FRANK - THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES IN MEMORY OF EDWIN CORLE PRESENTED BY JEAN CORLE " 1 In- voice of the umpire announced : ' Man is out !' " (See page C'J) FRANK MERRIWELL'S SKILL BY BURT L. STANDISH AUTHOR OF "Frank M Swell's Schooldays," " Frank Merriwell's Trip Wst," " Fraak Merriwell's Chums," " Frank Merriwell's Foos," " Frank Merriwell Down South," etc. PHILADELPHIA DAVID McKAY, PUBLISHER 604-8 SOUTH WASHINGTON SQUARE Copyright, 1989 If STREET A SMITH PrxU MerriweU'* SMI FRANK MERRIWELL'S SKILL. CHAPTER I. DEFENDING THE WEAK. "Ouch! Leggo!" "I'll leggo after I've given you a good shaking, you sassy little rascal !" "Don't! You hurt!" "I mean to ! Call me a stiff, will you ! Take that !" Slap ! slap ! The two blows, struck with the hand open, fell on the ears of the luckless urchin, causing him to howl with pain. "Stop it, ye ornery skunk !" These words came from neither the barefooted boy nor the man who was maltreating him. They were spoken by a tall, gawky, country-looking young fellow dressed in a bicycle suit, who had just issued from a hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, and thus, by accident, came upon the struggle that was taking place before the door. On the veranda in front of the hotel sat a young man who was laughing as if greatly amused by the struggles and cries of the unfortunate boy. 2035362 8 Defending the Weak. The other man, who had the boy by the collar, looked up in surprise. "Hey?" he exclaimed. "Did you speak to me?" "Yeou bet I did, b'gosh!" was the prompt answer from the tall lad. "What did you say?" "I told ye ter stop hittin' that air boy, by thunder ! An' I meant it, too!" "Oh, you did? Well, who are you?" "I'm Ephraim Gallup, from Varmont, by chaowder ! an' I don't like to see a great big, hombly man like yeou a-pickin' on a boy of that size." "Perhaps you may not like it, but what are you going to do about it?" "Do ? Why, darn my punkins ! if yeou don't let that air boy go, I'll jest shin aout of my co't, an' I'll sail inter yeou hotter'n a charge of grapeshot aout of a cannon ! That's ther kind of a pansy blossom I be, b'jee!" At this the man, who still clung to the boy, broke into derisive laughter, which was echoed by the man on the veranda. "Go fall on yourself !" contemptuously shot back the former. "This kid sassed me, and I'm going to cuff his ears till I make him wish he'd kept his dirty little mouth shut!" He raised his hand to strike the boy once more. The urchin dodged and held his hands over his ears, appeal- ing to Ephraim Gallup : "Don't let him do it ! He's give me the earache now, an' I had the doctor for it yesterday." Defending the Weak. 9 The lank boy lifted a hand and pointed one finger straight at the man. "If yeou hit that little feller ag'in," he slowly said, "I'll come daown there an' swat you once ur twice so yeou'll see more stars than any 'stronomer ever dis- kivered !" Biff! the blow staggered the boy. Then there was a sudden whirl, as Ephraim seemed to jerk himself out of his coat, the sight of a long, lank form sailing through the air, and the sharp crack of a fist that was driven straight from the shoulder and did not miss the mark. The movements of the boy from Vermont had been so swift that the man was not prepared to meet the at- tack, and the very first blow knocked him down, with the barefooted urchin, to whom he was clinging, piled upon his body. The urchin broke away at once, sprang off, and danced a wild war dance of joy, shouting with delight : "Jimminy, wasn't that a corker! Oh, my, my, I never seen northin' like that! He! he! he!" Dazed and astounded, the man who had been struck sat up. He looked at Ephraim Gallup, who was stand- ing near, coat off, fists clinched, ready for further busi- ness, and then he scrajmbled to his feet, uttering fierce exclamations of rage. "Look out!" screamed the urchin, in sudden alarm "look out fer him, young feller ! That's Dad Morse, the pitcher on the Fort Worth ball team, and he's a scrapper. He'll do ye up." "Wai, let him do !" came from between the set teeth 10 Defending the Weak. of the "Down East" lad. "There is others that can do a little somethin'." "Give it to him, Dad !" cried the man on the veranda, having arisen to his feet. "Punch the packin' out of him!" "I will !" snarled the pitcher of the Fort Worths. He came at Ephraim savagely. For a moment the two sparred, and Gallup managed to avoid the worst blows, although he received one that made his head ring and cut his lip on the inside. That was just enough to fully arouse the youth from Vermont. In a moment, Dad Morse, scrapper though he was by reputation, received another surprise. Ephraim thumped Morse in the wind and then upper-cut him as he doubled over from the effect of the blow. But he did not stop with that, for he felt that Morse was a bulldog sort of chap, who would fight as long as he could stand, so he hammered the pitcher behind the ear, sending him sprawling on his hands and knees. More than ever astounded, the ball player called to his companion : "Hey, O'Connor, come down and kill the fool !" O'Connor came running down. He had a pimply face and a general tough look. "I'll t'ump der head off him !" he declared. When Ephraim turned to meet his new antagonist Morse got on his feet, and the boy from Vermont was between the two. They had him in a bad scrape, and he suddenly realized it. Defending the Weak. II "Go&h !" he gasped, paling somewhat ; "don't I wish I was to hum on the farm !" But he did not run, or try to get away. He struck at O'Connor, who dodged with the skill of a city tough used to "scrapping," and came back with a staggering body blow. "Got to take my med'cine!" gasped Gallup. "I've put my fut inter it naow, an' I can't back aout." Then he did his level best to fight both of them, but was getting much the worst of it, when another youth came out of the hotel. It was Frank Merriwell. An exclamation of astonishment broke from his lips, and then, like a flash, he was bounding down the steps. "Here, here!" his voice rang out; "what's this mean? Let me get into the game!" Get into the game he did in a manner that aston- ished and demoralized Ephraim's two antagonists. His first blow bowled O'Connor over in a twinkling, and then he gave Morse one under the shoulder blade that made that worthy think he had been struck by a pile driver. By this time the encounter had attracted general at- tention, and spectators were -hurrying to the spot from many directions. A tall young man came out of the hotel and was in the midst of the fighters in a moment. He grasped Morse by the collar, and barred O'Connor with his arm, as the pimply youth got up and started for Frank, his face purple with rage. "Here, what's this?" came from the new arrival. 12 Defending the Weak. "How do you fellows dare get into a fight just before a home game with the top-enders? You know you are the battery to-day, and we'll be out of it if anything happens to you. I warned you to keep out of trouble." The speaker was Sam Seekins, manager of the Fort Worth ball team, of the Southern League. Dad Morse was the star pitcher of the aggregation, and O'Connor was the only man who could "hold" him satisfactorily. At the first of the season the Fort Worths had started out like pennant winners, but of late they had been dropping games through hard luck, and the night be- fore our story opens there had been a "shake up," at which Seekins had promised further grief for some of the drones of the team if it did not make a general brace. Out of the three regular pitchers on the team, one had a stiff arm from overwork, and another had hurt himself in trying to slide home with the winning run in the last game. Morse was the only man left in good condition, and Seekins had told -him he must take the coming game from the Little Rocks. Both Morse and O'Connor were quarrelsome and in- fClined to get into trouble, so the manager had warned them to "walk straight" till after the game was over. Now he found them engaged in a street quarrel. Seekins had a fiery temper, and his men were afraid of him. Just now it was plain that he was "mad." "Why, I've a mind to fine you both!" he cried. "What if the police had seen you and arrested you both ! We'd be in a fine scrape this afternoon !" Defending the Weak. 13 The men looked sullen, but said nothing. At this moment some one exclaimed: "Here comes an officer now !" Seeing the crowd in front of the hotel, a policeman was hastily approaching. "Get into the house, and keep out of sight!" hastily came from Seekins. "Git, I tell you!" Neither Morse nor O'Connor cared to be arrested, and so they made haste to obey. As he passed Frank the pimply-faced catcher gave him a savage look, and muttered : "Wait till I sees you after der game! Oh, I won't do a t'ing ter you ter-night !" Frank smiled serenely. "Perhaps it will be better for you if you mind your own business," he said. "I don't want to fight with you, but I didn't propose to stand still and see two of you jump on my friend." "If yer stays in town ye'll fight whedder yer wants to or not," growled O'Connor, as he passed on. "Well, I shall not run away," declared Merriwell. When the officer came up, Seekins took pains to as- sure him that nothing more than a "little dispute" had taken place. The policeman dispersed the crowd. "We seem ter git inter some kind of a ruction ev*ry where we go," grinned Ephraim, as he put on his coat. "I don't like to fight, but I can't stan' it to see a great live overgrowed man a-pickin' on a little kid, and, b'gosh ! I won't do it." 14 Defending the Weak. His words won him some applause from the spec- tators, and one man said : "That's right. Those chaps are no good anyhow. Morse is a great pitcher, but he's a bully. I am some- thing of a baseball crank, but I'd like to see a clean ball team in this town. I'd much rather not see any than have a team made up of scrappers and toughs. If Sec- erns wants to keep the game going here he'll have to get rid of Morse." It happened that Seekins overheard some of this talk. His face grew red, and, rather hotly, he said : "You may think it is dead easy for a manager to get just the kind of men he likes, but that's because you don't know anything about it. If the Fort Worths didn't win games they wouldn't last, and Morse has won more games for us than all our other pitchers com- bined. It sounds fine to talk about clean ball players, but they are very nearly as scarce as hen's teeth. Look at the Austins. The town raised a howl about dirty ball players last season, and this year they have a lot of college chaps on their team. Where are they? They are tail-enders and tail-enders they will remain till they fire the college chaps. College ball is not professional ball, and a team made up of college men doesn't stand a show with a professional team." "Oh, I don't know!" smiled Frank. "There are various opinions about that, sir. I have a little team of my own, made up mostly of college players, and I wouldn't mind putting it up against anything in the Southern League." Seekins laughed disdainfully. Defending the Weak. 15 "You are talking through your hat. Your little team wouldn't score. It would be a farce." "Perhaps so, but my team wouldn't play the leading comedy role. There is a surprise awaiting you any time you feel like tackling us." "We haven't time to 'bother with you/' Then Seekins, in anything but a pleasant mood, fol- lowed his troublesome battery into the hotel. Frank looked around for Ephraim, and saw him talk- ing with the barefooted urchin -he had defended. "Gal wants ter see me?" exclaimed the Vermonter, bashfully. "Yeou don't say!" "Yes, I do," assured the boy, ducking his head sev- eral times. "What in thutteration does she want of me?" "Wants to thank ye." "Hey? Thank me? Whut fer?" "Stoppin' that feller from shakin' me out." "Wai, that's darned funny! Oh, gosh! I don't want to be thanked ! Tell her I'm much obleeged, an' let it go at that." The country lad was growing more and more con- fused and alarmed, and he looked as if he contemplated taking to his heels. The urchin was persistent. "She's my sister," he said, "an' she's a bully gal. She was awful glad you went for that feller, for he tried to make a mash on her last night, and near scared her to death. She'll feel bad if you don't come to see her." "Where is she?" 1 6 Defending the Weak. "In the millinery store 'crost the street See her over there at the door?" The boy pointed her out "Jeeroosalem !" gasped Ephraim. "A millunary shop! An' there must be other female gals in there! I'd ruther face a rigimint of soldiers! I can't do it! Jest tell her that you saw me, but " | "Oh, go ahead, Ephraim!" laughed Frank. "How do you expect ever to cut any ice with the girls if you are so bashful." "Cut ice !" gurgled the Vermonter, wiping the perspi- ration from his face with the back of his hand. "I feel 'zif I'd bin shovelin' coal inter a furnace! I can't go over there, Frank!" "If you don't she'll think you a chump." Ephraim groaned. "Come over with me!" he exclaimed, eagerly. "Yeou know haow to git along with the gals, an' yeou kin help me aout." "All right," nodded Merry. "Come ahead." The delighted urchin led the way across the street, and Frank and Ephraim followed. Frank took the Vermonter's arm to keep him from bolting, and he could feel Ephraim trembling. "Gosh!" whispered Ephraim. "Don't I wish I was to hum on the farm !" The boy opened the door for them to enter the store, and Frank pushed Ephraim in ahead. In his confus- ion, the country lad caught the toe of his right foot on his left heel and nearly fell over himself. When he straightened up he found himself face to Defending the Weak. 17 face with a very pretty girl, who was smiling, despite her efforts to repress -her merriment " 'Scuse me!" exclaimed Ephraim, as he snatched off his cap. "My legs are alwus gittin' mixed up with each other an' tryin' to trip me daown. I oughter have 'em cut daown to regerlation length." This pleased the barefooted lad, who shouted : "His legs may be long, but he's all right, sis ! He's a corker, an' he didn't do a thing to Morse !" In a frank, unaffected way, the girl offered her hand to the boy from Vermont. "I saw you just as you went to my brother's aid," she said, and her voice was pleasant and musical. "Tommy is forever getting into scrapes. That man spoke to me last night, and frightened me. I ran away from him, and told Tommy." "An' I laid fer him/' said the boy. "When I saw him come out of the hotel I jes' told him that he was a big stiff. Then, when I wasn't lookin' he jumped down an' caught me." Ephraim shook the girl's hand, -his face being beet- red, while he stammered some words. "You were very good to stand up for Tommy," said the girl ; "but I was afraid you would get the worst of it when I saw both of those men upon you. I was so glad when the other gentleman came out and helped you." She smiled on Frank, w-ho bowed in his most grace- ful manner, declaring: "I am sure neither Mr. Gallup nor myself expected to be repaid in this manner for what we did.'* i8 Defending the Weak. Behind the counter was another girl, who was watch- ing Frank with admiring eyes. She was prettier than the one who had expressed her thanks, and now she found an opportunity to say something : "Miss Raymond and I were both dreadfully fright- ened when we saw the fight, and we were so glad when you came out and helped your friend. I think those two men perfectly horrid, and I have been staying away from the ball games lately just because I dislike them so much. It's been an awful sacrifice, too, for I just do love a real good game of ball." "In that case, perhaps we may have the pleasure of seeing you and Miss Raymond at the game this after- noon," suggested Frank. "Are you going?" "Yes. We have stopped over here on purpose to at- tend the game. There are nine in our party, and we are all going." "Oh, dear!" sighed the girl behind the counter. "I'm afraid Miss Walker won't let us both go at once. I'd just love to go this afternoon !" As she said this she gave Frank a most expressive and bewitching look. "We'll try to get out, won't we, Ida?" said the boy's sister. "We'll do our best to, Eva," laughed the other; "but I'm awfully afraid we'll fail." "Gosh !" put in Ephraim ; "I hope ye won't. I'd like to see ye ag'in. We've been daown in Arizony and New Mexico, an' it seems kainder good to git into a Defending the Weak. 19 country where there's lots of pritty gals. By gum! I don't believe I ever saw so menny pritty gals as there is daown here in Texas. I don't b'lieve there's any hombly ones." "That is complimentary," smiled Eva ; "but of course you must have noticed degrees of beauty among the Texas girls ?" "Never noticed it so much as I have durin' the last three minutes," said the country lad. "Before that I thought they all was pritty, but I've diskivered there's two who are prettier, b'jee!" Frank felt like clapping Ephraim on the back, for the awkward lad had said this in such an honest way that the girls could not help being flattered. And it became apparent in a moment that the Ver- monter had made a hit. The girls showed this. Frank and Ephraim did not remain long in the store, but they stayed long enough to find out that the name of the barefooted boy's sister was Eva Raymond, and the other girl's name was Ida Day. When they left the girls promised again to get out that afternoon and at- tend the bail game, if possible. "Wai, darn my pertaturs!" exploded Ephraim, as they walked over toward the -hotel; "I never struck northin' like that! Them gals is both peaches; but Eva, she's jest a leetle the peachiest." "You have caught on with her, old man," said Frank; "and she seems like a splendid girl." "An' yeou've made a hit with t'other one. B'gosh! ao Defending the Weak. I'll jest brace right up to Eva Raymond. Won't the* fellers stare when they see me! It duz seem kainder funny to think of me makin' a mash. Ho ! ho ! h o ! Darned ef this ain't more fun than hoein' corn on ther farm!" CHAPTER H. BASEBALL TALK. As Frank had said, there were nine in the party, and before going further it may be as well to introduce them, individually and collectively. Frank Merriwell, our hero, was the leader, tall, hand- some and a lover of all sorts of manly sports. Frank was a boy who never failed in anything he undertook and was a prime favorite with his friends. Besides Frank there were Harry Rattleton, his room- mate at Yale College, a youth full of fun; Jack Dia- mond, a boy from Virginia ; big and lazy Bruce Brown- ing; Bart Hodge, a chum of many years' standing; Hans Dunnerwust, a comical Dutch lad; Barney Mul- loy, a clever Irish youth; Ephraim Gallup, already in- troduced, and Toots, a colored boy, who, when at home, was attached to the Merriwell household. Some time before five of the boys, including Frank, had started on a bicycle tour from New York to San Francisco. After many adventures the tour was brought to a triumphant close, and then the boys, along with the others, whom they had met out