and an exclamation of +surprise and delight escaped his lips. + +In a moment, regardless of the presence of her aunt, the girl flung her +arms about Frank's neck and kissed him. + +Miss Gale's hard face did not soften, but she turned her back toward +them, and pretended to be greatly interested in a strange crooked +dagger, having a point smeared with some green substance, the dagger +being locked in a case with a heavy glass door. Upon the glass of the +case was pasted a slip of paper bearing these words: + +"The Snake Knife of the Pampas." + +"Inza!" exclaimed Frank, as if somewhat in doubt. "Inza--here?" + +"Yes!" she cried. "Isn't it a surprise? I knew I would surprise you, +Frank." + +"A surprise indeed! Why, you didn't let me know you were coming." + +"No." + +"How does it happen?" + +"Aunt Abby knows some friends in New Haven, and she wished to visit them +while she was in the East, so she asked me to come with her. You may be +sure I was ready enough to come, and, as father is getting along very +well, we were able to leave him." + +"Then your father--he is improved?" + +"A great deal since getting back to America. He raced all over Europe +looking for health, but continued to get worse till he returned home. +Now he says he believes this the healthiest country on the face of the +earth." + +"And he is right. If a person is not strong enough to endure the rigors +of our Northern climate, there is the perfect climate of California. But +I don't suppose you came here to talk climate." + +Frank said this with a laugh, and they advanced, hand-in-hand, toward +Miss Gale, who had turned her attention from the queer knife to some +still queerer images and ornaments that adorned the mantel. + +"Aunty says you'll be a museum manager if you keep on," laughed Inza. +"Says she never saw so many queer things." + +"Goodness, no!" exclaimed Miss Gale, severely, turning to look at Frank +over the rims of her spectacles. "I hope you ain't a crank, Mr. +Merriwell." + +"I trust not, Miss Gale," smiled Frank, with extended hand, which +Abigail rather awkwardly accepted, but shook with a heartiness that was +expressive of her esteem for Merry. + +"What be some of these horrid-looking things?" asked the spinster. "What +be they good for?" + +"Some of them are mementoes, and some of them are simply for the purpose +of decoration. Those little images, those odd vases, the pottery on that +shelf--I gathered those things as ornaments." + +"Do tell! I want to know if that ain't just like some folks! Them things +are so hombly I'd want to hide 'em or put 'em all in the fire if I had +'em in my house. Some real pretty chromo pictures would look so much +better in place of them. If you want vases, why you can get pretty glass +ones almost anywhere from fifteen to thirty cents each, and land knows +they'd look better than them things! Then there's that great stuffed +tiger. Goodness! It scared me awful when I saw it standing there in the +corner of the room. I thought it was living, and was shooing at it when +Inza ran over and put her hand right on it. Whatever in the world can +induce you to have such a thing in your room?" + +"At first I found it difficult to induce Aunt Abby to remain in this +room," laughed Inza. "She wanted to go outside and wait for you. I am +afraid she has obtained an unfavorable impression of you by coming +here." + +"I sincerely trust not," said Frank, who had worked hard when he first +met Miss Gale in Santa Barbara to win her good esteem, a task at which +he had been most successful. "I should regret it very much if I thought +such was the case." + +Miss Abigail's hard face did not soften, but she immediately said: + +"I suppose we all must have some weak point, and it seems to be Mr. +Merriwell's weakness to gather such hideous truck. I'm sure he's a +gentleman, and I think just as much of him as I ever did." + +Frank bowed gracefully and expressed his thanks. + +"Can't help looking at the stuff," said the spinster, readjusting her +spectacles and turning her back squarely on Frank and Inza. "I like to +see what crazy notions they do get up." + +She appeared to be very busy examining the collection of bric-a-brac and +curiosities. + +Frank and Inza looked at each other a moment, and then their hands met. +He drew her to a seat on the sofa. + +For some time they chatted of various matters that interested them +alone, Miss Gale being strangely taken up with the trinkets in the +meantime. + +"Is this the way she usually chaperones you, Inza?" asked Frank, after a +while, smiling. + +"Goodness, no!" replied the girl. "If you were any one but Frank +Merriwell she would be sitting stiff and straight on a chair, never +taking her eyes off us for a moment. But you--she thinks you are the +finest young man in the world. You have completely won her withered old +heart, Frank. You should hear her praise you to papa." + +"I'm lucky to have such a champion. Has your father given over the hope +of marrying you off to some rich man?" + +"I don't know about that. He hasn't mentioned it of late. I think his +ill luck has discouraged him." + +"Two years after this will take me through college, and then----" + +"And then----" + +His hand found hers once more, and the look that he gave her she could +not misunderstand. Her eyes drooped, and the warm color surged into her +cheeks. + +To Frank it seemed that Inza grew more handsome each time he saw her. +Certainly she was destined to become a strikingly attractive woman. + +After a little their conversation drifted onto the subject of college +sports, and Inza suddenly said: "I am so glad you are not playing +football this season, Frank." + +"Glad?" questioned Frank, surprised. "Why?" + +"Oh, just because--because--I am." + +This was unlike Inza. She had ever taken a great interest in manly +sports and games, and, in the old days at Fardale, her smiles and +encouraging words had fired him with enthusiasm to do his best in many a +contest. + +"I don't think I understand you," he said, slowly. "You used to be glad +for quite the other reason." + +"But--but it's different now." + +"How?" + +"Oh, I can't tell; but it is." + +"Well, Inza, I have not played football this season, but I am thinking +of playing in the two principal games--the ones with Harvard and +Princeton." + +Inza appeared startled. + +"Don't do it, Frank--don't play football this year!" she exclaimed. +"Promise me that you will not." + +"Oh, I can't do that, Inza. Yale is not as strong as she should be this +fall, and, if I can do anything to help her win, I feel that I must." + +Inza secured both his hands, leaned toward him, and looked straight into +his eyes, as she deliberately asked: + +"If I didn't want you to play, would you do so?" + +Frank's position was rather unpleasant, and he showed confusion. + +"If there was a reason why you did not want me to play----" + +"There is." + +"Tell it to me." + +"Not now--sometime. But I want you to promise me that you will not go on +the field this season. Will you promise?" + +In her dark eyes there was a command, as well as an entreaty. He felt +that he could not resist her if he looked into those eyes, and he turned +his head away. + +Instantly Inza sprang up. + +"I think we had better go, Aunt Abby," she exclaimed. + +Frank was on his feet instantly. + +"Now, Inza," he exclaimed, "I know you are angry. It seems to me that +you are unreasonable. If you would tell me why you don't want me to +play, I--I----" + +"It is very plain that I have been mistaken in you," she said, severely. +"I thought of you when my father was trying to force me into marriage +with an Englishman with a title--and I ran away from the Englishman. +Perhaps, if I had known you would refuse me such a little thing as +this--perhaps I might have married that odious old Englishman out of +spite!" + +Her eyes flashed, and she stamped her small foot. + +She was right; he felt it. She had done much for him, and truly he might +please her in this matter. Marline could play full-back all right, and +it was no more than fair that Marline should have a chance. He had not +intended to play football, but Halliday had tried to drag him into it. + +"Don't be angry, Inza," he said. "Let's talk it over. Perhaps I will +promise." + +"I have talked enough," she said, without relenting. "If you care for me +as I fancied you did, you will promise without another word." + +One more moment of hesitation, and then Frank said: + +"That settles it--I promise." + +"You will not play football this season?" + +"No." + +"You are a dear, good boy!" + +Then she suddenly kissed him again. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +"FALSE TO HIS COLORS." + + +As the hour to start for the park that afternoon approached Halliday +came hurrying into Merriwell's room, and found Frank digging away at his +Greek again. + +"Hey, there!" cried Ben. "Have you forgotten, old man?" + +"Hello!" said Frank, looking up with an uncertain smile. "Forgotten +what?" + +"Practice." + +"No." + +"But you're not ready." + +"No." + +"Forrest wants us there on the dot. Come, Frank, get into your old suit, +and we'll make a rush for the car." + +Frank put down his book, saying: + +"I'm not going, Ben." + +"Hey?" cried Halliday, staggering. "Come again." + +"I'm not going." + +"Not? Come off! What are you giving us? Don't try any funny business +with me, Merry!" + +"There is no funny business about this. I have decided not to go." + +"You can't afford to miss an afternoon if you are going to get in shape +for the same with the Cambridge fellows." + +"I am not going to try to get into shape." + +That was another staggerer for Halliday. He gasped for breath and stared +at Merriwell. + +"Not going to try?" he slowly repeated. "Why--why, it can't be that----" + +"Yes it can, Hally; I'm out of it. I have decided to stick to my studies +and let football alone." + +Ben groped for a chair, upon which he weakly dropped. + +"Is this a dream?" he muttered; "or did my ears deceive me? It can't be +that I heard aright!" + +"There is no joking about this," said Frank, getting up and standing +before his visitor. "I have decided at last, and my mind is made up." + +Ben was silent, but he stared and stared and stared at Frank. He seemed +trying to comprehend it. + +"I wouldn't have believed it," he muttered--"I won't believe it now! It +isn't Frank Merriwell! He wouldn't do a thing like that. He has a mind +of his own, and he does not change his mind with every change of the +wind." + +Frank flushed painfully, but said: + +"Only fools never change their minds, Hally. Men of reason and good +sense are forced to change their minds occasionally." + +As soon as he seemed able to comprehend it fully, Ben got up and +approached Merriwell. + +"Look here, Merry," he said, entreatingly, "don't be a fool! I'm going +to talk plain with you! By Jove! Somebody should talk plain to you! I +don't care if you kick me out of your room! If you whiffle around again +you'll be the butt of ridicule for everybody. You'll never again have +any standing in Yale. Man, you are throwing away your reputation! Can't +you see it?" + +Frank paled somewhat, but a firm look settled about his mouth, and he +was unmoved. + +"Surely, I have a mind of my own, and I have a right to do as I please +in this matter," he said, his voice cold and steady. "I am my own +master." + +"Yes," confessed Ben, desperately, "but you must listen to reason. I +haven't an idea why you have whiffled around again, but I do know it +will ruin your reputation. Word has gone out that you will play +full-back in the Harvard game. Forrest has the same as stated that he +should put you in at the start, with Marline as substitute. Now +think--think what it will mean if you again withdraw! Caesar's ghost! +Merry, you will be a dead duck in athletics and sports. You will be +regarded with contempt." + +"Can't help it." + +Holiday's desperation increased. + +"Think of Marline." + +"I have." + +"They'll say he cowed you--say you backed down because you feared him." + +"It will not be true." + +"But it will go, all the same." + +"Can't help it." + +"You must have a reason for this new move." + +"My studies." + +"That's the old reason. There must be another." + +"Perhaps." + +"Will you tell me what it is?" + +"No." + +"And do you want me to go out to the park without you?" + +"You will have to go without me, for I am not going." + +"And I have been bragging about getting him back on the eleven!" +muttered Ben. "They'll jolly me to death, and I shall be so ashamed that +I'll want to crawl into some sort of a hole." + +"I am sorry about that, Hally," said Frank. "Believe me, I care more +about it than about anything else." + +"You do not mind the ruin of your own reputation?" + +"I scarcely think my reputation will be damaged so badly." + +"But it will--it will! If you were sure it would, wouldn't you go along +with me?" + +"No!" + +That was like the blow of a hammer, and it took the last bit of hope +from Halliday's heart. + +"I think more of my word of honor than anything else," said Frank, +grimly. "If I always stand by that, I'll risk my reputation." + +"They'll say he is a traitor to Yale," muttered Ben, as if Frank could +not hear. "They'll say he refused to do his duty--refused to fight for +the honor of old Eli. They'll say he is false to his colors." + +Frank winced somewhat. He could not help it, for he was touched on a +tender spot. + +"No fellow can have the interest of Old Eli more at heart than I," he +declared. "But I think the importance of playing me full-back on the +eleven is overestimated. There are several fellows who are able to play +the position. Marline did excellent work in practice yesterday, and I +believe he will show up finely in a game. I won't crowd him out--that's +all. It's no use to talk to me." + +He sat down and picked up his book. + +Halliday stood looking at Frank, his face showing wrath and disgust, +then turned and left the room. As he passed out Frank heard him mutter: + +"False to his colors!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +FRANK IS MISERABLE. + + +Frank was expecting a call from Forrest. It came. The captain of the +eleven brought Yates and Parker with him. He did not beat about the +bush, but immediately asked Frank why he had not come out to practice. + +With equal directness, Merriwell told him he had finally decided for +good and all that he could not play football that season. + +Parker looked dismayed; Yates looked disgusted. Forrest did not give up. + +"You can't refuse," he said. "We need you, and you must play." + +But Frank was determined, and persuasion proved of no avail. He firmly +refused to think of playing. + +"Come away!" exclaimed Yates, with a sneer. "It's no use to talk to him. +I did think he was all right, but this settled his case in my mind." + +Frank bit his lip, and all the color left his face, while his eyes +gleamed dangerously. + +"Mr. Yates," he said, "you are in my room, and I cannot lift a hand +here. Any time you see fit to insult me outside I'll do my best to +resent it." + +"Bah!" cried Yates. "If you haven't the courage to face Marline, you'll +never stand up to me. I have discovered that you are a big stiff! You're +a case of bluff!" + +Merriwell quivered, and his hands were clinched till his finger nails +cut into the palms of his hands. It was plain that he was making a +battle to restrain himself. + +"Mr. Yates," he said, hoarsely, "you and I have had our troubles before, +and, if I remember correctly, you did not come off with flying colors. +It is plain you delight in this opportunity for retaliation, but I warn +you to take care. There is a limit, and you may overstep it. If you +do----" + +"What then?" + +"You'll find you have made a big mistake." + +"Bah!" + +Duncan Yates was withering in his scorn. With a contemptuous gesture he +turned toward the door. + +It seemed that Merriwell was on the point of leaping after him, but +Frank still managed to hold himself in restraint. + +Puss Parker seemed grieved. + +"It's too bad!" he said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't have believed it. +You are done for here, Merriwell." + +"That's right," nodded Forrest. "You can never recover after this. It's +the greatest mistake of your life, man." + +"Come!" cried Yates from the door, which he was holding open. "You are +foolish to waste further breath on him." + +Then all three went out, not one of them saying good-by. + +When they were gone Frank felt like tearing up and down the room and +slamming things about, but he did nothing of the sort. He believed in +controlling his emotions, and so he stood quite still till the first +fierce anger had left him. + +Then came regret and doubt. He was sorry he had shown himself on the +football field, and he regretted that he had given Inza his promise not +to play the game. + +But it was too late for regret. He could not quell his doubts. He was +not certain he had done right, and that was enough to make him wretched. + +That night Frank was the most miserable fellow in Yale. It did not seem +any fault of his that had brought him into such a wretched predicament, +and yet he was thoroughly disgusted with himself. + +He could not study, he could do nothing but think. Sometimes he was +determined to go to Inza and ask her to release him from his promise, +and then he would think how his enemies would say he had been driven +into it. + +Then came another thought. If he were to come out now and offer to fill +a place on the eleven, would he be accepted? He had fallen so in the +esteem of Forrest that it was quite likely the captain would refuse to +take him on the team. + +He tried to devise some way of setting himself aright, but could think +of none. + +Had any one told him two days before that he could be so utterly +miserable, he would have laughed at them. + +Only a short time before this turn in events he had been the best known +and most popular student in the college. His fame had spread all over +New Haven and gone abroad to other college places. He was regarded with +awe as a great traveler and a wonderful athlete. + +Now--well, it was different now! + +Finding he could not rest, study or think of anything but his wretched +position, Frank went out for a walk. He tried to tire himself out +physically, so that weariness of body would force his mind to rest. +Miles he tramped, far out into the country. He drove along like one +walking on a wager, paying no attention to the frosty air which nipped +his nose and ears. + +It was eleven o'clock when Frank was passing Morey's on his way to South +Middle. In front of the place he paused. He remembered the many jolly +times he had enjoyed in there. He remembered when he was the chief one +of any little circle that might gather in that famous resort. Now he +felt like an outcast--an outsider. + +Three students came out. They did not see him, and they were chatting +and laughing merrily. He watched them as they strolled away, his heart +growing heavier and heavier. + +"Anderson, Cobb and Nash," he muttered. "They're always jolly--never +seem to have any troubles. They drink and sport too much to stand high +in their classes, but they will get through college all right, and every +one will call them first-class fellows. Isn't that better than to be +valedictorian and a hermit? I was getting along all right, although I +was not showing up brilliantly in Greek. I'd have scrubbed through and +held my position on the football team if I had tried. It's plain I made +a big mistake." + +It seemed plainer and plainer the more he thought about it, but he could +see no way of turning back now and taking the path he had abandoned. He +had burned his bridges, and he must go forward. + +A great curiosity seized him. He knew well enough a party of students +would be gathered in Morey's little back room, and he longed to know how +he would be received among them. + +"I'm going in there," he muttered. "Haven't been around for a long time. +Here I go!" + +In he went. He was known the moment he appeared. Straight for the famous +back room he made his way, and he was immediately admitted, his face +being his passport. + +He was right in thinking a party was gathered there. At least a dozen +fellows were sitting about drinking ale. They were not laughing or +talking loudly, but as Frank entered the room, he distinctly heard his +name spoken by one of them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +"THE MARBLE HEART." + + +"Hello, fellows!" called Merriwell, attempting to Be cheerful. "Thought +I'd drop in." + +There was a sudden silence. All turned to look at him. Two of them sat +with their half-lifted glasses suspended. + +Then somebody muttered: + +"Speak of the devil----" + +Frank was embarrassed. There had been a time when his appearance at +Morey's was greeted with a shout of welcome. The silence was freezing. + +Marline was not there. Frank felt relieved when he discovered this, and +still, for the first time in his life it seemed that there was a +cowardly sensation in his heart. + +He knew he was not a coward, but the position in which he stood at that +moment made him feel like one. + +The silence was maddening. His soul revolted against such a reception. +For the first time in his life he fancied he understood what it was to +be regarded with universal contempt. + +And the injustice of it was what cut him to the heart. A little more and +the limit would be reached. He would go forth ready to fight, and he +knew that his first blow would be aimed at Rob Marline. + +Thoughts like these flashed through his head in a moment, then he +advanced into the room with old-time grace. + +"A jolly party you have here," he said. "I'm glad to see you making +merry. Drink up--drink up, everybody, and have a round with me." + +Charlie Creighton was there, and Frank was sure he had a stanch friend +in Charlie. + +The fellows fell to speaking together in low tones, casting sidelong +glances toward Frank. None of them seemed eager or ready to accept his +invitation. They seemed to draw a barrier about him, as if they intended +to shut him out. + +Frank felt it--saw it plainly. He was quick to understand the situation, +but he was not satisfied. + +"They shall be put to the test," he mentally vowed. "I'll find out who +are my friends and who are my enemies." + +Then, one by one, he asked them what they would have to drink. Some had +excuses, some flatly declined to take anything at all. Some showed their +partly emptied glasses, and some said they had quite enough. + +Frank's face grew hard and cold as he progressed and met with nothing +but refusals. He was coming to Putnam, Stubbs and Creighton. Surely they +would not refuse to drink with him! + +Putnam saw he was to be asked in a moment. He hastily dashed off half a +glass of ale and got up, remarking that he must be going. + +"Hold on a moment, old man," said Frank. "I am going to have a +lemon-seltzer. Have a drink with me." + +"Excuse me," mumbled "Old Put." "I don't care for anything more." + +"But you will have one drink with me?" urged Frank. + +"No," said Putnam, shortly, "I've had enough." + +Then he sauntered toward the door. + +Merriwell bit his lips and turned on Stubbs. + +"You'll have something, Bink?" he said, huskily. + +"No, thanks," said the little fellow. "I'm going, too." + +He followed Putnam. + +Creighton was Merriwell's last resort. As old readers know, he had been +a guest at Charlie's home in Philadelphia. + +"Come, Creighton, you surely will not decline to take something with me, +old fellow?" + +Charlie hesitated, flushed to the roots of his hair, looked at Frank and +at the others, then got up quickly, saying: + +"You'll have to excuse me, too, Merriwell." + +With that he bolted out of the room, and all the others followed, +leaving Frank there alone. + +For some moments the stunned and astonished lad stood as if turned to +stone, staring with distended eyes toward the door by which they had +passed out. His hands were clinched, his nostrils dilated, his head +thrown back and his attitude that of a warrior wounded to the heart, but +still unconquered in spirit. + +He was aroused by a touch on the arm, and the smooth, almost sneering +voice of a waiter asked: + +"What will you drink, sir?" + +Frank lifted one hand to his head and seemed to awaken from a dream. He +looked at the waiter doubtfully, as if he did not understand the +question that was put to him, then, after a bit, said: + +"Thank you, I never drink." + +The corners of the waiter's mouth curled upward in the faintest smile--a +smile in which pity and scorn seemed to mingle. That aroused all the +fury in Frank Merriwell's heart, and, with his eyes blazing, he +half-lifted his fist as if he would strike the man in the face. Then he +as quickly dropped his hand at his side, shivering as if he had been +touched by a sudden chill. + +The waiter had shrunk away with Merriwell's menacing movement, but when +he saw there was no danger, he softly said: + +"I beg your pardon--I thought you were going to drink, as you asked the +others to have something with you." + +How the words cut and stung! It was as if the man had struck him across +the face with a whip. He fell back, half-lifting his hand, and his chin +quivered. + +"I did ask them!" he hoarsely whispered--"and they refused! Not one of +them but would have considered it a high honor to have me ask them a +month ago! And I have come to this!" + +His words were incoherent, but his face told the story of his wounded +pride. He remembered how many times he had been welcomed with a shout in +that little room where the famous tables hung upon the wall. He +remembered how his admirers had gathered about him, eager to listen to +every word he might speak, and roar with laughter at his stories and +jests. He remembered the songs, the speeches, all the jolly times in +that room. + +Little had he dreamed the time would come when the very ones he had +counted as his warm friends would refuse to drink with him there and +turn their backs on him in disdain. + +Nothing could have hurt him more than that. His pride was cut to the +core, and his spirit was shaken as it had never been before. + +His first thought was that he would find a way to get even with them +all. Then he realized how great a task that would be. He saw himself +scorned and ostracized by the whole college, and, for a fleeting moment, +he thought of leaving New Haven forever that very night. + +His brain began to whirl. The waiter was standing there, looking at him +in a manner that seemed rather insolent. + +"What do you want?" he snapped. + +"I beg your pardon," returned the waiter; "what do you want?" + +"Whiskey!" cried Frank Merriwell--"bring me whiskey, waiter, and bring +it quick!