Burt L. Standish

“ Hodge was reading a book. He flung it aside, with an impatient exclamation that was followed by a yawn.
"I'm tired of that old thing!" he cried. "I am tired of everything!"
"You need a rest, Bart," said Frank. "You are not getting enough sleep."
"I am getting as much as you. I say, Frank, don't you think living is a bore, anyway?"
"Not when a fellow lives right."
"Right? What do you mean by that? Isn't a chap to have any sport?"
"Yes; but there are two kinds of sport—so called. One is healthy, invigorating, delightful, like baseball and football, for instance. ”

“ Wat Snell had been losing right along, and he sneered:
"There's an old saying, 'A fool for luck,' you know."
"It applies in this case," laughed Frank. "If I wasn't a fool, I wouldn't be in this game."
"What's the matter with this game?" asked Harris. "Isn't the limit high enough to suit you?"
"That's the matter," said Dare, swiftly. "Let's raise the limit."
"Let's throw it off," urged Snell. "What's the use of limit, any how?"
Frank shook his head.
"I don't believe in a no-limit game," he said. "There are none of us millionaires." ”

“ The widow smiled seductively on the long and lanky professor.
"You don't find nothing the matter with the sofy, do you, professor?" she asked.
"Not a thing," piped Jenks. "It is ever the wicked man who feels the pricks of conscience. Now, my conscience is easy, and so I do not feel——We-e-e-ow! Murder! I'm stabbed! I'm killed! We-e-ow!"
Professor Jenks shot into the air with such suddenness and vigor that he thumped his head against the low ceiling, which seemed to fling him back upon the sofa, and Frank promptly gave him a second dose of hatpin. ”

“ I don't wish to take any credit to myself, so I make no claim to resisting a temptation, for they are no temptation to me."
"Lots of fellows smoke who do not like cigarettes," assured Sam Winslow.
"Well, I can't understand why they do so," declared Merriwell.
"They do it for fun."
"I fail to see where the fun comes in. There are enough improper things that I would like to do for me not to care about those things that are repugnant to me. ”

“ The moment he decided to play, he seemed to throw off the air of restraint that had been about him since he discovered the kind of company Bart Hodge had brought him into. He became his free-and-easy, jolly self, soon cracking a joke or two that set the boys laughing, and beginning by taking the very first pot on the table after entering the game.
"That's bad luck," he said, with a laugh. "The fellow who wins at the start usually loses at the finish, so I may as well consider my fortune yours. ”

“ Fred Davis had not been told where the fight was to take place; but he had scented it in some way, and he came panting to the spot, just as Merriwell and Bascomb were about to meet. He rushed straight to Frank, exclaiming:
"You must not fight on my account! You shall not! You haven't any right to do it! This must stop!"
"Here, Bart," said Merriwell to Hodge, speaking quietly and firmly, "turn this boy over to Mulloy, and tell him to keep Davis from making any fuss."
"But you must listen to me!" cried the little plebe, on the verge of tears. "People sometimes get killed in fights. ”

“ Wat Snell simply muttered:
"I knew it!"
His tone expressed his hopeless disgust.
Frank's hand was wrung till his arm ached, and he was told over and over that he would make a new record for Fardale Academy if he chose to enter the athletic contests in the spring.
"If he chooses!" shouted one enthusiastic fellow. "He'll have to enter, whether he chooses or not! You don't suppose we will let a fellow like him remain out of it, do you!"
"I knew you could do it, old man!" murmured Bart Hodge, his dark face flushed with pleasure. ”

“ Rains seemed aware that Merriwell was a spectator, for he braced up and gave Bascomb a merry go for a few minutes, forcing the big fellow back, and seeming to tap him with ease and skill whenever and wherever he chose.
When this little flurry was over, Rains threw off his gloves, and declared he had had enough.
"So have I," said Bascomb, with a grin. "You're the best man I've put the mittens on with yet. I believe there is a fellow not more than a hundred miles from here that thinks he is some one with gloves, but you can do him dead easy. ”