West, started on the return to the East. It was Frank's idea to form them into what was called the "Yale Combine." Nine made a good ball team, and as nearly all the boys were athletes, they 22 Baseball Talk. started in for sport on the way back, stopping off at any place that promised fun and excitement. While in the extreme West they had been accom- panied by Inza Burrage, a young lady who was very dear to Frank's heart, and her aunt, Miss Gale, but the ladies had left them behind, being unwilling to lose as much time as the boys wished to spend in recreation. After leaving the millinery store, Frank and Eph- raim directed their steps to the hotel. In the baggage- room they found Toots busily at work cleaning up the nine bicycles that belonged to the party, while Bruce Browning, who was on hand to oversee the job, sat in the elevated chair of the bootblack, fast asleep. "Bet yo' I's gwan teh hab mah pay fo' dis job!" the colored boy was muttering. "Don' yo' mek no mis- take 'bout dat. Dem lazy boys don' lek teh clean bi- suckles, but dey allus wants 'em teh shine lek new. An' dey finks I ain't gwan ter do de job right if I don' nab' a boss ober me. Dar dar am de boss!" waving his hand toward Bruce, who was snoring in a fitful man- ner. "Yah! yah! yah! Ain't dat chile a sleepin* beauty !" As Frank and Ephraim stopped in the open doorway, Browning began to mutter in his sleep: "Strawberry shortcake I smell strawberry short- cake. Yum ! yum ! I see it I want it I will have '' Then he toppled over and fell out of the chair, strik- ing upon Toots and flattening the colored boy out upon the floor, while the bicycle the darky had been at work upon fell over upon them both. "Yah!" howled the frightened colored lad. "Dis Baseball Talk. 23 chile ain't no strawberry shortcake! Wat yo' tryin' tehdo!" Bruce, awakened in this startling manner, fancied everything was falling down about his ears. "It's an earthquake!" he shouted "We'll be buried in the ruins ! Help ! help !" Frank and Ephraim laughed heartily at the spectacle. Fearing he would be crushed flat, Toots succeeded in placing one foot against Browning's broad stomach, and then kicked Bruce and the bicycle into the air. The big fellow came down with a thud on the floor, but the bicycle turned over and cracked the darky on the head as it once more alighted upon him. "Wow!" howled Toots. "G'way, dar. What yo' tryin' teh do?" Frank came in and pulled the wheel off the colored boy, fearing the machine might be injured. Browning sat up, looking dazed and foolish. "It seems to me that something has happened," he said, bewildered. "Dat's so," nodded Toots, sitting up and facing Bruce. It took some time to make clear to Bruce just what had happened, and, when he understood it, he was thor- oughly disgusted. "All the other fellows are taking a snooze in their rooms, while I am down here working," he said. "Oh, that's always the way ! I have to do all the work." Then Frank told of the encounter in front of the hotel and of the two girls in the millinery store. "That's it!" grunted Bruce. "You have all the fun 24 Baseball Talk. fighting and making mashes, while I have to work like a dog bossing this colored rascal." "Yah! yah!" laughed Toots. "It's piles cb bossin' yo' was doin! Why, Mistah Brownin', yo' fell asleep jes' ez soon as yo' sot do'n in dat chair." At this moment Sam Seekins, the manager of the Fort Worth ball team, came into the room on his way through. He paused when he saw Frank. "I have obtained the particulars concerning that little affair in front of the hotel," he said, "and I want to apologize for my men. If Morse was not such a crack- ajack pitcher I wouldn't keep him an hour. He is for- ever bullying somebody and getting into trouble, while O'Connor is a good mate for him. It's no cinch man- aging a ball team, anyway." "That's right," smiled Frank. "The manager of a team is sure to get more kicks than anything else." "Sure. I believe you said that you are the manager of some sort of a team ?" "Oh, that is different. It is a college combination, and we take an interest in athletics of all sorts. We do not make baseball a feature." "Still you play some?" "Yes." "What do you do?" "Pitch." "So ? And you really think you could play ball with a professional team? Why, my dear young fellow, my men would bat your eye out in one inning." Frank smiled as if he had received a compliment. Baseball Talk. 25 of those fellows all right ; but you did have a nerve to offer to bet a hundred on the game. We can afford to get along without the gate money." "Is that the way you look at it?" exclaimed Frank, in mild surprise. "Well, we don't propose to get along without the gate money. We're going to have it." "Eh!" grunted Bruce. "Why, you don't expect to beat a regular professional team like the Fort Worths ?' r "Don't I? Well!" "But we can't do it, Frank, and you know it." "I don't know anything of the sort. We can make a big bluff at it, and we may give them the biggest sur- prise party they ever struck." "I admire your courage," yawned Browning ; "but I must say that, for once, your judgment is away off. We have done no playing together, and " "We are all right, although we lack team work. You know you were a smasher with the bat when you used to play, and you can gather in anything that comes within four rods of first. All you'll have to do is to wake up and get into gear. You have seen me pitch. " "Yes," nodded Browning, "you are a pitcher. Merry, but a pitcher can't win the entire game. Where i c your catcher?" "Hodge will catch me." "Is he any good?" "Is he? Well, wait and see! I'll go you something he is Yale's backstop before he has been in college more than one season." "Can he throw?" 34 An Agreement. "Like a bullet" "Bat?" "Lake a fiend at times. He is a little erratic, but when he gets a streak of batting it seems that nothing will stop him." "I hope he'll have one of those streaks to-day, but Dad Morse is a bird. You know he is left-handed, and he can make the ball look small as a pea when it goes over the plate. The man is too fast for this league, and he would be in one of the bigger leagues if it wasn't for his quarrelsomeness and unreliability." "Well, I don't think he will scare many of our crowd. We can bat him if we are not afraid of him. We must go right at him, and get him going at the start." "It's well enough to talk about that, but you know Diamond is not a batter, though he does cover second in great shape. It was his weak batting that kept him off the Yale team." "I know he is no great batter, but Rattleton can do a fairly good job with the stick, and Barney is a won- der. That Irishman will surprise Mr. Morse." "Well, what's the use to play with such an outfield as we have?" "Our outfield might be stronger." admitted Frank ; "but the only very weak spot will be in right, the least important field, which Dunnerwust will cover. Gallup can gather in flies to beat the band, and he throws like Sockalexis, the Indian ball player. Toots is a sure catch and a good runner, but a poor thrower. Take them all together, they make an aggregation that's not An Agreement. 35 to be sneezed at. We may surprise Fort Worth this afternoon/' "I hope so," said Browning, doubtingly; "but I'm glad you didn't put up that hundred." "Oh, ye of little faith!" muttered Frank, as he walked away. CHAPTER IV. FRANK USES A WHIP. It was near noon, and, as Frank started to ascend the stairs of his room, Ephraim came rushing up to him in great excitement. "Hold on!" panted the boy from Vermont. "I've got somethin' ter tell ye! It's gol darned 'portant, too!" Frank stopped. "Why, you are in a perfect sweat, Ephraim," he said. "Sweat!" exclaimed the Yankee lad. "Who wouldn't sweat ! It's 'nuff ter make a man b'ile!" "What is it? I didn't think it was so unusually hot to-day." "Hot! Jimminy whiskers! it's whut I've heerd that's made me hot." "What was it?" Ephraim looked around to make sure they were alone, and then hastily said : "I've heerd them two darned sarnips talkin' 'bout havin' fun with them gals, b'gosh !" "What two 'darned sarnips' and what 'gals' ?" "Why, Morse an' Pimple Face. Them's the ones I mean." "Who are the girls?" "Them same gals we saw in ther millunery shop." Frank Uses a Whip. 37 "Eva Raymond and Ida Day?" "Them's um, b'jee!" "Well, what sort of fun was Morse and O'Connor planning to have with the girls?" "It's this way : Them gals live quite a ways frum the shop, an' they walk hum to dinner ev'ry day. They go together. Them two sarnips ha' faound it aout, an' they're goin' to stop um on the road." "This is interesting," exclaimed Frank, pricking up his ears. "Yes, they're goin' to git a two-seated team, an' go to some place where they can stop the gals. Then they're goin' to make the gals git in an' hav' a ride with um." "Very fine !" exclaimed Merry, his eyes beginning to flash. "How soon is this to take place?" "They've gone after the team naow." "Well, we'll follow them, Ephraim, and take a hand in the little game. What do you say to that?" "Haow are we goin' ter follow um ?" "On our wheels." "By gum ! we kin do that ! I'm in it up to the eyes !" "Then come on. We -have no time to lose." Frank glanced at his watch, and then led the way to the room where Toots still was working over the wheels. Selecting their wheels, Frank and Ephraim quickly left the hotel. As they mounted, a two-seated surrey came out from the stable and drove away. Morse and O'Connor were seated in the surrey. "We'll ride along after them, and keep them in 38 Frank Uses a Whip. sight," said Frank. "If they happen to look around, we will pretend we do not see them, as if we were out taking a little spin, that's all." This plan was carried out, and it happened that the two ball players were so busy talking that they did not look back. The surrey turned a corner to the left, and then, in a short time, turned again, making it evident the two rascals had ridden away in the wrong direction so their real purpose might not be suspected. Striking a certain street on the outskirts of the place, they permitted the horse to walk slowly, turning about after going a certain distance, and coming back. Frank and Ephraim had dismounted at the corner. An old shed stood there, and into that they had stepped, taking their wheels. Through some cracks in the boarding, they were able to watch Morse and O'Connor Suddenly the men in the carriage were seen to straighten up and appeared interested. "The gals air comin' !" exclaimed Ephraim, excitedly. "I kin see urn!" The girls were approaching at a rapid walk. O'Connor, who was driving, turned the team about, and set the horse to walking in the same direction the girls were pursuing. Frank and Ephraim kept out of sight when the girls passed the shed. Ephraim was anxious to speak and warn them, but Frank bade him be still. "Let's see what sort of girls they are," he said. "They may be willing to get in and ride with those fel- Frank Uses a Whip. 39 lows, in which case it will be none of our business, and we would be making fools of ourselves to chip in. If they don't want to ride, and there is any trouble, it won't take us long to reach them." "By gum ! yeou're right yeou're alwus right !" "Have your bicycle ready to mount. We can ride right out of this shed into the street. We won't lose any time if we have to go. Get ready ! The girls are almost up with the team. They're slackening up, as if frightened! They've recognized the fellows! Now the team has stopped ! They are speaking to the girls ! Morse has leaped out! I'm sure the girls are fright- ened. They shrink away! He has grasped Eva by the arm the scoundrel !" "Come on b'gosh, we'll lynch 'em!" Ephraim shouted, making a wild lunge to mount his bicycle, but upsetting with a loud crash. Frank sprang into the saddle, and was out of the shed in a moment, leaving the boy from Vermont to pick himself up and follow as soon as possible. Wheeling into the road, Merriwell pedaled swiftly toward the team, urged onward by a scream of alarm from one of the girls. "The brute the ruffian !" grated Merriwell. "I feel that I could break his worthless neck !" Not one of the four saw Frank coming till he was right upon, them. It did not seem that he slackened the speed of his wheel to dismount, but, letting it go, he leaped to the ground. "Oh, help me!" gasped Eva. "I will !" cried Frank. 40 Frank Uses a Whip. Then smack ! his fist struck just under the ear of Dad Morse, and he caught the little milliner's clerk in his arms as the man was sent staggering, gasping, curs ing, nearly falling. "Oh! oh!" cried both the frightened girls. O'Connor gave an exclamation of astonishment and a snarl of rage. "It's dat fly kid !" he cried. "Bern me eyes !" Frank paid but very little attention to either of the men, but spoke calmly and reassuringly to the girls. "It's all right, young ladies," he declared. "You need have no alarm. Mr. Gallup is coming, and I think we'll be able to take care of you." Morse recovered with astonishing swiftness, leaped toward the carriage, and snatched out the whip. "I'll fix the whelp!" he snarled. Swish ! the whip cut through the air. Regardless of the girl Merriwell was supporting, the man had struck with all his strength, and the the lash curled around the bodies of both lad and maid. As the lash stung through her thin clothes, Eva ut- tered a scream of pain. Like a flash, Frank released her and turned on the brute. Morse had lifted the whip for another blow. "I'll leave the mark on yer face !" he almost shouted. He did intend to scar Frank's face, for which he struck with all his strength. Frank ducked and leaped sideways, escaping entirely. Then, like a young panther, he sprang at the man, grappled with him, wrenched the whip from his hand. Frank Uses a Whip. 41 "Two can play at this game !" cried Merry, with that peculiar laugh that was characteristic with him in times of great danger or excitement. "You struck the young lady, and you'll apologize to her, or I'll cut the clothes off your back with this whip." Swish spat! swish spat! Without mercy and with all the strength he could command, Frank swung that whip. It cut through the air, it twined about the man's arms and shoulders, it doubled him up with pain and fury. "Oh! oh!" screamed the famous pitcher of the Fort Worth team, as he danced about. "Stop it! Oh, Satan take you! I will kill you if I get hold of you!" "I haven't a doubt but you would enjoy doing so, but you will not get hold of me," said Merriwell, as he con- tinued to lay on with all his strength. "Are you ready to apologize humbly to the young ladies ?" "Stop, I say ! Apologize nuthin' ! Ow wow wow! I'll shoot ye I will!" Morse's hand went around to his hip pocket. Not knowing but the man carried a revolver, Frank watched him closely, still using the whip. But the man was blurring. He did not have a re- volver, and he had hoped to frighten Merriwell by his threat and movement. "Ye-ow!" -he screamed, trying to dodge and run, only to find Merriwell had dodged around and was heading hifn off. "Oh, I'll fix you for this! Oh, furies ! Don't hit me again !" "Down on your knees before these girls !" came re- lentlessly from Frank, "down and apologize!" 42 Frank Uses a Whip, ''Never!" "Then you get it harder !" He did. It seemed that new strength came into the arm of the lad with the whip, and he piled on the blows with added swiftness. "Stop him, Con!" begged Morse. "He's cutting me all to pieces! He is killin' me! Ow wow! Stop him quick !" But O'Connor was having all he could do to keep the horse from running away, as the animal was fright- ened by the sound of the whip and the cries of the man who was being lashed. . "Whoa!" he roared. "Wot's der matter wid yer! Stan' still! Wot yer tryin' ter do jumpin' roun' dat way?" Morse thought his friend was speaking to him, and it made him furious. "What's ther matter with you!" he howled back. "Ow thunder! You come down an' try it! Blazes! You won't stan' still long! You're doin' a nice job settin' still while I'm bein' cut up this Murder! Wow ! wow ! wow !" "Haw! haw! haw!" laughed Ephraim Gallup, who had arrived on the scene and was in position to look out for both girls. "Haw! haw! haw! That's ther gol darndest funniest sight I've seen sence I left ther farm ! Give it ter ther critter, Frank ! Make him squeal, drat him!" "Will you apologize?" demanded Frank, putting ex- tra vim into a blow as he asked the question. "Apologize! Whoop!" Frank Uses a Whip. 4> "Get down on your knees!" commanded Frank, striking again. Morse tried to dodge and run away, but he sprang against the horse, which snorted and reared, backing the carriage around into the gutter, and nearly upset- ting O'Connor. The recoil flung the man backward, and he went down in the dust. When he struggled to his knees, Frank Merriwell stood over him with the whip uplifted, saying : "Stay right there till you apologize, or I'll give it to you worse than anything yet! Don't try to get up!" "Don't don't hit me!" pleaded Morse, beginning to weaken. "I shall if you try to rise." "Then I won't try." "You must apologize." The man gave Frank a look of unutterable hatred. "What shall I say?" "Apologize for insulting these young ladies and for striking Miss Raymond with the whip." "All right, I apologize, but "That is not satisfactory. You must apologize in a different manner than that." "I dunno wot ter say," sullenly growled the humil- iated rascal. "Then I think I'll use the whip till you find out." ; 5 Mt when it seemed that Frank was going to lay on again, Morse quickly said : "I'll do the best I can. Young ladies, I beg yer par- don if I have insulted yer. I'm sorry fer it." 44 Frank Uses a Whip. "Is that satisfactory, Miss Raymond ?" asked Frank. "Oh, quite so!" said the girl, quickly, still shiver- ing and nervous. "Is it satisfactory to you, Miss Day ?" blandly asked Frank. "Yes, yes!" "All right, then," said Merriwell, coolly. "Get up, Morse get into that carriage. Move about it, too! Now, don't stop till you get out of sight." The man hastened to get into the carriage. Then he started to say something, but Frank started forward with the whip, and he caught the reins out of O'Con- nor's hands, yelling to the horse : "Git up git!" Away shot the animal, having been held in restraint with some difficulty, and Frank laughed to see the brave mashers depart. "That was quite satisfactory," he said, coolly. "I am inclined to think they will not bother you again, girls." At a distance both Morse and O'Connor turned to shake their fists at the little group and yell back pro- fane threats of vengeance. "How can we ever thank you for what you have done?" cried Ida Day. "How, indeed?" chimed in Eva Raymond. "We did not do it for thanks," said Frank, gallantly. "It was a pleasure and satisfaction to be ?.ble to save you from being annoyed by two such rascals." Frank Uses a Whip. 45 "That's right, b'jee!" nodded Ephraim. "We think we're confaounded lucky to git the chaince." "But I don't see how it was that you happened to come along here just in time," said Ida. "Was it by chance?" "No," answered Frank. Then he told them how Ephraim had overheard the ball players plotting to stop them on the road, and they had followed Morse and O'Connor. "Oh, I don't know what we should have done if you hadn't!" fluttered Eva. "I never was so scared in all my life. Why, he jumped out and grabbed me by the arm, and was going to force me to get into the car- riage." By this time a number of persons, who had heard Morse's cries and seen something of the encounter, were approaching hastily. Frank knew they would ask a number of unpleasant questions, and so he urged the girls to hasten toward their homes. "We will ride along on our wheels and keep watch over you," he said ; "so you will not be troubled again." He knew well enough that there was no danger that Morse or O'Connor would make a further attempt to molest the girls that day, but the girls were still trem- bling and frightened, so he believed it best to ride along and make them feel sure they were safe from harm. This was carried out, the boys leaving Eva and Ida at the door of the cottage where the former lived. "I don't feel as if I ever wanted to see a ball game again if those fellows are to play," said Ida. "Nor I," agreed Eva ; "but we have asked to go out, 46 Frank Uses a Whip. and we may as well go this afternoon. Shall we see you gentlemen at the grounds ?" Both Frank and Ephraim assured the girls that they would be there, and then, lifting their caps, mounted and rode back toward the hotel. CHAPTER V. THE GAME BEGINS. At a quarter to three o'clock that afternoon a steady stream of people was pouring through the entrance to the Fort Worth ball ground. At three o'clock one of the largest audiences of the season had assembled to witness the expected game be- tween the locals and the Little Rocks. The word had gone out that Morse was going to pitch. Now Morse was not liked personally in Fort Worth, but he had pitched on the Little Rock team the year before and had slaughtered the Fort Worth bat- teries. On this occasion Fort Worth was looking for revenge. Morse was a bulldozer. It was his delight to "nail" a batter with a swift ball, and scare him, if possible, so he would always be afraid after that. He had "nailed" several Fort Worth men, and now Fort Worth was out to see him return the dose to Little Rock. But Little Rock was not on hand. The crowd looked in vain for the Arkansaw men. Where were they? Rumors were started and the crowd became restless. Forth Worth's team was in the field practicing. They seemed quite unconcerned. "Where is Little Rock ?" howled a stentorian voice. "Play ball !" bawled a man on the bleachers. 