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +"FOR THE HONOR OF OLD YALE." + + +The order was filled, the whiskey was brought. It was placed on the +table at which Frank sat. He stared at it in surprise. + +"What's that?" he asked. + +"Why, sir, it's the whiskey you ordered," answered the waiter. + +"Whiskey?" said Merriwell, in a dazed way. "Did I order that?" + +"Yes, sir." + +He paid for it. + +Later, when a gay party dropped in, he was sitting at that table, with +the untasted whiskey before him. He sat there staring and scowling at +the table, but paid no attention to any one. The expression on his face +made him look like anything but his old jolly self. + +No one spoke to him. Newcomers drank, joked, laughed and went out. Still +he sat there, scowling and staring at the table. + +The report spread that Merriwell had been cut by his old friends. +Curious ones strolled in and ordered a drink just to get a look at him. +He seemed quite unaware of this. + +Never in his life had Frank tasted whiskey, but for one moment he had +weakened and thought of easing the blow to his pride by resorting to the +stuff. + +Merriwell was human, but still that weakness lasted no more than a +moment. Then he came to himself, and he was ashamed to think that he had +contemplated such a course. It seemed cowardly. + +"They say I am a coward," he thought; "but I am not a coward enough for +that." + +For more than an hour he sat there at the table. Finally he seemed to +come out of the stupor that had seized upon him. + +"Waiter," he called. + +His voice was calm and natural, the scowl had vanished from his face, +and he was himself once more. + +"Waiter, you may remove this whiskey and bring me a lemon-seltzer. I +don't care for this stuff." + +When this order was filled, he calmly drank the lemon-seltzer, paid for +it, rose to his feet, pulled on his gloves, and left Morey's with an air +of combined nonchalance and dignity. + +He was his own master once more. He had been insulted by fellows he +formerly believed friends, but he was still Frank Merriwell. He felt +within himself that he was a man and the equal of the best of them. Some +day they should be ashamed when they remembered their act. He felt +confident that day would come. + +That night he slept as peacefully as a child, and arose in the morning +refreshed and undisturbed. He would not permit his mind to dwell on what +had happened, but resolutely set himself at his studies. + +Those who had thought Merriwell, having once been so popular, would be +crushed, soon found out their mistake. He was calm, quiet, and +dignified. He did not seek the society of his fellows, but seemed the +same old Merriwell to those who came to him. He was perfect in his +recitations. He attended the gym., as usual, taking his daily exercise. +He paid not the least attention to sneering words and scornful looks. + +Frank's bitterest enemies were dissatisfied. They had fancied he would +be utterly broken by his downfall, and they could not understand his +dignity and disregard for public opinion. + +Those who had reluctantly turned against him were impressed by his +strength of spirit and dignity. He carried about him an air of manliness +that won their admiration, despite themselves. + +But every one had not turned against him. Bruce Browning was stanch and +true, although he fiercely berated Merriwell for his course. + +Harry Rattleton tried to remain unchanged, and never a word of reproach +did he utter, no matter what he thought. + +Jack Diamond did not say anything, but it was because he could not trust +himself to speak. In his heart he felt like punching Frank and whipping +his enemies and traducers; but he knew enough to let Merry alone. + +Halliday held aloof. He was thoroughly disgusted with Merriwell. At +first he said as much, and then he became silent and would say nothing +at all. + +So the days went by. Frank called on Inza, but did not mention what had +happened. He had thought of telling her everything, and then he decided +that it would do no good, and he would tell her nothing. It was too late +for him to change his course, and it could do no good to talk it over. +He preferred not to think about it. + +The football team continued to practice and get ready for the great game +at Cambridge. It was said that Harvard had the strongest eleven put on +the field by her in five years. Her games with the higher teams had +shown she was "out for blood." There was doubt and uncertainty in the +Yale camp. + +Ott, Marline's substitute, was not satisfactory. Those who understood +the situation best said that an injury to Marline early in the game +would ruin Yale's prospects. + +The anxiety increased as the day of the game approached. Some claimed +the eleven had not been properly trained, others asserted they had been +overtrained. + +From Frank Merriwell's manner one could not have suspected he had ever +taken the slightest interest in football. He did not seem to know +anything of the general gossip. + +It was the night before the game. Merry had been studying. He was alone +in his room. At last, feeling exhausted, he flung open the window and +looked out. + +It was a perfect night, cold, clear and light. The sky was filled with +stars. From across the campus came the sound of a rollicking song. + +Directly beneath Frank's window was a group of students who were +excitedly discussing something. Their words attracted Merriwell's +attention. + +"It's settled," said the voice of Paul Pierson. "Yale will not be in the +game for a minute. What can a team do without a first-class full-back?" + +"Isn't there a chance that Marline's ankle will be all right in time for +the game?" asked another of the group. + +"Not a chance," positively asserted Pierson. "The doctor says he'll not +step on it for three days, at least. It is a bad sprain." + +"Such beastly luck!" growled Randy Robinson. "Now if Merriwell----" + +"Don't speak of that fellow," exclaimed two or three. + +"He is the only hope for Yale," declared Pierson. "Ott isn't in it for a +minute. Frank Merriwell must be appealed to for the honor of old Yale." + +"Who'll appeal to him?" + +"I will, if they'll give me authority. I know he will play when he +understands the situation." + +Merriwell drew in his head and closed the window. His face was pale. Up +and down the floor he walked. + +"For the honor of old Yale!" he muttered. + +Then he suddenly cried: + +"For the honor of old Yale I will do anything!" + +Then came a knock on his door. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +A SENSATION ON THE FIELD. + + +The day of the great football game between Harvard and Yale had arrived. +The hour approached. + +Jarvis Field was ready for the great struggle. The white marks of the +gridiron were regularly and beautifully made. + +The sun shone down from a clear sky. There was no breeze, but the air +was crisp, for all of the sunshine. + +At either side the stands were filled; hundreds upon hundreds were +standing; hundreds upon hundreds were coming. A better day for the game +could not have been ordered, and spectators were turning out in force. + +Harvard students were there in a body. They flaunted the crimson and +sung their songs of glee. Their faces were radiant, and they were +confident of victory. + +Yale had sent her representatives by hundreds. They wore the blue, they +waved the blue, they cheered for the blue. + +Everywhere the blue and the crimson could be seen. Everybody was +partisan; everybody had a favorite. + +Back of the dark mass of human beings, beyond the limit of the field, +were the trees and the great buildings with their many windows, upon +which the sunshine glinted coldly. + +Policemen kept back the standing mass of spectators, or those in the +rear would have pressed those in advance forward upon the field. + +A few of those in the rear had obtained boxes or stools, upon which they +were standing in order to look over the heads of those before them. A +wagon was covered with spectators; they were standing on the spokes of +the wheels. + +The excitement and the eager anticipation was most intense. It betrayed +itself on every face. + +Not far from the point where the mass of Yale blue was thickest two lads +were talking. One wore the blue, the other wore the crimson. The first +was Sport Harris, and the other was Rolf Harlow, who had been forced to +leave Harvard after being exposed as a crooked gambler. + +"Every dollar is up," said Harlow, gleefully. "We are in to win a good +pile on this game if what you say is right." + +"What I have told you is straight." + +"Marline can't play?" + +"No." + +"Ott is a poor man?" + +"Sure." + +"And there is no chance that Frank Merriwell will be run in?" + +"Bah!" exclaimed Harris, disdainfully. "Merriwell is a dead duck at +Yale. He'll never count in anything more. He is an outcast now. What do +you think?--he's universally rated as a coward." + +"Oh, say!" exclaimed Harlow; "that's too much! You don't expect me to +believe that about Frank Merriwell?" + +"Believe it or not, it's true." + +"I don't understand how it could come about, for you and I know there is +not a drop of cowardly blood in Merriwell. Confound him! If there had +been, some things that have happened would not have taken place." + +"Circumstances have conspired to put him where he is, and he'll never +dig out. He has a few enemies who will take care to keep him down, now +he is down." + +"Well, I'm glad he's not on the team. We'll make a fat thing out of +this, old man." + +"Yes, I gave you every dollar I could raise, so you must know I am dead +sure Harvard will win. If, by any fluke, Yale should happen to pull off +this game I shall be busted." + +"Same here." + +"In that case, we'd have to stand in together and catch some suckers. +We've done it before." + +"And been exposed in it by that cursed Merriwell! Oh, I'd like to get a +good rap at that fellow! He has spoiled a number of good, soft things +for me since we first met." + +"You can't hate him more than I do." + +"I don't know about that; but he has been a lucky devil. I'm glad he's +not going to play for Yale to-day." + +"He couldn't win the game alone." + +"No, but it would be Yale's luck to win if Merriwell played. He has been +a mascot for Yale in almost everything." + +Harris believed this, for he remembered how many times Frank Merriwell +had been the instrument by which Yale had snatched victory from +apparent, certain defeat. + +Suddenly a band struck up, and out upon the field came the Harvard +eleven on the trot. What a cheer went up--what a wild roar of greeting! + +For the moment it seemed that the crimson was everywhere. The band +hammered away, and the blood was leaping in the veins of the thousands +of spectators. + +Harvard immediately took a bit of preliminary practice. + +"They are the boys to polish Yale off this year!" laughed Harlow. "It's +going to be a snap for Harvard." + +"I believe it," grinned Harris. "We'll have money to burn after this +game." + +Suddenly another kind of a cheer rent the air, and now the blue was +waving everywhere. Onto the field came the Yale eleven at a sharp trot. + +Harris and Harlowe laughed and nudged each other with their elbows. + +"See the little lambs!" chuckled the sport. + +"Coming to the slaughter!" grinned Rolf. + +"Too bad!" + +"It's a shame!" + +"I feel for them." + +"I expect to feel for that money. Where's Ott?" + +"Why, he's right over--over there--where the dickens is Ott?" + +"Can't you see him?" + +"Can't seem to, but he must be there. Yes, there he is with the group +out to the right." + +"Those are the substitutes. Why is he with them?" + +Harris stared, quite as much puzzled as Harlow, for he had understood +that Ott was to be put in as full-back for Yale at the very start. + +"It must be--it can't be--it can't be Marline is going to try it!" + +"You said he couldn't step on his foot." + +"He can't." + +"Then he isn't in it." + +"Of course not." + +"Who is?" + +"You tell!" + +Then, all at once, Harlowe caught Harris by the shoulder, and, pointing +toward the field, almost screamed in his ear: + +"Ten thousand furies! Look there--look there, you blunderer! See +him--see that tall, straight fellow?" + +"Where?--who?" + +"Where? Who? Right there, with the Yale captain--with Forrest! By all +the living fiends, it is----" + +"Frank Merriwell!" gasped Harris. + +"Yes, and he is going to play full-back for Yale! He'll hoodoo Harvard! +Yale will win this game!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +STOPPING A TOUCHDOWN. + + +Frank Merriwell was there. His appearance was a surprise to nearly all +the Yale crowd; it created a sensation. + +"Merriwell has been taken in to fill Marline's place!" was the excited +statement that went around. + +"It's a foolish move," declared scores. "He has not been practicing with +the team. He's not in condition." + +They did not know Frank Merriwell thoroughly, for he kept himself in +condition constantly. + +At first his appearance seemed to create doubt and uncertainty among the +spectators who were interested in Yale. Gradually, however, enthusiasm +grew. It was remembered how he had carried the ball right through +Princeton's center in the game the year before, making the most +remarkable run ever known on a football field. Yale had felt her chance +was a desperate one; surely it could not be any worse. Perhaps it might +be bettered by the placing of Merriwell at full-back. It was a desperate +resort, but who could say the result would not justify the move? + +Forrest was talking to Merriwell, having drawn Frank aside. They were in +earnest conversation. + +A little negro boy came on the field. How he escaped the vigilance of +the officers was a mystery, but he reached the group of substitutes. + +"Heah!" he called, flourishing something in his hand: "heah am suffin' +to Mistah Merriwell. Where am he?" + +It was a folded scrap of paper. One of the substitutes took it and told +the boy to "chase himself." + +"I's done got mah pay fo' bringin' it," he chuckled, as he scudded off. + +The note reached Merriwell when he had finished talking with Forrest. He +took it in surprise, and then opened it hastily. A gasp came from his +lips when he saw the writing. + +"From Inza!" he whispered. + +This is what he read: + + "DEAR FRANK: Did not receive your letter till this morning. Too + late then to answer. Had left New Haven for Boston before I + read it. You asked me to release you from your promise not to + play football. No, I will not! You must not play! If you do, + I'll never speak to you again! I know Yale will win if you + play! You must not play! Hastily, + + "INZA." + +"Line up!" + +The game was about to begin! + +Frank tore the note into many pieces, and those pieces he tossed aside. +His face was stern and determined. + +"It's for old Yale--dear old Yale!" he muttered. "She has no right to +ask so much of me without giving me a reason for it. I must play--I will +play!" + +Out to positions went the two teams. They lined up for business, and a +great hush came over the mighty jam of spectators. + +Yale had the first kick-off, and Merriwell balanced himself for it. + +Pung!--away sailed the ball clean through Harvard's goal posts, causing +the uninitiated to tremble, as it was an exquisite exhibition of +kicking. + +But this kick really gave Yale no advantage, for the rule gives the ball +to the opponents on such a play. + +Harvard's full-back sent it spinning back into the center of the field. +It looked like another kick by Merriwell, but, instead of that, Yale +tried Mills, the right-half, who could make only two yards against +Harvard's heavy forwards. + +The game was on in all its fury, and the excitement was intense. Kick +followed kick in quick succession, but that style of play did not seem +to gain anything worth gaining for either side. + +Yale got the ball and tried the revolving wedge on Harvard. They could +not make a big gain, for the Cambridge lads were like a stone wall. + +Again and again was this style of play tried, till Harvard got the ball +on downs. + +Then came Harvard's turn to see what she could do, and the first attempt +was a try at the tandem play, made famous by Pennsylvania. + +Yale seemed ready enough for that, and the way she cut through and broke +Harvard's line showed immediately that the tandem was not likely to +prove very effective. + +Then Harvard called on Benjamin, her right-half, and a moment later the +rush line did a fine piece of work, opening Yale's center and letting +the little fellow through. + +Benjamin had the speed of the wind. He also had the ball. Away he went +with it, and there was a clear field before him. + +Harvard admirers roared from all over the field. The crimson flaunted +everywhere. + +It looked like a sure touchdown for Harvard. Every Yale spectator held +his breath in racking suspense. + +Benjamin was flying over the ground. It seemed that his feet scarcely +touched the turf. + +Where is Yale now? What chance has she to stop the little fellow with +wings on his feet? + +Three seconds of suspense seemed like three hours of torture. It was +awful! + +A Yale man was after little Benjamin--was gaining! Could he stop the +little fellow in time? It must be a tackle from behind, if at all, and +the slightest slip would bring failure. + +Behind them came all the others on the run, strung out raggedly. + +Benjamin would make it--he was sure to make it. His pursuer could not +reach him in time. + +Then it seemed that the Yale man had springs in his legs, for he sailed +over the ground like a frightened rabbit. He closed in on Benjamin and +flung himself headlong at the little fellow. + +Down slipped the tackler's hands, down from the hips to the knees, to +the ankles. Down went Benjamin with a hard thump, stopped within three +yards of Yale's line. + +Twenty men piled upon tackler and tackled. + +Deep down beneath that mass was Frank Merriwell, his hands clinging like +hooks to Benjamin's ankles. + +He had stopped what seemed to be a sure touchdown for Harvard at that +early stage of the game. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +WON BACK. + + +Beside Inza Burrage, in a splendid position to watch the game, sat a +pretty girl with fluffy hair. She wore Harvard's colors, and seemed +greatly excited. + +"There he is!" she exclaimed, at various stages of the game--"there is +Jack! See him, Inza!" + +"Yes," said Inza, "I see him." + +But her eyes were not on the one meant by her companion. She was +watching Frank Merriwell, and she bit her lip as she watched. + +She had seen him receive her note, she had seen him read it, tear it in +pieces, cast the pieces aside. + +"He will play!" she muttered. "He will break his promise to me!" + +Her companion heard her words. + +"You said Merriwell would not go into the game," she cried. + +"Yes, I said so, but I was wrong. He gave me his promise not to play, +and last night he sent me a letter asking to be released from that +pledge. The note I sent to him a short time ago was a reminder of his +promise, and a refusal to release him." + +"Yet he will play?" + +"He is going into the game." + +"Then it can't be that he thinks as much of you as you supposed." + +"He does not. This has settled that point." + +"I'm afraid Harvard will not win, Inza. Jack says Frank Merriwell has +been Harvard's hoodoo in everything. He was sure Harvard would obtain +this game if Merriwell did not play. You said he did not mean to play, +but I wanted you to ask him not to do so." + +"I did ask him, something I should not have done had we not been such +friends, Paula, although I was curious to know how much influence I had +over him. Oh, I think he is the meanest fellow! I shall hate him now!" + +Inza's eyes were flashing and her face flushed. She was intensely angry, +and she showed it. + +Paula Benjamin was startled. + +"Oh, you musn't be too hard on him!" she said. "You know how much Jack +loves Harvard, and how crazy he is for Harvard to beat Yale in this +game. I was almost as crazy myself, and that is why I wanted you to ask +Mr. Merriwell not to play." + +"I shall never trust him again," whispered Inza, hoarsely--"never! He +has broken his promise to me." + +"It is certain he loves Yale as dearly as Jack loves Harvard. He may +think it is his duty to break his word for the sake of Yale." + +"I don't care! I don't care! I do hope Harvard will beat!" + +With breathless interest the two girls watched the game. They were +nerved to a point of intense excitement. They saw Harvard stand like a +stone wall against Yale's repeated assaults. It was a battle of +gladiators. + +Then came Harvard's tiger-like assault upon Yale's center, and Jack +Benjamin went through with the ball. The great crowd of spectators rose +as one person, seething with excitement, as Benjamin flew toward Yale's +line. + +"Hurrah!" cried the sister of the little fellow. "That is Jack--my +brother Jack! He'll make a touchdown! They can't catch him--they can't +stop him!" + +"Wait a bit!" palpitated Inza Burrage, who was clinging convulsively to +Paula's arm. "Look--look there! Frank is after him! See them run! Frank +is gaining!" + +"He can't catch Jack--my brother Jack! I know he can't do it! Jack has +the start! Hurrah! Hurrah!" + +"He will catch him! He's gaining! See--see him again! He is getting +nearer--nearer! Now--now----Oh-o-o-oh!" + +Frank Merriwell had flung himself at the Harvard man and pulled him +down. Then the other players piled upon them. + +"I knew it!" cried Inza, with a hysterical laugh. "I knew he could not +get away from Frank!" + +"Oh, the brute!" sobbed Paula--"the brute to throw my brother like that! +Jack was right! Frank Merriwell will keep Harvard from winning! I hate +him!" + +"Yes," fluttered Inza, "he will do it if it is in his power. Oh, he is a +wonderful player! But he thinks more of his old college than he does of +me! I'll never speak to him again!" + +Paula sat down and cried, while Inza did her best to comfort her friend. + +Soon the game was on again, as fierce as ever. Yale fought desperately, +driving Harvard back a little, but it seemed that Harvard had the +superior team. All the fighting was on Yale's territory. At last, as the +first half drew to a close, Harvard's left half-back went around Yale's +end, and the most masterly interference prevented Yale from stopping +him. He crossed the line and made a touchdown. Then Harvard's full-back +had time enough to kick a goal, and the first half ended with Harvard +triumphant. + +"Har-vard! Har-vard! Harvard! Rah-rah-rah! Rah-rah-rah! Rah-rah-rah! +Harvard!" + +It was a sense of wild rejoicing. Crimson fluttered all over the great +throng. + +Where was the blue? + +"Yale isn't in the game for a minute," said some who were supposed to be +experts. "The Yale fellows found they were butting against a stone wall +every time they tried a rush. This is Harvard's year." + +Ralph Harlow was beaming with triumph. + +"It's going to be an easy thing for our money, Harris," he chuckled. +"Yale can't do anything with Harvard to-day." + +"That's the way it looks," admitted Harris; "but the game is not over." + +"The game will run the same way till, it is over. Yale's rushers could +do nothing with Harvard's line. Frank Merriwell is the only man who has +distinguished himself for Yale, and he could do nothing but delay the +inevitable for a short time." + +"That was the only real good opportunity Merriwell has had," said Sport. +"He showed what he could do then. You remember his run through +Princeton's line last year?" + +"That's all right. Yale can't break an opening to let him through +Harvard's line this year." + +"I hope not, but I shan't feel sure of it till the game is over." + +The Harvard crowd cheered and sang songs till they were hoarse. They +hugged each other, tooted horns and indulged in wild antics to give vent +to the exuberance of their feelings. + +The sons of Old Eli who had come up from New Haven to see the game were +dolefully silent. They had seen Yale fling herself upon Harvard time +after time and rebound as a ball rebounds from a solid wall, and their +hearts were weak within them. + +Paula Benjamin was almost crazy with joy. She laughed and cried by +turns. + +"Oh, the dear fellows!" she exclaimed. "I could hug every one of them!" + +Inza Burrage said nothing, but upon her face there was a look of +unspeakable disappointment and dismay. In her heart she was crying: + +"Will Yale let them beat? Will Frank be beaten? If he is, I am sure I'll +never speak to him again!" + +Soon the men formed for the beginning of the second half. Harvard went +into the game on the jump, and Yale was forced to resort to defense +play. It seemed that there was no stopping the crimson in its onward +march to victory. Foot by foot and inch by inch Yale was beaten back +till the ball was on the twenty-yard line. + +Then Halliday revived hope in a measure by taking it back to the center +of the field, where he was downed with such violence that he was picked +up quite unconscious, and another man had to be put in his place, while +he was carried from the field, limp and covered with dirt and glory. + +It seemed that Halliday's desperate do-or-die break gave Yale courage +and hope. For some time she held Harvard at the center of the field, not +allowing a gain of a foot. Then Old Eli got the ball and rushed it into +Harvard's territory. + +What a glorious fight it was! Now every Yale man in the crowd was on his +feet cheering like mad. Those cheers seemed to make fiends of the +defenders of the blue. They played, every man of 'em, as if they were in +battle and ready to sacrifice their lives without a moment of +hesitation. They were irresistible. Harvard's stone wall was broken at +last. Merriwell was in the thick of it. Four times he advanced the ball. +Others took turns, and, at last, the ball was on Harvard's +twenty-five-yard line. + +Then there was a hush, for it suddenly became plain that Merriwell would +try to kick a goal from the field. It was a desperate expedient. Yale +feared to lose the ball and have it carried back to the center in a +minute. Such a loss would be fatal, and Forrest knew it Frank had been +given the signal to kick. + +"He can't do it!" cried scores. + +Then they thought of the beautiful kick he had made at the very +beginning of the game and were silent. + +Frank advanced to the proper position, exactly the right blade of grass. +There he poised himself. + +Cross fiddled with the ball between his legs. The suspense became +intense. + +Suddenly the ball was snapped and passed back. Punk--Frank kicked it. +Away it sailed. + +He did it before those Harvard tigers could down him. It was a glorious +kick. Through the goal posts and over the bar it sailed. + +Then the Yale yell was heard. + +But the game was not over. Harvard had secured a touchdown and a goal. +Yale had secured a goal. It seemed that she had feared utter defeat, +else she would have fought for the touchdown. + +The Harvard crowd remained confident. They crowed, for they said Yale +had displayed her own lack of confidence by kicking a goal from the +field. + +The time was growing short, and there seemed little chance for Yale to +do anything more. Harvard men laughed and said Harvard would obtain +another touchdown and goal before the end. + +Little time was lost in putting the ball into play again. Harvard +immediately started out with rushes. Now, to the astonishment of all, +Yale was the stone wall. + +Soon the ball went to Yale. Mills took it around Harvard's end for +fifteen yards. Powell bucked the center with it and gained some ground. + +Harvard men began to get anxious. Things had changed since the first +half. Harvard was on the defensive now. What had caused the change no +one could tell. + +Back and still back the Harvard line was forced. Would Yale try to +secure another goal from the field? That was the question. + +Paula Benjamin was almost crying. + +"It's Frank Merriwell!" she said. "Jack said he would hoodoo Harvard, +and he has!" + +"It is Frank!" thought Inza. "He has put life into the Yale men. He has +given them confidence somehow. He must win now--he will!" + +The ball was getting dangerously near Harvard's line. The Cambridge men +fought to hold it during the last few minutes of the game. + +Then, with a sudden movement, a man was sent through Harvard's center, +although an around-the-end play had been anticipated. It was a tricky +move, and took Harvard by surprise. + +Like a shot that man went through Harvard's line. He ran with wonderful +speed, with interferers on either side and a bit in advance. + +It was Frank making a last desperate effort for a touchdown! + +One by one the interferers were flung aside till he was alone, hugging +the ball, running as if for his life. + +Three men came down on him while he had fifteen yards to go. They flung +themselves on him like famished wolves. They thought to crush him to the +ground. + +Then ten thousand people gasped with astonishment, scarcely able to +believe what they saw. + +It did not seem that Merriwell slackened speed much, and he still went +forward, carrying those three men on his back and shoulders. They tried +to drag him down, and others tried to reach him. They could not break +him to the ground, and, with them all on his back he carried the ball +over the line. Then he fell, and the ball was beneath him. + +It was a touchdown for Yale! Besides that, it was the most wonderful +touchdown ever made on a football field. A mighty roar went up from the +spectators when they realized what had happened. Never before had they +witnessed anything like that. They knew the man who made the play had +won fame. To-morrow his picture would be in every Boston and New York +newspaper. + +Oh, how the Yale men shrieked, and screamed, and roared! They were like +human beings gone mad. They were crazed with their admiration for the +man who had done that trick. They longed to take him in their arms, to +bear him on their shoulders, to do him every honor. + +Gloriously had Frank Merriwell won back his lost prestige! Let a man +breathe a slur against him now and there would be a hundred ready to +knock that man down. + +When the mass untangled Merriwell was seen lifted to his feet. He stood +up, wavering a bit, supported by Forrest, who had an arm around Frank's +body. + +Then Frank pushed Forrest off. Time was precious, and his soul was +strong. + +Hasty preparations were made, and, for all of what he had just passed +through, Merriwell kicked a goal. + +Three seconds later the game was over, and Yale had won. + +Then all Merriwell's admirers rushed upon the field to surround him, to +fight for a look at him, and to roar their delight. + +"Rah for Yale!" + +"Three cheers for Frank Merriwell!" + +"They can't down Old Eli!" + +So the cries rang on. + +It was truly a scene never to be forgotten. + +But at that moment Frank did not think of the game. + +He was wondering what Inza would say. + +Would she forgive him for what he had done? + +"Oh, I hope she does," was his thought. "If she doesn't----" And he +could think no further. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +INZA BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND. + + +"How did the game come out?" asked Miss Abigail Gale, Inza's aunt, as +the two girls returned to Paula's home, which was a handsome house in an +aristocratic portion of the Back Bay. + +Miss Gale was knitting. For all of her luxurious surroundings, she was +plainly dressed, and she was practicing economy by knitting herself some +winter stockings. Reputed to be comfortably rich, Miss Gale was +"close-handed" and thrifty. + +"Yale won, of course!" cried Inza, who had not recovered from her +enthusiasm. "Oh, Aunt Abby, you should have seen it!" + +"No, no!" exclaimed the spinster, shaking her head. + +"You would have gone crazy over it!" + +"It's brutal. I have no sympathy with such brutal games. I didn't want +to see it, and I stayed away." + +"But it was such a splendid spectacle. Twenty-two young gladiators, clad +in the armor of the football field, flinging themselves upon each other, +struggling like Trojans, swaying, straining, striving, going down all +together, getting up, and---- + +"Land!" cried Miss Abigail, holding up both hands. "It must have been +awful! It makes my blood run cold! Don't tell me any more!" + +"At first Harvard rushed Yale down the field. Yale could not hold them +back. It was easy for Harvard. Jack got the ball--Jack Benjamin. He went +through Yale's line. The coast was cleared. He made a touchdown. He ran +like a deer. How his legs did fly!" + +"Good!" cried Miss Abigail, getting excited and dropping her +knitting--"good for Jack!" + +"But a Yale man was after him, and the Yale man could run. The crowd was +wild with excitement. Jack tore up the earth. The Yale man tore up the +earth----" + +"He couldn't catch Jack!" exclaimed the spinster. "It wasn't any use for +him to try." + +"He did catch him--jumped at him--caught his ankles--pulled him down!" + +"You don't say! He'd ought to be walloped!" + +"Then the others came up, and they all piled on Jack and Frank." + +"Frank? Frank who?" + +"Why, Frank Merriwell, of course." + +"Was he the one that caught Jack?" + +"Yes." + +"I might have known it. No use for Jack to try to run away from Frank. +He couldn't do that. But I thought Frank wasn't going to play?" + +"He broke his promise to me--he did play." + +"Do tell! I'm surprised!" + +"So was I. He stopped Jack, but Harvard scored in the first half, and +Yale didn't get a thing. Then came the other half. Yale went at Harvard +with new life. Frank seemed to give it to them. He rushed the ball down +the field. Harvard couldn't hold him." + +"Of course not." + +"He got the ball close down to Harvard's line. Then he kicked a goal." + +"Hurrah!" cried Miss Abigail, with an astonishing burst of enthusiasm. +"Go on, Inza." + +"The ball was put into play again. Again Yale got it and rushed it down +through Harvard's line. Harvard made a furious struggle to hold it back. +Frank got it at last--he broke through--they couldn't stop him. +Then--then, with three Harvard men on his back, he carried the ball over +the line for a touchdown, kicked a goal, and won the game." + +Miss Abigail was palpitating with excitement. + +"Goodness me!" she gurgled. "And Frank did all that? I didn't see him do +it, either! Goodness me! It must have been grand--it must have been! +What a fool I was to stay at home!" + +Inza laughed, and then became sober, suddenly. + +"Yale won," she said, "but I'll never speak to him again." + +"Him? Who?" + +"Frank." + +"Won't speak to Frank Merriwell?" + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +"He broke his promise to me. Harvard would have won if he hadn't. Look +at Paula! She is heartbroken! It was mean of Frank--just as mean as it +could be!" + +"It was mean," said Paula, "and Frank Merriwell ought to be ashamed. I +think he must be an awfully cheap fellow to do anything like that." + +Miss Abigail's face grew hard as iron. + +"Now, you hold right on, Paula Benjamin!" she said, severely. "Don't you +talk about him! Your mother and me was schoolmates, but I won't stay in +this house to hear Frank Merriwell traduced! I know him, and he's a fine +young man." + +"He may be," reluctantly admitted Paula, seeing Miss Gale was thoroughly +aroused; "but it seems to me that a fine young man should keep a +pledge." + +"You don't know his circumstances. There must have been a good reason +why he broke his pledge." + +"I presume he was called on to play when Mr. Marline injured his ankle." + +Inza looked at Paula quickly. + +"Mr. Marline?" she said. "I think Frank spoke of him. Who is he?" + +"He was to play full-back for Yale, but he sprained his ankle, and so he +could not play." + +"Do you know him?" + +"I have been introduced to him. Jack knows him very well. We met him +when we were South two years ago." + +"How do you know he sprained his ankle?" + +"Jack heard of it last night." + +"Then word must have been sent from New Haven. Did it come through a +traitor or a spy?" + +Paula flushed, and then said: + +"Through neither. Mr. Marline expected to see us after the game, and he +sent word that he could not very well, as he had sprained his ankle and +might not be able to come on. I saw him with the Yale boys, though. He +was on crutches." + +"I begin to understand Frank's position," thought Inza. "He was forced +into the game. Well, I have said I'd never speak to him again, and I +shall keep my word. I don't care if it breaks my heart! I know he thinks +more of his old college than he does of me." + +Jack Benjamin came home bruised in body and crushed in spirit. Paula met +him at the door, and drew him into the sitting-room, where Inza and Miss +Gale were. + +"It's too bad, Jack!" cried his sister, her sympathetic heart wrung by +the look of pain on his face. "I think it is just awfully mean that +Harvard didn't win!" + +"Harvard would have won if it hadn't been for that fellow, Frank +Merriwell!" growled Benjamin. "I said he'd hoodoo us, and I was right. +We can't down Yale at any game he is in. It's no use to try. Why, we +out-classed Yale all around to-day, and still he won the game for them. +That's what I call infernal luck!" + +Inza repressed her elation, but something like a grim smile came to Miss +Abigail's hard face. + +"If Marline hadn't hurt his ankle, we'd been all right," declared Jack, +as he sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, +looking down at the floor. "Rob is a good man, they say, but he could +not have done the things Merriwell did. Why, hang it!" he suddenly +cried, getting on his feet, sinking his hands deep in his pockets, and +stamping around the room, "that fellow actually carried Woodbury, +Stanton and Glim on his back for more than fifteen yards! They couldn't +pull or crush him down. I wouldn't believe it possible if I hadn't seen +it. He's a terror!" + +Inza's eyes sparkled. + +Paula followed Jack and took his arm. + +"I hate him!" she cried. "I saw him pull you down, the big, strong +ruffian!" + +"Yes," nodded Jack, "and a pretty tackle it was. He didn't pile upon me +like a wooden man, but his hands went down to my ankles and flipped me +in a second. If he'd bungled the least bit, I'd made a touchdown. Oh, he +is a terror!" + +"But I hate him!" persisted Paula. "I was so sure you would make a +touchdown. What right had he to grasp you that way and throw you so +hard?" + +"That's the game, sister mine. Any Yale man would have done it--if they +could." + +"I don't care! Why was he playing?" + +"That's right!" cried Jack, turning to Inza. "I thought he wasn't in the +game this season? I thought he gave you his promise not to play?" + +Inza flushed with shame and embarrassment. + +"He did," she confessed. + +Jack whistled. + +"And broke his promise--I see! It can't be that he thinks much of his +word." + +It seemed for an instant that Inza would defend him, but she did not. +For the first time Frank had broken a promise to her, and she felt it +keenly. She turned away. + +Miss Gale looked grim, but remained silent. She knew herself, and +realized she might say too much, if she spoke at all. + +It was an hour or so before Jack could cool down, so stirred up was he +by the result of the game. Finally, he went upstairs to take a bath. + +Before dinner there was a ring at the bell, and a servant brought in a +card, which she gave to Jack, who was enjoying his first smoke of weeks, +now that the game was over. + +"Hello!" he cried. "Rob Marline! I didn't expect him." + +"Rob Marline!" exclaimed Paula, in no little confusion. "Gracious! I +must be looking like a fright! Come up to my room with me, Inza, and see +that I am presentable." + +So the girls ran up to Paula's room, and Jack directed that Marline be +brought directly to the smoking-room. + +"I want to look my best when Mr. Marline comes," said Paula, when they +were in her boudoir. "I am sure my hair looks bad, and I must be a +perfect fright." + +Inza laughed. + +"It seems to me you are very particular about Mr. Marline." + +"I am," confessed Paula, busying herself before the mirror. "You know, +he is Jack's particular friend." + +"Oh, he's Jack's particular friend!" + +The manner in which Inza said that brought a warm flush to Paula's +cheeks, and she endeavored to hide her confusion, but in vain. + +"I've discovered your secret, dear!" cried Inza, with her arm about her +friend's waist. "Now I know why you take such an interest in Robert +Marline." + +"Nonsense! I like him, because--because----" + +"Just because you do." + +"No; because he is Jack's friend." + +"Now, don't try to deceive me, Paula!" cried Inza, holding up one +finger. "You can't do it. You would like Rob Marline just as much if +your brother was not in it." + +"Oh, it's no use to talk to you," fluttered Paula. "You are one of the +girls who will have your own way." + +"No, not always. I did not have my way to-day. Frank Merriwell played +football. But, Paula, I think I am beginning to understand more fully +just why you were so anxious Mr. Merriwell should not play on the Yale +eleven. He was Mr. Marline's natural rival for the position of +full-back. If Frank Merriwell played, Rob Marline could not. I'm sure I +am right. You did not tell me the entire truth, but I have found it +out." + +Paula was more than ever confused, but she could not deny Inza's charge. + +"If I told you that," she confessed, with sudden frankness, "I feared +you would not try to induce Mr. Merriwell not to play. Now, don't be +angry with me, Inza! I know it was Rob's--I mean Mr. Marline's ambition +to play full-back on the Yale team, and I wanted him to do so. That's +all. Perhaps I ought to have told you in the first place. Do forgive me, +dear!" + +It was not in Inza's heart to be unforgiving, and so the girls hugged +each other, kissed and assisted each other in getting ready to go down +and meet the visitor. + +They found Jack and Marline in the library. The Yale lad arose with +difficulty. His crutches were lying on the floor beside the chair on +which he sat. + +Paula blushed prettily as she shook hands with Marline, and then she +presented Inza. + +Thirty minutes later, while they were chatting, there was another ring +at the bell, and the servant brought a card to Inza. + +"Gentleman wishes to see you, miss." + +Inza looked at the card, turned pale, and then, her voice quivering a +bit, said: + +"Tell Mr. Merriwell I will not see him!