Burt L. Standish

“ Tears rolled down Bruce Browning's face, and Jack Diamond, grim and speechless, looked as if the light of the world had gone out forever.
Some days later the passengers and crew from the lost "Eagle" were landed at Liverpool by the steamer "Seneca," which had picked them up at sea. The "Seneca" was a slow old craft, but she got there all right.
A little grimy tender carried Bruce, Jack, Harry and the tutor from the "Seneca" to the floating dock. It was a sad and wretched-looking party.
On the dock stood a young man who shouted to them and waved his hand. ”

“ Harry did not resent Frank's reproof, for he knew Frank was right, and he was ashamed.
Every young man who stoops to vulgarity should be ashamed. Profanity is coarse and degrading; vulgarity is positively low and filthy. The youth who is careful to keep his clothes and his body clean should be careful to keep his mouth clean. ”

“ Thus Frank snatched success from defeat.
It is a strange thing that when a person fights against fate and conquers, when fortune begins to smile, when the tide fairly turns his way, then everything seems to come to him. ”

“ Frank had forced those who would have regarded him with scorn to respect him. He could play baseball or football with the best of them; he could run, jump, swim, ride, and he excelled by sheer determination in almost everything he undertook. He would not be beaten. If defeated once, he did not rest, but prepared himself for another trial and went in to win or die. In this way he showed himself manly, and he commanded the respect of enemies as well as friends.
Rattleton was ashamed of the language he had used after the departure of Bloodgood, and he did not attempt to excuse himself further. ”

“ After that Merry could not help thinking of Harris all alone in the darkness of the hold, with swarms of rats around him, eating dry bread, washed down with water.
Frank felt that the youthful villain did not deserve any sympathy, but, despite himself, he could not help feeling a pang of pity for him.
When he expressed himself thus to his friends, however, they scoffed at him.
"Serves the dog right!" flashed Diamond. "He is getting just what he deserves, and I'm glad of it!"
"He will get what he deserves when we reach the other side," grunted Browning. ”

“ Frank was a person who believed that knowledge of almost any sort was likely to prove of value to a man at some stage of his career, and he had made a practice of learning everything possible. He had studied up on the tricks of gamblers, so that he knew all about their methods of robbing their victims. Being a first-class amateur magician, his knowledge of card tricks had become of value to him in more than one instance. He felt that he would be able to hold his own against pretty clever card-sharps, but he did not care or propose to have any dealings with such men, unless forced to do so. ”

“ Rattleton gave a still more dismal groan.
"You are conspiring with the elements to hasten my death!" he said. "I can't stand many more like that."
"You should wear a sheet of writing paper across your breast, same as I do," said Diamond. "Then you won't be sick."
"I've got two sheets of writing paper across mine," declared Harry.
"You should drink a bottle of ginger ale to settle your stomach," put in Frank.
"Just drank three bottles of ginger ale, and they've turned my stomach wrong side out," gurgled the sick youth. ”

“ For a moment there was an awkward pause, and then Bloodgood went on:
"I was up pretty late last night, you know. Had a little game in the smoking-room. Plenty of booze, and all that, and I'm awfully rocky to-day. Got a splitting headache. Didn't know but some of you had a bromo seltzer, or something of the sort. You look like a crowd that finds such things handy occasionally."
At this Frank laughed quietly, but Diamond looked angry and indignant.
"What do you take us for?" exclaimed the Virginian, warmly. "Do you think we are a lot of boozers?" ”

“ A heavy sea must cause motion or friction in the cargo, and friction often starts a fire on shipboard. Fire on this vessel means a quick road to glory."
"Huah!" grunted Bruce. "I'm not in the habit of worrying about things that may happen. It's cold out here. Let's go back to the stateroom."
"It will be well enough to keep still about the nature of the cargo, Diamond," said Frank.
"Oh, I shall keep still about that all right!" assured Jack.
As they moved back along the deck they discovered somebody who was leaning over the rail and making all sorts of dismal sounds and groans. ”