48 The Game Begins. Sam Seekins, in uniform, for he played as well as managed, came in from first base, and asked the scorer what time it was. The scorer looked at his watch, and said it was one minute past three. Then Seekins looked around for the umpire, and found him. "Call up the game," said Seekins. "Eh?" said Dorsey, astonished. "Where is Little Rock?" "Little Rock is in the soup. Call up the game. My men are on the field, and I propose to take this game by forfeit." "But what if Little Rock shows up late?" "She won't." The manner in which Seekins said this convinced Umpire Dorsey that Seekins knew what he was talking about, so he walked out behind the home plate and cried: "Play ball!" The spectators looked on, greatly puzzled. Seekins had trotted down to first, and Morse walked out into the box. Fort Worth's team was on the field, and the men were in their positions. Dorsey broke open a square box, took out a ball that was covered with tinfoil, removed the latter and then tossed the snowy sphere down to "Dad." Morse, chewing gum and grinning, with a glove on his right hand, caught the ball. "What are you going to do with it?" cried a spec- tator. The Game Begins. 49 "Strike out the first batter," replied Morse. Then he pitched the ball over the plate, and Dorsey cried: "The Little Rocks failing to appear, this game is for- feited to Fort Worth, 9 to o." Then there were cries of dismay from the crowd, which began to' move, as if to leave the ground. "We want our money back!" shouted scores of voices. "Give us our money!" Sam Seekins ran in from first to home plate. "Wait a moment, ladies and gentlemen," he cried, in a loud voice. "I am very sorry to disappoint you to- day, but it is not the fault of our team. We expected Little Rock to appear up to five minutes ago," he lied. "Then I received a message that said it would be abso- lutely impossible for them to get here." "Somebody must have told them Morse was going to pitch," yelled a small boy. "But you need not be deprived of seeing a hot game of ball, if you care to remain," Seekins went on. "This forenoon I was challenged to play a college team on this ground for one hundred dollars a side and the gate money. At that time I was unable to accept the chal- lenge, having no open date; but now I do accept it, and, if Frank Merri well's Yale team is here, we will play a gume." "Hurrah!" cheered an enthusiast. "Yip! yip! ye-e- ee-e-ea !" "All those who do not care to remain and see the game, may leave at once and receive their money at 50 The Game Begins. the gate," cried Manager Seekins. "Here comes the Yale crowd!" Out from the dressing-rooms under the grand stand trotted nine lads in uniform suits, on the breast of each ^eing a huge white Y. They made a good appearance, and some of the disgusted ones who had started to leave the grounds stopped, their curiosity aroused. "They -have a crust to challenge our team to play for a hundred dollars a side and the gate money!" said one man. "That's right!" growled another. "Why, our boys can eat that crowd. What can they do against Morse?" There was some growling, but not a dozen persons left the ground. The Fort Worth team came in from the field and permitted Merriwell and his men to go out for prac- tice. Frank batted to the infield, and one of the Fort Worth men batted to the outfield. Seekins had coached his men not to give the outfield men any difficult balls, for he feared they might show up so bad the spectators would be disgusted. Gallup showed up very well, and Toots dropped but one fly. Hans, -however, did not seem able to hold anything. The infield, directed by Frank, was picking up every- thing cleanly and doing some excellent throwing. After a short amount of practice Frank announced that he was ready to begin the game. The Fort Worths decided to take their "ins" first, The Game Begins. 51 and Merriwell walked down to the pitcher's box, while Hodge got into position behind the plate. "This is going to be a regular farce," declared one of the spectators in the left side bleachers. "Those fel- lows are a lot of boys, and I don't believe they can play ball, anyhow. If this game is rotten, it will be my last for this season." "Mine, too," declared another. "I have been bun- coed enough. There is no reason why Fort Worth should not be at the -head of the league. We are pay- ing money enough to have the best team in the South." "That's right," agreed a third. "We're a good hun- dred over the salary limit and still we've been losing games, right along. There's a nigger in the wood- pile." "Seekins has three new men in the field to-day." "Who are they?" "Prince, the shortstop ; Lorrimer, in center field, and Hemming, on second. That's what has helped bring out this crowd, together with the report that Morse would pitch." "The game is going to begin !" "Who is that young fellow in the box for the strangers ?" "He is the manager of the team. His name is Mer- riwell." "Well, he is a fine looking fellow. He is built just about right, but it's ten to one he'll be hammered out of the box in a hurry." "Here they go!" Then the voice of the umpire rang out clearly : 52 The Game Begins. "Play ball!" The first man "up" was Francis, Fort Worth's third baseman. He was a tall, wiry fellow and a heavy hitter. Standing with the ball in his hand, Frank surveyed Francis closely, wondering what kind of ball would fool him. Merry decided to try an out-drop, keeping it away from the plate to start with. Frank had a splendid delivery, without unnecessary flourishing, and, having decided how he would start off with the first batter, -he sent in a hummer. To Frank's astonishment Francis reached out with his long arms and long bat and cracked the ball when it was at least a foot beyond the plate, sending it down into right field for a single. Hans raced in and fell over the ball, but managed to pick it up and throw it to second after a time. "Oh, my! oh, my!" roared a loud voice from the bleechers. "Is this a game of ball or what? Get onto the toad in the right !" "What will happen to that poor pitcher!" shrieked another. "It's too bad too bad !" Frank laughed, seeming not in the least ruffled He had met with a surprise in Francis, but he resolved not to show it. In the grand stand Frank saw two girls who were watching him with eager interest. They were Eva Raymond and Ida Day. The next batter to come up was Dix, Fort Worth's The Game Begins. 53 right fielder, a man who was kept on the team for his batting. Frank felt sure Francis would try to steal second, >:ot knowing anything about Hodge's throwing. Seekins himself went down on the coach line He smiled pityingly on Frank. "Too bad ! too bad !" he cried. Frank smiled back. "This is the beginning of the game," he muttered, softly. "Save your pity, Mr. Seekins. You may feel differently later on." Hodge came up under the bat, adjusting mask and protector. Francis began to dance around first, and Frank snapped his left foot out of the box and jerked a ball over to Bruce so suddenly that the big fellow nearly caught the man. It was a close decision, but the um- pire declared Francis safe. Bruce tossed back the ball, and then, as Francis started off, Frank sent it back in a manner that caused the base runner to nearly break his neck getting back to the bag. "Keep them throwing it," cried Seekins. "They'll ose it in a minute. Here's where we make a hundred co start off with." But Frank suddenly faced the batter, having received Bart's signal for a high rise, and delivered the ball. As Frank had expected, Francis attempted to go down to second on the first pitch. He was a swift runner, but Hodge took time to make a sure throw, and 54 The Game Begins. he sent the ball shooting down to second straight as an arrow and swift as a bullet. Diamond had 'been playing off the bag, but Hodge threw for second, regardless of Jack, and threw low. The Virginian came in on a run to cut off Francis. "Slide! slide!" shrieked Seekins. Forward the runner flung himself, sliding hands first for the bag. The umpire had taken his place behind Frank as soon as Francis reached first, and now he, too, scooted down to second to see the play. Diamond took the ball on the run, getting it about two feet from the ground, and punched it into Francis' back as the latter slid, nailing the man right there, and holding him without blocking at least a foot from the base. "Runner is out!" CHAPTER VI. A GREAT THROW. The voice of the umpire sounded clear and distinct There was a sudden silence, and then came a stir in the great crowd of spectators. A cheer went up. "Well done, Yale ! That was easy !" "This may be a ball game after all !" "That catcher can throw !" "You bet! He's all right!" Frank smiled serenely once more, turned to Seekins, and winked tantalizingly. "Too bad ! too bad !" he said "Well, that was pretty good for kids," admitted the manager of the Fort Worths, somewhat crestfallen, as Francis picked himself up from the ground, brushed the dust off his clothes, and disgustedly walked off the diamond. "You have a good man behind the plate, Merriwell, but he isn't the whole team. I am sorry for you. You are bound to see grief." "Don't let that turn your hair gray," said Merry, coolly. "I am bound to see the gate money after the game." "If you do, you will see it when I am putting it into my pocket." "Oh, I don't know ! You're not so warm, old man." Dix was waiting impatiently. He felt like smashing 56 A Great Throw. out a home run. He was confident that he could do it, but he was to discover that too much confidence is some- times quite as 'bad as too little. Frank's first pitch had been called a ball, being too nigh. With no man on first, he took his position in the box, and received his signal from Hodge, who called for a low in-shoot. In another moment, like a flash, Frank sent the ball flying over the inside corner of the plate. Dix swung for it, missed it and was thrown off his feet by the force of his own blow. The crowd laughed. "Better luck next time !" shouted a voice. "If you'd hit it, they never could have found the ball," came from another direction. Bart called for an outcurve, but Frank shook his head. Then the signal for a slow drop was given and accepted. As if he intended to drive the ball with all the speed he could command, Frank made the delivery. The ball seemed to -hang in the air, and Dix, believing it was a straight one, started to swing for it. Too late he saw it was slow. He could not stop his bat, nor could he get it down under the ball, so he missed en- tirely. "Two strikes !" cried the umpire. Dad Morse was watching Merriwell closely, scowl- ing in an ugly manner. He shook his head a bit, growling : "He's tricky; but I'll fix him the first time he faces A Great Throw. 57 me. He's all the pitcher they've got, and we can have fun with him as soon as he is knocked out !" "Wait," advised O'Connor. "If we can git onter der duck, it will hurt him more dan anyt'ing ter bat him all over der lot." "Yer never'll bat him very hard, unless he gets rat- tled." "Oh, I don't know ! He's not such a much." "Wait and see. You follow Dix." "An' I'll make der kid sick." Morse looked doubtful, but expressed a hope that O'Connor might be able to do so. Up in the grand stand were two breathless girls who were watching the game with the most intense interest. "Isn't he handsome, Eva?" whispered Ida Day. "Just look at him now ! I think he is perfectly splen- did!" "So do I," returned Eva Raymond; "but I want to see him do something, and they have put him so far away out there in the field." "Put him so far away! Who are you talking about?" "Why, Mr. Gallup, of course!" "I mean Frank Merriwell." "Oh!" "Of course!" Then both laughed. "Mr. Gallup is awfully awkward, Eva," said Ida. "I don't know about that. He is just as brave as he can be. Remember how he stood up for Tommy. I think he is rather good-looking, too. I know he isn't 58 A Great Throw. handsome, but he has a good face, and it is so honest I always thought I should feel like making fun of a real Down East Yankee, but I don't feel that way a bit about him." "Gracious!" exclaimed Ida. "And you are the girl who can have the handsomest fellow in Fort Worth if you want him. All the good-looking fellows are after you." "Perhaps so, but I'm like my sisters, I judge. Both of them married homely men, and took them instead of handsome fellows. They have the best husbands in Texas, too." "Well, you are queer !" "Perhaps I am, but there is something about Eph- raim Gallup that makes me like him more than any fel- low I ever met before." "Look Mr. Merriwell is going to pitch again!" Disgusted by his ill success, Dix was desperate. He felt that he must make a hit, or be eternally disgraced. His jaws were set in a determined manner, and he fully understood that it was not going to be such an easy thing to hammer Merriwell. Frank was watching Hodge's mouth. Bart was up under the bat, and putting his hands up to each side of his face, he signaled for a high, swift ball. For one moment Frank hesitated, feeling for some reason that Dix could hit a high ball. Still, he knew Bart had good judgment, and he resolved to make the ball so high that there would be little chance that the batter would get it if he went after it A Great Throw. 59 Like a flash, Merry sent in a straight one, putting it above Dix's shoulders. The batter went for it And got it ! With all his strength he smote the ball, and a great shout went up when the sphere sailed away toward center field. In an instant Frank saw it was going far over Gal- lup' s -head. "A home run!" howled the spectators. "Back, Ephraim back!" The cry came from Frank, but Gallup had turned and was racing back toward deepest center. Dix seemed to fly down to first, crossed the bag at wonderful speed, made for second, seeming to have wings attached to his feet. The spectators stood up and shouted. The bleachers broke into a hoarse roar, and a shriller note came from the grand stand. It was plain there were plenty of baseball enthusiasts in Fort Worth. Frank's heart sank, for he saw that Gallup would not be able to reach the ball. It looked like a safe drive for four bags. "I'll know better than to give that man a high swift ball again!" muttered Frank, regretfully. Over Gallup's head went the ball, and over second base sped the runner. Down by first Seekins was shouting, but his voice was drowned in the roar of the crowd. Over by third another coacher was making frantic gestures for Dix to keep right on and make a home run of it. 60 A Great Throw. Ephraim's long legs took him after the ball as swiftly as possible, but it raced away from him. He flung him- self at it fell on it. The spectators shrieked with laughter. It was very funny. Why, that long, lank chap out in the field couldn't play ball no matter how hard he tried, tie was sure to fall over himself. It was all right now; Dix was sure to get home without a struggle. Up came Gallup, as if he had rebounded from the ground. He got his long legs under him and whirled around as if on a pivot. He -had the ball! But Dix had crossed third and was tearing up the dust along the line that led down to home plate. What a snap! It was impossible to stop that score now. Morse was grinning and chewing gum, while O'Connor was shouting in his ear : "Dat's wot'll break Merriwell's heart! Oh, he'll fall to pieces now ! We'll kill der fly kid !" Of course Gallup must throw to Diamond on second, and Diamond must catch the ball, turn, throw it home. By that time Dix would be safe over the plate, and Fort Worth's first score would be a home run off Frank Merriwell. Of course Wait a minute ! Of course nothing ! What was Gallup trying to do? He must be crazy! With all his strength, Ephraim threw the ball. Ii did not rise high in the air. At no time was it more than forty feet from the ground. But the boy from Vermont had not thrown to Dia- A Great Throw. 