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +A BLOW FOR FRANK. + + +"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed Miss Abigail, who entered the library just +in time to catch Inza's words. + +"Frank Merriwell has had the impudence to call here to see me--as soon +as this!" flared Inza, her face flaming. + +"Eh?" exclaimed Miss Abigail, once more. "Impudence?" + +"Yes--insolence! After he did not keep his promise to me!" + +Rob Marline was greatly interested, although he pretended not to notice +what was going on. + +"Oh, well, dear," said the spinster, "you must not blame him." + +"But I do!" + +"You do not know the circumstances." + +"I know he broke his promise, and I know I'll never speak to him again +as long as I live--never!" + +"You think so now, but----" + +"I shall think so always." + +"Don't be foolish, child! Mr. Merriwell is a splendid young man, and +you----" + +"I will not see him! That is all." + +Then Inza again instructed the servant to tell Mr. Merriwell that she +would not see him. + +"If you won't see him, I will," said Miss Abigail. "Is he in the parlor? +I'll go to him." + +"Now, aunt!" cried Inza, catching her arm, "you need not try to fix +anything up. He broke his promise to me, and I said I'd never speak to +him again. I meant it! He may just stay away, for I don't want to see +him. Tell him so for me." + +"All right, I will, but I'm going to tell him you're all fluttered, and +don't know what you're talking about." + +So Miss Gale went to see Frank in the parlor, while Inza remained in the +library. + +Paula was not hard-hearted, for all that she had declared she hated +Frank Merriwell, and, when she saw Inza was in earnest about not seeing +Frank, she drew her aside, and said: + +"Perhaps you had better see him. I don't want to be the cause of a +misunderstanding between you." + +"Don't let that worry you," said Inza, with affected lightness. "I don't +want anything to do with a fellow who cares so little for me that he +will break a pledge the way Mr. Merriwell did." + +"But--but he was loyal to his colors and his college." + +"Which shows he thinks more of his old college than he does of me. I +have said I'd never speak to him again, and you shall see that I can +keep my word." + +Paula was distressed, for she began to think herself responsible for the +misunderstanding between Frank and Inza. She knew Inza well enough, +however, to realize it was useless to attempt to reason with her when +her mind was set on anything. The more one tried to reason, the more set +she became. + +Rob Marline had taken in all that passed, although he pretended to be +interested in Jack Benjamin's talk about the football game. + +Marline felt elated, for he saw Merriwell had done something to turn +against him this pretty girl, who was Paula's friend. At first glance, +this Yale student from South Carolina had been strongly impressed by +Inza's appearance, and there was something about her spirit and her +manners that impressed him more and more. + +"If I could cut Merriwell out with her!" he thought. "Ah! that would be +a rich revenge! But Paula might object! Never mind; I've given Paula no +particular reason to think I am stuck on her. If she is stuck on me, +it's not my fault. There is no reason why I should not try to catch on +with Miss Burrage." + +He compared Inza and Paula, and he saw that the former was far the +handsomer girl. She had a strikingly attractive face with large dark +eyes, red lips and perfect teeth, while the color that came and went in +her cheeks told the tale of perfect health. He could see that she was +destined to become the kind of a young lady who always creates a +sensation when she enters a drawing-room and causes men to turn and look +after her on the street. + +The more Marline thought it over, the firmer became his determination to +do his best to win Inza from Frank Merriwell. He laughed to himself when +he thought what a revenge that would be upon the fellow he hated. + +"What are you laughing at?" cried Benjamin, somewhat offended. "I tell +you Harvard would have won in a walk if it hadn't been for that fellow +Merriwell." + +"Beg pardon," said Marline, quickly. "Did I laugh? Excuse me. Still, I +think you overestimate Merriwell." + +"Not a bit of it. He's the best man on the Yale eleven. Besides that, he +is one of the best baseball pitchers who ever twirled a ball. He has +done more for Yale sports and athletics than any one man ever did before +in the same length of time." + +"He had the opportunities to-day," said Marline. "That's how he happened +to do so much." + +"He made the opportunities," declared Benjamin. "What kind of an +opportunity was it when three of our men piled upon him and he carried +them more than fifteen yards? That was something wonderful!" + +"Don't speak so loud, Jack," cautioned Paula. "He is in the parlor, and +he might hear you." + +"Well, I'm sure I'm not saying anything that could offend him." + +"It might give him the swelled head," put in Marline. + +Inza turned on him like a flash. + +"It is evident you do not know him very well, Mr. Marline," she said, +severely. "Frank Merriwell never gets the swelled head." + +Marline was somewhat embarrassed, but, with the utmost suavity, he bowed +to her, smoothly saying: + +"It is possible I do not know him very well, as you say; but I am sure +almost any fellow might be in danger of getting a touch of swelled head +had he done the things Mr. Merriwell did to-day." + +He said this so gracefully that Inza's threatened anger was averted, and +she fell to chatting with him, much to his satisfaction. + +They were standing close together, talking earnestly, Marline supporting +himself by leaning on the back of a chair, when Frank left the parlor, +saying to Miss Gale that he must hasten to catch a train back to New +Haven. + +The library door opened into the hall, and Frank saw Inza chatting with +Rob Marline in a manner that seemed very friendly and familiar. The +sight gave him a start, and the hot blood rushed to his cheeks. + +Inza knew Frank had seen them, but she did not turn to look at him. She +began to laugh in her most bewitching manner, as if amused very much at +something Marline had said, and leaned a little nearer her companion. + +Frank seemed dazed. The sight of Rob Marline in that house chatting thus +with Inza seemed a revelation to him. All at once, he fancied he +understood the situation--fancied he knew why Inza had not wished him to +play on the Yale football team. + +"We shall be in New Haven the last of the week, Mr. Merriwell," said +Miss Abigail. "She'll get over it by that time, and we'll call. It's +nothing but a foolish whim." + +She spoke the words just loud enough for Frank to hear, but he did not +seem to understand. Like one in a dream, he took his cap from the rack +and turned toward the door. + +"Good-day, Mr. Merriwell," called the old maid. + +"Eh? Oh! Good-day!" + +Frank paused at the door and looked back; then he spoke, loudly enough +to be heard in the library: + +"I shall be pleased to see you at any time, Miss Gale, but, if you call +on me, perhaps it would be well not to bring a certain person with you. +It might be embarrassing and unpleasant. Good-day." + +Bounding down the steps, Frank walked swiftly away. There was a hard, +set look on his face, which had grown singularly pale. + +"Yes," he muttered, "I understand it all now. She would not tell me why +she did not wish me to play on the eleven, but I know now. Somewhere she +has met Rob Marline, and she is stuck on him. He wanted to play +full-back for Yale, and she aided him all she could by inducing me to +promise that I would not play. I see through the whole game! She was +playing me for a fool! I did not think that of her, but it is as clear +as crystal." + +And Marline had cut him out with Inza! He felt sure of that. + +"Well," he grated, "I have been easy with that fellow. Now we are +enemies to the bitter end! Let him look out for me!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY. + + +"What's the matter with Merriwell?" asked Lewis Little, speaking to a +group of jolly lads who were on the train that bore the Yale football +team out of Boston on its way to New Haven. "He's grouchy." + +"Is he?" cried Paul Pierson. "Well, he ought to be ashamed of himself! +Why, he's the hero of the day! All the papers will have his picture +to-morrow. I saw at least five persons snapping him with cameras on the +field. Grouchy, is he? Well, confound him! He has no right to get a +grouch on." + +"Not a bit of it!" cried Charlie Creighton. "What's the matter with him? +Where is he?" + +"He's sitting back in the end of the car, looking fierce enough to eat +anybody." + +Creighton, Pierson and several others sprang to their feet and looked +for Frank. They saw him. + +He was staring out of the window in a blank manner, although he did not +seem to notice anything the train passed. He was paying no attention to +the gang of shouting, singing, laughing students, who filled the smoker +and were perched on the backs of the seats and crowded into the aisles. + +"Hey, Merry!" shouted Creighton. "Shake it, old man--shake it! Come up +here! Get into the game!" + +Frank looked around, shook his head, and then looked out of the window +again. + +"Well, hang him!" growled Charlie. "Any one would think he had played +with Harvard, instead of winning the game for Yale! What can be the +matter with him?" + +No one seemed to know. Creighton went down and talked to Frank, but +could get no satisfaction out of him. + +As soon as he was let alone again, Merriwell fell to gazing out of the +window, seeming quite unaware of the shouts and songs of the jolly lads +in the car. + +When strangers crowded into the car to get a look at the man who had won +the game for Yale, having heard he was on the train, he still continued +to gaze out of the window, and it was not apparent that he heard any of +their remarks. + +"Tell you what," said Creighton, as he returned to Pierson and the +others of the little group, "Merriwell is sore." + +"Sore?" cried Tom Thornton, "he can't be any sorer than I am! Why, I was +jumped on, kicked, rammed into the earth, and annihilated more than +twenty times during that game. A little more of it would have made a +regular jellyfish out of me. I'll be sore for a month, but I believe in +being jolly at the same time." + +Then he broke forth into a song of victory, in which every one in that +car seemed to join, judging by the manner in which the chorus was roared +forth. + + "Boom-to-de-ay, boom-ta-de-ay, + Boom-to, de-boom-ta, de-boom-ta-de-ay; + We won to-day, we won to-day, + We won, oh, we won, oh, we won to-day." + +Any one who has not heard a great crowd of college lads singing this +chorus cannot conceive the volume of sound it seems to produce. When +they all "bear down together" on the "boom-ta," the explosive sound is +like a staggering blow from the shoulder. + +But even this song of victory did not seem to arouse Frank in the least. +He remained silent and grim, being so much unlike his usual self that +all who knew him were filled with astonishment. + +"I did not mean that he was sore of body," said Creighton. "I think he +is chewing an old rag." + +"What do you mean by that?" + +"Well, you know, we all gave him the marble heart when we thought he had +decided not to play football because he was afraid for certain reasons. +I think he is sore over that, and I don't know that I blame him. I +swear, fellows, we did use him shabby!" + +"That's it," nodded Pierson; "that's just it. And he is proud and +sensitive. He would not show he cared a continental before the game, +but, now he was the means of saving the day for Yale, I fancy he is +chewing over it a little." + +"Never thought of that," said Bink Stubbs. "Bet you're right, fellows. +We'll have to get down on our hulks to him to make it all right. I'm +ready to say I'm ashamed of myself, and ask him to forget it." + +The others expressed themselves as equally willing, and so it came about +that Frank was much surprised to have them come to him, one after +another, and confess they had used him shabbily. He was ready enough to +shake hands with them all, while he assured them he did not hold the +least hardness. + +They saw he was in earnest, they were satisfied he was willing and ready +to forget they had ever treated him with contempt, and yet he did not +cheer up, which was something they could not understand. + +"Better let him alone," advised Creighton, after a little. "It may be +something we don't know anything about, that he is chewing. Anyway, he's +not himself." + +Bruce Browning, big and lazy ever, was one of the group. He had been +keeping still, but now he observed: + +"That's right, let him alone. I've traveled with him, and I never saw +him this way before. I tell you he is dangerous, and somebody may get +hurt." + + "Keep away from the window, my love and my dove-- + Keep away from the window, don't you hear! + Come round some other night, + For there's gwine to be a fight, + And there'll be razzers a-flyn' through the air." + +Thus sang Bink Stubbs. + +"Look at Harris!" laughed Thornton, nudging the fellow nearest him. +"Don't he look sour? They say he got hit to-day." + +"Got hit?" + +"Yes." + +"What with?" + +"A roll." + +"A roll of what?" + +"Bank notes." + +"You mean he has been betting?" + +"Sure." + +"But you don't mean he bet on Harvard?" + +"I understand he put his last cent on Harvard, and went broke. He was +fortunate enough to have a return ticket to New Haven, so he didn't have +to borrow money to get back on." + +Harris was sitting in a seat, looking sulky and disgusted, fiercely +trying to chew the end of his short black mustache. His hat was pulled +over his eyes, and he did not seem to take much interest in what was +going on in the car. + +Stubbs and Creighton got a crowd together to jolly Harris, and they +descended on him in a body. + +"Hello, old man!" cried Charlie, gayly. "Is it straight that you won +three hundred on Yale to-day?" + +"I heard it was five hundred," chirped Bink Stubbs, "What a pull to +make! Congratulations, old man!" + +"You'll have to ball the crowd when we get to New Haven, Sport," said +Lewis Little. "You can afford to open fizz." + +Harris smiled in a sickly way, and tried to say something, but Paul +Pierson got him by the hand and gave him a shaking up that literally +took away his breath. + +"Good boy!" cried Paul. "I'm glad you stuck by old Eli! But did you have +the nerve to bet every cent you had that Yale would take that game? My, +my! You are a nervy fellow, Sport, old chap. You were the only man who +had all that confidence." + +"Sport never goes back on old Yale," laughed Little. "He knew the chance +of Yale's winning looked slim, but still he backed her up. That's what +makes him look so cheerful now." + +"You would have felt bad if you had bet your money on Harvard, now +wouldn't you?" cried Thornton. + +"Oh, yes, I certainly should," gasped Harris, who was suffering +tortures. + +"What a jolly time we'll have drinking fizz on you, old man!" exclaimed +Bink Stubbs. "I feel as if I might get away with about four quarts." + +"Oh, we'll make a hole in your winnings!" laughed Pierson. "I am so dry +this minute that my neck squeaks." + +"So are we all!" shouted the others. + +Harris could not repress a groan. He wondered if they were fooling with +him, but they seemed so much in earnest that he could not tell. Perhaps +they really thought he had won a big roll on Yale. He couldn't tell them +he had bet on Harvard. What could he do? + +He was forced to pretend that he was delighted, but over and over he +promised himself that he would give them the slip, even if he had to +leap from the train while it was running at full speed. Pay for fizz! +Why, he didn't have enough left to pay for a glass of plain beer! + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +REJOICING AT YALE. + + +Harris found his opportunity to slip away when the train drew into the +station at New Haven. + +A band of music was on hand to meet the returning conquerors. A wild mob +of screaming, cheering, horn-tooting students was there. + +It was evening, and the Yale lads had come down to the station with +torches, prepared to give the eleven such a reception as no other +football team had ever met. + +When the train drew into the station, the band was hammering away at a +blood-stirring tune. When the train stopped, the great crowd of young +men and boys presented a perfect sea of upturned faces beneath the +flaring light of the torches. Blue was everywhere. It was Yale's great +day, and all New Haven wore the color. + +The train stopped. Then there was a fierce swaying and surging of the +crowd, a flutter of flags, followed by a mighty cheer that was like a +savage yell of joy over the downfall of a defeated and slain enemy. + +How they shouted for Yale! How they swayed and surged! How like lunatics +they were! + +The sound of the band was drowned, and not a strain of music could be +heard. The musicians continued to play, but they might have saved their +breath. + +The crowd knew well enough that the eleven would be on the smoker. That +was the car in which the victors could disport themselves as hilariously +as they pleased. + +The smoker began to discharge its passengers. Paul Pierson was the first +to get off, and he was followed closely by a stream of Yale men. + +The general cheering had died down, but almost every man who stepped +from the train was greeted in some peculiar manner. + +"What's the matter with Yale?" howled a voice. + +Then a thousand throats seemed to roar back: + +"She's all right! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Yale!" + +Bruce Browning appeared. + +"Hey, Brownie!" cried some one on the platform. "How's your corns?" + +"Sore," answered the big fellow. "Strained 'em cheering for Yale." + +Bink Stubbs came forth riding astride Puss Parker's shoulders. Somewhere +on the train he had captured a silk hat that was much too large for him, +and it had dropped down over his head to his ears, which were lopped +forward by the weight of it. In the hatband was stuck the short staff of +a small flag. Bink had a horn, and he blew a hoarse blast the moment he +was outside the car. + +"Where'd you get that horn?" called a voice. + +"This horn's nothing," returned the little fellow. "I've had about +twenty horns besides this, and still my neck is dry." + +Four fellows came off the car, carrying a fifth. They held their caps in +their hands, and were as mournful and sad-appearing as possible. The one +who was carried had a big white placard on his breast. On the card were +these words: + +"I bet a dime on Harvard, and dropped dead after the game!" + +It was not an easy thing to carry him down the steps, but the +mournful-appearing bearers succeeded in doing the trick. + +Dismal Jones came forth from the car. He was holding a handkerchief to +his eyes and pretending to weep. + +This brought a shout of delight, and some one yelled back: + +"Weep for poor old Harvard. She needs it." + +Then Capt. Forrest of the eleven appeared. + +A mighty roar went up the moment he was seen. It was a great shout of +admiration and welcome. It brought a hot flush of satisfaction to his +cheeks, and he stood bowing and smiling on the platform. + +"What's the matter with Forrest?" shrieked a voice, when the noise +lulled somewhat. + +"He's a lulu!" shrieked another voice. + +"He's all right--he is!" roared the crowd. + +Then they cheered for him in the regular manner. + +Each player was received with an ovation as he came out of the car, and +they must have felt themselves well repaid for their weeks of hard +training and practice. + +Frank Merriwell was nearly the last one to show himself. The crowd had +been waiting for him. + +What a shout went up! The torches flared, and it seemed that the very +stars quivered with the volume of sound. + +"Merriwell! Merriwell! Merriwell!" roared the vast throng. + +Roar! roar! roar! It seemed that they would never stop. It was an +ovation that might have pleased a monarch. + +Frank would have been less than human had he not thrilled with +satisfaction as he heard them cheering him thus. He took off his cap and +bowed again and again. He tried to descend from the steps and mingle +with the throng, but some of them held him back. They seemed to want him +up there where they could look at him. + +It was some time before the cheering subsided. At last, somebody began +to shout: + +"Speech! speech! speech!" + +Frank shook his head, but it was useless. They were determined he should +say something. He saw he could not escape, so he held up one hand. + +Silence fell on the great crowd beneath the torchlights. + +Then Frank spoke--a single sentence: + +"Every man of us did his level best for dear old Yale!" + +That was enough. They went mad again, and again they roared till they +were hoarse. They cheered for Yale, they cheered for Forrest, they +cheered for Merriwell. Of everything for which they cheered, Merriwell +created the greatest enthusiasm. + +Then he was lifted from the steps and carried away on the shoulders of +his admirers, while the mob swarmed after him. + +The band got out and formed to head the parade of triumph. The crowd of +students fell in behind. The band struck up, and away they went, with +the Yale eleven close behind them. + +Great crowds had turned out to witness the spectacle, knowing the +students meant to give their victorious team a rousing reception. All +along the line the spectators cheered and waved hats, flags and +handkerchiefs. + +A committee had raised a fund for fireworks, and Roman candles began to +pop up balls of fire, while rockets went whizzing into the air from the +head of the procession. + +No one interfered with the rejoicing students. It was their night, and +the city fathers remained in the background and permitted them to have a +glorious time. + +Some of the business places were prepared for their appearance with +illuminated windows. All New Haven seemed delighted. + +This year every one had seemed to expect Harvard would "wipe up the +gridiron" with Yale, and this victory was so unexpected that it set the +people wild with delight. + +All along the line the students sang and cheered. Now and then the band +could be heard pounding away industriously. + +In this manner they marched to the college grounds. As they drew near +the college, Browning suddenly descended on the trombone player and +captured his horn. + +That was a signal for a general rush upon the band by the boys, and, +within three minutes, every instrument was in the hands of a Yale +student. + +Some of the boys could play on the instruments they captured, and some +could simply make a noise. + +"Attention!" roared Browning, who seemed to have awakened from the +lethargy that had been on him so long, and was once more a leader in a +genuine racket. "We will play the 'Star-Spangled Banner.' All ready! Let +her rip!" + +They played! Such a wild medley of sounds never was heard before. Puss +Parker had a cornet, and he was playing the air of the "Star Spangled +Banner," while Browning was putting in the variations with the trombone. +But the others played anything they could think of and some things they +could not think of! "John Brown's Body," "Yankee Doodle," "Marching +Through Georgia," "Suwanee River," and "Hail Columbia," were some of the +tunes that mingled in that medley. Those who could not play anything at +all added to the hideous din by making the captured horns bleat forth +horrible sounds. Bink Stubbs had secured the bass drumstick, and the way +he hammered the big drum was a caution. He did his best to break in the +head--and finally succeeded! + +In this manner the rejoicing students marched right in upon the campus, +regardless of policemen, professors, rules or regulations. + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +A CONTRAST IN ENEMIES. + + +It was a wild night on the Yale campus. Even the worst old "grind" in +the college came out and looked on while the hilarious students made +merry, even if he did not join in the riotous proceedings. + +A bonfire was built. Once there had been rules prohibiting such fires, +but of what use were rules now! Boxes, barrels, lumber, fencing, almost +anything that would make a blaze was brought in and heaped up there. It +was done in a rush in a manner that showed all preparations had been +made in advance, although the combustible material had not been piled up +till the time arrived when the fire was required. + +Around the great fire the students with the instruments belonging to the +band marched and tooted and sang. Bink Stubbs had knocked in one end of +the bass drum, but he continued to hammer away on the other end, +apparently doing his best to break that in also. Bruce Browning "tore +off" music and other sounds with the trombone, while Puss Parker +astounded those who knew him best by his skill with the cornet, for he +really could play at some tunes. + +About twenty fellows tied handkerchiefs over their faces, turned their +coats, and attempted to rush the band and capture the instruments. + +Then there was war, and the real owners of the instruments looked on in +horror, wondering what would become of the horns. + +The police were called upon to regain the instruments for the proper +owners. A dozen of them attempted to do the trick, but they were not +permitted to come onto the campus. + +There were rumors of a rush. It was reported that the freshmen were +coming out with canes. + +But the freshmen were not fools, and they knew it was a bad time to +bring about a cane rush. They mingled with the rejoicing crowd, but +sported no canes. + +Some of the band instruments were ruined in the struggle, but a cheap +band had been engaged, and the instruments were of poor grade, so the +boys did not mind their destruction, although all felt that somebody +would have to settle the bill for damages. + +Some one placed Danny Griswold on a box and yelled for a speech. Danny +never made a speech in his life, but he felt elated, and he started in +to say something. The moment he opened his mouth everybody cheered. When +they stopped cheering, Danny started again. + +"This is----" + +Not another word was heard. Again they cheered, drowning his voice. He +waited for them to stop. They stopped. + +"This is----" + +"'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Whooper up! whooper up! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah!" + +Danny waited again. Now he felt that he wanted to make a speech. He was +determined to make a speech. + +"This is----" + +He couldn't get beyond "is," and he was growing disgusted. He longed for +a fireman's hose and good head of water. + +As they began to cheer all at once, they stopped all together. + +Once more Danny tried it: + +"This is----" + +It was no use. The mere sound of his voice seemed to arouse them to the +wildest enthusiasm. He shook his fist at them. + +"Go to thunder!" he screamed, getting black in the face. + +But they laughed and cheered so he could not hear the sound of his own +voice. + +Some fellows found Frank and carried him around and around the fire. +They tried to induce him to get on the box in Danny's place, and say +something, but he was too shrewd to try that, even if he had wished to +do so. + +Sport Harris, holding aloof, his heart sour with disappointment and +disgust, saw a fellow swinging himself along on crutches, but refraining +from taking any part in the celebration. + +"It's Marline," thought Sport. "He must be somewhat sore himself." + +Then he approached and spoke to the unlucky student, who had lost the +opportunity to play full-back when he sprained his ankle. + +"Hello, Marline!" called Harris. "Why aren't you whooping her up with +the others?" + +Marline looked at him in doubt, and then remembered that Harris and +Merriwell had never been good friends. + +"Why should I celebrate?" he asked, sourly. + +"Yale won." + +"Yes, and I sat where I could see the fellow who filled my place secure +the opportunities to win, which must have been mine had I played." + +"It was hard luck for you to be knocked out in such a manner." + +"Hard luck! It was beastly! But it was worse luck to have that fellow, +Merriwell, run into the game and get all the opportunities to cover +himself with glory." + +"Well, he got 'em, and he improved 'em." + +"Any fellow fit for the position could have done the same thing." + +"Think so?" + +"I know it." + +"How about carrying three men on his back the way Merriwell did?" + +"That was nothing." + +"Everybody seems to think it was a great trick." + +"It was nothing, I tell you. Those Harvard chumps tackled him in the +most foolish manner possible. Not one of them tried to get low down on +him, but all piled upon his back." + +"Still, it seems that three of them ought to have crushed him into the +ground." + +"Not if he had any back at all. You could have stood up under it." + +"Thanks!" said Harris, dryly. "I don't care to try." + +"I know I could." + +"But Merriwell carried them right along on his back." + +"What of it?" + +"Wasn't that something? He scarcely seemed to slacken his speed in the +least, for all of their weight." + +"Rot! They came upon him from behind, and when they leaped on him they +hurled him forward still faster than he was going, if anything." + +"It's a wonder they didn't hurl him forward on his face." + +"Wonder--nothing! Are you stuck on that fellow?" + +"Well, I should say not! I have no reason to admire him." + +"Nor I! I despise him, and I am willing he should know it. Wait till my +ankle gets well." + +"What will you do then?" + +"I am making no talk about what I'll do," said Marline, lowering his +voice and hissing forth the words; "but Frank Merriwell had better steer +clear of me." + +"He is a bad man to have for an enemy," said Harris, "I know, for he is +my enemy." + +"How does he happen to be your enemy?" asked Marline. "You are not in +athletics. What made him your enemy?" + +Harris hesitated, and then said: + +"Some time ago he wrongfully accused me of cheating at cards. I have +hated him ever since." + +A sudden change came over Marline. He remembered now. He had heard +something about it at the time, but it had slipped his mind. He +remembered that he had heard from a reliable source that Merriwell had +exposed Harris in a crooked game. + +Involuntarily, Marline drew away from Harris. The lad from South +Carolina had very high ideas of honor, and he could feel nothing but +contempt for a card sharp. Sometimes he played cards himself, but he +would have died rather than do a crooked or dishonorable thing. A moment +before, he had seemed to feel a bond between himself and Sport, as they +were both enemies to Merriwell, but now there was a feeling of +repulsion. + +No matter what Rob Marline's faults might be, and he had many of them, +there was not a dishonest streak in him. + +Harris seemed to see the change come over the other, and regretted that +he had told the truth, for he knew Marline was "encumbered" by a fine +sense of honor. He tried to set himself right by fiercely declaring he +had been unjustly accused by Merriwell. + +"That's what makes me hate the fellow so," he said. "He has injured me +by leading some fellows to think I was crooked, and that is the worst +injury he could do anybody." + +"I agree with you on that point," nodded Marline. + +"Some time I'll square it up with him," grated Harris. "We both hate +him, and I see no reason why we shouldn't pull together." + +Marline hesitated a moment, then shook his head. + +"No," he said, "I'll not make a compact with any one against him. I hate +him, and I am willing he should know it. I'll meet him face to face and +man to man, and I'll make him crawl, or I'll fix him so he won't play +football for a long time to come!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. + + +The day after the great game the Boston and New York morning papers gave +columns to a full report of the contest. All the evening papers of the +day before had contained reports, but on the following morning the story +was told more fully and accurately. + +Not a morning paper appeared in either city that did not contain Frank +Merriwell's picture. It made little difference if some of the pictures +were poor, Frank's name was beneath each and every one of them. + +The papers gave him glaring headlines. He was called "The Yale Trojan," +"The Sensation of the Season," "The Boy of Iron," and many other +complimentary things. + +All Yale was reading the papers, and Frank was more than ever the topic +of conversation, for his fellow-students began to realize that he had +played an even more important part in the game than was at first thought +possible by those who had not witnessed it. + +If Frank had smoked or drank he would not have found it necessary to buy +a cigar or a drink for weeks to come. Scores of fellows would have +considered it a great honor to buy smokes and drinks for him. + +But Merriwell neither smoked nor drank. He had never indulged in tobacco +or liquor. Who knows how much that was responsible for his wonderful +strength, nerve and wind? + +At the fence a group gathered early and read and discussed the newspaper +reports. Rob Marline seemed to be the only man who did not have a paper. + +"What's the matter with you, old man?" asked Tom Thornton. "You are +looking as blue as if we had lost yesterday." + +"I'm feeling grouchy," confessed Marline. + +"Ankle?" + +"Has something to do with it." + +"Too bad! It was tough to be knocked out just before the game, but you +can feel satisfied that your place was filled by a good man." + +Marline seemed to turn yellow. + +"That is it, sah--that's just it!" he exclaimed, "Look at all the stuff +in the papers about him! And I might have had the opportunities he had +if I had played." + +"Perhaps not." + +"Why not?" + +"The change might have made considerable difference in the play. You +know as well as I, no two men will play just the same under the same +circumstances. They may attempt similar plays, but they do not carry +them out in precisely the same manner." + +"I don't like the way you use that word 'attempt,' sah!" said Marline, +flaming up a bit. "It seems like an insinuation that I might have failed +in the attempt, while Merriwell succeeded." + +"You are altogether too suspicious and sensitive, Marline. I did not +hint anything of the sort, although even you cannot be sure you would +have succeeded as well as Merriwell. Indeed, what he did in that game +was phenomenal." + +"Rot, sah!" + +"I believe you are jealous of him, Marline. If you are, take my advice, +and conceal it, or the boys will jolly you to death." + +Rob Marline drew himself up with as much haughtiness as possible, +considering his lame ankle. + +"Sah," he said, hissing the words through his white teeth, "the boys had +better be careful. I am in no condition to be jollied on that point, +sah." + +Had any other fellow at Yale taken such a stand, it would have produced +shouts of laughter. As it was, not a fellow of the group grinned, and +Burn Putnam observed: + +"If you don't want to be jollied, you'd better keep still about +Merriwell. All the fellows will be onto you if you keep it up." + +Rob flashed Old Put a cutting look, and then haughtily returned: + +"My tongue is my own, sah!" + +"All right," grunted Burn. "Use it as you please. You'll find I've given +you a straight tip." + +"I presume, sah, a man has a right to criticise the playing of any +fellow on the eleven?" + +"Sure; but it doesn't come very well from you, as you and Merriwell were +rivals." + +"We were not rivals, if you please. He was substituted to fill my place +after I was injured. But for this ankle, he would not have been on the +team." + +"But that he refused to play football this season, you would not have +been on the team," put in Bandy Robinson. + +"Oh, I see all you fellows are standing up for him and are down on me!" +fiercely cried Marline. "I don't care if you are. I think Frank +Merriwell is----" + +"Is what, sir?" + +It was Merriwell himself, who had approached the group without being +noticed by any of them. He now stepped forward promptly and faced +Marline. + +Rob turned pale, and his eyes gleamed. For some moments he did not +speak, but he did not quail in the least before Merriwell's steady gaze. + +At last, gaining control of his voice, he sneered: + +"So you were listening. Well, there is an old saying that eavesdroppers +seldom hear good of themselves." + +"So you call me an eavesdropper?" + +"You heard what was not meant for your ears." + +"Because I happened to be coming here to join this party. You were +talking loudly and in public. There was no reason why I should not have +heard, and I did so in anything but a sneaking manner. Your insinuation +that I eavesdropped is an insult." + +"What are you going to do about it, sah?" + +"Demand satisfaction!" shouted back Frank, who was aroused to such a +pitch that he was ready to quarrel with his rival on the slightest +provocation. + +Marline grinned sarcastically. + +"Very well, sah," he said, something like exultation in his voice. "I am +ready to give you all the satisfaction you want, sah, as soon as my +ankle will permit." + +"You will fight me?" + +"With pleasure, sah." + +"All right; it's settled. I'll agree to give you a pair of nice black +eyes." + +"No, you won't, sah." + +"Eh? You won't be able to stop me." + +"Only ruffians and prize fighters use their fists." + +"Eh? What do you mean?" + +"I mean business, sah!" shot back the boy from South Carolina, drawing +himself up, with the aid of his crutch. "You have seen fit, Mr. +Merriwell, to consider yourself insulted by me, and you have demanded +satisfaction. You shall have it, sah--all you want! We will fight, but +not with our fists. I am the challenged party, and I name swords as the +weapons!" + +Marline's words produced a sensation. Of all who heard them, Frank +Merriwell seemed the least startled or surprised. Danny Griswold near +fell off the fence. All the boys looked at each other, and then stared +at the boy from South Carolina, as if seeking to discover if he could be +in earnest. + +He was in deadly earnest; there could be no doubt of it. His face was +pale, and his eyes gleamed. The fighting blood of the Marlines was +aroused. + +Then the other lads of the group remembered the record made by the +Marlines, the famous fighters of South Carolina. They remembered that +Rob Marline's ancestors were duelists before him, and every one of them +on record had killed his man! + +With such an example in his own family, and with certain notions of the +proper course for a man to defend his honor, it was certain Marline +meant business when he named swords as the weapons. + +But such a meeting could not take place. It was unlawful. Besides that, +dueling was not popular in the North, and it was not believed that a man +showed cowardice if he refused to consider the challenge of an enemy. + +What would Merriwell do? He could not accept Marline's proposal, and +still it would not be easy for him to back down, after demanding +satisfaction. He was in a trying position, and the boys wondered how he +would get out of it. + +"Mr. Marline," said Frank, and his voice was perfectly calm and cool, +"you must be aware that such a thing as you propose is utterly +impossible." + +"I am not aware of anything of the sort, sah." + +"Then I will tell you so now." + +"That means you are afraid--you dare not meet me face to face and man to +man! You show the white feather!" + +"It means nothing of the sort." + +"You can't get out of it, sah." + +"I am a Northerner, and I do not believe in personal encounters with +deadly weapons, after the rules of the code duello." + +"A Northerner!" flung back Marline, with a curl of his lips and a proud +toss of his head. "Well, I am a Southerner, and we do believe in the +code duello. It is the only way for a man to satisfy his honor." + +"It is evident that is a point on which we cannot agree." + +"Then, you are going to back down--you will play the coward?" + +"You are making your language very strong and offensive. Will you be +good enough to remember you are on crutches, which makes it impossible +for me to strike you now?" + +"No man ever struck a Marline without spilling his blood for the blow! +It is a good thing for you, sah, that I am on crutches." + +"If you were not crippled, you could not use the language you have +within the past few moments, without getting my fist between the eyes." + +Marline sucked in his breath with a hissing sound through his teeth. + +"Never mind my condition, sah--hit me! Nothing would give me greater +satisfaction, sah!" + +"It is impossible. You will not be crippled long." + +"I shall recover as swiftly as possible. You may be sure of that, sah!" + +"There will be time enough to settle this little affair between us +then." + +"But the preliminaries can be arranged in advance, Mr. Merriwell. My +representative will call on any friend you may name, sah." + +It was plain enough to all that Marline intended to force a duel or +compel Merriwell to back down squarely. + +"If I decline to name a friend--if I decline to meet you in a regular +duel----" + +"I shall brand you as a pusillanimous cur, sah!" + +Frank's face paled a bit, but still his eyes met Marline's steadily. + +"You seem to forget you are not in the South," he calmly said. "If you +were on your own soil, you might be justified in pushing this thing as +you are, for that is the not entirely obsolete custom among Southern +gentlemen. But you are in the North, where duelists are criminals who +have not even the sympathy of the public in general. Under such +circumstances, you have no right to try to force such an encounter with +me." + +"You demanded satisfaction, sah, and I named the weapons. I know nothing +of your Northern ideas, and I care less. I do know that a man of honor +in your position would name a representative and have this affair +settled properly." + +"You have raised a point of honor on which we cannot agree, that is +all." + +"Then you refuse to meet me? You take water? Ha! ha! ha! I swear I did +think you were a coward all along! A short time ago all Yale said you +were a coward, but now, because you made two or three lucky plays in the +football game, all Yale is praising you to the skies. Well, sah, I will +show them the kind of a man you are! I will show them that you +challenged me, and then dared not meet me. I will brand you as the +coward you are, sah! It will give me great satisfaction, I assure you." + +"Look here, Marline," broke in Burn Putnam, "you are carrying this thing +beyond the limit. Merriwell has explained to you his position and made +it clear that such a meeting as you propose is utterly impossible." + +"That's right, that's right!" chorused the others. + +"Mr. Merriwell knew me at the beginning," said the boy from the South, +unrelentingly. "He knew I did not take any stock in fist-fighting--that +I made no pretensions of being what you call a scrapper. Yet he demanded +satisfaction of me for what he chose to consider an insult. That gave me +the chance to name the weapons, and I named them. It seems that he +sought to take an unfair advantage of me, thinking to force me into a +fist-fight, about which he knew I knew nothing, and, having the +advantage of me thus, give me a drubbing. It was a brutal attempt to +take advantage of me, but he was check-mated. Now, under the +circumstances, I have a right to push this matter as far as possible, +and I will do it! He'll meet me in a regular duel, or I will take great +trouble to brand him as a craven." + +"You'll get yourself into a very bad scrape, Marline," said Thornton. +"Sympathy will not be with you." + +"Bah! What do I care! I can stand alone! I am a Marline!" + +"Besides that," continued Tom, "there is another point to be +considered." + +Rob made a gesture of disdain, but Thornton hastened on: + +"Suppose you two would fight a duel and one of you should be seriously +wounded, what then? Why, an investigation would follow, and the truth +would come out That would mean expulsion for you both--it would mean +disgrace." + +"Bah!" cried Marline, once more. "I presumed I was dealing with a man of +honor, and that every person here was a man of honor. In such a case, if +one of us should be wounded, he would keep his lips closed, even if he +were dying. Not a word of the truth would he disclose, and no amount of +investigation would discover the truth. The victor would be safe." + +"That is much easier to talk about than it would be to put in practice. +I, for one, am against anything of the sort." + +"You do not count, sah." + +"Don't, eh? Well, we'll see about that! Frank Merriwell can't meet you, +and that settles it. If you try to force him, I'll report the whole +matter to the faculty, and the chances are about ten to one that you +will be fired from college. There, Mr. Marline, you have it straight +from the shoulder, and I trust you are satisfied." + +Thornton was astonished with himself for taking such a stand, as he was, +as a rule, a good follower, but no leader. He had a way of thinking of +things after others put them into execution, but now he was the one to +take the lead. + +Marline made a gesture of scorn. + +"Yes, sah, I am satisfied," he said; "I am satisfied that Mr. Merriwell +is a coward. He was looking for a loophole to crawl through, and you +have provided him with that loophole. He should feel very grateful to +you, sah!" + +"Marline," said Frank, sharply, "you can make a mistake by heaping this +on too thick! I can't stand everything, and you'd better drop it." + +"Yes, drop it, Marline!" cried some of the others. + +"Oh, I'll drop it for the present," said Rob, with deep +significance--"for the present, you understand. But I am not done with +Mr. Merriwell. My ankle will be all right in a short time, and then----" + +He paused, giving Frank a stare of hatred. Then, without another word, +he turned and swung himself away, aided by his crutches. + +All felt sure that the affair was not ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION. + + +"Great Scott!" gurgled Old Put, staring after Marline. "But he is a +regular fire eater!" + +"He's a bad man--a blamed bad man!" fluttered Danny Griswold. + +"That's right," nodded Lewis Little. "He really wants to fight with +swords, I believe." + +"Of course, he does," nodded Andy Emery, who had not said a word during +all the talk between Merriwell and Marline. "Jack Diamond was another +fellow just like him when he first came to Yale." + +"So he was," said Putnam. "And it seems to me I have heard that +Merriwell met him." + +Frank smiled a bit. + +"We had a little go," he said. "He put up a fierce fight, too, for a +fellow that knew nothing about the science." + +"Oh, everybody knows about that!" said Put. "It was the other affair I +was speaking of. Didn't he force you into a duel with swords?" + +"That affair was not very serious," said Frank, evasively. + +"But I know it took place. He was a fire eater, and he had just such +ideas of honor as Marline holds. Thought it a disgrace to fight with +fists, and all that. You couldn't get out of meeting him in a regular +duel, and you did so. I've heard the fellows talking it over. Let's see, +who got the best of it?" + +"It was interrupted before the end," said Frank. "The sophs came down on +us, and we thought them the faculty. Everybody took to his heels." + +"And Diamond would have been captured if it hadn't been for Merriwell, +who stayed behind to help him out," put in Thornton. "The duel was never +finished." + +"Don't try it again, Merry," cried Danny Griswold. "The next one +wouldn't come out as well as that." + +"But what am I going to do?" asked Frank. "This fellow Marline will not +let up on me." + +"Don't pay any attention to him," advised Little. + +"That's right, ignore him," said the others. + +"That will be a hard thing to do. I am no bully, as you all know, but I +cannot ignore a man who tries to ride me." + +"Better do that than get into a fight with deadly weapons, and be +killed," said Put. + +"Or kill him," added Griswold. + +"Never mind if he does try to brand you as a coward," advised Emery. "He +can't make the brand stick. You are known too well here." + +Frank flushed a bit. + +"I don't know about that," he asserted. "It was only a few days ago that +almost everybody here seemed to think me a coward because I declined to +play football. They would be thinking so now if I had not played through +absolute necessity." + +"But what you did in that game has settled it so no man can call you a +coward hereafter, and have his words carry any weight," said Putnam. "I +believe you can afford to ignore Rob Marline. He is sore now because he +was unable to play in the game, and because you put up such a game. +He'll get over that after a time, and it's quite likely he'll be ashamed +of himself for making such a fuss. He's not much good, anyway." + +"Right there is where I think you make a big mistake," said Frank. +"Marline has been underestimated by many persons. He has sand, and +plenty of it. He is not responsible for his peculiar notions as to the +proper manner for a man to settle an affair of honor, for he was born +and brought up where such settlements are generally made with pistols." + +"Well, you can't fight him in the manner he has named, and that's all +there is to it. Nobody will blame you for not meeting him. Let him go it +till he cools off." + +"Perhaps he will be cool by the time his ankle gets well," said +Griswold. + +Others came along and joined the crowd, and the talk turned to football. +Everybody seemed to want to shake hands with Frank, and his arm was +worked up and down till it ached. He was congratulated on every hand. + +Sport Harris stood at a distance and saw all this, while his face wore a +sour, hateful sneer. + +"It makes me sick to see them slobbering over him!" he muttered. "He'll +swell up and burst with conceit now. Hang him! He beat me out of my last +dollar yesterday, and now I'll have to take some of my clothes down to +'uncle' and raise the wind on them. Ain't got even enough for a beer +this morning, and my account is full at Morey's. This is what I call +hard luck! Wonder how Harlow feels this morning?" + +Rolf Harlow had formerly been a Harvard man, and he was an inveterate +gambler. Through him Harris had placed all his money on the Harvard +eleven. Sport had tipped Harlow to the condition of the team, and the +apparent fact that Harvard was sure to win, on which tip Rolf had +hastened to stake everything on the Cambridge boys. At the close of the +game Harris got away from Harlow as quickly as possible, finding him +anything but agreeable as a companion. + +Harris knew Marline hated Merriwell, and he felt sure the boy from the +South had nerve and courage, but, to his wonderment and disgust, Rob +would not enter into any sort of a compact against Frank. + +"Together, we might be able to do up Merriwell," thought Harris. "The +only man I ever, found who had the nerve to stick by me against +Merriwell was Hartwicke, and he was forced to leave college. I'll get +the best of the fellow some day." + +Later on, Sport heard something of the encounter between Merriwell and +Marline that morning. He listened eagerly to this, and he was seized by +a few thoughts. + +What did he care about Marline? If Merriwell could be led into a genuine +duel with the lad from South Carolina, it might result in the expulsion +of both from Yale, either if neither should be seriously injured. + +If Merriwell should be injured, all the better. If he wounded Marline, +the whole story might come out