“ Now it happened that the Frenchman occupied a room adjoining, and he was very much annoyed by their singing. He pounded on the partition, and expressed his feelings in very lurid language, but that amused them, and they sang the louder.
"M. Montfort seems to get very agitated," said Frank, laughing.
"But I hardly think there is any danger that he will do more than hammer on the partition," grunted Bruce. "He's kept away from us since he found he could not frighten anybody."
"He's a bluffer," was Diamond's opinion.
"He's a great fellow to play cards," said Merry. ”

“ Bloodgood turned on Jack, lifting his eyebrows.
"My dear fellow—" he began.
But Frank put in:
"We have no use for bromo seltzer, as none of us are drinkers."
"Oh, of course not," said the intruder, with something like a sneer. "None of us are drinkers, but then we're all liable to get a little too much sometimes, especially when we sit up late and play poker."
Frank saw that Diamond had taken an instant dislike to the youth with the diamonds and the red necktie, and he felt like averting a storm, even though he did not fancy the manner of the intruder. ”

“ Then they talked the affair over, and Frank gave them his theory of Sport's presence on the steamer, which seemed plausible.
"This is something rather more interesting than the superstitious man or the Frenchman," said Diamond.
"The superstitious man was interesting at first," observed Merry; "but I've a fancy that he might prove a bore."
Then Bruce grunted:
"Say, does Fact and Reason err, And, if they both err, which the more? The man of the smallest calibre Is sure to be the greatest bore."
While they were talking, the sound of voices came from the stateroom occupied by the Frenchman. ”

“ Those around him were Bruce Browning, Jack Diamond, Harry Rattleton and Tutor Wellington Maybe.
It was Frank's scheme to spend the summer months abroad, while studying in the attempt to catch up with his class and pass examinations on re-entering college in the fall. And he had brought along his three friends, Browning, Diamond and Rattleton. They were on their way to England.
Frank was happy. Fortune had dealt him a heavy blow when he was compelled by poverty to leave dear old Yale, but he had faced the world bravely, and he had struggled like a man. ”

“ There are other and better ways of winning a reputation as a good fellow. There are stories which are genuinely humorous and funny which are also clean. No matter how much of a laugh he may raise, any self-respecting person feels that he has lowered himself by telling a vulgar story. It is not so if he has told a clean story. He is satisfied with the laughter he has caused and with himself.
Frank Merriwell was called a good fellow. ”

“ Diamond saw it. He jumped up and dragged a trunk into position by that partition. Mounted on the trunk, he applied his eye to the orifice and discovered that he could see into the Frenchman's room very nicely.
"What can you see?" grunted Browning.
"I can see everyone in there," answered Jack.
"Name them."
"The Frenchman, the Englishman, the superstitious man, and our fresh friend, Bloodgood."
"Same old crowd," murmured Frank.
"Yes, and a hot old game!" came from the youth on the trunk. "My! my! but they are whooping her up! They've got plenty to drink, and they are playing for big dust." ”

“ I am going down there and try to bring Harris out!"
"You're a fool!" chattered Harry Rattleton. "Think of the oil and powder down there! The stuff is liable to explode any moment! You shall not go!"
Frank saw a coil of rope at a distance. He rushed for it, brought it to the hold, let an end drop and dangle into the darkness from whence the smoke rolled up.
"You are crazy!" roared Bruce Browning, attempting to get hold of Frank. "I refuse to let you go down there!"
"Don't put your hands on me, Browning!" cried Frank. "If you do, I shall knock you down!" ”

“ If you do not get Harris into the boat I swear I will not enter it if I conquer Montfort!"
Then he whirled on the Frenchman.
"I accept your challenge!" he cried in clear tones.
Montfort uttered an exclamation of satisfaction. He flung off his coat, saying:
"Choose ze weapon, saire."
Frank did not pause to look them over in making a selection. He caught up one of them and drew it from the scabbard.
Montfort took the other.
"Ready?" cried the American youth.
"Ready!" answered the Frenchman.
Clash!—the swords came together and there on the deck of the burning steamer the strange duel began. ”