61 mond. He had made an attempt to throw home from deepest center a supposedly impossible feat. A sudden hush came over the spectators as they saw the ball come sailing through the air like a shot, seem- ing to gain speed till it had passed over the head of Jack Diamond. The bleachers had stopped roaring, and the grand stand was silent. Seekins was gasping for breath. The other coacher seemed paralyzed with astonish- ment, i Hodge was standing two feet in front of the home plate and somewhat to one side toward third, his eye on the ball, his manner calm and confident. Seekins saw the ball was bound to reach home with- out touching the ground, and he threw off the lethargy that had come over him. "Slide!" he shrieked at the runner, "slide, slide!" Dix had seen the ball go over Gallup's head, and this cry to slide astounded him. He had not dreamed there could be any danger that he would not score easily. Seekins must be fooling ; he must be trying to make fun for the crowd. What was the use to slide? Then came the voice of the other coacher howling: "Slide, you fool slide!" What was the matter with him? Well, why not slide and have some sport out of it ? It was bound x o be a foolish game anyway. Dix slid. He did it gracefully and easily. As he went down, he saw Hodge gather something in. It couldn't be the ball ! Then he felt a thump on the back, just before his hands reached the plate, and he was 62 A Great Throw. stunned with astonishment when the voice of the um- pire announced : "Man is out!" Stunned yes! He was so astonished that he lay on the ground, looking up over his shoulder. Hodge had a ball, but it couldn't be the one batted far out into deepest center. There was some "monkey business" here, and Dix felt sure of it. For a little the spectators were silent, as if they, too, who had witnessed the wonderful throw, were unable to believe it had actually been done. Then came a roar from the bleachers a scream from the grand stand. Hats waved in the air, and hand- lcerchiefs fluttered. Roar! roar! roar! It was not cheering, but it was a wild burst of astounded admiration. Never had such a wonderful throw been made on that ball ground. "What's the matter with longlegs!" howled a voice that could be heard above the riotous tumult. "He's all right !" howled back another voice. Then there was another roar wilder, louder, more intense. CHAPTER VII. THE GAME BECOMES INTERESTING. "Sign him, Seekins!" Thus shouted an enthusiast from the grand stand. And in the grand stand were two girls who were overcome with delight. "There!" exclaimed Eva; "he has done something now!" "My ! my !" came from Ida. "How could he throw so far and so straight ? Hear them cheer him !" Sam Seekins stood with his hands on his hips, star- ing out at Ephraim, as if he wondered what sort of an arm the Yankee lad possessed. Dad Morse stopped grinning, and Con O'Connor scratched his pimply chin and growled : "Dat beats der band!" said O'Connor. "I bet dat chap can get der world's record fer t'rowin'." "I wonder if all them chaps can throw as well as the catcher an' center-fielder?" said Morse, angrily. "If dey can, dey're birds! But we're gettin' enter Merriwell's curves all right. Didn't I tell yer! We'll t'ump him all over der lawn directly. Everybody can hit him. Watch me." It was O'Connor's turn to bat, and he picked up a stick. Dix had crawled to his feet and gone to the bench in disgust, "kicking like a steer." He felt that he had 64 The Game Becomes Interesting. been robbed of a sure home run, and the trick had been done by the greatest jay he ever saw on a ball field. Frank was well satisfied, even though the first two men up had secured -hits. The work of Hodge and Gallup had convinced the Fort Worth players that the "Yale Combine" was not so poor as they had thought at first. The next man to get first on a single would not be so eager to try to steal second, and when Gallup secured a ball in center the man on third would hesitate about trying to score on it. But Frank resolved to use his own judgment on the kind of balls he would pitch in the future. He called Bart down, and told him he would signal, but in- structed Hodge to keep up a pretense of signaling, so the opposing players would not tumble to the fact that Frank was doing this part of the work. O'Connor had decided from the batting of the two men before him that Merriwell was one of the "fresh" college pitchers who put them all over the plate when he was able to find it. Such a pitcher, as a rule, is "fruit," so Con decided to pick out a good one and break Frank's heart. The first ball did not suit him, but the umpire called a strike, somewhat to his disgust. The second looked like a "bird." He went after it, and, to his surprise, missed it by a foot. "Two strikes!" cried the umpire. Then O'Connor made a discovery, for the next three were "coaxers," not one of them where he wanted it. The Game Becomes Interesting. 65 He found that Merriwell was not inclined to put every- thing over. And now it stood two strikes and three balls. The next pitch would decide it. Frank saw that O'Connor was more than eager to "hit it out." He felt sure he could "find" the ball, and he did not want to get his base on "four." This was the time that Merry decided to work his slow drop. If O'Connor hit it, he was pretty sure to pop up a little one to the infield, but it was a difficult ball to hit at all, all the more so from the fact that Frank had been using speed altogether on the batter. Frank assumed a position for delivery that meant he was going to pitch a drop, and Browning, Diamond and Rattleton, who had played with him in games and practice at Yale, understood the sign quite as well as Hodge. With exactly the same movement he had used in pitching the swift balls, Frank sent in another that seemed to hang back in the air and then went down toward the ground in a most astonishing manner. He had made no mistake, for O'Connor went after it, fanned, and threw down his bat with an exclamation of rage. Plunk ! the ball struck in Bart's big glove. Whiz ! it went flying down to first. Browning lazily gathered it in. "Batter out!" called the umpire. It was over and Fort Worth had failed to score in their half of the first inning, although they had started off to "make a hundred." 66 The Game Becomes Interesting. Three men had come to the plate, and, although two of them obtained -hits, no more came up. All three were out, and the last man had fanned. The spectators, not a few of whom were somewhat "sore" on the locals, were rejoiced. They expected that Fort Worth would win, but were glad to see the strangers putting up such a game, and gave the Yale crowd a hearty burst of applause when they came in from the field. "Vale," grinned Hans, with satisfaction, "dot peen der time when we done der tricks, poys." "Begorra! it's litthle ye done, ye Dutch chaze!" said Barney. "Vot I said to you?" cried Hans. "I got me hold der pall uf, und dot vas more as you done, alretty yet." "Ye fell all over th' ball gettin' av it." "Und der pall fell all ofer Efy, too; but he didn't done a thing to dot runners. Yaw ! Dot peen almost as goot as I nefer done." As Ephraim approached the bench he was given a round of applause. "What's the matter with the Yankee?" shouted a voice. "He's all right !" roared back another. "Hooray for him!" Then the bleachers cheered, and there was a flutter- ing of handkerchiefs from the grand stand. The face of the boy from Vermont was crimson, but he grinned in a happy manner. Frank came in at Ephraim's side, giving his hand a squeeze, and saying: The Game Becomes Interesting. 67 "It was the finest throw I ever saw, old man ! You're all right, and you have caught the crowd" "Gosh!" exploded Ephraim. "I never felt so thun- derin' foolish in all my life ! Whut be they makin' such a taouse abaout? It makes me wish I was to hum on the farm." "See!" said Frank, "look near the center of the grand stand. There are our Fort Worth friends, and they are waving their handkerchiefs to us. You are a hero this afternoon, Ephraim." "Wai, it's the fust time I ever was, an' I don't know as I like ther feelin' of it." Fort Worth took the field, Morse going into the box. Then some of the new friends the Yale Combine had made shouted for Seekins to take Morse out. "Give the boys a show !" cried a big man, standing up in the midst of the bleachers. "What's the use to spoil the game by putting Dad in? They can't hit him." "Take him out! take him out!" cried many voices. Seekins made a gesture that brought silence to the assembly. "Ladies and gentlemen," he cried, clearly, "Morse has been advertised to pitch to-day, and so he will pitch at least one inning. After that, I think we'll take him out, for he'll not be needed." This silenced and satisfied those who had started in to "root" for Merriwell's team. "So that's what Seekins thinks," muttered Frank. "Boys, we must do our best to make him change his mind this inning. Go right at Dad, and don't be afraid 68 The Game Becomes Interesting. of him. Fort Worth may get a greater surprise in this half than it did in the other." Browning was the first batter. He picked out a stick, and, as he started toward the plate, Frank softly said to him : "Line it out, Bruce. He will put it over for you, and use speed. You can eat speed. Meet it fair that's all." The big fellow nodded, as if he felt too lazy to speak. He loafed up to the plate. Already the crowd had caught on to the fact that Browning was a tired sort of fellow, and it cried : "He'll never be able to dodge one of Dad's in-shoots. Look out and do not hit him, Dad." Morse grinned in his nasty way, his jaws working over a chew of gum. He stood up facing first base, his gloved right hand concealing the ball in his left. In a moment Frank Merriwell was on his feet, start- ing forward, pointing straight at the pitcher, as his voice rang out clear and plain : "Make him show that ball before he delivers, Mr. Umpire make him show it ! He has no right to con- ceal it that way." For an instant the grin vanished from Dad's face, and there was a gleam of fury in his small eyes. He made a gesture as if he would throw the ball at Frank. "I'll show it to you!" he muttered. "I'll bore you with it!" "If you throw it at me. Til agree to break your head with a bat!" said Merriwell, coolly, showing not the least sign of fear. The Game Becomes Interesting. 69 This was something Dad Morse was not accustomed to, as he was a bully, and he had often terrorized op- posing players on the field. It was his pleasure to in- timidate a young college player, and he had fancied the game would work with this aggregation of boys. Some of the spectators hissed Morse. Although Fort Worth was intensely partisan in most cases, and Morse was considered a good man for the team, it did not like the bullying pitcher personally, and it felt that the youthful strangers should be used like gentlemen as long as they conducted themselves in a gentlemanly manner. The umpire compelled Morse to show some of the ball before pitching, which he did in a sullen manner. Browning was ready, and, after balancing himself, with his right foot forward, Morse suddenly shot in a high one with his greatest speed. Browning seemed to swing his bat carelessly almost before the ball left the pitcher's hand. He found it all right, and it went sailing away over the head of Prince, Fort Worth's new shortstop. Prince leaped into the air for it, but did not touch it. Then Bruce awoke, cheered by the roar that came from the surprised and delighted spectators, and ran after the manner that had once made him famous on the Yale freshman football team. Over first he shot, at the command of Rattleton, who was coaching, and kept on for second, which he got safely without having to slide. A two-bagger off the first ball Morse pitched was something wonderful, and it was not strange that those 70 The Game Becomes Interesting. who had taken a fancy to the Yale crowd whooped with joy. Dad continued to grin and chew gum, but his face had grown pale with anger, for all that he tried to con- ceal it. "Yow! yow! yow!" yelled Rattleton, as he danced about down by first ; "what's the batter with Mowning I mean what's the matter with Browning?" "Shimminy Gristmas!" cried Hans, in delight. "You wait till I done dot tricks ! Oh, we peen der poys to blay pall!" Although it is not the custom to place the battery near the head of the batting list, Frank had run Hodge in as second man, and given the third place to himself. He had done this to make the head of the list as strong as possible. Bart danced up to the plate, his face looking grave enough, but a light of satisfaction in his black eyes. For all of his grin, Morse looked ugly. He snapped his jaws over the gum, and then shot a ball at Bart. Hodge dropped to the ground, and avoided it. "You hadn't better hit me!" he flashed, as he picked himself up. "If I think you do it intentionally, I'll get back at you if the crowd mobs me!" Morse continued to grin, but said nothing. He be- lieved he had frightened one of the players. But Dad's nerve had been ruffled by Browning's hit, and he put in two more that were not good, getting three balls straight called on him. Hodge did not seem at all anxious. He let a good one go past, and heard the umpire call a strike. Then The Game Becomes Interesting. 71 came another that looked good, but it proved to be too high, and Bart did not swing. "Four balls," decided the umpire. Bart tossed aside the bat and trotted down to first. Then, looking 1 Morse in the face and laughing 4uietly, Frank Merriwell selected the same bat Brown- ing had used, and advanced to the plate. CHAPTER VIII. HOT WORK. Although he continued to grin, the eyes of Dad Morse gleamed with hatred most intense. He longed to hit Frank in the head with the first ball he pitched. "I'd like ter kill him !" he mentally exclaimed. Then, of a sudden, he sent in a ball with all the force he could command. At the start it looked like a straight one close to Merriwell, but it was one of Dad's quick in-shoots, and Merry dodged it with the greatest difficulty. As Frank straightened up, he gave Morse a look that meant volumes. It was a warning, although not a word was spoken. But Morse was furious, and he drove the second ball straight at Frank, doing it so suddenly that he thought Merry would be taken off his guard. Again Frank dodged barely in time to get out of the way, and he knew the ball would have severely injured him if it had hit him. From the grand stand came cries of : "Shame! sfiame!" The bleachers arose and howled their disgust. It was plain enough that Morse was trying his old trick, and the spectators were not at all pleased. If the op- posing team had been the bullying Little Rocks it would have seemed all right ; but the Yale Combine had acted Hot Work. 73 like gentlemen, and Fort Worth was disgusted to see a pitcher on their team try to bully the strangers or in- jure them in a dirty way. "Take him out, Seekins!" howled a big man with red whiskers. "We didn't come here to see this kind of work!" "Look here, Morse," said Frank, quietly but sternly, as he faced the pitcher, "if you throw another ball at me, I shall throw this bat at you, and I'll guarantee you will have hard work to dodge it." "That's right !" shouted the man with the red whisk- ers; "and if he dodges it, I'll come over and thump him with something he can't dodge." Sam Seekins saw that Morse was arousing the anger of the spectators and causing them to sympathize with the strangers, which was something he did not want. He walked in toward Dad a bit, saying : "Be careful now ! Don't hit anybody." "What if I can't -help it?" grinned Morse, in his hateful way. "Then you had better go out of the box. This is an exhibition game. We are not out for blood." "I am!" muttered Morse, under his breath. But Dad saw that it would not do to make any further attempt to hit Frank that time. He resolved to try the trick later, if the opportunity seemed to come just right. Two balls had been called on him, and so he decided to put one over. He worked the outside corner, and Merriwell, whose nerves did not seem at all shaken by what had happened, rapped a hot one into right field. 74 Hot Work. Browning had been playing well off from second, and he got a good start, so that it was useless to try to stop him from scoring, while Hodge took third. Again the enthusiasm of the spectators was aroused, and it seemed as if, all at once, the entire crowd had gone over to the side of the Yale Combine. "Why, they're right onto Dad!" roared the man with the red whiskers. "He don't seem to scare them chaps!" Having scored, Browning dragged himself over to the bench, where he dropped down heavily, dismally groaning : "I wouldn't do anything like that for any other fel- low in the world but Frank Merriwell ! It's awful !" Rattleton came to bat next. He was a left-handed batter, and, as Morse was a left-handed pitcher, Harry could not touch the ball. Dad fanned him out with ease. In the meantime Frank had stolen second, and all that was needed was a good hit to drive in two more scores and give the Yale Combine a fine start. Harry was disgusted to think he could not make that hit, and he begged Barney to "line her out." "Oi'll do me bist," said Mulloy, as -he advanced to the plate. But Barney popped up an easy one to short, and still Bart and Frank remained on the bases. Diamond took his turn at the bat with a do-or-die look in his eyes. Two strikes were called on him, and then he fell on the ball with all the vigor in him. Away sailed the sphere, and a great shout went up, Hot Work. 75 for Hodge was racing down to score, and Merriwell was coming in. It looked like a safe hit and good for two bags at least. Then it was that Lorrimer, Fort Worth's new cen- ter fielder, showed the stuff there was in him, for, after a long run, he leaped into the air and pulled the ball down. Diamond was out, and the inning had ended I to o in favor of Frank Merri well's combine. "Now we'll fall on that fresh young duck and hammer him all over the yard," said Morse, as the Fort Worth team came in to the bench. "Dat's right," nodded O'Connor. "He'll be easy." "Don't use him too rough," advised Seekins. "He is young, but he will get over it, if he lives long enough." But the Fort Worths were destined to meet with the greatest surprise of their lives, for but three men came to the bat, and they fanned out one after another, not one of them being able to connect with the ball for anything more than a foul. "Well! well! well!" roared the delighted man with the red whiskers. "What has Seekins met up with this time?" "Shimminy Gristmas!" gurgled Hans, as he trotted in from the field. "Don'd this peen a snaps! Id vas more fun than you efer seen per fore." "Don't anybody get the idea that we have a snap here," advised Frank. "This has started out for a red- hot game. If we can hold our own a while, we may win; but we have not played together, and there is 76 Hot Work. danger that we'll go ail to pieces the moment one or two bad plays are made." "Begorra!" exclaimed Barney; "it's mesilf thot don't see how we're goin' to make any bad plays at all, at all, whin ye're doin' all th' worruk, Frankie." "But that can't keep up," Merriwell declared. "I'll not strike three men out every inning. The rest of the team will get some work before long." Ephraim was the first man at bat. He stood up to the plate with his feet too wide apart, looking gangling and awkward, and Morse had a picnic with him, for he seemed to close his eyes and whang away at any- thing. He did not seem