Burt L. Standish

“ Thornton was shaking, even though he had been assured by Tad Horner that there were no bullets in the pistols.
Diamond was cool as an iceberg. The bright moonlight seemed to show a look of deadly determination on his face.
"Confound him!" thought Thornton, quaking. "He'd as lief fight a duel as eat! Hang those Southerners! They do not know what it is to be afraid!"
"Two!" counted Merriwell. ”

“ Of course Yale would have won anyhow! How can they beat us?"
At this moment Collingwood came up, accompanied by a gentleman who carried a case in his hand.
"Here, Merry, old boy," cried the captain of the crew, "I've brought a doctor to look after that hand of yours."
"What is the matter with your hand?" asked Winnie, anxiously.
"Oh, nothing much," assured Frank, carelessly.
"Nothing much, only there is a bad felon on it," said Collingwood.
"A felon? And you rowed with a felon on your hand? Oh, Frank!" ”

“ Then came Mansford, of Princeton, and the Tigers let themselves loose. Jetting, of Dartmouth, followed, and the New Hampshire lads greeted him in a manner that brought the blood to his cheeks. Then little Judd, the U. P. man, trotted out, and he was received with howls of delight from the Quakers. [Pg 407]
"Now—now comes Yates!" cried Fred Flemming.
The Yale man appeared, and Flemming stood up to cheer. He dropped into his seat as if he had been shot, his face turning ashen gray, and the cheer dying on his lips.
"Good heavens!" gasped Tom Thornton. "It is Frank Merriwell!" ”

“ Frank laughed.
"Oh, let them go it, Bruce," he said. "It seems to amuse them, and it doesn't harm anybody else."
"I think Browning is right about Yates," declared Diamond. "He is not the proper man to represent Yale in that race."
"Whom would you suggest?" asked Frank.
"Frank Merriwell, by all means."
"Now that is folly!" said Merriwell, seriously.
"I fail to see why it is folly," cried Browning. "You are the man I have had in my mind all along."
"But I have no record."
"To the winds with your records! What we want is a man who can run. He'll make a record."
"Why do you think I can run?" ”

“ I can honor an honest foe who meets me man to man, but not one who takes a mean advantage of me. On my head I now bear a bruise where I was felled by a heavy cane in the hands of one of Flemming's friends, when he with five companions set upon Diamond and myself. I always endeavor to square all my accounts with friends and foes, and I shall balance the books with Flemming. ”

“ Bruce was reclining on a couch in Merriwell's room at the time, lazily puffing away at a cigarette. He languidly reached out his hand and felt for Frank's wrist.
"Permit me to examine your pulse, old fellow," he murmured. "If you are not trying to work some kind of a horse on me you must be in a bad way. Ah!" he said, knowingly, with his thumb and finger on Frank's wrist, "I thought so! Pulse irregular—flutters like an old rag in the wind—flesh hot and dry, eye changing and unsteady, dryness in your throat and general vacancy in your stomach. What you need is a tonic—and you need it bad. ”

“ Flemming did not know what to do. The manner of the angry lads was alarming, and he saw no reason why he should defend a man who was quite unknown to him.
But the stranger did not wait to be defended. With a wild shout, that was like the war whoop of an Indian, he leaped up and lunged straight into the crowd, striking out right and left.
In less than ten seconds a general fight was taking place in that end of the car. Jack Diamond, who had a grudge against Tom Thornton, collared Tom as he was trying to slip away.
"Hold on!" cried the Virginian. "You can't play the sneak in that way! ”

“ The exhausted rowers were lifted on board amid renewed cheering, and the trip up the river began.
It was a triumphant procession. All along the line the Clyde, which was decorated with blue, was received with cheers and shrieking whistles. Men waved hats and flags, pretty girls fluttered handkerchiefs and pennants, squads of students gave the Yale cheer at intervals, and two scores of boats, crowded with students and friends, accompanied the boat that carried the victorious crew. The jubilant Yale men sang songs of victory and cheered till their throats ached and they were hoarse. ”

“ Harry grinned mysteriously.
"Why should I know all this just because I am Merriwell's roommate?" he asked. "Do you think he knows everything he tells me—I mean do you think he tells me everything he knows?"
"Of course not, but he'd be sure to tell you this, for you know he introduced English methods with 'Umpty-eight last year, and he must be rather proud if Collingwood has given in that those methods are preferable to the old Yale ways."
"If Merry were proud of anything, you'd never know it by his words or manner," said Harry. "He is not given to boasting." ”

“ Emery shook his head.
"I think your memory is slightly at fault, old man," he said. "I am sure Merriwell bowled over at least one man, and dodged one or two others, besides going down the field like a wild engine, with Princeton's fastest runner at his heels and unable to tackle him. Oh, it is not all luck with Merriwell, Thornton, as you would acknowledge, if you were not prejudiced."
"You talk as if you are stuck on the fellow!" snarled Tom, in his most cutting manner. ”

“ Diamond called on Merriwell that evening.
"You are a dandy, old man!" cried the Virginian, admiringly. "You got back at Flemming in great shape. They say he has been weak as a rag ever since you dropped him the second time, and it is pretty certain he will hold you in respect hereafter." [Pg 177]
"I shall be satisfied if he will let me alone," said Frank, quietly. "I have no grudge against him, but the fellow who has not the nerve to fight his way in this world gets left. Life is a battle from start to finish, and the hardest fighter is the winner." ”