on investigation, and that would put him +in a bad box. + +Anyway, a duel between the two might bring about Merriwell's downfall. + +Harris set about stirring the matter up. He reported that Marline had +driven Merriwell "into his boots." There were a few fellows who "took +some stock" in Sport, and through them he worked to spread the story. + +Harris was industrious, and before another night all sorts of tales +concerning the encounter between the rivals were in circulation. + +Harry Rattleton, Frank's old-time chum, heard some of the reports, and +he lost no time in telling Frank just what was being said. Merriwell +smiled grimly, and said nothing. + +"What are you going to do about it?" asked Harry, excitedly. + +"Nothing," said Frank. + +"What's that?" shouted Rattleton. "If you don't do anything, lots of the +fellows will think the stories are true." + +"Let them." + +"I wouldn't stand it! I'd hunch somebody's ped--I mean, punch somebody's +head." + +"The fellows who heard it all know if Marline drove me into my boots." + +"All right!" said Rattleton. "If you don't do anything about it, I +shall. I'm going to find out who started the yarns, and then I'm going +to punch him!" + +And Rattleton went forth in search of some one to punch. + +And he was not the only one, as we shall see. + +Within three days Marline was able to get around, with the aid of a +cane. His ankle was improving swiftly, and he expected it would be +nearly as well as ever in less than a week. + +Marline had a following. There were some rattle-brained young fellows in +the college who looked on him with admiration, as it was known he came +from a fighting family, and was just as ready to face a foe on "the +field of honor" as any of his ancestors had been before him. + +Marline considered himself a "careful drinker," for he took about a +certain number of drinks each day, seldom allowing himself to indulge in +more than his allowance. + +He always took whiskey. Beer and ale he called "slops." Such stuff was +well enough to boys and Dutchmen, but "whiskey was the stuff for a man." + +Rob did not know he was forming one of the worst habits a man can +acquire--that of "drinking moderately." The moderate drinker becomes the +steady drinker, and, in time, he gets his system into such a condition +that he cannot get along without his regular allowance of "stuff." The +moment he tries to cut down that allowance, he feels miserable and "out +of sorts." Then he "throws in" a lot of it to brace up on. Perhaps it is +some time before he realizes what a hold drink has on him, and, when he +does realize it, in almost every case it is too late to break off the +habit. Gradually he increases his "allowance," and thus the moderate +drinker becomes a slave to liquor, and a drunkard. + +The only "safe way" to handle liquor is not to handle it at all. + +Marline had a father with plenty of money, and he was provided with more +than a liberal allowance while at college. He had money to spend, and +now, knowing the value of popularity, he began to spend it with unusual +liberality. As a result, there was a crowd of fellows who clung to him +closely in order to get as many drinks as possible out of him. + +Although Frank did not drink, he often went around with fellows who did. +He had a strong mind, and it was not difficult for him to resist +temptation. + +Thus it came about that Merriwell and Marline sometimes saw each other +in Morey's or Treager's, two well-known students' resorts. At first, +they seemed to avoid each other. Then Marline got the idea that +Merriwell was afraid of him, and he took to flinging out scornful +insinuations and staring at Frank contemptuously. + +It was difficult for Merriwell to restrain his passions, for never had +he known a fellow who could anger him like Marline, but he held onto +himself with a close hand. + +Jack Diamond heard of the affair between Frank and the boy from South +Carolina. Although Jack was from the South, he knew Merriwell as well as +anybody at Yale, and his knowledge told him Frank was in the right. + +It galled Diamond to think that anybody could sneer at Merriwell, and +not be called to account. He did not say much at first, but, after a +time, he began to feel that he had stood it about as long as possible. + +"Look here, Merry!" he exclaimed, as he stalked into Merriwell's room +one evening; "how long are you going to stand this?" + +Frank had been studying, but he flung down his book immediately. + +"Stand what?" he asked, smiling. + +"Why, the insolence of this fellow from South Carolina. I heard him in +Morey's last evening when he made that sneering remark about you, and it +has been galling me all day. I expected you would jump him on the spot, +but you never moved an eyelash." + +"What did you think I'd do?" + +"Punch him, confound it!" + +"How can I?" + +"How can you? With your fist, of course." + +"But I can't do it, you know. He has acknowledged publicly that he is no +fighter with his fists, and I'd seem like a bully if I hit him." + +"Oh, rot!" exploded Jack. "Think I'd let any fellow insult me and then +rub it in without giving him a thump on the jaw? Not much!" + +"Your ideas on that point seem to have changed since you came to Yale. +You will remember you did not believe in fighting with fists when you +came here." + +"That's right," nodded Jack. "I thought gentlemen never fought in such a +manner, but I have found out that even gentlemen are occasionally forced +to do so." + +"Marline holds just the same ideas as you held. I demanded satisfaction +of him, and he said he'd give it to me, with swords." + +"He's a chump! What he really needs is a good drubbing, and you ought to +give it to him." + +"And be called a bully. They would say it was a cowardly thing to do. +Really, Jack, I'm in a confounded nasty place!" + +"I believe you are," admitted Diamond, slowly. "But you must do +something." + +"Suggest something." + +"Fight him with the weapons he named!" cried the Virginian, hotly. "You +can do it, and I know you can get the best of him. I haven't forgotten +our little duel. Not much! Why, Merriwell, you disarmed me twice! You +can do the same trick with him." + +"Perhaps not." + +"I know you can. If you disarm him twice, you can call him a bungler, +and refuse to continue the duel. Do it, Merry!" excitedly urged Jack. +"I'll stand by you--I'll be your second." + +"Thank you, old man; but aren't you afraid of getting into serious +trouble? If the faculty----" + +"Hang the faculty! We'll have to take chances. You can't stand his +insults, Merry, and you'll have to fight him with the weapons he has +named. That's the only thing you can do." + +"You may be right," said Frank, slowly. "I am getting sick of the way +the thing is going, but I don't want to make a fool of myself." + +"You won't; but you'll make a monkey of Rob Marline, and I'll bet on it. +Why, Merry, you are wonderfully clever with the foils, and you have +nerves of iron." + +"Still, there might be a slip, you know." + +"Are you afraid he'll do you up?" + +"Not that," said Frank, "although I know he might. I'll tell you the +truth. I hate Marline, and I might do him up. A sword is a nasty weapon. +What if I should run him through?" + +"I never saw the time yet when you were not your own master. I don't +think there is any danger that you will kill Marline, but you pink him, +just so he would remember you. He wouldn't blow. He's from the South. He +wouldn't blow if you pinked him for keeps." + +"I think you are right about that. Well, Jack, there's no telling what I +may be driven into. If I have to meet him in a duel, I shall call on you +to act as my second." + +"You may depend on me. I'll serve you with great satisfaction. Call him +out, Merry--call him out!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +STUDENTS' RACKETS. + + +Inza Burrage came back to New Haven with Miss Gale. Frank discovered she +was there by seeing her on the street. He started to join her and speak, +but she entered a store, and he lost her. + +That evening he started out to call on her, resolved to have a talk with +her and come to a complete understanding, if she would see him. + +He knew where Miss Gale was stopping, and he made his way to the house +by a roundabout course, thinking over what he would say in case Inza +consented to see him. + +As he approached the house he saw some one ascending the steps. The +person going up the steps carried a cane. + +Frank halted abruptly. + +"Marline!" he whispered. + +It was his rival. + +Rob rang the bell and was admitted to the house. + +Frank turned about and walked swiftly away. + +"That settles it!" he grated. "I don't want to see her now, for I am +sure she was playing double with me. She is stuck on Rob Marline. It's +all right! it's all right! I'll have to take Diamond's advice. Marline +shall have all the satisfaction he desires." + +On his way back to his room he met Browning, Diamond, Rattleton and +several other fellows, who were starting out for a jolly time. They were +singing, "Here's to Good Old Yale," and he immediately joined in with +them, his beautiful baritone adding to the melody which floated out on +the crisp evening air. + +"Hurrah!" cried Rattleton. "It's Merry! Come on, old man, and we'll have +some sport." + +To the surprise of all, Merriwell joined them, without asking where they +were going. He seemed ready enough for any kind of sport, and his +laughter rang the loudest and merriest of them all. He was overflowing +with jokes and witty sayings, so that the boys began to say to each +other that he was like the Frank Merriwell of old. + +They made the rounds of the "places." Nearly all of them drank beer, +but, although Frank seemed in a reckless mood, not a drop of beer or +liquor touched his lips. He seemed to enjoy the sport as much as any of +them, and still he remained sober. + +In fact, Frank was a leader in wild pranks that night. Before the +evening was over, the boys got two policemen after them, and were forced +to run to escape arrest. + +Rattleton was somewhat slower than the others in starting, and he soon +found one of the policemen was close upon him. + +"Stop!" cried the officer. + +"Go to thunder!" flung back Harry. + +"Stop, I tell yer!" + +"Save your wind! You can't catch me in a thousand years." + +"Can't?" + +Whiz--something flew through the air. It struck Harry between the +shoulders, knocking him forward on his hands and knees. + +Then the officer pounced upon him, picking up his stick, which he had +flung at the boy. + +"Oh, I've got yer!" grated the policeman. "I'll teach yer to be tearin' +down an' shiftin' round people's signs! I saw yer when yer pulled down +the sign in front of the Chinese laundry, and the charge'll be larceny. +We're goin' to fix some of you frisky students." + +The police had been sore ever since their ineffectual attempt to get +upon the campus and arrest the students who were parading with the horns +captured from the band. Word had gone the rounds among the students that +the "cops" were watching for an opportunity to retaliate. Evidently this +policeman fancied his opportunity had come. + +Larceny! Harry realized the full meaning of the charge, and he knew it +would go hard with him if he were convicted. Thoughts of making a +desperate effort to slip out of his coat, and leave it in the officer's +clutch, flashed through his head; but the blow of the club had knocked +the wind out of him, and, just then, he did not have the strength to +make the effort. + +Where were the others? Had they all escaped? Had they abandoned him? + +"Git up!" ordered the policeman, releasing his grip on Harry a bit, in +order to change his hold. + +Swish! thump! bump! + +A dark body came out of the shadows and struck the policeman with the +force of a catapult. + +The officer was hurled through the air, his hold on Harry being broken. +He struck the stone paving heavily. + +A hand fastened on Rattleton's collar, a strong arm jerked him to his +feet, a familiar voice hissed in his ear: + +"Run!" + +It was Merriwell! Harry's heart leaped as he realized that. Frank had +not deserted him. Frank never deserted a friend. + +Rattleton was somewhat dazed, but Merriwell's hand directed him, and +away they sped. They heard the policeman behind them, heard him shout +breathlessly for them to stop, but they had no thought of obeying. + +Into a narrow space between two buildings plunged Frank, telling Harry +to follow. Merriwell came to a gate, but he seemed to see it, for all of +the intense darkness. + +"Over here!" he called to Harry. + +They heard the policeman plunge in behind them. Over the gate they +scrambled, not daring to pause long enough to find the way it was +fastened. Out into a back yard they dashed, hearing the officer run into +the gate and grunt as he was flung backward. + +There was a high fence around the yard, and it seemed that they might be +in a trap. + +Frank felt for a clothesline and found it. He seemed to see in the dark. + +"Over the fence, Harry--over the fence!" he whispered. + +"Come on!" + +"In a moment." + +"What are you doing?" + +"Lowering this line, so it will just catch Mr. Officer under the chin. +Get over the fence." + +Rattleton obeyed. He found a place where he could scramble to the top of +the fence, and there he sat, calling to Frank: + +"Come on--hurry!" + +The policeman came out into the yard. It seemed that Merriwell had been +waiting for him. Frank started to run, and the officer started after +him. + +"I have yer now!" grated the policeman. + +Frank led him directly toward the clothesline. Just before the line was +reached, Frank seemed to stumble and nearly fall. He did it in order to +duck under the line. + +A triumphant exclamation broke from the officer. It was cut short by +another sort of exclamation. + +The clothesline caught him under the chin. It snapped his head backward +and his heels forward. He went down flat on his back with a terrible +thump, and there he lay. + +With a triumphant laugh, Frank shinned up the fence and perched on the +top beside Rattleton. + +The officer was sitting up. He had seen more stars and fireworks than it +had ever been his fortune to behold before. + +"Ta, ta, old chappie!" tauntingly called Merriwell. "We'll see you some +other evening." + +"Stop--stop right where you are!" ordered the policeman, in a bewildered +way, looking around for the speaker. "You can't get away. It's no use +for you to try." + +"You're twisted, old man," laughed Frank. "Good-night, and pleasant +dreams! We certainly had you on a string to-night. Ha! ha! ha!" + +Then the boys dropped down from the fence into the next yard, made their +way to the street, and hastened toward Morey's. + +"Christopher? what a racket!" laughed Rattleton. "Why, I haven't been in +anything like this since I was a freshman." + +"It's good for a fellow once in a while," said Frank. "It stirs up his +blood." + +"But I was in a hard place when you came to my rescue, Merry. The cop +had me pinched, and he said the charge would be larceny. I thought I was +in for it." + +"I wasn't going to leave anybody to be locked up." + +"You never do, Merry; you always stick. It does me good to see you out +on a time like this, for you have not been like yourself in weeks. Now +you seem like the old Frank Merriwell." + +They reached Morey's safely. Entering, they discovered nearly all the +others of their party there ahead of them. + +And Rob Marline was there, drinking whiskey. + +As soon as Frank and Harry appeared, the others of the party surrounded +them, asking about their adventures. + +Bruce Browning was wiping the perspiration from his flushed face, while +he growled: + +"Haven't done anything like that for a long time. It was awful! Wouldn't +done it then if it hadn't been to escape arrest. Caesar's ghost! think of +being arrested." + +"I was arrested!" said Rattleton. + +"What?" cried the others. "Come again!" + +"A cop pinched me." + +"No? How did you get away?" + +"Merriwell came to my rescue. He didn't desert me, if the rest of you +did. He saw the cop nail me, and he sent his buttons flying by running +into him. That gave me a chance to skip. I tell you, it took nerve to +tackle a cop like that." + +Rob Marline laughed sarcastically, but did not say anything. Rattleton +flushed with anger, but Merriwell did not seem to notice it. + +Harry went on with his story, telling of their adventures, and the party +shouted with laughter when he related the clothesline incident. + +The fellows were gathering about Merriwell, and Marline found that he +was being deserted, which added to his bitterness. He saw the boys +listening to the story of Merriwell's attack on the officer and the +trick with the clothesline, and the soul of the boy from the South was +filled with bitterness. + +"He's cutting ice with the gang again," thought Marline. "That must be +stopped." + +But how could he stop it? He thought of calling to those who had been +with him before Merriwell came in, and asking them to have another +drink. Then it seemed that he would humiliate himself by doing so, for +he would cause everybody to notice how he had been abandoned. So he +ordered another drink for himself, and drank it sullenly. + +Every time the boys laughed Marline grated his teeth. Things had not +gone right with him that night, and he was in an ugly mood. He had +called to see Inza Burrage, and had attempted to make himself "solid" +with her. In the course of his conversation he had made some disparaging +remark about Frank Merriwell. + +That remark was like a spark of fire in a keg of powder. In a moment +Inza flared up and exploded. She told him Frank Merriwell was a +gentleman. She told him Frank Merriwell was too much of a man of honor +to malign an enemy behind his back. She showed deep scorn and contempt, +and Marline left the house crestfallen and raging with anger. + +He had been touched on a tender spot. To have any one insinuate that +Frank Merriwell was more honorable than he, was like stabbing him to the +heart. + +The whiskey made Marline desperate. Little did he know that the boy he +hated was in a most reckless mood. Had he known it, he would not have +cared. There was not a drop of cowardly blood in Marline's body. He +longed for an encounter with Merriwell. + +At length, when he could stand it no longer, he arose to his feet. Some +one was complimenting Merriwell on his nerve. Marline had not tasted the +last glass of whiskey brought him. He took it in his hand, made two +steps toward Frank, and flung the stuff full into Merry's face! + +"If Mr. Merriwell has so much nerve, let him resent that!" rang out the +hoarse voice of the boy from South Carolina. "We'll see how much nerve +he has!" + +Frank took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the liquid from his face. +He was very pale, and his eyes gleamed with a glare that his best +friends had never seen in them before. But he laughed, and those who +knew him best shuddered at that laugh. + +"Mr. Marline," he said, his voice calm and modulated, "will you be kind +enough to name your friend?" + +Marline looked around. Sport Harris was at his side in a moment. + +"I'll serve you!" Sport eagerly whispered. + +Marline felt that almost any one was preferable to Harris, but he saw +the others had drawn away. Harris seemed to be the only one with nerve +enough to stand by him. He felt forced to accept Sport. + +"Mr. Harris is my man," he said. + +Frank bowed gracefully. + +"Mr. Diamond will wait on him." + +A gleam of exultation came into Marline's face, for he felt that he had +driven Merriwell to the wall at last. + +Frank and Jack immediately withdrew from Morey's, and, later, the +Virginian sought Harris in his room. + +Frank awaited Diamond's return. He came back in about an hour + +"To-morrow, at sunrise," he said. + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +THE DUEL. + + +"Are you ready, gentlemen?" + +The sun was just peeping over the horizon. + +Beyond the city limits, near a strip of timber far down the Sound, five +persons had met. + +Two of them were Frank Merriwell and Robert Marline, who were to fight a +deadly duel there that beautiful morning. + +Two more were their seconds, Jack Diamond and Sport Harris. + +The fifth was a young collegian named Morton, who was studying medicine +and surgery. He had brought along a case of instruments, although he was +not certain this was to be a duel in deadly earnest. + +Merriwell and Marline, despite the fact that the morning air was keen +and cold, had stripped off their coats and vests and were in their shirt +sleeves. + +Now they stood facing each other, weapons in hand. + +Frank's face was calm and confident, as if he had not the least doubt +concerning the outcome of the affair. His nerves were under admirable +control. He was a trifle paler than usual. + +Marline, on the other hand, was flushed and nervous. He had taken +several drinks of whiskey to brace him, and Merriwell's calm confidence +was something he could not understand. At that moment, Frank seemed like +the duelist and Marline like the novice. + +The sun shot a single lance of light across the world, and then Diamond, +who had been chosen to give the signal, spoke the word that set the +rivals at each other. + +Clash! clash! clash! The bright blades clanged sharply on the morning +air. The sunshine glittered coldly on their polished lengths. + +At first the work was of a very scientific order, for each man seemed +feeling of the other to discover just how much skill he possessed. + +Marline was more than ever astonished, for he had scarcely fancied Frank +could be an expert with such a weapon. Now, however, he saw by the +manner in which Frank handled himself, by his every move, that he was a +skillful swordsman. + +The boy from the South attempted to force the fighting. The whiskey went +to his head, and he fought savagely, his teeth set and his eyes +gleaming. Deadly determination was in his every move. The seconds and +the surgeon watched breathlessly. + +Suddenly there was a cry. By a twisting movement of his wrist, Frank had +disarmed his enemy, sending Marline's blade spinning into the air. + +The sword fell with a clang on the frozen ground at Rob's feet, and he +instantly snatched it up. Then he came at Frank with the fury of one +driven mad. + +Merriwell was forced to give ground before the fierce onslaught of his +enemy. He knew well enough that Marline was exceedingly dangerous, for +he had flung discretion to the winds and was exposing himself in all +ways by his fierce desire to get at Frank. + +Merriwell did not wish to wound Marline, but hoped to humble him. +However, it began to look as if Frank would be forced to do his best in +self-defense. + +He had remarkable control of himself, and watched his chance. It came in +a short time, and again he twisted the sword from Marline's hand. + +Marline fell back before Merriwell's half-lifted sword. + +"Kill me!" he passionately cried. "Kill me now, or I'll kill you!" + +Merriwell lowered his blade. + +In a moment Marline sprang to the spot where his sword had fallen, +caught it up, and turned on Frank again. + +"On guard!" he shouted. + +Like a whirlwind, he came at Merriwell. + +Clash! clash! clash! It was a terrific battle now. The young surgeon was +excited and frightened. + +"It must be stopped!" he cried. "Marline is determined to kill him! We +must stop it!" + +Snap!