to come within a yard of the ball, and was sent to the bench in a hurry. Toots was next, and Frank -had some hopes of him. "Crack it out, Toots," advised Frank. "If he uses speed on you, just meet it fairly, and it will go all right." "I's gwan ten do mah bes', Marser Frank," declared the colored lad. "It's been some time sence I played ball, an' I nebber tried to strike a pitcher dat c'u'd sen' 'em in lek dey wus shot out ob a gun no, sar!" It was plain that Toots was uneasy and frightened, and he fell an easy victim. Only once did he swing his bat. Morse pitched four balls, and three of them were strikes, so Toots was sent to join Ephraim on the bench. Dunnerwust picked out a bat and waddled up to the plate. "Oh, my!" grinned Morse. "Shust you vait an hour!" advised Hans, seriously. Hot Work. 77 "I peen goin' to make you said 'oh, my !' Der umbire petter ged oudt anodder pall, for you'll nefer found dot one after I hit id." This caused some merriment among the spectators, but there was still greater merriment when Hans slammed at the first ball so -hard that the force of the blow yanked him off his feet and landed him on the ground on the back of his neck. Ephraim ran out and helped the Dutch lad up. Then Hans picked up his bat, and looked it over in sober as- tonishment. "I don'd seen der hole," he said, and the crowd laughed again. "Why, it's a regular circus !" cried somebody. "I'm glad Little Rock stayed away." Hans refused to use that bat again, but, with another stick, he did not do any better. "Try another," advised somebody. "Yaw, I vas goin' to done dot," said Hans, and he changed again. But with no better success, and he went out quickly, making the third man. Morse had duplicated Merriwell's trick by striking out the side and retiring it in one, two, three order. Some of Frank's men were inclined to be despondent as they went into the field, but Merriwell laughed at them and encouraged them. "It's all right," he declared. "We must keep right after them, that's all. We have the start on them." CHAPTER IX. A HOME RUN. A beautiful game it proved to be. The outfield of the Yale Combine was given very little to do, but every man in the infield found hot work, and they responded beautifully. At short Barney made some wonderful stops and lightning throws, while Harry, on third, without doubt the most difficult position of the infield, took some hot "skimmers" off the ground and sent them across the diamond as if they had been thrown by powder. Diamond saved Dunnerwust no small amount of work by getting back into right field and capturing two flies that looked difficult for Hans. Up to the fifth, not an error was made on either side, and not a man save Browning had crossed'the plate. In this inning Fort Worth got a man on first by a hit, sacrificed him to second, and then a fly that was dropped by Toots let the score in, making the game tied, with one of the Fort Worth team on second. "Here's where we do it, boys!" cried Seekins. But Frank remained cool as ever, put on more steam, and struck out the next two batters. Now, indeed, it was a hot game. Fort Worth took a turn at making errors, and but for the fact that the "wrong end" of the batting list came up, Merriwell's team would have secured at least two scores. As it A Home Run. 75 was, stupid base-running on the part of Hans shut them out without a tally. From this time on to the ninth it stood i and i, with the spectators expecting every inning that Fort Worth would make a spurt and run in four or five. Morse was batted harder than usual, which seemed to break him all up. The thought of being batted freely by a team of boys broke his courage, and it was by the greatest kind of outfield work that Fort Worth held the Yale Combine down. Seekins' men went in in their half of the ninth to win the game, and, with one man out, they filled the bases. Right there a safe hit would have decided it by bringing in two runs. Then it was that Frank showed the stuff he was made of, as he struck out the heaviest batter among the professionals, and caused the next man to pop up a little one to Barney, who smothered it with ease. At this point the excitement was such as had not been known on that field for the season. The visitors were sheered with such wild enthusiasm that the game could not go on for some minutes. "You've got 'em, youngsters !" roared the red-whisk- ered man. "That was their last chance ! Give it to 'em ! If you score now, it fixes the thing !" "We must keep them from scoring," said Seekins to his men. "Get them over onto an extra inning, and we will do 'em. Hold 'em down, Dad !" "Oh, to blazes with this kind of business!" retorted Morse, surlily, his grin having vanished from his face. 8o A Home Run. "Here I am throwing my arm off to beat a lot of kids! I didn't sign for this!" "If you do not hold them down, you will be the guy of the whole town," said Seekins. Mulloy was the first man up, and he got a safe hit ; but he was desperate, and tried to make it a two-bag- ger. This was a mistake, for he was caught at second on a close decision. Frank kicked and the crowd howled, but the umpire was obstinate. Then Merriwell saw the umpire had been given a tip to aid Fort Worth to win if he could do so without making the trick too open. Diamond came next, and two strikes were called on him when both of them should -have been balls. It was useless to kick, and he went after the next one that came anywhere near the plate, popping up a high foul, that fell into the catcher's glove. Two men were out, and Morse began to grin again and wag his jaws. Gallup came next, and he had not obtained a hit for the day. Since making the marvelous throw in the first inning, he had done nothing to distinguish himself. "This is easy," thought Dad, as he sent over a "hummer." At this point came a surprise. Ephraim struck with all his might, and Crack! he hit it! "Run!" A. hundred voices roared the word. Ephraim obeyed. With his long legs working in a A Home Run. 81 wild and jerky manner, his arms flying about like flails, he pranced down to first. Rattleton was there as coacher: "Git!" he screamed, "git along!" On to second charged Ephraim, while the ball was bounding away out into left field, with two men pur- suing it. As he went over second, Gallup's legs became en- tangled, and he fell down, sending up a perfect cloud of dust. He was up in a minute, and, with legs and arms working furiously, eyes bulging, teeth set and hair standing, he tore along to third. Mulloy was on the coach line there. He saw one of the fielders rising with the ball, but he knew the rrian would not be able to throw it home. "C'wan, ye tarrier!" screeched the Irish lad, catch- ing hold of Ephraim's arm and sending him toward the home plate. "Hurro! It's an Oirishmon fer luck ye'd oughter be!" The fielder sent the ball whistling to short, the short- stop caught it, whirled, sent it shooting home. O'Connor was waiting for it, and it was plain enough that Gallup stood little show of scoring. Merriwell saw this, and was on his feet, wishing he could do something to aid the Vermonter in getting home. The shortstop's throw was high, causing O'Connor to stand erect. Had it been a low throw, Ephraim would not have stood a chance, unless O'Connor had muffed it. 82 A Home Run. Now there was one chance in a hundred. "Slide, Ephraim slide," shouted Frank, and Gallup made a -headlong plunge for the plate. He got there! There was no doubt of it, for O'Con- nor was unable to get the ball and get down in time to make it so close that the umpire would dare declare it out. "Safe home!" declared the umpire, regretfully. Then there was a roar then the crowd came char- ging from the bleachers into the diamond and cheered with delight. And Dad Morse where was he ? When they looked for him he was not to be found. O'Connor had like- wise vanished. Merriwell's men were all heroes, but Frank and Ephraim were regarded as the greatest heroes. "Sign the whole team, Seekins !" shouted the crowd. When it was all over, Frank and Ephraim walked from the ground beside Ida Day and Eva Raymond. Two happier girls were not to be found in Fort Worth, and scores of other girls regarded them with open envy. The report of the game spread like fire, and the whole town heard of it in a short time. Those who had not attended were sorry, and those who left the field were disgusted with themselves. Wherever the boys went they were regarded with wonder. It did not seem possible that those beardless "kids" had beaten Fort Worth's professionals. But that the game was "on the level" there could A Home Run. 83 be no doubt, for the strangers gathered in the gate money. The following forenoon Sam Seekins came to Frank and Bart and tried to sign them as a battery. "I'll give you two hundred and fifty a month for th season, and all expenses," he said. "You could not get us for twice that money," smiled Frank. "It would make us professionals, and that would debar us from amateur games." "But I must have you !" exclaimed Seekins. "Both Morse and O'Connor have jumped the team and disap- peared. I have a message that Little Rock will be on hand this afternoon, and I have no battery that I feel like putting against them." "I hadn't ought to pitch two games in succession, like that, but I will try it to help you out, and I think Bart will catch me ; but that is all the game we can play with your team, and we will not take pay for that. Eh, Bart?" "Make much arrangements as you like," said Bart. "I am with you." So it was settled, and that afternoon Frank pitched for Fort Worth against the "slugging" Little Rocks. He gave Little Rock exactly five hits and Fort Worth won "in a walk." This was the greatest surprise the Southern League received for the season. The boys were urged to stay and play more games, but Frank declined the offer. "We must move on/' he said. "I have already writ- 84 A Home Run. ten to a friend of mine at Guthrie, saying I would spend the night with him and I always keep my word." "Will you play more ball there?" questioned Seekins. "I hardly think so. We are out for all sorts of sports not baseball alone." There the talk ended, and the Combine left Fort Worth early in the morning, a crowd at the depot gir- ing them a rousing cheer as they departed. CHAPTER X. FRANK MAKES AN ENEMY. The howl of a dog in pain, accompanied by the sound of blows, came from the 'big stable at the rear of the Oklahoma Hotel in the town of Guthrie. Frank Merriwell turned abruptly, stopping in his walk, and looked toward the building. The unmerciful beating of a dog always angered him. In this case there was a possibility that it might be one of his dogs that was receiving this cruel treatment. Merriwell and his friends had arrived in Guthrie the evening before. As he had told Seekins, he had passed the night at the residence of Judge Willard Joyce, who was an old Yale man, while the others had put up, at the expense of the Guthrie Gun Club, at the Okla- homa Hotel, the best public house in the town. Judge Joyce was not only an old Yale man and a politician and official of prominence in the territory of his adoption, but he was, likewise, an enthusiastic sportsman, and it was through him a special invitation had been extended to Merriwell and his friends to visit the booming little city of Guthrie, partake of the club's hospitality, and enjoy the sports that the region round- about afforded. One of the promised sports was jack-rabbit coursing, and our hero had brought up from Fort Worth two of the fastest greyhounds that money could buy, and had 86 Frank Makes an Enemy. placed them in this stable, set apart for the housing of the hounds. He glanced up at the hotel, where his friends were probably breakfasting, for the time was early morning, then walked to the stable door, drew it quickly open, and stepped inside. A young man of twenty-three or twenty-four was using a dog whip on a fine -hound. The dog had backed into a corner and now lay on the floor quivering under the blows so mercilessly rained on it. It was not Merriwell's hound. The young man was Sneed Parker. Frank had met him at the hotel the evening before and been introduced to him. He was a physician and a resident of Guthrie. As the door opened and Frank stepped within, Sneed Parker turned angrily, the whip still uplifted. But for a certain tallowy whiteness, Parker's face might have been called handsome. Even his anger could scarcely give color to it. He glared at Frank as if he thought the latter's coming a menace, and the words with which he greeted the intrusion almost made Frank believe Parker had been drinking. "Well, what do you want ? If I choose to whip my dog when he disobeys me, you've no call to interfere!" "Perhaps not," said Merriwell, resolved to maintain his composure in spite of the biting accent that made Parker's words so irritating. "It seems to me, though, that you're rather hard on the dog. He'll not be fit to run if you beat -him that way." The hound whimpered and looked toward him. Its appealing eyes were almost human in their intelligence. Frank Makes an Enemy. 87 There was in Merriwell's voice and in Merriwell him- self what was lacking in Sneed Parker, that true and inner kindness which attracts the attention and love of children and animals. The hound felt it, and, still whimpering like a punished child, it began to crawl out of its corner toward him. The action rekindled Sneed Parker's fury. He turned to the hound and began to beat it again, while it cringed at his feet and yelped in pain. "Stop that!" commanded Merriwell, taking a step forward. Parker faced around, his eyes blazing. His white, tallowy face grew even more ghastly. "Take that for your interference!" he cried, aiming a blow with his whip at Frank Merriwell's face. Swish snap ! The whip cut the air and landed with stinging force, causing Frank to stagger backward, uttering a cry. But he did not fall, for he had flung up one arm and protected his face from the savage attack. It almost seemed, however, that the lash of the whip had cut through his sleeve, and Frank was thoroughly aroused. The next instant he leaped at Parker and tore the whip from his grasp. "Even up, is my motto," he half laughed. Then the biting lash whistled through the air once more and descended on Parker's neck, leaving a red welt. Sneed Parker sprang back with a cry of rage, drew a 88 Frank Makes an Enemy. revolver from his hip pocket and threw it forward as if to shoot. But for the third time the lash whistled through the air. It caught the revolver and jerked the weapon from Parker's hand to send it spinning to the other side of the stable. Before Parker could regain his head and determine what to do, the stable door, which had swung partly to, was again thrust open, and Bart, Harry and Jack pushed in, closely followed by Bruce and Ephraim, while outside were heard the voices of Barney, Hans and Toots. The landlord of the hotel was with them, and all had been drawn to the stable by the pitiful cries of the hound. "Put down that whip and I will fight you in any way you may name," Sneed Parker declared. "But I have no desire to fight you," Frank answered. "Oh, you are afraid to!" sneeringly returned the furious man. "You interfere in what is my business, you take the whip out of my hands, and then you talk that way!" Frank turned and gave the whip to the landlord. "You may think as you please about that, Dr. Parker!" he continued. "What you think is a matter of indifference to me. If I interfered it was because you were beating that poor dog to death. Cruelty to animals is considered a crime in most place?, and I pre- sume it is not held in high esteem in Oklahoma." "Right you are!" asserted Rattleton, who always stood ready to back Frank in anything without investi- Frank Makes an Enemy. 89 gation. "So he's the chap that was heating the bound I mean beating the hound ! It would serve him right to give him a little taste of his own medicine." A disfiguring sneer curled the thin lips of Sneed Parker. "I shall have to back down, of course, with a dozen against me. I can't fight all of you, and Mr. Merri- well refuses to fight me alone, therefore, I see noth- ing else for me to do. "But," shooting a wicked glance at Frank and lay- ing special stress on the words, "Mr. Merriwell needn't flatter himself that this little affair is ended. I shall do nothing, of course, while he is the guest of the gun club, but I shall expect satisfaction for this insult be- fore he leaves town." "As you please," said Merriwell. "I won't fight you now, because you are in a passion, and for the further reason that it would not seem fair with these friends at my back. But if you must have satisfaction before I leave Guthrie " "Oh, come away and let him alone !" grumbled Dia- mond. "We didn't come to this town to fight, and we're not going to unless we're jumped on." Browning was leaning lazily against the side of the door, yawning. He had been hurried from his room while still dressing, called by Gallup, who said Merri- well was having a fight in the stable with a man who was whipping one of the dogs. He was about to open his mouth to say something, when Barney Mulloy put in an oar and stopped him. "Begobs, Oi dunno about thot, so Oi don't!" 90 Frank Makes an Enemy. Frank turned away. He was sorry he had been forced into so violent an antagonism with a citizen of Guthrie and with a member of the gun club at whose invitation he and his friends were there. He won- dered if he had acted hastily, but his conscience told him he had not. "Diamond is right in one thing," he declared. "We didn't come to this town to fight, and I am sorry this thing occurred. Dr. Parker will think better of what he has said after a while, and I am sure he will not want to lose the esteem of the people of Guthrie by cruel treatment of one of his hounds, even though the dog has not been entirely obedient." Then he stepped from the stable and walked toward the hotel, leaving his friends to follow him at their leisure. In some way the story of his interference with Dr. Parker got abroad, probably through the landlord, and a few hours later the subject was broached by Judge Joyce, as he and Frank talked together in the judge's cozy sitting-room. "I don't know that you'll be in any danger from Parker," the judge observed, when Frank had con- fided to him the correct story, "though I should ad- vise you to keep your eyes open. He is not very well known here, and for one I haven't a very -high opinion of him." "I thought he was an old resident," said Frank. The judge laughed. "None of us are old residents. This town city we Frank Makes an Enemy. 