“ With an effort, Frank steadied his quivering nerves, remaining quiet to watch and listen.
The person who had appeared in answer to Snell's signal was the man in black, and he quickly pounced upon the boy, like a huge hawk upon its prey.
"The ring!" he cried, hoarsely. "Where is it?"
Wat gave a low cry of fear.
"Don't!" he gasped. "You're hurting me! Your fingers are hard as iron, and they crush right into a fellow!"
"The ring!" repeated the man, fiercely. "Produce it!" ”

“ Bascomb found Rains rubbing down. Paul did not say a word as the big plebe entered.
"Well," said Bascomb, as he sat down on a stool, "what do you think of Merriwell?"
"I think he is a mighty hard fellow to beat at anything," growled Paul.
"But he can be beaten—eh?"
"How?"
"There are ways."
"What do you mean? Speak plainly."
"You ought to know what I mean," said Bascomb, doggedly, keeping his eyes on the floor. "It isn't always the best trotter that wins a race."
"It will not be easy to beat Merriwell fairly." ”

“ Bascomb stood with an insolent sneer on his face, waiting. As Davis made no move, he broke into a short laugh.
"There's courage for you, gentlemen!" he said, scornfully. "Why, the fellow hasn't as much spirit as a dead mouse!"
Frank was about to speak, when Davis slowly rose to his feet.
"I suppose I am expected to fight in a case like this," he said, his voice shaking.
Some of the cadets who were always eager to see a fight of any sort, no matter how unevenly the antagonists might be matched, quickly said:
"That's right. You must fight." ”

“ Hodge had not been the first to give Frank a hint that he had a rival in Rains, but he was the first to tell him that Rains had declared he would not play on the ball team if Merriwell was captain.
Frank remembered that, and he wondered what Rains could have against him. Frank was never able to understand one fellow despising another because the other was popular, for it was natural for him to wish everybody good luck and success, and he always rejoiced in the success of any fellow he knew, providing, of course, that the success was of the right sort. ”

“ Then Frank flung off both his gloves, his face flushed, and his eyes flashing, as he exclaimed:
"Two can play at your game, fellow! If you want to try a round with uncovered knuckles, pick yourself up and come on!"
Snarling like a wounded dog, Bascomb scrambled to his feet; but here the spectators surged between the two, Rains catching hold of the big plebe, while Hodge grasped Merriwell.
"Easy, Frank!" warned Bart. "Are you crazy? You know what it will mean if you fight in the gym. Rhynas has noticed it now—he's coming." ”

“ Watching this battle, Paul Rains began to believe that he was not yet quite Merriwell's match at boxing.
"But I am a better man than he is at most anything else," thought the fellow.
Smack! smack! smack!
Merriwell was following Bascomb up like a tiger, and the big fellow was forced to give ground. Again and again Frank hammered the desperate plebe, getting few blows in return and seeming to mind none of them no more than drops of rain. ”

“ Leslie Gage and Wat Snell exchanged glances of satisfaction.
A black look came to Bart Hodge's face, and he half started up as Frank took the cigarette, acting as if he would utter a warning. Then he settled back in his seat, thinking:
"Let him smoke, if he wants to. One cigarette will do nobody harm."
But Hodge knew in his heart that it was not the smoking of one or a dozen cigarettes that was dangerous to Merriwell ”

“ That big bully Bascomb got a hold on me, and he has been blackmailing me ever since. Hang that fellow! I'll choke the wind out of him yet!"
A crafty look came to Snell's face, and he said:
"There are ways to down a fellow without showing your hand."
"I suppose so; but it usually takes too long to suit me. I like to jump on an enemy at once, and do him up."
"Well, I hope you are satisfied that Merriwell is the kind of a fellow who will not be jumped on that way?" ”