--Frank Merriwell's blade broke within a foot of the hilt! + +With a hoarse shout of victorious fury, Marline thrust straight at +Frank's breast! + +Merriwell succeeded in foiling the thrust with the part of his weapon +that remained in his hand, but Marline's sword passed through Frank's +shirt sleeve at the shoulder. + +The seconds and the surgeon had started forward to interfere, but, with +a gasping curse, Marline flung his sword on the ground and covered his +eyes with his hands, his whole body quivering. + +Diamond caught up the weapon the Southerner had flung down, muttering: + +"There's no telling what he may try to do next. I'll keep this out of +his reach." + +But Marline had no thought of resuming the duel. When he lowered his +hand from his face, his shame was betrayed. + +"Mr. Merriwell," he said, his voice quivering, "I wish to apologize to +you." + +All were astonished. + +"For what?" asked Frank, calmly. + +"You have shown yourself more honorable than I," said Marline, although +every word cut him like the stroke of a knife. "Twice you disarmed me +and took no advantage of it. But when my turn came, my hatred for you +was so great I lost my head. I tried to kill you. I offer a humble +apology, and say what I never expected to say to any living being--you +have shown yourself more honorable than I." + +That was enough to touch Frank, and all the past was forgotten in a +moment. With an impulse of generosity, he held out his hand. + +"Take it!" he cried. "Let's call the past buried." + +Marline shook his head. + +"I can't!" he exclaimed. "I can't be a hypocrite. You have shown +yourself the more honorable, Merriwell, but I hate you still. I shall +try to forget it, but, with my disposition, it will not be easy. If I +conquer myself, some day, perhaps, I'll accept your hand--if you care to +offer it then." + +"When the time comes," said Frank, "my hand will be open to you." + +Then the dueling party broke up. + +When Frank reached his room, he found a letter from Inza awaiting him. +This is what he read: + + "DEAR FRANK: I have been a foolish girl, and I am ashamed. I + can't say more this way, but will explain everything when I see + you. Please come to me. Come as soon as possible. + + "Inza." + +Frank's heart gave a great bound as he read this communication. He could +not go to see Inza at once, but he sent word that he would call that +evening. + +When he arrived, he found Inza awaiting him alone, the girl's aunt +having wisely withdrawn. + +"Oh, Frank--I--I----" she began, and then she could not go on, for he +caught her in his arms and gave her a tight squeeze. + +"Don't let's talk about it," he said, cheerily. "I guess it was all a +mistake." + +"I had no right to bind you down, Frank," said Inza, softly. "It has +been a lesson to me. You know what is best, always, and after this you +shall have your own way in everything." + +"Are you quite sure of that?" he said, softly, looking into her clear +eyes, which immediately dropped. "Then, I'm going to have my way now." + +And a kiss followed, which seemed to be a complete forgiveness all +around. + +Then she told him of Marline, and he understood something of what had +led to the duel. + +But he did not tell Inza of that terrible encounter, and the girl did +not learn of it until some time later. + + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. + +A STUDENTS' CONFAB. + + +The days passed, and Frank turned again to his studies. He was anxious +to prove to the professors that he could learn his lessons, as well as +play football. + +To be sure, he did not give up his sports entirely, nor his recreation +at the gym. + +As the days slipped by, many of the students became more or less +interested in a big, burly freshman, who went by the name of Hock Mason. + +Mason had proved himself a regular bruiser on more than one occasion, +and he was such a thoroughly "bad man," that some of the boys grew +afraid of him. + +One night there was a crowd gathered in Frank's room, and it was not +long before the conversation turned upon the "bad man," who was hardly +known to our hero. + +"He's a terror!" + +It was plain Halliday thought so. The manner in which he uttered the +words showed that he was fully satisfied on that point. + +"Is he scientific?" asked Merriwell. + +"No; but he is a bulldog," answered Halliday. + +"And a brute!" exclaimed Harry Rattleton. + +"That's right," nodded Danny Griswold. "Look at my eye. I hadn't an idea +that he thought of hitting me till he let me have it. Knocked me flat. +Felt as if I'd been kicked by a mule." + +"What did you do to cause him to strike you?" asked Frank. + +"Nothing. Just looked at him." + +"If he keeps this up," grunted Bruce Browning, who was stretched on the +couch, puffing away at a cigarette, "his career at Yale will be short." + +"That's right!" cried Jack Diamond, showing his teeth. "Some one will +kill him. If he struck me, I'd shoot him in a minute--in a minute!" + +Diamond meant it. There was hot blood in his veins. Frank's example had +taught him to control his fiery temper to a certain extent, but there +were times when it would blaze forth and get the best of him for all of +anything he could do. + +"It's a pity some fellow can't get at him and lick the stuffing out of +him," said Bandy Robinson. "That's what he needs." + +"Well, who is there that can do it?" cried Griswold. "He's a perfect +giant, over six feet tall, and must weigh nearly two hundred pounds, +though there's not an ounce of fat on him. He's all bone and muscle. He +strikes a regular prize-fighter blow, and he can't be hurt. I tell you, +he is a good man to let alone." + +"That's right," agreed Halliday. "I saw him do up those coppers the +other night, four of them, and they all had their clubs out." + +"Did they hit him?" asked Merriwell. + +"Hit him! Well, I should guess yes. They cracked him eight or ten times +over the head and shoulders." + +"Somebody said it didn't have any effect on him," observed "Uncle" +Blossom, who was chewing gum as if his life depended on it. + +"Not a bit more than it would if they had hammered a block of wood," +declared Halliday. "It made me sick the first time they cracked him on +the head, and it sounded exactly as if they struck a piece of hard wood. +I expected it would lay him out stiff." + +"But he kept on his feet?" + +"He never staggered! Cut his scalp open in three places, and he bled +frightfully, but that only seemed to make him worse." + +"Very interesting," commented Frank, his eyes sparkling. "It would be an +honor to subdue such a fellow as that." + +"Honor?" cried Halliday and Griswold. "It would be a miracle!" + +"If he lives, he'll become a prize fighter," said Blossom. "He has their +brutal instincts, and still he seems to have some brains." + +"That's what makes him such a bad man--his brains," cried Halliday. "He +fights with his head, as well as with his hands." + +"I must say, you interest me greatly in this freshman," said Merriwell. +"What did you call his name--Mason?" + +"Yes, Hock Mason. You've seen him. He's that big, red-headed bruiser, +who----" + +"Yes, I've seen him," nodded Frank. "I know him by sight." + +"It's a wonder he hasn't jumped on you yet. You must have attracted his +notice, for you are the most popular man in college." + +"Oh, he'll get at Merry in time," grinned Griswold. "All he is waiting +for is the opportunity." + +Frank laughed. + +"I don't know as I care about having any trouble with this freshman +bully," he confessed. + +"I should say not!" cried the others. + +"But I shall not run to get out of his way." + +"You'd better." + +"Perhaps some of you are aware that I can put up a good, stiff fight +myself." + +"Yes, but you can't lick a fellow you can't hurt." + +"There is no man living that can't be hurt--if you find out his tender +spot. If I were forced into trouble with this Hock Mason, I should try +to find how I could hurt him." + +"While you were finding it, Merry, he would kill you." + +Frank laughed again, showing not the least annoyance. + +"You think so, and you may be right. As I said before, I don't know as I +care to have any trouble with him; but, at the same time, I am not going +to run away from him. I never saw a genuine bully yet that was not a +squealer when he knew he had met his master, and I'll wager something +Mr. Hock Mason can be cowed, for all of his famous fight with the +policemen." + +"If you'd seen that fight, you might have a different opinion," put in +Halliday. "All he had was his bare fists, and he knocked those four cops +out. Why, when he struck one of them fairly, the man went down like a +stricken ox, and lay quivering on the ground. He knocked out two of +them, and then he grabbed the others by the collars. Both let him have +it with their clubs, but he just thumped their heads together and +dropped them. They were knocked out, and I wondered if their heads were +cracked. That made him a king among the freshmen. They're so scared of +him that they shiver when he looks at them. I don't believe there is a +freshman who likes him, but they pretend to, and they got him to his +room after the fight, washed him up, plastered up his head, and then +went forth and swore they knew nothing about the affair. The cops +couldn't spot their man when they tried, for Mason came out the next +morning looking as if nothing had happened. He wears his hair long, and +he's had it clipped away around the wounds on his head, plastered the +cuts up, and then combed his hair over the plasters. I tell you, he is a +bad man!" + +"Every bad man meets his match some day," said Frank. + +"Mason's match is not to be found in Yale." + +"Perhaps not." + +"He's bound to be cock of the walk." + +"And are freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors going to allow this +brutal bully to walk on their necks?" + +"What else can they do?" + +"Kill him!" cried Jack Diamond, fiercely--"kill him, by the eternal +gods! He can't walk on my neck! If he tried it, I'd kill him, though I +hung for it!" + +"I don't think it is necessary to kill him," smiled Frank. "There's +always some way of subduing a bully. That way must be discovered, and he +must be subdued." + +"We'll owe you a vote of thanks if you discover it and do the job," said +Griswold. + +"Well, you are liable to owe Merriwell a vote of thanks, then," grunted +Browning. "I've traveled all over with him, and I never saw him take +water for anything that stood on legs. There are a few bad men out West, +but they didn't faze him." + +"Merry is all right," said Halliday. "He's a corker, and athlete, and is +built of pure sand, but he'd have to be built of iron to go up against a +big ruffian like this Mason. About the only way to subdue that fellow is +to kill him, as Diamond suggests." + +"He is growing more and more insolent and aggressive every day," said +Griswold. "If something isn't done to check him, he and his crowd of +followers will run over us. They are all getting insolent, and we have +received notice that they'll appear in a body to-night with tall hats +and canes. Mason will lead them, and they don't think we'll dare tackle +them." + +"We'll rush them, if we're killed!" cried Diamond, springing to his feet +and wildly pacing up and down the floor. "Are you in it, fellows? +Hark--what's that? They're out now! They're singing! It's a challenge! +Oh, there'll be a hot time around here to-night!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. + +DIAMOND STRIKES A BLOW. + + +Forty freshmen, with tall hats and canes, commanded by the giant, Hock +Mason, were singing, "That Bully." In the most belligerent manner +possible, they shouted the line: + + "We're lookin' for that bully, and he must be found." + +Behind them were more freshmen without silk hats and canes, but prepared +to take a hand in the scrimmage, if the juniors tried a rush. + +The freshmen had grown bold and saucy. Hock Mason bullied them, and they +were afraid of him, but they knew the juniors were afraid of him, too. + +They sang and shouted. They marched up and down with Mason leading. They +began to express their fears that the juniors would not dare try a rush. + +The juniors saw the freshmen were out in force, and they were not hasty +about making an assault. They seemed to lack a leader. They kept +gathering, but held aloof. + +The freshmen grew bolder and bolder. They invaded the campus. The +juniors were gathered at their fence. It was plain the freshmen meant to +rush them, and attempt to take the fence. The juniors prepared to +struggle to the bitter end. + +On came the freshmen. The others were outnumbered. It looked as if many +of them were afraid, and were keeping out of the _melee_ that must come. + +The freshmen marched past the line along the fence. They were insulting. +They turned and marched back. Then, at a signal from their giant leader, +they attempted to sweep the juniors from the fence, and take it by +storm. + +There was a charge, a clash, and the battle was on. + +But it afterward developed that the juniors were far more crafty than +the freshmen thought. They had not concentrated their entire force at +the fence, but their main body were keeping out of sight and waiting for +the onset to begin, knowing the freshmen were in a mood to try something +desperate and unusual. + +The moment the freshmen made a rush for the fence, the second body of +their antagonists came with a wild charge. + +Frank Merriwell led them! + +In a moment such a battle was taking place there at the fence as had not +been witnessed since the old days at Yale--the good old fighting days. + +Almost immediately the freshmen were on the defensive, doing their best +to retain their hats and canes. + +Frank singled out Hock Mason, believing the best course was to engage +his entire attention without delay. He was urging the freshmen on, and +no one seemed to stand before him. + +With all the nerve he could command, putting all his strength and skill +into the effort, Merriwell went at Mason. He came upon the fellow like a +tornado. + +Frank did not try slugging tactics, but he caught Mason's cane with both +hands, and, giving it a twist and a whirl, snapped the big freshman into +the air and fairly flung him over his shoulder, tearing away the cane. + +It is possible that never before in all his life had Hock Mason been +handled in such a summary manner. He struck the ground with a thump, +bewildered beyond measure by what had happened, for he had not dreamed +any man at Yale could handle him that way, even if he were taken by +surprise. + +But Mason was not hurt in the least, and he was furious. + +Laughing triumphantly, Frank Merriwell spun the cane into the air and +caught it with the skill of a baton-thrower when it came down. + +Roaring like an enraged lion, Hock Mason scrambled to his feet. Somebody +gave Merriwell a push from behind, nearly throwing him down, and Mason +struck him behind the ear. + +It was one of the giant freshman's sledge-hammer blows, and Frank +dropped like a log. + +"Cuss ye!" snarled the bully. "I'll fix ye!" + +The brute in his nature was aroused, and he kicked the fallen lad in the +ribs with his toe. + +"Shame! shame!" cried a score of voices. + +Bruce Browning, with a roar of rage, tried to reach the brutal fellow, +but Jack Diamond was quicker. + +Jack had torn a heavy cane from a freshman, and now he wielded it, butt +foremost, with all the strength he could command. + +Whack! + +The blow might have been heard anywhere on the campus. It fell just +where the furious Virginian had intended it should--across the side of +Mason's head and behind his ear! + +The fellow who had stood on his feet before the blows of the policemen's +clubs now fell as if he had been shot, pitching headlong over Frank +Merriwell. + +Frank sat up, still grasping the cane he had captured from the bully. +Jack caught his hand and pulled him to his feet. + +Hock Mason lay at full length on the ground, gasping for breath. + +"He's dying!" cried somebody, horrified. + +The rush was over, freshmen and juniors stopped struggling in a moment, +and all gathered around the spot where the giant lay. His heavy rasping +breathing was terrifying. + +"He is dying, Diamond!" whispered Browning, in Jack's ear. + +"I don't care!" returned the Virginian, passionately. + +"But think--think what that means!" + +"I don't care!" repeated Jack. "He struck Frank--kicked him when he was +down! You know, Browning--you know how Merriwell stood by me on our trip +when all the rest of you turned against me, because I was out of sorts. +You know how he stood by me when I raved at him. Another fellow would +have told me to go to the Old Nick. I haven't forgotten those things. I +am ready to do anything for him!" + +"But if it should happen that you have killed this freshman----" + +"What then?" + +"It will go hard with you. A little while ago, in Merriwell's room, you +were saying you would kill him. It will look like a premeditated +murder." + +This hit Jack hard, but it did not stagger him. + +"I can't help it. I did the trick to keep him from killing Merriwell. +Merry was down, and that brute was kicking him. No one would dare try to +stop Mason with bare hands. I used the best and only means to stop him. +If he dies----Well, I'll take my chance with a jury of honest men." + +Browning felt that Diamond had nerve, for all that he was hot-headed and +passionate. + +"Well, we'll hope the fellow isn't hurt much." + +Some one was bending over Mason, fanning him, while others were pushing +the crowd back. + +"Get back--give him air! Do you want to smother him to death?" + +"Smother time, perhaps," chirped Danny Griswold, who could not hold back +the pun, for all of the gravity of the situation. + +The rush had begun and ended so quickly that the faculty did not seem to +be aroused. Some of the students were watching for the expected +appearance of the professors, however. + +Water was brought, and Mason's temples were bathed. He continued to +breathe hoarsely for some time, plainly drawing his breath with the +utmost difficulty, but the sound gradually lessened, and he finally +struggled to sit up. + +"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he growled, harshly. "Let me +alone! Let me get up!" + +Some one offered to help him. + +"Get out!" he snarled, flinging the fellow off. "What do I want of help? +What's the matter with my head? It is whirling." + +He got up, although it was with the utmost difficulty he could do so, +and there he stood in the midst of the crowd, swaying and putting his +hands to his head. + +Some could not believe their eyes. They had not thought it possible Hock +Mason could betray weakness. + +"Somebody struck me!" he harshly grated, glaring around. "Where is he? +I'll wring his neck as if he were a chicken! Where is the fellow?" + +All were silent. + +"Oh, I'll find out who it is," declared the bully, "and when I do, +I'll make him weep tears of blood. I'll make him wish he never had +been born. I'll----What's the matter with my head? It's going +around--around--around----" + +He would have fallen, but some of the freshmen caught hold of him, and +he was led from the campus toward his room. + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. + +FACING THE BULLY. + + +The events of that night created a sensation, forming a topic of general +conversation. + +Strangely enough, very few seemed to know who had struck Mason, and +those who did, kept silent, not wishing to be drawn into the affair, +being friendly toward Diamond. + +Jack was not at all excited or alarmed over it, and he did not show +concern when he was told over and over that the giant freshman would be +sure to make good his threat, if possible. + +"Let him try it!" said the lad from Virginia. "Next time I will finish +him. I do not propose to fool with a beast like him." + +From the campus a party of students went direct to Frank's room. Frank +had the cane he had taken from Mason. + +"It will make a fine ornament for my room," he laughed, as he placed it +conspicuously over the mantel. + +"Jove!" cried Danny Griswold. "You should be proud of it. You took it +from Mason so quick that the fellow was dazed." + +"That was the flittiest pring I ever saw--I mean the prettiest fling I +ever saw," excitedly declared Rattleton. "How did you do it, Merry?" + +"Oh, that was a simple trick," smiled Frank. + +"It would have bumped the wind out of any other fellow, but it didn't +seem to damage Mason much," observed Charlie Creighton. + +"It was Diamond's little rap that damaged him," grunted Browning, who +had again captured a couch. + +"That was a corker!" broke forth Banny Robinson. + +"A corker!" echoed Halliday. "I should guess yes! It dropped him in his +tracks, and I saw the cops hammer him over the head with their clubs +till they were tired without bringing him to his knees." + +"I intended to lay him out when I struck him," said Jack, his eyes +flashing. "I hit him on exactly the right spot." + +"I'm sorry you did it, old man," said Creighton, soberly. + +"I'm not!" returned Diamond, instantly. + +"He is sure to make it hot for you." + +"Let him try it! He was kicking Merry, and Merry was down. If I'd had an +iron bar, I should have cracked him with it, after seeing him sink his +toe into Frank's ribs." + +Merriwell took a long step toward Jack and grasped his hand. + +"Thank you, Diamond," he said, soberly and sincerely. "It is a true +friend who stands by a man when he is down." + +He glanced around at the others a moment after saying this, and the eyes +of some of them failed to meet his. They remembered how, a short time +before, Frank had been somewhat unpopular because of his refusal to play +on the football team, and many of them had turned against him. They knew +well enough that Merriwell had not forgotten it, and he thought of it +when he spoke. Diamond was one of the few who had stood by him when he +was most unpopular. + +"The time has come," said Browning, slowly, "when this bully must be +shown that he is not cock of the walk." + +"Who'll show him?" cried several voices. + +"Merriwell didn't hesitate about tackling him to-night--and got the best +of him in a fair way. He struck a foul blow, and----" + +"A terrible blow it was," confessed Frank, soberly. "I felt as if I had +been kicked in the head by a mule." + +"Oh, he'll kill a weak fellow with a fair blow of his fist!" exclaim +Halliday. + +"If we can't do anything else," said Browning, "we'll have to organize +against him. If we were to do that, we could bring him to time after a +while." + +Danny Griswold lighted a cigarette, and perched himself on top of the +table. + +"If Merry will be our leader we may do something," he said. + +"I am not in favor of the scheme," declared Frank. + +All regarded him in surprise. + +"You are not?" they cried. + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +"It seems cowardly for several fellows to band together against one." + +"But it's all the way he can be subdued. What can we do?" + +"I am not certain it is the only way he can be subdued." + +"Suggest another." + +"I won't make any suggestions to-night, but I will think it over." + +"We should organize for the protection of Diamond," suggested Creighton. +"He is bound to find out Jack struck him the blow that knocked him out, +and then----" + +"Don't worry about me," broke in the Virginian. "I am not afraid of Hock +Mason. He might kill me, but he'd never be able to make me squeal." + +This was not boasting. Those who knew Jack Diamond best realized that he +spoke nothing more than the simple truth. Brute force might conquer him +physically, but his heart could not be conquered in such a manner. + +Creighton was in earnest about forming some sort of a combination, +offensive and defensive, against Mason, but Merriwell would not go into +it, and the scheme failed to go into effect. + +Some one suggested that Mason might be hurt more severely than they +supposed, and Robinson went out to find out, if possible, about it. He +finally returned, but brought no information. + +"It would be a good thing if he couldn't get into bed for a day or two," +said Halliday; "but you'll see him about as well as ever to-morrow." + +Ben was right. Mason came forth to chapel in the morning, and, from his +appearance, no one could have told that he had been knocked out in such +manner the night before. + +Straightway the giant freshman set about trying to discover just who it +was that struck him, but those he questioned did not know, or lied by +saying they did not know. + +Mason grew more and more furious as time progressed and he failed to +learn what he desired. He swore that he would find out before night, and +the fellow should suffer. + +At noon a crowd gathered at the fence and talked the matter over. +Charlie Creighton was there, and again he was in favor of organizing +against the freshmen. + +While they were talking, Mason was seen approaching. + +"Here he comes!" was the general exclamation. + +"And he's out for blood!" declared Creighton. "His