91 call it was nothing but pasture land a little while ago. But Sneed Parker is a new resident, even for this place. He came here about two months ago and hung out his shingle. I presume he has some practice, though I really don't know. At any rate, he lives well and dresses well. He was let into the gun club against my judgment and vote, though he is a good shot and something of a sportsman. You may have noticed the pasty look of his skin." "Yes," answered Frank. "It was one of the first things I noticed." "Please consider this confidential, but I am sure he is a dope fiend. I think he is an habitual user of mor- phine, or some such drug, hypodermically. I say hypodermically, for I never saw him take anything in the form of liquid, pill or powder, and I once no- ticed some scars on his arm., when his sleeve chanced to slip up, that were undoubtedly made by a hypo- dermic syringe." "Perhaps that was why he acted as he did whipped that poor dog so, and then turned on me in such a rage. He may not be entirely responsible for all that he does." "You may be right," nodded the judge. "There is one thing I do not much like. Dope fiend as he is, he is rather handsome, in spite of his tallowy complexion. He is also something of a dresser and presents a pleas- ing appearance. Society here which doesn't require a certified pedigree or the exhibition of a coat of arms has made him welcome; and the worst of it all is that he seems to have walked into the affections of one 92 FranK Makes an Enemy. of the sweetest girls we have in this town Miss Alice Dean, daughter of the cashier of the Traders' Bank." "So!" said Frank. "That almost makes me wish I had given him another cut with the whip while I had so good an opportunity." CHAPTER XL A "JACK RABBIT. " "Will yez git onto the coorves av thot rabbit?" cried Barney Mulloy, with well-affected surprise, as he and the other members of Frank Merriwell's party came out on the hotel piazza., after having done jus- tice to a well-cooked and well-served meal. Tied to a post near the corner of the piazza was one of those diminutive donkeys that are known to the West as burros, and it was to this that Barney called attention. It was very small, even for a burro, and its gray color and huge ears made it look not unlike a big rabbit. "Oi've heard a d'ale about the soize av those jock rabbits," Mulloy continued, "but, be me sowl, Oi never dr'amed av seein' wan av thim as big as thot!" "Shimminy Gristmas!" exclaimed Hans Dunner- wust, with rounding eyes. "Vos dot a rappit peen vor sure? I t'ought I voult know one uf dem rappit shacks ven he seen me. He coult run a minid in a mile, I pe- lief me, dot veller coult. Yaw!" Barney gave the other members of the party a sug- gestive wink. He saw that the burro's hoofs were hid- den in the grass, which grew there rather luxuriantly, and he thought it would be fine sport if he could make the Dutch boy believe this was one of the immense jack rabbits of which all had recently talked so much. 94 A "Jack Rabbit." "By chaowder, when I left the old farm in Varmount I never expected to see anything like that!" declared Gallup, understanding the significance of the wink. "Looks considerable in color like the gray colt dad used to have. Drug me raound the barn sixteen times once. I was darned fool enough to tie the halter strap to my waist and try to ride it." "Ride what?" asked Rattleton. "Your waist or the strap ?" Gallup gave him an injured look. "The gray colt, gol darn ye! Ye know what I meant well enough, by gum !" "Well, there's no possible danger that can come to any one from one of those rabbits," said Rattleton, addressing the crowd, but speaking for the benefit of the Dutch boy. "They're the most timid things on earth." "I know dot!" Hans nodded. "I peen founding, some leetle rappits vun dime, unt I gatch him my hants mit unt, py shimminy ! he vos most to deat* scat. Dose rappits vos nottings to peen afrait uff me." "And there is nothing to make you afraid of them," continued Rattleton. "Dot's vot I say. Notting to make me avrait uff mineselluf." "I'll bet you anything that you won't dare to go up to that thing and hub its read I mean rub its head." "I pet you your life I rups his heat unt his legs uff I a notion dakes." "But you won't take the notion!" A "Jack Rabbit." 95 "Gol darned if I don't believe that rabbit would kick like a mule," grinned the boy from Vermont. "You seen him rup me," said Hans, waddling off the piazza and approaching the burro. "Shust efery- body stant pack." The burro turned its ungainly head, lifted its huge ears and stared at the Dutch boy as he approached, as if wondering what he meant to do. "See dot!" cried Hans, putting his hands on its head. "I vos scaret uf him alretty. You pet me, dis shack rappit knows he is my masder." "Better keep away from his heels, b'gosh!" warned Gallup. "A rappit shack can't gick!" cried Hans. "Nod your life on, he von't. He dot kind uf a boy don't peen, alretty yet." He passed his -hands over the burro's ears and along its neck, then let them slip down its back. The burro turned its head and watched him with curious eyes. The Dutch boy's hands reached its legs and passed toward its heels. "Id vos damer as a sick kidden !" he cried, delighted with his success. But his eyes opened wide as they fell on the burro's wispy tail. Up to that moment he had not noticed its tail. "Py shimmmy, a shack rappit must be different as a " He stepped behind the burro and took the tail in his grasp for close inspection. "Be careful!" cried Frank, starting forward. 96 A "Jack Rabbit." Then there was a transformation. The burro's un- gainly -head went down, its heels came up, and Hans was sent flying through the air. He gave an aston- ished squeal, and landed with a jolt that jarred the ground. Fortunately he was not much hurt. He had been so close to the burro that its legs had lifted him, and he had not been touched by its heels. Hans gave another squeal and clasped his hands to his sides. Then he sat up and stared stupidly around, being somewhat dazed by the effects of the fall. "Shimminy Gristmas!" he squawked. "Vos dot a bile-drifer dot I hit?" "Look out, or he will give it to you again," called Rattleton. "That rabbit seems to be as much of a kicker as a star boarder at a summer hotel." Hans rolled backward out of the way of the twin- kling heels, showing an agility that was comical. "Oxcuse me !" he said, as he crawled to his feet and began to dust his clothing and feel of himself to see that no bones were broken. "Dis rappit don't peen like de little feller dot vos hunding me, vot you dolt me apout avhile ago. Oxcuse me!" He was beginning to see through the joke. The burro seemed to see through it, too, for at that moment it opened its huge mouth and gave vent to a "Hee-haw" that almost shook the chairs on the piazza. "Come." said Merriwell, linking his arm through that of Bart Hodge, "we've had our little fun, which, fortunately, did not result seriously, and now let's take the walk we were talking about. You've hardly had. A "Jack Rabbit." 97 a look at Guthrie yet. Any of the rest of you like a stroll?" "No, thank you," yawned Browning. "The shade of this piazza, suits me very well. I don't know about to-morrow's coursing, if it stays as hot as this." "I don't think I care to go," announced Diamond, curling himself into one of the easy-chairs. The others seemed to feel like Diamond and Brown- ing, and Merriwell and Hodge left them and went for a stroll through the town. Everywhere they saw jack rabbits. Boys were bringing them in from the country in baskets, dust- covered farmers were unloading them from their wagons. The gun club had advertised for live jack rabbits and were getting them by the score. "They'll bu'st the jack rabbit market, if they keep this up," remarked Bart Hodge. "Or the Guthrie Gun Club," said Frank, with t smile. CHAPTER XII. AN ENCOUNTER AND A CALL. As Frank Merriwell and Bart Hodge were returning from their stroll and were passing up a narrow street that led in the rear of the Traders' Bank, they saw Sneed Parker coming toward them, accompanied by a pretty girl, whom they felt sure was Alice Dean. They had been talking of Parker. "Speak of the devil and you will see one of his imps," said Hodge. "And speak of angels and you'll hear the flutter of wings," observed Merriwell. "Yes, she is pretty," Hodge declared. Then, as she came nearer, he added : "As pretty as a picture, by Jove ! It makes me want to punch the head of that fellow, to see him walking with so handsome a girl, just as if he had a right." Across the street, on a vacant lot, two Cheyenne half-breeds, known respectively as Indian Joe and Jimmy Crookleg, were camped. The half-breeds had been in Guthrie two or three weeks, living on this lot in a prairie schooner that had a distressingly dirty canvas covering. They were horse traders, having several fine animals picketed on the lot. Besides this, they made headdresses and rude bows and arrows, which they sold to whoever would buy. As Sneed Parker and the girl drew near, Indian An Encounter and a Call. 99 Joe, the larger and more repulsive of the half-breeds, reeled across the street. It was plain he had been "hoisting in" the white man's firewater pretty freely, and was ready for any sort of mischief. Bart Hodge caught Merriwell by the arm. "That rascal has got a demon in his eye," he said. "If he speaks to that girl, I hope Sneed Parker will knock him down." "So do I," responded Frank. "But I don't believe the half-breed will dare to speak to her." "He won't?" growled Hodge. "Just look at that!" As the girl drew near the half-breed, looking at him askance and fearfully, he moved toward her, with his arms outspread as if he meant to take her in his em- brace. He was not a dozen feet from Merriwell and Hodge at the time. Instead of doing as Merriwell and Hodge hoped, Sneed Parker seemed to be afraid of Indian Joe. He drew back, pulling at the girl's arm. The girl screamed in fright. Parker's action was so unexpected and altogether pusillanimous that Merriwell and Hodge were amazed. "This way," they heard Parker say. "We'll avoid him by going into the bank through the back entrance." Parker was evidently perplexed and angered. Frank Merriwell was perplexed and indignant. He did not believe Parker was a coward, and he could not under- stand his present course. "That fellow has a good reason for being afraid of the half-breed," was Merriwell's thought. "I won- der if there can be anything between them ?" ioo An Encounter and a Call. The girl stood still, thoroughly frightened, and Parker then pushed forward, still holding her by the arm, and began to speak to the half-breed as if he would argue with him. "Stand back!" roared Indian Joe, in thickened tones. The accent was something of a revelation to Frank. He had dickered with Indian Joe that forenoon for a quilled war-bonnet, and Joe had pretended not to be able to speak much English. The girl released herself from Parker's grasp and ran toward Merriwell and Hodge, as if by some in- stinct she divined that they would protect her at the risk of their lives if need be. Without an instant's hesitation Frank stepped in be- tween her and Indian Joe. "Stand back!" Indian Joe roared again. But -he halted irresolutely when he saw Merriwell's firm stand, though he glowered and clinched his fists. "Walk up walk up and I'll take pleasure in knock- ing you down," said Frank, laughing so lightly that Indian Joe was not sure whether the words were spoken in sober earnest or not. He found out before he was a minute older. He sought to shoulder Merriwell aside and reach the girl. Then Merriwell's fist shot out with light- ning-like quickness. Whack the blow fell with stunning force on the half-breed's jaw. It seemed fairly to lift him into the air. He spun half around, sought to recover him- self, then struck the ground with a mighty jolt. At the same instant Merriwdl heard Hodge cry: An Encounter and a Call. 101 "Take that, you red scoundrel!" Bart, who was standing ready to assist Frank if his aid was needed, had been attacked from the rear by Jimmy Crookleg, Indian Joe's partner. Hodge's blow was not very effective, for Jimmy Crookleg danced backward to get out of the way as it fell. Now Merriwell saw Crookleg make a dash at Bart with a knife. "Look out !" Frank warned. Hodge deftly avoided Crookleg's rush, then struck the half-breed's knife arm so violently that the bone almost snapped and the knife went spinning halfway across the street. Crookleg roared with rage and pain as his arm dropped helplessly at his side. Indian Joe was trying to get on his feet. Merri- well saw the effort, but turned about, nevertheless, to speak a reassuring word to the girl. To his surprise he saw Sneed Parker leading her tremblingly to the doorway which led into the bank from this street Her cheeks were as white as ashes, Merriwell noticed, when she reached the doorway and turned toward him. She tried to smile her thanks. Then Parker drew -her into the corridor and shut the door with a bang. Merriwell turned to Indian Joe. The half-breed had staggered to his feet and stood sullenly glaring at Merriwell. The blow and the fall had somewhat sobered him and taken out of him all desire to fight. But the deep hate revealed in his glit- tering black eyes was an unpleasant thing to contem- plate. IO2 An Encounter and a Call. "By the way you are staring at me I don't doubt you'll know me when you see me again," said Merri- \vell, lightly. "I give you fair warning, though, that if I ever catch you trying any of your tricks on me you will drop a great deal harder than you did this time." Two or three men came rushing up the street as if in anticipation of a fight. The entire affair had really occupied only a few seconds of time. " W-hat's the matter ?" one of the men panted, as he drew near. "This fellow has been drinking and was inclined to be ugly," responded Merriwell. Jimmy Crookleg had recovered his knife and was retreating across the street. "He attacked you, did he?" the man asked. "No, he didn't attack me exactly. I didn't give him a chance." "Then there wasn't any fight. I thought there must have been a fight." Others were arriving. Merriwell had no desire to go before the police court of Guthrie as a witness against the half-breeds, and he turned to Hodge. "I guess they won't trouble us any further, eh, Bart?" "I think not," said Hodge, looking at Crookleg. "Then we'd better be going." Arm in arm, they walked away from the gathering crowd, beginning to talk of Sneed Parker and the girl as soon as they felt safe to do so. "I don't understand it," declared Merriwell. "That was dastardly conduct." An Encounter and a Call. 103 "And such a stunningly handsome girl, too," said Hodge. Merriwell smiled and gave his friend a sidelong glance. "Yes, she is pretty." Tretty!" exclaimed Hodge. "She is one of the handsomest girls I ever saw." A few hours later, when a note came from Alice Dean, thanking Merriwell and his friend for their brave conduct and inviting them to call on her at her father's residence, it seemed to Merriwell too bad that Bart Hodge should be out of town. Bart, at the special invitation of another Yale man, who had settled in Guthrie, had driven out into the country in the cool of the late afternoon and was not expected back for several hours. "I will make the call for both of us," thought Mer- riwell, as he left the hotel and bent his steps toward the house pointed out to him as the residence of the bank cashier, Silas Dean, "but I wish Bart were here to go with me. He is rather taken with the girl and he would enjoy it. She is confoundedly pretty!" Merriwell found Alice Dean a girl without affecta- tion. She greeted him warmly, but not gushingly, and thanked him in a way that made him feel almost like a hero. But she said nothing about Dr. Sneed Parker, which Merriwell thought rather singular, to say the least. "I am very sorry your friend was not able to come with you," she declared, and Merriwell could see that she meant it. "I hope I shall meet him before your IO4 An Encounter and a Call. party leaves. No doubt I shall, too, for I expect to take part in the sports of the gun club." "Do you shoot?" Merriwell asked, in surprise. "Oh, yes ; and ride, too. I am an honorary member of the gun club, you know. Father is a member." Merriwell wished more than ever that Bart Hodge was with him. "I shall be very glad to introduce you to Mr. Hodge," he asserted. "He is a pretty nice fellow, and I am sure he will be pleased to meet you. It's too bad he went out of town." He was thinking more and more what a handsome girl Alice Dean was. She had blue eyes and brown hair and plump, rosy cheeks, and was dressed most be- comingly in some dark material whose somberness was relieved by knots of blue ribbon. While they talked the minutes sped by as if shod with wings, and when Frank looked at his watcri. thinking perhaps it was time to go, he was astonished to see now late it was. CHAPTER XIII. THE DEED OF A RASCAL. About an hour before dawn a stealthy figure stole up to the door of the stable where the greyhounds were kept. It was Dr. Sneed Parker. "I'll make that fellow Merriwell wish he had let me alone, before he gets out of this town," he hissed, as he passed his hand softly over the door. "Locked !" he muttered, in a tone of disappointment. Then he started and peered suspiciously about in the darkness. "I suppose it is the proper thing for them to lock the door of a place where valuable hounds are kept," he mused, "but I hardly thought they'd do it. I hope the stable isn't watched. I shouldn't want the fellow to catch me in here. My neck burns yet from the cut of the whip. Ha! what was that?" He drew back, crowding close against the door. In another moment he was ready to laugh at the cause of his alarm, for it was only a cat stealing through the gloom with velvety feet. "I'll try the back way," was his thought Moving softly around to the back of the stable, Sneed Parker found a window which he was able to slide, and with some difficulty -he squeezed through the opening. io6 The Deed of a Rascal. "Down!" he whispered, as some of the dogs began to move and whine, "down with you !" "Merriwell's hounds were in the farther end," he re- flected, "and I suppose they are there still." When he reached the point he drew a match and scratched it softly on his leg. It spluttered and leaped into a blaze, and by the light he saw Merriwell's dogs in the corner in close proximity with some others. They were handsome animals, with long legs, deep chests and noses like spear points. One was black and the other grayish, and they were nearly of a size. Parker dropped the flaming match and extinguished it with his foot, then stood still for a minute or more, listening carefully, to be sure that the light had not attracted attention. "I reckon I'd have to set the stable on fire to waken those fellows," he thought, with an ear still cocked toward the hotel. The hounds were moving uneasily and whimper- ing all about him. His own dogs had slunk back at sight of him as if they feared a beating, and a general feeling of fear and uneasiness pervaded the stable. Satisfied that no -human eye was on him and that no human ear had heard him, Sneed Parker pulled a piece of needle from the lapel of his coat. It was half of a needle the sharpened point. With this in his right hand -he stepped quickly into the corner, ran his left hand down over the trembling body of one of the hounds, and with a quick jab in- serted the piece of steel deep into the fleshy part of the hound's thigh. The Deed of a Rascal. 