“ Heffiner was in the gymnasium, and had been attracted by the struggle between Merriwell and Diamond, so he had overheard all that passed between Frank and Fred.
Diamond was standing at one side, his arms folded, a look of satisfaction on his face. For all of Flemming's reputation as a wrestler, Diamond felt sure that Merriwell was making no false moves. He knew Frank too well to think he would deliberately challenge his enemy to wrestle without feeling certain of his own ability to accomplish his defeat. ”

“ Now, although I claim to be thoroughly American, I try not to be narrow and pig-headed. Simply because a thing is American, I do not believe it must therefore be superior to everything else in the world; but I am bound to defend it till I find something by which it is excelled. If Americans will adopt the English oar and the English stroke, I am confident that, in a very few years, they will so improve upon them that they will be able to give points to our cousins across the 'pond.'"
"You are, indeed, broad-minded and liberal, Merriwell," said Diamond, with admiration. ”

“ Imagine a thousand, full-lunged, hearty, healthy American lads shouting this cry in unison! It was a sound never to be forgotten by those who heard it. The victorious blue fluttered everywhere.
Harvard had made a gallant fight, and it had been "nobody's race" almost to the finish. The Yale crew proved superior, but it won purely by brawn and stamina. Old oars confessed that up to the last half mile Harvard had shown better coaching and had seemed to establish the superiority of the Oxford oar and stroke over American methods. ”

“ In a short time Frank's hand was cared for, and the doctor gave directions for future treatment of the felon.
"It is bound to trouble you for some time, and you will find it very painful," he said. "After what you have done to-day, I doubt if you sleep much to-night."
"I don't care if I do not sleep for a week so long as Yale won!" declared the boy.
"You have the true Yale spirit," said the doctor, approvingly. "Yale men carry that unconquerable spirit out into the world, and that is why Old Eli turns out so many successful men in all walks of life. ”

“ I wouldn't be surprised if Thornton's hair turned gray. But I'm going to get out of this rig as soon as possible. These corsets are killing me. I can't get a full breath."
"You little rascal!" laughed Frank Merriwell, as he gave Griswold a shake. "You are a born actor, and you have given Tom Thornton a shock that he will not get over for some time—to say nothing of Willis Paulding."
"If it cures Thornton of bragging about his mashes I'll be satisfied," said Tad Horner. "But I'm afraid he'll never forgive me. I'll have to make a hustle and find him before he does something desperate. ”

“ If they win the spring race he'll decide that brawn is going to Harvard, as well as brain, and Yale is in the decline."
"They never won anything fair," declared Halliday. "Why, I've heard they have men out West all the while searching for new debaters. They claim that Harvard don't care to go in for athletics, but takes a leading stand in all intellectual pursuits, such as debating and chess."
"Chess is certainly a highly intellectual pursuit," drawled Browning. "If I had entered Harvard I should take an interest in it. Debating is too trying. ”

“ Our only trouble is to find the right sort of fruit for plucking. We generally pretend we are strangers to each other. Sometimes we have a little disagreement over the table, just to fool the fools all the more."
"That's first-rate," laughed Harris. "I wish the gang here was not onto Harlow. I could get you some ripe plums."
"And that's what made me so sore on Merriwell," growled Harlow. "But for that fellow we'd be right in it now. Oh, I want to soak him some way, and soak him hard!"
"And we'll find a way to soak him, too!" growled Hartwick. "Let's have another round, fellows." ”

“ Flemming is a good man, and Merriwell already has more than he can properly attend to."
"Now you are getting me cot under the hollar—I mean hot under the collar!" exclaimed Rattleton, his eyes snapping. "I want to ask you a question, Mr. Dunning. When have you known Frank Merriwell to make a failure of anything he has attempted?"
"Oh, he has been wonderfully successful, I grant that; and I do not doubt but he would have made a good man had he been taken on the crew last fall."
"He will make a good man anyway, and you can bet on that!" cried Harry. ”

“ I have ordered plenty of fizz on ice, and—oh, but you do not drink fizz, do you, Merriwell?"
"No," said Frank; "but I am no temperance crank, and I do not make myself offensive by trying to convince everybody else that men who do drink are fools. College lads should have brains enough to know what they want and what they do not want, and it is impertinent for any fellow to go around trying to make Good Templars of men who enjoy a glass of beer or wine now and then." ”

“ Paul Pierson had made a discovery that night, and, before he left, he told Frank Merriwell to put himself into condition to enter one of the races at the Madison Square Garden tournament in New York.
"You seem to be in pretty good condition now," he said, with a grim smile; "but you know whether you can improve your condition or not. If you can, do it, for you are liable to be pitted against men who will give you a decidedly hotter time than you have ever struck."
"All right," said Frank, quietly. "You'll find that I shall be in shape, and I'll do my best to be a credit to Old Yale." ”

“ Frank told Bruce all about the night run, and a lazy smile spread over the fat lad's round face as he listened.
"That's one on Pierson!" he exclaimed. "He thinks he is unequalled when it comes to a long-distance run, and I'll wager something that you have fixed him so he will fight to get you into that race. I can see him bidding you farewell! Ha! ha! ha! And then I can see him when you took your turn! Ha! ha! ha!"
Bruce laughed in a hearty manner, and, for some time they talked over the events of the evening.
"What sort of a fellow is Yates?" asked Frank. ”

“ I have learned something to-day that I never knew before. I never would have dreamed that a hair could lame a horse in that way!"
"You want to look out for Nemo now," said Harry, "and not let that chap get at him again."
"I mean to," asserted Frank. "I have sent for my colored boy, Toots, to come on and keep watch here [Pg 72] when Grody is unable to do so. Till he gets here, Grody, I want you to watch Nemo like a hawk. I hardly think the whelp will try another trick, but there is no telling. ”