“ There was something about Merriwell's look and bearing that seemed to warn them against attacking him. To Wat Snell it suddenly seemed quite probable that Frank would prove more than a match for both of them.
"There are ladies present," he said, hastily. "We cannot fight in the presence of ladies."
"Very thoughtful!" came scornfully from Frank's lips. "Possibly the ladies will step aside long enough for us to settle this little matter."
"Oh, don't fight with them, Frank!" pleaded Inza. ”

“ Bascomb hesitated. Something told him that Frank could fight quite as well with his bare fists as he could box with gloves. But how could he retreat? If he did not meet Merriwell he would be regarded with scorn by every one, and, like Wat Snell, who had refused to meet Bart Hodge, be ostracised in the school.
"Davis ought to fight me first," he muttered.
"Oh, hang that plebe!" cried Reynolds, contemptuously. "He doesn't count with Merriwell. You can attend to him when you have disposed of Merriwell. If you go into this business determined to finish the fellow, you'll be sure to do it. ”

“ The room occupied by Merriwell and Hodge was not on that side of the building, so Frank, who was studying, had not witnessed the encounter between his roommate and Snell.
Fortunately, also, the blow had not been seen by any one but cadets, so it was not liable to come to Professor Gunn's knowledge, unless Wat told of it himself.
Bart found Frank in their room, and Merriwell looked up as the dark-haired boy entered with a quick, nervous step.
"Hello!" he cried, in surprise. "What's happened? Your face is dark as a thunder-cloud, and you look as if you could eat iron." ”

“ It is selfish of me to cling to cigarettes when 'tobacco smoke in quarters' has been reported against us so many times. By jingoes! I'm going to swear off! They don't do a fellow any good, and they get an awful hold on one. It won't be easy for me to give them up; but I am going to do it. If you catch me smoking another of the things, you may kick me till there isn't a breath left in my body! That's business, and I will stick to it!"
"Good!" laughed Frank. "You have been smoking a good many of them lately, and I have noticed that you complained of your lungs. ”

“ Frank looked Bascomb straight in the eye, and the big fellow's face grew black with anger.
"What do you want?" he muttered.
"I want to tell you what I think of you, and I am going to do so. Davis has been reared like a gentleman, and it is but natural that he should recoil from contact with such as you."
"Do you mean to say I am no gentleman?"
"That is exactly what I mean to say, sir. No gentleman ever plays the bully, as you have done." ”

“ If one seems to get the best of him for a bit, he bobs up serenely directly, and comes out on top. It is just his luck!"
If Bascomb had said it was just Merriwell's pluck he would have hit the truth, for Frank, besides being physically capable, was endowed with any amount of determination, having a never-say-die spirit that would not give up as long as there was a ghost of a chance left to pull out a winner. ”

“ There was a murmur of applause when he turned away, with Davis at his side.
Still Frank knew very well that he had taken an unpopular stand by espousing the cause of a plebe who did not seem to have nerve enough to stand up for his own rights, and he was breaking all precedent and traditions by a show of friendliness for his own fag.
However, Frank was a lad who firmly believed in standing by the right, no matter whether the cause were popular or not, and his sympathy was invariably with "the under dog in the fight." He could not bear to see the weak oppressed by the strong. ”

“ Somehow Davis did not seem at all like a "sissy-boy" to Merriwell, who believed the plebe had a great deal of moral courage, if he were not physically brave. And Frank had come to believe that moral courage is a higher qualification than physical courage.
In this world there are two classes of heroes, and one class is likely to be grievously misunderstood. First comes the physical hero, the fellow who defiantly faces dangers that are sufficient to turn to ice the blood of another, and yet may succumb to some simple temptation that he knows will lead him into wrongdoing. ”

“ A faint trace of a smile came to Hodge's dark face.
"You enjoy anything of the kind far more than I do, Merriwell," he said. "I like fun of a different sort."
"Well, I fancy you will acknowledge I take some interest in other sports, Bart?"
"That's all right, Frank; you are the leader of our class in everything, because you are a natural leader. But you have a dangerous rival."
"Think so?"
"I know it. There is a fellow in this school who is aiming to stand at the head in athletics. ”