107 The dog jumped and gave a yelp of pain. "Down!" Parker whispered, "down, sir!" A quiver of excitement ran through the stable. The hounds whined louder and moved more uneasily. "Down!" he again commanded "down, I tell you!" He drew from the lapel the pointed half of another needle, dropped his hand to the other dog in the corner, ran his fingers softly over its legs, and jabbed the steel into the thigh with a quick movement, just as he had done before. The hound yelped. "Stop that!" he whispered. Then he stood erect beside the half-crying hounds and listened again. "The thing is done," he thought, with a revengeful thrill. "If Frank Merriwell wins any points with his hounds to-day it will be a miracle." The excitement among the dogs was increasing. Those nearest the door were lunging against it, as if trying to get out. A footstep sounded outside and a thrill of fear went through Parker. This was followed by the swinging open of the door and the flash of a lantern. Parker retreated against the wall and stood glaring at the lantern and the dimly-seen form behind it. His \eart thumped like a trip hammer. "Pshaw!" he muttered. "Why should I be afraid? My dogs are in here, and I -have as much right to enter the stable as that fellow, if I want to." But he crowded closer against the wall and his un- easiness increased when he saw the lantern and the io8 The Deed of a Rascal. man coming toward him. He could not see the man's face. Parker's right hand stole softly to the pocket in which he habitually carried a revolver. "If he corners me," he grated, through his set teeth, "I'll make it interesting for him." Nearer and nearer came the light of the lantern, throwing its circle of rays out in front like a fan, while Sneed Parker, with set teeth and glaring eyes, waited with hand on his revolver. The dogs were whinng anxiously, and some of them were leaping against the man's legs as if they recog- nized him as a friend. "By Jove! it's Merriwell!" thought Parker, with a thrill of fear. Then the man spoke and the blood retreated from Parker's heart in a great surge. It was not Merriwell, but the keeper of the stable. "What's the matter?" he asked, speaking to the dogs. "I thought I heard you yelping. Not fighting, I hope? Keep your paws off me, Victor. There, keep down, won't you?" Parker still stood in the darkness, with blazing eyes and his hand on his weapon. He was relieved to know that the man was not Merriwell, but the thought of discovery was still a terror to him. The light of the lantern drew nearer and yet nearer. It fell on his feet. He was sure that in another mo- ment he would be discovered, and was nerving him- self for whatever should come. The Deed of a Rascal. 109 But the man turned aside, and passed to the other end of the stable, still talking to the dogs. Parker was shaking like a leaf. "Heavens !" he sighed. "I was ready for something desperate just then. It's a good thing he didn't come any closer. Now, if he doesn't discover that window, which I was fool enough to leave open, and will go on and out about his business!" It seemed for a minute that the man would certainly see the open window, but he did not, and finally left the stable, closing the door after him and locking it. Not until he was outside and his footsteps had died away did Sneed Parker venture to breathe freely. "Now I must get out of this as quickly as I can," he muttered. "I wouldn't be caught in here at this time of night for a fortune." Then he walked tremblingly to the window, crawled softly through it, and, after fastening it as he had found it, slipped away as stealthily as he had come. When, after daybreak, the dogs were brought out of the stable for the races of the day, there was nothing to show that they had been tampered with. The deed had been done so recently that little if any inflamma- tion had taken place. A number of the hounds that had 'been brought by rail from a distance were some- what stiff, and the fact that Merriwell's were in the same condition excited no suspicion of foul play. The insertion of the needle points had not drawn blood or left any marks. Frank was proud of his hounds. They were such fine-looking, intelligent creatures. They leaped and no The Deed of a Rascal. frisked about him and his friends, and were apparently as fond of him as if he had owned them from their puppyhood. The members and honorary members of the Guthrie Gun Club were gathered in the street in front of the Oklahoma Hotel. Miss Alice Dean was there, mounted on a spirited horse. She seemed to have re- covered entirely from the fright of the previous day. Her cheeks were flushed with health and her eyes were bright and laughing. She wore a riding habit with a short skirt, which wonderfully became her. "Permit me to introduce you to my friend, Mr. Hartley Hodge," said Merriwell, at the first oppor- tunity. "Mr. Hodge, Miss Dean." All were mounted. As he lifted his hat to acknowl- edge the introduction, Bart's horse shied and came near throwing him. He bit his lips in vexation. "I am very happy to make your acquaintance, Mr. Hodge," Alice Dean declared, as soon as Bart was able to rein in his horse, "and to thank you for coming so promptly to my defense yesterday. I regretted that you were not able to accept my invitation of last even- ing." "I was unfortunately out of town," said Hodge, in- wardly raging and with a very red face. "Yes, Mr. Merriwell so informed me. We will likely have a nice day for the coursing. I hope you and your friends may enjoy it. It is something new to all of you, I believe. I understood Mr. Merriwell to say so." The Deed of a Rascal. in "Yes," answered Hodge. "Entirely new. I don't doubt we shall enjoy it very much." He knew his face was as red as a beet and he was glad when his horse shied again and brought the talk to an abrupt close. "Mr. Merriwell !" he grunted to himself. "It's Mr. Merriwell and Mr. Merriwell every other sentence!" Bart was vexed and annoyed more than he would have cared to confess. He had been in one of his sul- len moods all the morning. Nothing had seemed to go just right with him. He had not liked his bed nor his breakfast, and now he was fuming against Merri- well and against his horse. The truth is that Bart was jealous. Merriwell ap- peared to be standing entirely too well in the estima- tion of Alice Dean. "Nobody has any show when Merry is around," he grumbled. "He is just naturally the luckiest dog alive. It fell on him to take the most prominent part in .defending her yesterday, and luck kept him at the hotel and took me away when that invitation came, and now I'm on a horse that's bound to make a fool of me at every opportunity. I wish we had never heard of the Guthrie Gun Club." Every one else seemed to be having a good time, however. The hounds were leaping and running. There was laughter and banter and jest. Rattleton and Browning, Toots and Gallup, Dunnerwust and Bar- ney Mulloy, and all the others were in high feather. Hodge only was discontented and petulant. 112 The Deed of a Rascal. The jack rabbits were in boxes in light wagons, and before the sun was an hour high, the Guthrie Gun Club and its guests, with others who desired to witness the sport, were off for the point selected for the coursing. CHAPTER XIV. JACK RABBIT COURSING. At the start Merriwell permitted his hounds to run and frolic as much as they liked, thinking the exercise would only limber them up and put them in trim for the work before them. But when one of them, and the one he considered the finer, began to show signs of lameness, he called them in and kept them well at heel. There was one thing that surprised Merriwell, while it pleased him. Sneed Parker, though he was one of the party, did not venture to speak to Alice Dean. Nor did he ride at her side, as Merriwell had anticipated. "They are at outs," was his conclusion. "She has cut him for his conduct of yesterday. That's good. If our coming here separates those two it will be one of the best things that ever happened." He spoke of it to Bart Hodge. "I've noticed that," said Hodge, in a tone that made Frank gave him a close look. "It will give you a better show, Merry." The place selected for the coursing was well adapted to the purpose. It was a level stretch of country, cov- ered with short grass, and without gully or ravine, save on the south, where there was unbroken land and some hills. ii4 J ac k Rabbit Coursing. "See how eager for work the hounds are," exclaimed Merriwell. "Makes me glad I'm not a hound," grunted Bruce Browning, wiping his heated face. "I'd hate to -have tc run in such weather as this." "Not if you were a hound," said Rattleton. "Yah, yah!" laughed Toots. "If Mistah Brown- ing war a hound dawg he'd mek a mighty po' show. He couldn't run no mo'n a mud turkle." T-he coursing was to be for points. Hence it was not always the fastest dog that was considered the best. The dog that got over the ground with the greatest ease and grace, that turned quickest, that leaped clean and true, might outrival a dog that, on a straightaway heat, could beat it out of sight. A big jack rabbit, with long, limber legs, was taken out of a box and placed on the ground some distance in front of the dogs that were to chase it. Not all of the dogs were allowed to run at the same time. Two or three, and sometimes more, were chosen, for the jack is great at dodging, and will often get away from a. hound by reason of its ability in that line. The other dogs were held in leash. All the riders who desired to follow the hounds were in their sad- dles ready for the fun. The jack rabbit crouched for a moment in the grass. Then, discovering that it was really at liberty, it hopped away, going slowly at first. Frank Merriwell looked about 'him. Alice Dean was sitting erect in her saddle, with rein held lightly, Jack Rabbit Coursing. 115 her bright eyes fixed on the rabbit. Near her were her father and some lady friends. "There they go!" shouted Rattleton. The hounds, two of them, put in for this first race, were off after the rabbit. The jack heard them coming, lifted himself for a moment on his long hind legs, observed the dogs com- ing and the horsemen breaking into a canter, then got down to the work that was cut out for -him. He seemed to understand that a greyhound runs by sight and not by scent, and that his best course was to strike for the broken country southward. In another minute he was a gray streak flashing over the short grass with the hounds racing after him in a way to call forth cheers from the veteran sportsmen of the gun club. "It's a pretty sight," cried Merriwell. "Just look at those hounds, will you !" Even Browning was stirred into enthusiasm, and swung his hat as he set his horse into motion. The hounds were running swiftly and easily. They did not really seem to be going as fast as they were. With their noses thrust straight out before them and their long legs in motion, their bodies seemed to open and shut like jackknives. The rabbit developed a phenomenal burst of speed. His leaps, made with lightning-like quickness, were something tremendous. He drew away from the dogs at first, and it seemed he would be able to reach the broken land without difficulty. The ^ttering of the H 6 Jack Rabbit Coursing. hoofs of the running horses and the cries of the sports- men gave wings to his feet. But the lean, reddish-colored hound, that from the first had shown itself a good runner, began to gain on the rabbit, creeping up inch by inch and foot by foot. The cheers grew louder and wilder, and the horses were spurred into swifter pursuit. "Land ob wartermillions !" roared Toots, clinging to the saddle-horn with both hands, while his bridle rein swung free, "dis yeh spo't beats foxhuntin' clean out ob sight." As he said it, the rein slipped farther down, and was caught by one of the horse's forefeet. Snap! it was broken instantly. The horse was jerked quickly around, and Toots, losing his grip of the saddle-horn, went over its ears, plowing up a yard or two of grass and earth with his hard head as he landed. Merriwell saw the mishap and reined in, but Toots was already scrambling up and needed no assistance. When he looked again Merriwell saw that the rab- bit had dodged and was once more drawing away from the hounds. A minute later it gained the broken country, where it was comparatively safe, and the dogs were called off. Toots' horse was caught for him by a member of the club, and the entire party, laughing and joking, took its way back to the starting point, where other hounds and other rabbits were awaiting them. "By thutter, I kiner thought yeou'd got a ticket plum through to the South Pole when I saw yeou sailin* Jack Rabbit Coursing. 117 through the air that way," grinned the boy from Ver- mont, when Toots was again in the saddle and ready for the fray. "I did, by chaowder! Next time I'd advise ye to take holt with yeour teeth." "I thought he was going to cave in the coursing ground and spoil all the sport," laughed Rattleton. "I say, fellows, why is that rabbit like the Guthrie Gun Club?" "Because it's a hummer," laughed Frank. "Because it is a product of the country," guessed Browning. "Both wrong." "Give it up, then," said Merriwell. "Because it's out of sight!" "Thank you for the compliment!" chimed in Alice Dean, with one of her prettiest smiles. "Really, Mr. Rattleton, you ought to join our literary club and be- come a writer of jokes." One of Merriwell's hounds was to be pitted against a hound belonging to a gentlemen from El Reno, Frank noticed that the dog limped as it came up, and he began to fear it would not be the runner he hoped. It was the one he thought the faster of the two he had bought. The rabbit and the dogs started off in good shape, but before MerriweH's dog had run two hundred yards its lameness was seen to increase. At the end of half / a mile it dropped back till every one could see it had not the ghost of a show to gain a single point. "I don't understand that," Frank declared, speak- ing to Diamond, as they rode side by side. "You will !i8 Jack Rabbit Coursing. remember that dog was recommended to me as being the fastest dog in the State of Texas, and by a man I know to be reliable. He has hurt himself some way." "I noticed a small lump on the side of -his right thigh," answered Diamond, "but I didn't think to speak of it. Perhaps he ran into that barbed wire fence along the road as we came out. Plainly he is not in condition." The other hound crowded the jack rabbit so closely that the latter would have -had no show at all if Merri- well's hound had been close enough to checkmate it in its dodging. As it was, the rabbit ran and dodged so cleverly, that, like the first, it gained the broken country and escaped. When they were again at the starting point, Merri- well got down, and, with Diamond, examined the hound's thigh. Dr. Sneed Parker sat on his horse a few yards away and watched them uneasily. As Diamond said, there was a bunch on the dog's thigh. The hair was slightly wet, showing a puncture, and when Merriwell pressed on the bunch with his fingers a small quantity of bloody fluid oozed out. Frank drew his hand away and something clung to it. He looked at it closely. It was the broken half of a needle. Diamond glanced at him significantly and whis- pered : "That didn't happen by accident, Merry. Do you know what I think?" Jack Rabbit Coursing. 119 "I might guess." "That was the work of Sneed Parker." 'Then the other hound may be in the same condi- tion," said Frank. "Perhaps. Call him and we will see." Another rabbit was being taken from one of the boxes. Merriwell whistled to the dog, and it limped as it came toward him. "We are done up," he groaned. "My dogs won't be able to win a single point." Merriwell examined the hound carefully. "I don't see anything," he said. "Its legs and thighs seem to be all right. What made it limp?" Diamond lifted one of its hind feet and pulled some- thing from between the toes. "Just a burr," he declared. "The dog is all right. I don't believe he will limp any more, and we've still got a fighting chance. I know something about hounds, and I tell you this fellow can run. I would be willing to bet money on him." Sneed Parker rode past at that moment for the ap- parent purpose of getting into line with the other horse- men. He caught a little of what Diamond said and saw the 'burr in Diamond's hands. His tallowy face grew ghastly white. "Heavens!" he muttered. "Did I get hold of the wrong dog last night? It begins to look that way." That was just what Dr. Sneed Parker had done. In the darkness he had stabbed one of the needle points into the thigh of one of the other dogs huddled in the corner at the side of Merriwell's, and it began to seern \ 1 20 Jack Rabbit Coursing. that he might gain nothing after all for the great risk he had run. Merriwell's hound and the hound from El Reno were put in place, and the rabbit was released. It leaped straightaway, taking to the open country, and then circling back toward the hills. The hounds sprang in pursuit, and the horsemen fol- lowed, riding hard on the heels of the dogs. It was a run to thrill the blood and set every nerve a-tingle. The jack rabbit was very fast, and the dogs the speediest of their kind. The jack was clever, too, and dodged in a way to call forth cries of admiration. More than once the -hounds seemed to be right on top of the rabbit, when, with a leap sidewise, he would dodge and gain at least fifty yards before the dogs could recover from their momentum and again hurl themselves in swift pursuit. "See that dog slide!" cried Rattleton. "You would think he was sliding for the home plate. Good boy! Get your feet under you and go it again." Merriwell's hound was proving itself a speedy and graceful runner, quick at stopping and turning, and it exhibited at times an intelligence that seemed almost human. Rattleton's exclamations were called forth by a sliding turn, as the jack rabbit dodged and shot away at right angles. The race was soon over. Merriwell's dog reached the rabbit first, being a dozen yards in the lead, and was proclaimed the winner. "Eight points out of a possible ten," announced the judges. Jack Rabbit Coursing. Then Merriwell and his followers swung their caps and gave the slogan of Old Yale. One of the Guthrie dogs was soon seen to be dead lame, with a swollen bunch on one of its thighs, from which, when examined, there oozed a bloody fluid, though no telltale piece of steel came out, as in the case of Merri well's dog. "Pity is isn't one of Parker's own dogs," said Dia- mond, speaking again to Frank. "But it may not have been his work," Merriwell an- swered. "There's not a doubt of it in my mind, Merriwell. He has been watching you and glaring at you all the morning. I've taken particular notice of his actions. And what's the matter with Hodge ? He hangs off as if he had no earthly interest in the coursing." "Perhaps he hasn't," Frank returned, not choosing to make