“ He took a good look at it.
"Ees it all right, sair?" asked the Frenchman, eagerly.
"It is," said Mr. Slush, "and I will take charge of it!"
He thrust the case into his pocket, rose quickly, stepped past Montfort and clapped a hand on Bloodgood's shoulder.
"I arrest you, Benton Hammersley, for the Clayton diamond robbery!" he said. "It is useless for you to resist, for you are on shipboard, and you cannot escape."
Bloodgood uttered a fierce curse. ”

“ But Frank checked the hot-headed youth again.
"Steady, Jack! It is not necessary. He will go directly. Mr. Bloodgood, you speak as if it were a disgrace to belong to the Y.M.C.A. That shows your ignorance and narrowness. The Y.M.C.A. is a splendid organization, and it has proved the anchor that has kept many a young man from dashing onto the rocks of destruction. ”

“ Slush ignorant?" asked Bruce.
"Didn't have time to size him up, but he's queer."
"I shall feel that I am over a volcano during the rest of the voyage," said Jack. "What if there was somebody on board who wished to destroy the ship?"
"It wouldn't be much of a job," grunted Browning. "A match touched to a powder keg would do the trick in a hurry."
"But he'd go up with the rest of us," said Frank.
"Unless he used a slow match," put in Jack. "These captains always have their enemies, who are desperate fellows and ready to do almost anything to injure them. ”

“ Luck continued to run against Bloodgood. To Frank's surprise, it was plain Mr. Slush was winning. This seemed to surprise and puzzle both the Englishman and the Frenchman.
It was hard work to draw the little man in when Hazleton or Montfort dealt. On his own deal or that of Bloodgood, he seemed ready for anything.
"By Jove!" whispered Frank, in Diamond's ear. "That man is not such a fool as I thought! ”

“ Down Frank came with a rush, but he did not fall. He landed in the stoke-hole without being severely injured. He was on his feet in a twinkling, and up that ladder he went like a cat.
His assailant had darted up the ladder above and disappeared. Merry reached the grating from which he had been hurled, and then he ran up the other ladder.
He was soon in the engine-room.
In that room there was no excitement. The machinery was sliding and swinging in a regular manner, while the engineer sat watching its movements, talking to an assistant. Oilers and cleaners were at work. ”

“ It was much this way with Frank. He had dreamed of going back to college some time, but that time had seemed far, far away. Success brought it nearer.
But then it came tumbling into his lap. No one had been found to claim the fortune he discovered in the Utah Desert. Investigation had shown that there were no living relatives of the man who had guarded the treasure till his death. That treasure had been turned over to Frank.
Frank had brought his play to New Haven, and his old college friends had given him a rousing welcome. ”

“ The next time you use a word that you should be ashamed to have your mother or sister hear just think that you are following the example of that loafer. You are lowering yourself in the eyes of somebody, even though you may not think so at the time. ”

“ A man was sent for the captain, with instructions to tell him just what occurred. Of course the captain of the steamer was the only person who could order one of the men placed in irons.
The captain came in in a little while, and he listened in great amazement to the story of what had taken place. His face was hard and grim. He asked Frank a few questions, and then he ordered that Harris be ironed and confined in the hold.
"Mr. Merriwell," said the captain, "I am very sorry that this happened on my ship."
"It's all right, captain," said Frank. "You are in no way to blame. ”

“ He laughs, he calls you a jolly good fellow to your face; but he thinks to himself that you are no better than anybody else, and behind your back he tells somebody what he thinks. He is glad of the opportunity to show that you are no better than he is. Never tell a vulgar story. Better never listen to one, unless your position is such that you cannot escape without making yourself appear a positive cad. ”

“ Hazleton called for two. He received them, and remained imperturbable.
He had caught nothing with his three nines.
Bloodgood had tumbled to the fact that he was "up against" threes, and he had discarded his pair of low cards, holding only the two aces. To these he drew a seven and two more aces!
Bloodgood turned pale and then flushed. He held onto himself with all his strength. Here was his chance to get back his losings. Everything was in his favor. ”