“ He laughed in a disagreeable way, and Hodge, who had overheard all, bit his lips to repress an outburst of anger.
"The sneak!" whispered Bart to Frank, as the latter stepped aside to take off his coat and vest. "He means to use his sledgehammer blow on you. He won't box for points, but he will try to soak you. Look out for him."
"I am not afraid of him."
"That's all right; but you know he has been practicing that blow, and they say it is terrible. He is cut out for a prizefighter, and is no fit boxing antagonist for a gentleman." ”

“ Frank declined to smoke, but his example was not followed by any of the other lads. Each one took a cigarette and "fired up."
"You ought to smoke, Merriwell," said Dare. "There's lots of pleasure in it."
"Perhaps so," admitted Frank; "but I don't care for it, and, as it is against the rules, it keeps me out of trouble by not smoking."
"It's against the rules to indulge in this kind of a feast, old man. You can't be too much of a stickler for rules."
"It doesn't do to be too goody-good," put in Snell, insinuatingly. "Such rubbish doesn't go with the fellows." ”

“ Where do you go?"
"If you want to come along, and have some fun, I will show you to-night."
Frank hesitated. It was a great temptation, and he felt a longing to go.
"Well," he said, finally, "I have not broken any in quite a while, and I believe I'll take a whirl with you to-night."
"All right," nodded Bart. "I'll show you some fellows with sporting blood in their veins."
"But I want you to understand I do not propose to follow it up night after night," Frank hastened to say. "A fellow can't do it and stand the work that's cut out for him here." ”

“ He was magnetic, and had a winning way, so that he made many friends, always among the better class at the school. No one, either man or boy, is ever popular without having enemies, and this was true of Frank; but his enemies were those who were jealous of him, or those with whom he did not care to associate, for the best of reasons.
Hodge was not a fellow to make friends, being haughty and proud, and Merriwell obtained many enemies because he roomed with Bart, and seemed to stand up for the fellow. ”

“ Some of you will become enormously wealthy in about fifteen minutes, for I won't last longer than that if my luck turns."
He soon betrayed that he was familiar with the game, and luck ran to him in a way that made the other boys look tired. He seemed able to draw anything he wanted.
"Say!" gasped Sam Winslow, in admiration; "I shouldn't think you'd want to play poker—oh, no! If I had your luck, I'd play poker as a profession. Why, if you drew to a spike, you'd get a railroad! ”

“ There is nothing harder to hold than the esteem of a set of school-boys. He who is regarded as an idol in the fall may be supplanted by a rival in the spring, and may find himself unnoticed and neglected. Having once become a leader in a school, the fellow who has obtained the position must prove his superiority to all comers in order to hold it. ”

“ The table was cleared, and the boys gathered round it, Hodge producing a pack of cards, the seal of which had not been broken.
"You'll notice that those papers are all right," he said, significantly. "Nobody's had a chance to tamper with them."
"What do you play?" asked Frank, to whose face a strange look had come on sight of the cards.
"Oh, we play most anything—euchre, seven up, poker——"
"Poker?"
"Yes; just a light game—penny ante—to make it interesting. You know there's no interest in poker unless there's some risk."
The strange look grew on Frank Merriwell's face. ”

“ He reached the mark, and went flying through the air like a bird, bringing a cry to the lips of those watching, for they saw he had gone far ahead of the first jump.
"That was a beauty!" exclaimed Bascomb, speaking to Wat Snell, who stood watching.
"It was a good jump," said Snell; "but Merriwell will beat it."
"What makes you think so?"
"Because that fellow always beats at everything. I had rather have his luck than a license to steal! I've quit trying to down him, for I found I was bound to get the worst of it if I kept it up." ”