his answer more definite. There were other runs, and when Merriwell's hound was rested, it was placed against Parker's best dog, in a race after the fleetest rabbit that had yet come out of the boxes. "He's going to win again," said Diamond, who once more rode at Merriwell's side. "See him go! If that other dog wasn't lame you could sweep the field." The rabbit raced and dodged and doubled, but it could not get away from Merriwell's dog. Parker's hound, of whose speed and many qualifies its owner had openly boasted, was not in it with Merriwell's. It was outdistanced and outgeneraled in every way. 122 Jack Rabbit Coursing. "Mr. Frank Merriwell's dog, nine points in a pos- sible ten," announced the judges. "Dr. Sneed Park- er's dog, six points in a possible ten." Merriwell glanced at Parker and saw his tallowy face fairly writhing with baffled rage and hate CHAPTER XV. HODGE GETS HIS EYES OPEN. When the dogs had been given a thorough trial, and the judges had determined the points to which they were entitled, a general race was announced to be par- ticipated in by all the dogs and all the remaining rab- bits. Merri well's hound had taken the highest number of points, nine in a possible ten, for speed, grace, beauty of action, quickness and cleverness at dodging and turn- ing, display of intelligence, endurance and all the other qualities that go to make the model greyhound. "I really hope your dog will win in this," said Alice Dean, speaking to Merriwell, Rattleton and Bart Hodge, as they all stood dismounted at the heads of their horses. "He is a dog worth possessing." "Should you like to own him?" Merriwell asked, quickly. "If so, the members of our party for he belongs to all of us will be glad, I am sure, to give him to you as a present when we leave Guthrie. He will be of no possible use to us back East, and with you I am certain he will be in good hands." "Do you mean it ?" she asked, while a pleased flush stole into her face. "Certainly, or I should not make the offer." She patted the dog's head. "There is nothing I should prize more highly, I as- 124 Hodge Gets His Eyes Open. sure you," she declared. "It would be something by which I could remember your party." "Then the dog is yours," announced Frank. "When you leave Guthrie!" "When we leave Guthrie." "There are thirteen rabbits remaining," said one of the judges, approaching the group. "We will release them all at once. They will scatter, very likely, and when they have a good start we will unleash the dogs." "An unlucky number," smiled Alice Dean. "Perhaps we can scare up a rabbit or two on the prairie, and break the spell," laughed Rattleton. The hounds were given water again, the last they were likely to get until they reached Guthrie, and while they and the rabbits were being got in readiness for what would probably prove the most exciting run of all, there was a general mounting of horses, amid much laughter and conversational pleasantry. "There they go!" cried Rattleton, as the released rabbits began to hop across the grass, some in one direction and some in another. "And there go the hounds!" said Merriwell. "Now for some fun." "And here we go," groaned Browning. "Now for some jolting and misery. If I'm not dead of sun- stroke before we get back to the Oklahoma Hotel it will be a wonder." Rabbits, hounds and riders were off for a merry race across the plain, each one -heading according to his own sweet will. Some of the rabbits ran toward the sandhills, others Hodge Gets His Eyes Open. 125 shot straight out into the open country, others swung around in a wide circle. It was a funny sight to see a big jack rabbit stop and teeter aloft on his long hind legs, looking for the hounds he felt sure were after him. If none was near he hopped on for another dozen yards, only to stop and lift himself again and take a grave survey of his sur- roundings. "Now see that old fellow get a move on him," said Diamond, pointing with his riding whip to a big, white-tailed jack that had been hopping along in this leisurely manner. "He will become a streak of greased chain-lightning in another second." Merriwell's hound was approaching the rabbit, with those quick, easy leaps that are so deceptive, and was close upon the jack before it felt its danger. Then, realizing all at once that if it escaped it must do the tallest running of its life, it shot away with a mighty bound, and went down the open plain with the speed of the wind. They were off down the open plain after hound and rabbit, Merriwell, Diamond and Rattleton riding close together, their tongues, and the thud of hoofs on the grass making all the noise, for the swiftly speeding hound gave out no more sound than the rabbit it was chasing. Bart Hodge followed a hound in pursuit of a gray streak that was shooting toward the sandhills. He was alone at the outset, but when the first rise was passed, he saw another rabbit and another hound, ridden hard after by Alice Dean. 126 Hodge Gets His Eyes Open. Bart's face flushed, but his sensations were not wholly those of pleasure. "She doesn't see me," was his thought. "She has no eyes for anything but the hound and the rabbit. I never saw a girl that could sit a horse more gracefully. A born horsewoman, and as pretty as a picture." He quite forgot the hound he was following, and in- voluntarily drew rein as he watched her, as if he de- sired her to come up with him that they might ride on together. T-hen he recollected himself and urged his horse anew, still glancing at the girl more than at the hound or rabbit, or the course he was taking. The line of her pursuit veered more and more, as the rabbit swung around the rim of the hill, and a few minutes later Hodge found himself racing through the bunch grass in the same direction as she, with not more than a hundred yards separating them. She looked in his direction and gave him a smile and a bow of recognition, whereupon he smiled back and lifted his cap. The rabbits had come together, and were leaping on side by side, with the hounds in close pursuit, each after his respective rabbit. To his surprise Hodge saw Alice Dean draw her horse nearer to him. The distance separating them quickly lessened. "A pretty race, Mr. Hodge!" she called. "Your dog is running well." Bart could not resist her kindly good will and genial- ity. The sullen look went out of his face. Hodge Gets His Eyes Open. 127 "Thank you," he said. "In my opinion, we haven't had a prettier race to-day." The rabbits made another turn and went down a grassy slop, with the hounds crowding them hard. The intelligent horses followed, almost of their own accord. At the bottom of the slope the horse ridden by Alice Dean put one of its forefeet into a badger hole and fell heavily, throwing her with violence from the saddle. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that Hodge was fairly dazed. He sawed fiercely on the rein to bring his horse to a stop, then leaped down and ran back to where the girl lay in a heap, chilled by the fear that she was seriously injured or killed. Her horse staggered to its feet, trembling violently, but Bart saw that its leg was not broken, and he hoped it was not much hurt. He gave no further heed to the horse, but knelt at the girl's side and lifted her head. The pallor of .her face increased his fears. But when he lifted her head still higher, he saw the color come into her cheeks, and he gave a great sigh of relief. When her eyelids fluttered and she moved uneasily, he could have shouted for joy. The blue eyes opened and stared up at him. "You don't know how you scared me," he declared, still supporting her head. "That was a terrible fall, and you looked so white ! Do you think you are much hurt? If I only knew where to get some water!" 128 Hodge Gets His Eyes Open. His words brought back her reeling senses. "I I don't know!" she gasped. "My horse stum- bled, and I " "You got a very bad fall. Do you think you can stand? Permit me to help you." He took her by the shoulders to assist her, but she sank back, white and weak. "I will be better in a moment, Mr. Hodge!" she said. "My my horse! Is he " "I think he is all right," assured Hodge. "And the dogs and rabbits?" She tried to smile as she asked the question. "They may be out of the Territory now, by the way they were going. Shall I assist you again?" She succeeded in gaining her feet this time, and with Hodge's aid managed to reach her horse. "Poor old fellow," she said, smoothing the horse's neck with her gloved hand. "Did you get a bad fall? Do you think you can carry me back to Guthrie?" "Do you think you can ride?" Hodge queried. "I shall be all right in a little while," was her brave assertion. "I am a little shaky and weak, but that will pass away soon. Now, if you will put up the rein and help me into the saddle." This Hodge did, and was rewarded with a smile that set his heart to hammering. "The dogs will return soon," she predicted, when Hodge had caught his horse and was again at her side. "Shall we ride toward the starting point?" Hodge Gets His Eyes Open. 129 Bart Hodge's heart was in a flutter, as they turned the heads of the horses up the slope; and that ride with Alice Dean back to the place where the wagons were stationed, he afterward remembered as one ef the pleasantest incidents of his life. CHAPTER XVI. OUT AFTER COYOTES. "Hodge has brightened up since yesterday," ob- served Jack Diamond, speaking to Frank Merriwell. "Hear him laughing over there. He's talking to Alice Dean." "Well, I don't know but he has a right to feel good," said Merriwell. "He has been smiled on by Miss Dean, and praised by her father, the bank cashier, in a way to make anybody feel good. Half the people in Guthrie know that he was able to render her much- needed assistance when -her horse went down yesterday with its foot in a badger hole." "It is making Sneed Parker look mighty black. From the appearance of his face one would judge that he would like to bite Bart's head off." The Guthrie Gun Club and its guests were riding and wheeling away from Guthrie in the early after- noon. The greyhounds were not with them. They were accompanied, though, by some half a dozen dogs, that seemed to be better adapted to fighting than to running. The event of the day was to be a coyote drive or roundup. Frank and his companions rode their bicycles, which had come on by express from Fort Worth. Alice Dean and Sneed Parker were also on wheels, as were some others, but many more were mounted on horses, white Out After Coyotes. 131 not a few were in blackboards and light spring wagons. The dogs were carried in the wagons to save their strength. Alice Dean had recovered entirely from the shock of her fall. Merriwell noticed that she avoided Parker and never spoke to him even when they were brought fairly face to face. To all outward appear- ance Bart had supplanted Parker, and Frank smiled. The persons taking part in a coyote drive take sta- tions in a circle that is several miles in circumference and begin at the same time to move toward a com- mon center, driving everything in the way of game before them. However, no attention is paid to rab- bits, big or little. The object is to start all the coyotes that may chance to be within the circle and drive them to the center, where with dogs and clubs they are dis- patched. Frank wheeled out to a point near the center of the northern limit. On the way he was joined by Bart Hodge, and for more than a mile they rode side by side. "I want to beg your pardon, Merry," said Hodge, finally. "I made a fool of myself, as I usually do." "How was that?" Frank questioned. "I ought to kick myself for forgetting that you ar^ the best friend I ever had, or am likely to have. Miss Dean has told me how you have been praising me to her, and I, like a jealous fool, was all the time thinking the meanest things about you. I hope you won't lay it up against me, Merry, and next time I'll try to be a little more sensible." 132 Out After Coyotes. "That's all right, Bart," Frank returned. "I had no intention of laying anything up against you. I saw how you felt." "Well, she is such an attractive girl, and of course I knew she must think highly of you for what you did for her, and and because you are such a splendid fellow, Merry. I naturally wanted her to think as much of me as I fancied she thought of you." "And she does," laughed Merriwell. "I could see that with half an eye. You are solid there, Bart, and whenever I can say a good word for you, you may be sure I shall do it." "Thank you," said Hodge. "You're the finest fellow in the world, Merry, and the best friend I've got. I'm beginning to believe, myself, that she thinks a good deal of me, and I have you to thank for it largely." "Not a bit of it, Bart. A girl doesn't like a fellow merely because -he is spoken well of by his friends. If she likes him it's because Well, just because she likes him. That's about as near as anybody can explain it, I guess." Hodge glanced at his watch. "I must be off, for I have to station myself about a mile east of you. I couldn't rest, though, till I'd let you know how I felt. Good-by." "Good-by," cried Merriwell. "Let me wish you luck, both in the drive to-day and with Miss Dean. Look out for Sneed Parker !" From the point where Frank stationed himself there stretched a rolling plain. He was on a slight emi- nence and could see nearly half of the great circle. Out After Coyotes. 133 There were horsemen and bicyclists to the right of him and horsemen and bicyclists to the left of him. Nearly a mile away he observed Alice Dean wheel into position and caught the flutter of her handkerchief. He knew she had recognized him and waved his handkerchief in return. "I hope Hodge won't get jealous again," he thought, with a light laugh. "If the green-eyed monster hadn't robbed him of his usual discernment he might have seen from the first that I was disposed to give him the entire field there." Then he thought of Inza Burrage and his red rival of the Taos Pueblo. He took out his watch and noted the time. "Only a few minutes to wait. It's a lovely after- noon. I feared it would be distressingly -hot." Five minute later the semicircle within the range of his vision began to contract and the coyote roundup had commenced. Frank mounted his wheel and rode slowly down the rise, looking to the right and to the left, and scanning as well every grassy hollow in which a coyote might be hidden. Both coyotes and jack rabbits were a great nui- sance in the region round about Guthrie. The jack rabbits peeled the bark from the young fruit trees that the Oklahoma farmers were trying to grow, and the coyotes killed poultry and lambs, and even young calves. No greater service could be done to the set- tlers that to thin out these pests. "That's a likely-looking place for one of the ras- 134 Out After Coyotes. cals," thought Frank, as he turned his wheel toward some low ground where the grass grew thick and rank. He was right in his surmise. As he came down the slope, with the wheel whirring over the hummocky places, a lean, skulking creature leaped out and sped away toward the southeast. "Here, you are not going in the right direction!" Frank muttered, and began to pedal with all his might to get in ahead of the coyote and turn it in the de- sired course. He succeeded after a short run, then decreased his speed and followed more slowly. The coyote stopped and looked back at him occa- sionally. It did not seem to observe the wavering line of drivers. Now and then it broke into a trot or a swinging lope. Frank kept an eye on it, but did not crowd it, and gave it no apparent attention so long as it went in the direction he desired. Before a mile was passed over another coyote sprang up off to the left. It was nearer Bart than Frank. "Hodge may look after that," he concluded. "Two coyotes already. If the rest do as well as Hodge and I, we shall have a full net of the scamps." He glanced toward the right and saw Alice Dea-: in pursuit of one that had broken cover close to her and was trying to get away. "See her go!" exclaimed Frank. "She is as much at home on a wheel as she is on a horse. I don't wondei that Bart is stuck on her." The coyote gave Alice Dean a lively chase, and it Out After Coyotes. 135 took a spurt of more than half a mile before he was willing to recognize that it was much easier to go in the direction she wanted him than in the one he had chosen. At the end of the second mile the coyote Bart was following joined the one pursued by Merriwell. They fronted about and stared at the wheelmen coming slowly toward them as if they wondered what new form of animal life they had encountered. They had no doubt seen horsemen and people on foot, but in all probability they had never before set their cunning, gleaming eyes on mounted bicyclists. When satisfied with their inspection, and made un- easy by the nearer approach of the strange creatures that rolled along so easily and noiselessly, they turned about, thrust their noses suspiciously into the air, and were Lway again at a skulking lope. Occasionally jack rabbits started up and bounded off with long leaps, but the members of the Guthrie Gun Club and their guests were after bigger game that day and paid no attention to the rabbits. As the circle contracted more and more and the drivers neared the center, Frank saw that more than a dozen coyotes were inclosed. They were running nervously here and there and viewing with evident dismay the approach of their enemies. Occasionally one attempted to break out of the narrowing ring and there would be a lively chase to drive him in. Smaller and still smaller grew the limits. The sun was already well down in the west. Some of the men began to yell. The coyotes dashed here and there, 1)6 Out After Coyotes. but were driven back at every turn. Then the dogs were released from the wagons. Like every other coward, a coyote will fight when cornered, and as the dogs dashed into their midst, the coyotes began to snap in their vicious way, drawing blood wherever their sharp teeth touched, and sending more than one dog back, reeling and howling. There were more coyotes than dogs, and Frank soon began to see some of the liveliest fighting he had ever witnessed. The coyotes were no match for the dogs, though, and he saw that one by one they would soon be over- powered and killed. Then an animal he had mistaken for a coyote, though it was larger than the others, and which he now saw to be a big gray wolf, broke through the line of dogs and people and reached the open plain. "Don't let it get away!" he heard some one yell, and saw several dash after it. Frank changed his course and was off after it like a flash. He heard a clatter of hoofs and knew that some of the horsemen were joining in the chase. Then, looking straight ahead of him at the runaway wolf, he put his weight on the pedals, and his bicycle seemed to fairly fly over the short grass. The wolf was a long-legged, long-winded creature, and went across the plain like a streak. The horse- men soon abandoned the chase, and one by one the bicyclists be