manner shows that. +There is going to be trouble." + +Before reaching the fence, Mason encountered Danny Griswold. Instantly +he collared the little fellow. + +"Griswold," he said, "I know that you know who struck me last night. If +you don't tell, I'm going to give you the worst drubbing you ever +received." + +Danny shrank away, saying: + +"I didn't see the fellow hit you." + +"But you know who did it. You can't deny that. Who was it?" + +"I can't tell." + +Mason raised his heavy fist. + +"Tell, or I'll break your pretty little nose!" he grated. + +There was a step near at hand, and a calm voice said: + +"Drop it, Mason! You should be ashamed to bully a man smaller than +yourself. Don't dare to strike him!" + +Hock looked around in astonishment. + +Frank Merriwell was close at hand, coolly standing there, with his hands +thrust into his pockets. + +"Hey?" cried Mason, in surprise. + +"You heard what I said, freshman," spoke Frank, as coolly as ever. + +There was a stir at the fence, for the students there saw all and heard +all. + +"Jingoes! Merriwell has a nerve!" gasped one. + +"Mason will thump him, sure!" said another. + +"If he does----" + +"Hark!" + +"Yes, I heard what you said," flung back the bully; "but what you say +chops no frost. If I want to thump this chap I'll thump him, and twenty +fellows like you can't stop me." + +"You overestimate your ability, freshman," said Frank, and his coolness +was most exasperating. "If you thump that chap, one fellow will thump +you." + +"Jee whiz!" palpitated one of the students at the fence, "Now he's in +for it!" + +"There'll be gore spilled!" muttered Creighton. + +"I'm sorry for Merriwell!" said another. + +"Eh?" gurgled Hock Mason, more astonished than ever. "Is that a fact?" + +"That is." + +"Well, I'm going to thump him!" + +Again he lifted his fist, and Danny Griswold cowered before it. + +"Stop, Mason!" cried Frank, his voice hard and cold. "Strike him, and +I'll give you a mark to remember me by!" + +"Ho, ho!" sneered Mason, and he smashed Griswold in the face. + +The moment the bully struck the little fellow, he released his collar +and whirled toward Frank. + +Merriwell kept his word. + +Crack--Frank's fist struck fairly on Hock Mason's left eye, and the big +bully was knocked down in a second. + +The witnesses gasped with astonishment. + +With a roar of rage, Mason leaped to his feet and came at Merriwell, +somewhat blinded and dazed, but raging like a mad bull. + +With the utmost ease Frank avoided the big fellow, and then he struck +Mason again. + +The second blow did not knock the giant down, but it stopped him a +moment, and the blood began to run down his face. + +Frank's fist had cut a long gash over the bully's right eye, and the +blood quickly began to blind Hock, for already his left eye was swelling +swiftly, showing it might be entirely closed in a few moments. + +Mason wiped away the blood with his coat sleeve, and went at Frank with +another rush. + +Merriwell dodged, thrust out his foot, and tripped the freshman, sending +him to the ground with a thud. + +Over by the fence a little party witnessed all this with astonishment +unspeakable. + +Was this Mason, the freshman bully, who was being handled in such a +manner by Merriwell? Was this the man who had knocked out four New Haven +cops? + +Mason had struck at Frank savagely enough to lay him out, but Merriwell +easily dodged the blow. + +Now the bully got upon his feet the second time. Blood was streaming +down his face, and he was fast going blind. He looked around for +Merriwell, but saw him dimly and indistinctly. + +"Oh, hang you!" he cried. "You took me by surprise, and I can't see you +now. If I could get hold of you----" + +"But you can't do it, you know," said Frank, cheerfully, as he skipped +out of the reach of his enemy's long arms. + +Mason whirled around dizzily. He began to realize that it would be +foolish to attempt to get the best of Merriwell then. + +"Oh, I'll fix you for this--I will!" he grated. + +"You think you will, but you won't," was the calm reply. "I shall be on +the watch for you, and this is but a taste of what you'll get the next +time you go up against me. Your days as a bully around here are over. I +told you I would mark you, and I have. Whenever you look in a mirror for +some time to come you will see something to remember me by." + +"Whenever I look in a mirror for some time to come I shall remember you, +and I'll repeat my vow to make you regret the day you ever saw me. Next +time we meet to fight, I'll hammer you within an inch of your life!" + +Then, holding a blood-stained handkerchief to his bleeding eye, he +turned and hastened away. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. + +TO THE RESCUE. + + +Danny Griswold danced and crowed with delight. + +"Oh, scissors!" cried the little fellow. "I don't mind the crack he gave +me a bit. It was worth it to see him get done up like that. And it was +done so quick!" + +The fellows at the fence rushed forward and gathered around Merriwell. + +"Never touched you at all, did he?" asked Creighton. + +"Didn't come within a hundred miles of me," smiled Frank. + +Then they got him by the hand, shook it, congratulated him, complimented +him, expressed their wonder, and some of them almost seemed to doubt if +they had actually seen Hock Mason done up in less than two minutes. + +"Quickest job on record," declared Silas Blossom. "Biff--biff--it was +over. Didn't suppose he could be licked like that." + +"He wasn't licked," said Frank. "It is a mistake to think that. I took +particular pains to give him the first soaker in the left eye, and that +eye was closing up on him so he couldn't see out of it very well. Then I +let him have the next one on the right eye, and skinned my knuckles, +see? Those knuckles cut him over the eye, and he bled as if he had been +stabbed. The blood got into his eye, and he was more than half blind. +That was what stopped him, and I hoped all the time that I might do it, +for I will confess that I have no desire to receive one of his +prize-fighter thumps. I was lucky to do the trick just as I planned it." + +"And you had a nerve to stand up to him at all," said Deacon Dunning. +"Especially here on the campus at this time of day, when it would mean +something serious if the faculty knew of the fight." + +"That was another thing I was thinking about," said Frank. "I wanted to +end the scrap as soon as possible, so we'd not be seen at it by anybody +who'd make trouble for us. Hope it won't kick up a muss and get us +hauled over the irons." + +They were astounded by Merriwell's coolness. He did not seem in the +least ruffled by his encounter with the "bad man" of the freshman class, +and was not particularly elated by his easy victory. He seemed to take +it as a matter of course--a thing he had known would end just as it did. + +It was not long before every freshman and junior knew what had happened, +but all alike were slow to believe it possible. Frank Merriwell, +single-handed, had got the best of Hock Mason--no, no, that could not be +true! + +The most of them wished to believe it, but could not at first. Mason was +not popular among the freshmen, although he was their leader. He had +bullied them too much, and he had many secret enemies, who pretended to +his face that they were his friends. + +The eyewitnesses of the encounter were forced to tell the story over and +over till they were tired. Every one seemed to desire to know to the +minutest particular just how Merriwell had gone to work to do the trick. + +Some said it was pure accident, while others declared Hock Mason could +not be knocked out by an accident. The latter were inclined to give +Frank credit for all he had done, but the most of them prophesied that +Mason would kill Merriwell as soon as his eyes were in condition to +allow him to see properly. + +Diamond had not seen the encounter, a fact which he bemoaned very much. + +"Oh, Christopher!" he cried. "It was just my luck not to be around, and +I'd given ten dollars to see it." + +Frank told him how Danny had refused to divulge the knowledge Mason had +desired. + +"That shows little Gris has sand," said Jack. "But I'm sorry he didn't +speak right up and tell Mason who it was. I don't want anybody to get +thumped for keeping my secrets." + +"It's all right. I don't think Mason slugged him hard. Anyway, he only +made a sore place on Danny's cheek bone." + +"I am going to take pains to let Mason know who it was thumped him with +the cane. You're not going to fight him alone, Merry." + +But that did not please Frank at all. + +"You're going to do nothing of the sort, Diamond," he promptly declared. +"The fight is on between Mason and Merriwell now, and you will keep out +of it. I haven't made any talk about it, but it's my object to subdue +this fellow, if possible, so there will be no further trouble with him." + +"You may need help." + +"I think not. It will be better for one man to do the job, as that will +humiliate him, while he is such a bull-headed chump that he would never +submit till he was killed if there was a party against him." + +Diamond seemed to feel sorry that he could not get into it somehow. He +even accused Frank of crowding him out. He had formed such a strong +hatred for Mason that he felt as if it would be the greatest +satisfaction of his life to do something to humble and crush the fellow. + +But Frank knew Jack well enough to be sure it would not do for the +hot-blooded Virginian to be deeply mixed in the affair, as he would not +hesitate at anything in order to get the best of the freshman he hated. + +Diamond's soul rose up in scorn and contempt for a brutal fellow like +Mason. He actually felt that it would be a desirable thing to call Mason +out and shoot him in a duel. + +Merriwell's popularity rose to the flood when it was known that he had +not hesitated to face the freshman bully in defense of Danny Griswold, +and had got the best of the encounter. Every one congratulated Frank, +and shook hands with him till he was tired of it all, and felt like +keeping out of sight in his room. + +But he knew it would not do to keep close in his room, for then it would +be said that, although he had faced Mason once, he was afraid of the +vengeance of the infuriated bully. + +Frank went out more than had been his habit for some time. He had been +devoting himself with unusual closeness to his studies, his main object +being to stand so well in the spring that there would be no drawback +about going onto the baseball team. + +Mason kept close in his room, had a doctor, and made the excuse that he +had inflammation of the eyes so he could not appear at recitations and +found it impossible to study. + +To those who knew all about it, the bully's excuse provided great +amusement. + +Three evenings after the encounter a jolly party gathered in Traeger's. +Ale was freely consumed, stories told and jokes sprung. + +Frank Merriwell was one of the party, and, as usual, he drank nothing +but "soft stuff." Under no circumstances could he be induced to take a +drink of liquor. + +Frank's temperance principles were so well known that it was seldom any +one urged him to drink anything. Occasionally they would jolly him, and +he was often spoken of as the "Worthy Chief of the Good Templars." He +did not mind this, however, and he often said that, as he never drank +anything but raw alcohol of the rankest kind, and he couldn't get that +at the places he patronized, he refused to take anything at all. + +But he could be as jolly as any of the rest, and his stories and songs +always "took." He was the life of any party, and, naturally, his society +was much sought. + +While the party was making merry in Traeger's, Dismal Jones wandered in. +He paused and regarded them sadly, then said: + +"Feasting, song and merriment within; cold, bitterness and misery +without." + +"Without what?" chirped Danny Griswold. + +"Without yonder portal," solemnly returned Jones. "As I approached this +gilded snare of Satan, I chanced to behold one who hath lately removed +from one eye a beef-steak poultice, and whose other eye is in the +neighborhood of several strips of plaster." + +"Mason?" cried several. + +"Verily thou hast named him," bowed Dismal. "He stood there shivering in +the bitter cold, while about him gathered his wretched followers. It was +a sad and heart-rending sight. I was touched--no, I mean I was afraid I +would be touched, and I hastened hither to seek something that would +drive from me memory that sad spectacle. Hot toddy, please." + +"Mason?" exclaimed Diamond. "I wonder why the fellow is hanging around +here?" + +"Looking for Merry, perhaps," laughed Paul Pierson. + +"He wants to look out, or he will get merry thunder," laughed Lewis +Little. + +"He got that the last time," said Andy Emery. + +"Boys," said Danny Griswold, with sudden seriousness, "I believe there +is something in the air." + +"What?" asked several. + +"Dust," chuckled Danny. "There's a high wind to-night." + +"Hit him quick!" cried Halliday. "Hit him hard!" + +"A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!" laughed Joe Gamp, a big, hulking fellow from New +Hampshire. "Darned if that little runt ain't alwus doin' that. A-haw! +a-haw! a-haw!" + +Gamp had a laugh that was infectious. He seldom burst into a hearty roar +that every one in hearing did not roar also. On this occasion Dismal +Jones was the only man who did not join in the laughter. Dismal sipped +his hot toddy, and looked sad and reproachful. + +Mason was forgotten. Jokes and stories followed. Merriwell sang a song. +The party showed no signs of breaking up, and Frank decided that he must +get some sleep, so he reluctantly bade them good-night. + +"I'm going along," said Rattleton, rising. + +"Don't want us all to go to protect you from Mason and his gang, do +you?" asked Puss Parker. + +"I think not," smiled Frank. "I am not afraid of Mason himself, and I +hardly think he'll call on any of his friends to help him lick me. +Good-night, fellows." + +"Good-night!" + +"Good-night, Merry!" + +"So long, old man!" + +"Good luck, Frank!" + +Any one hearing them bid him good-night would have known he was a very +popular fellow. Every man there joined in the general chorus, and Frank +went out laughing, his heart warm within his bosom. + +"A jolly lot of fellows, Rattles," he said, "and white men, every one of +them." + +"Oh, they are jolly enough," admitted Harry; "but I hope you have not +forgotten that almost every one of them turned his back on you when they +fancied you were afraid of Rob Marline and did not dare play on the +football team." + +"It is best to forget such things as that," returned Frank. "It seemed +to all of them that I showed the white feather, and, not knowing me as +well as they might, they were disgusted. It also seemed that I was +willing to let Yale go on the field with a weak team when it might be +strengthened if I would play. Yale men are loyal to old Eli. They will +forgive a personal affront quicker than anything that looks like +cowardice or treachery toward Yale." + +"Oh, well, if that's the way you look at it, I have nothing to say." + + + + +CHAPTER L. + +AGAINST ODDS. + + +Five minutes after Merriwell and Rattleton left Traeger's the latter +came rushing back, hatless, excited and out of breath. He burst in upon +the merry party, gasping: + +"Quick? quick! They've got him!" + +"Hey?" cried several, astounded. "Got who?" + +"Merry!" + +"Who's got him?" + +"Gang with--masks--over--faces!" palpitated Rattleton. + +"What's this?" shouted Paul Pierson. "The deuce you say!" + +"It's right," declared Harry. "Mason's gang--know it was--Mason's gang!" + +Every man was on his feet. + +"To the rescue!" shouted Jack Diamond. + +Out of Traeger's they poured. Rattleton led them. He took them to the +dark street where the gang had suddenly jumped out and pounced upon +Merriwell and himself. + +"It was right here," he said. "Yes--here's my hat. I got a soaker in the +jaw--knocked me stiff for a moment. They piled onto Merry. Had a cab +waiting--bundled him into it. Before I could give him a hand, they were +carrying him off in the cab." + +"How many of them?" asked Pierson. + +"I don't know--six or seven." + +"Well, they have got away with him. They're gone. There is no cab in +sight. What are we going to do?" + +"Try to follow some way!" cried Diamond. "We must find them! We must +stand by Merriwell! Oh, curse it! We might have known something was up +when Jones told us he saw Mason outside." + +"Sure!" agreed the others. + +"I said there was something in the air," put in Griswold, but no one +paid the slightest attention to him. + +"We should have gone along with Merry," grated the excited Virginian. +"Then, if the gang had tried to jump him--oh, we'd given them a hot +time!" + +"What do you suppose they'll do with him?" asked somebody. + +"Do?" palpitated Rattleton. "The infernal skunks will do something +dirty! Mason is playing to get square. He has sworn to hammer the life +out of Merry, and he'll try to keep his word." + +"It's a dirty trick!" fluttered Diamond. "If Merry is harmed, we should +stand together and tar and feather Mason." + +"We will!" + +Every man there uttered the shout, and they were in earnest. + +For some moments they lingered near the spot, and then they started +along the street in the direction Rattleton said the cab had taken. They +found a policeman after a time, and he had seen a closed cab go past in +a hurry. He told them the direction it had taken. + +They tried to trace the kidnaped junior, but the attempt was a failure. +At last they gave it up. Vowing vengeance on all freshmen in general and +Hock Mason in particular, they went back to Traeger's. + +The story spread. It was not long before every junior abroad that +evening knew what had happened. Fierce were the threats made against the +freshmen. + +The hour grew late, and some of the fellows decided to go to Merriwell's +room and wait for him. They anticipated that he would be released after +Mason had obtained his revenge. + +To their astonishment, Merriwell's door was not locked. They opened it +and walked in. + +Merriwell was there! + +"Come in, fellows!" called Frank, cheerfully. + +He was examining some of his clothes. They were the clothes he had worn +that evening, and a glance showed they were torn and ruined. + +"Just looking over this suit, to see how much it was damaged," Merriwell +laughed. "It strikes me it is knocked out. Won't ever be able to wear it +again." + +Then he saw them standing and staring at him in astonishment, and he +asked: + +"What's the matter?" + +"Rattleton must have been stringing us!" exclaimed Puss Parker. + +"Lot on your nife--I mean not on your life!" spluttered Harry. "I gave +it to you straight." + +"But Merriwell is here--all right." + +"How long have you been here, Merry?" asked Browning. + +"Came in about ten minutes ago," answered Frank. "Just had time to +change my clothes before you chaps drifted in." + +"Then they did carry you off?" + +"Rather." + +"But you're all right?" + +"Never was better." + +"Mason didn't get revenge on you?" + +"Not this evening." + +"Tell us about it!" cried Browning and Halliday, together. + +"Yes, tell us," urged Parker. "You've been in some kind of a scrimmage. +That's evident by the appearance of the clothes you have taken off. Tell +us what happened." + +"I suppose Rattles has told you how they jumped us?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, they had me before I could do a thing. I rather think Mason got +his hands on me. Anyhow, it was some big fellow with the strength of +Samson. Before I could strike for myself I was bundled into a cab, and +two or three of them were in there with me. They told me to keep still. +My hands were twisted behind my back and tied. Then they carried me +off." + +"Didn't I give it to you straight?" cried Harry. + +"Where did they carry you?" asked Halliday, eagerly. + +"Somewhere out of town. They didn't talk much--didn't want me to +recognize their voices, I suppose. I kept still, as they told me, but I +was trying to work my hands free all the time. I found I could do it, +but I waited till they stopped and bundled me out of the cab. Then----" + +"Then?" cried the listening boys, eagerly. + +"Then I slipped my hands out of the ropes and sailed into them." + +"Wish I'd been there," grunted Browning, with unusual animation. + +"Go on, Frank--go on!" cried the others. + +"It was a right tight little scrap," laughed Merriwell; "but they were +taken by surprise, and that gave me a show. One or two of them got hold +of me. They tore my clothes. Once they got me down, but I managed to get +away and got onto my feet. I told them I was going to mark the whole +crowd so I would know them in the morning, and I think I did it for the +most of them. It was dark, or I should have known them, for I ripped the +masks off nearly all of the gang. Every time I could, I slugged a fellow +in the eye, and some of them will have their peepers decorated +to-morrow." + +Rattleton fell to laughing. + +"Oh, gee!" he cried. "They were monkeying with a cyclone! They'll +remember you, Merry!" + +"I intended that they should. At last, seeing I could not lick the gang, +and they were bound to get the best of me in the end, if I persisted in +trying to do so, I took to my heels and ran for it. One fellow gave me a +red-hot chase. He was a sprinter, fellows. I found I had drawn him on +ahead of the others, and I slacked till he was close at my heels. He +thought he was overtaking me. All at once I stopped short and turned on +him. He couldn't stop or dodge, and he ran against my fist. Well, I am +dead sure he'll bear my mark to-morrow." + +Merriwell was congratulated. Alone and single-handed he had bested his +enemies, a feat that was sure to add to his record. + + +THE END. + + + + +THE FAMOUS Frank Merriwell Stories + +By BURT L. STANDISH + +"_BEST OF ALL BOYS' BOOKS_" + + +No modern series of tales for boys and youths has met with anything like +the cordial reception and popularity accorded to the Frank Merriwell +Stories. + +There must be a reason for this and there is. Frank Merriwell, as +portrayed by the author, is a jolly, whole-souled, honest, courageous +American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the boys. He has no bad +habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea that it is not necessary +for a boy to indulge in petty vices to be a hero. Frank Merriwell's +example is a shining light for every ambitious lad to follow. + + +_Twenty-four volumes ready_ + + Frank Merriwell's School Days + Frank Merriwell's Skill + Frank Merriwell's Chums + Frank Merriwell's Champions + Frank Merriwell's Foes + Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale + Frank Merriwell's Trip West + Frank Merriwell's Secret + Frank Merriwell Down South + Frank Merriwell's Loyalty + Frank Merriwell's Bravery + Frank Merriwell's Reward + Frank Merriwell's Races + Frank Merriwell's Faith + Frank Merriwell's Hunting Tour + Frank Merriwell's Victories + Frank Merriwell's Sports Afield + Frank Merriwell's Power + Frank Merriwell at Yale + Frank Merriwell's Set-Back + Frank Merriwell's Courage + Frank Merriwell's False Friend + Frank Merriwell's Daring + Frank Merriwell's Brother + + + + +_THE MOTOR POWER SERIES_ + +Donald Grayson's Famous Motor Stories for Boys + + +Mr. Grayson is an accomplished writer of up-to-the-minute juvenile +stories which are eagerly read by modern American lads. + +In his new series, his characters have exciting adventures with every +kind of motor-driven machines--motor cycles, automobiles, aeroplanes and +submarines. + +You may readily see what a vast field for adventures Mr. Grayson has +chosen. + + +_Now Ready_ + + BOB STEELE'S MOTOR CYCLE + BOB STEELE ON HIGH GEAR + BOB STEELE FROM AUTO TO AIRSHIP + BOB STEELE AFLOAT IN THE CLOUDS + BOB STEELE'S SUBMARINE CRUISE + BOB STEELE IN STRANGE WATERS + BOB STEELE'S MOTOR BOAT + BOB STEELE'S WINNING RACE + BOB STEELE'S NEW AEROPLANE + BOB STEELE'S LAST FLIGHT + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Frank Merriwell's Return to Yale, by +Burt L. 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