Burt L. Standish

“ Oh, how the Yale men shrieked, and screamed, and roared! They were like human beings gone mad. They were crazed with their admiration for the man who had done that trick. They longed to take him in their arms, to bear him on their shoulders, to do him every honor.
Gloriously had Frank Merriwell won back his lost prestige! Let a man breathe a slur against him now and there would be a hundred ready to knock that man down.
When the mass untangled Merriwell was seen lifted to his feet. He stood up, wavering a bit, supported by Forrest, who had an arm around Frank's body. ”

“ Now every Yale man in the crowd was on his feet cheering like mad. Those cheers seemed to make fiends of the defenders of the blue. They played, every man of 'em, as if they were in battle and ready to sacrifice their lives without a moment of hesitation. They were irresistible. Harvard's stone wall was broken at last. Merriwell was in the thick of it. Four times he advanced the ball. Others took turns, and, at last, the ball was on Harvard's twenty-five-yard line.
Then there was a hush, for it suddenly became plain that Merriwell would try to kick a goal from the field. ”

“ A wild mob of screaming, cheering, horn-tooting students was there.
It was evening, and the Yale lads had come down to the station with torches, prepared to give the eleven such a reception as no other football team had ever met.
When the train drew into the station, the band was hammering away at a blood-stirring tune. When the train stopped, the great crowd of young men and boys presented a perfect sea of upturned faces beneath the flaring light of the torches. Blue was everywhere. It was Yale's great day, and all New Haven wore the color. ”

“ The rest of the spectators sat as near their favorite college as they could, with the result that long before any of the games began, the building fairly roared with college cries mingled together, each crowd trying to outdo the others.
It seemed as if there would be no lungs or voices left to cheer the athletes, but if any one had such a fear it must have been because he was not acquainted with students' voices.
An excited Yale or Harvard man can give the college cry somehow when he would be unable to conduct a conversation above a whisper. ”

“ For some time they chatted of various matters that interested them alone, Miss Gale being strangely taken up with the trinkets in the meantime.
"Is this the way she usually chaperones you, Inza?" asked Frank, after a while, smiling.
"Goodness, no!" replied the girl. "If you were any one but Frank Merriwell she would be sitting stiff and straight on a chair, never taking her eyes off us for a moment. But you—she thinks you are the finest young man in the world. You have completely won her withered old heart, Frank. You should hear her praise you to papa." ”

“ At first glance, this Yale student from South Carolina had been strongly impressed by Inza's appearance, and there was something about her spirit and her manners that impressed him more and more.
"If I could cut Merriwell out with her!" he thought. "Ah! that would be a rich revenge! But Paula might object! Never mind; I've given Paula no particular reason to think I am stuck on her. If she is stuck on me, it's not my fault. There is no reason why I should not try to catch on with Miss Burrage." ”

“ When this order was filled, he calmly drank the lemon-seltzer, paid for it, rose to his feet, pulled on his gloves, and left Morey's with an air of combined nonchalance and dignity.
He was his own master once more. He had been insulted by fellows he formerly believed friends, but he was still Frank Merriwell. He felt within himself that he was a man and the equal of the best of them. Some day they should be ashamed when they remembered their act. ”

“ Immediately afterward there was a creaking and a sound of straining as the four prostrate men pulled with all their might at a rope.
Then there were long breaths and grunts, and presently one of the four exclaimed:
"I say, Merriwell, I didn't suppose you were going to say 'drop' until you had counted three!"
"You had no business to suppose any such thing," responded Frank, seriously, and yet with a smile; "the man who gives the word in a tug of war sometimes doesn't count at all, and you've got to get used to falling at one word only." ”

“ I'm not likely to forget that I'm a graduate of Yale, and I certainly am not going to hurry off with an item to my paper that will bring you into any disgrace.
"Yale graduates are getting to think a good deal of you, Merriwell, and I brought you in here to see if there might not be some way to help you, not to get a sensational item."
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Matthews," said Frank, "but I had an idea that when a man became a reporter he could think of nothing but news and things to write about." ”

“ When it came, the eight men went down at the same instant. It was evident that the Princeton team had observed the success of Yale men in dropping, and had determined not to let them get an advantage in that way.
The ribbon stood exactly at the chalk mark, and the first few seconds of violent pulling failed to budge it more than a hair's breadth in either direction.
The great audience stood up and cheered as they had not done since the evening began. It was a delight to see two teams of strong young men so evenly matched in strength and skill. ”

“ Ben made a fierce gesture.
"What's the matter with you Merriwell?" he savagely cried. "Didn't know? You should know! You are the fellow of us all who should know. You have changed, and it has not been for the better. I tell you we stand a slim show with Harvard and Princeton, and you are needed just as you were needed at the tug of war. That being the case, you have no right to shut yourself up here in your room and plug away, seeming to take no interest in anything but your studies and recitations. You have been the most popular man in college, but your popularity is on the wane. ”

“ Then Frank spoke—a single sentence:
"Every man of us did his level best for dear old Yale!"
That was enough. They went mad again, and again they roared till they were hoarse. They cheered for Yale, they cheered for Forrest, they cheered for Merriwell. Of everything for which they cheered, Merriwell created the greatest enthusiasm.
Then he was lifted from the steps and carried away on the shoulders of his admirers, while the mob swarmed after him.
The band got out and formed to head the parade of triumph. The crowd of students fell in behind. ”

“ Frank flushed painfully, but said:
"Only fools never change their minds, Hally. Men of reason and good sense are forced to change their minds occasionally."
As soon as he seemed able to comprehend it fully, Ben got up and approached Merriwell.
"Look here, Merry," he said, entreatingly, "don't be a fool! I'm going to talk plain with you! By Jove! Somebody should talk plain to you! I don't care if you kick me out of your room! If you whiffle around again you'll be the butt of ridicule for everybody. You'll never again have any standing in Yale. Man, you are throwing away your reputation! ”

“ CHAPTER X. THE FINDING OF MELLOR.
"Now, Higgins," said Frank, rather sharply, as they were well out on Twenty-sixth Street, "what have you been up to?"
"Why," answered Higgins, hesitatingly, for he had not yet half recovered from the surprise of the event, "nothing but swapping boasts with those Princeton fellows and refusing to drink with them."
"It's small business for a Yale student to boast of what he can do," exclaimed Frank, in disgust. ”

“ Then came Harvard's tiger-like assault upon Yale's center, and Jack Benjamin went through with the ball. The great crowd of spectators rose as one person, seething with excitement, as Benjamin flew toward Yale's line.
"Hurrah!" cried the sister of the little fellow. "That is Jack—my brother Jack! He'll make a touchdown! They can't catch him—they can't stop him!"
"Wait a bit!" palpitated Inza Burrage, who was clinging convulsively to Paula's arm. "Look—look there! Frank is after him! See them run! Frank is gaining!" ”

“ Ralph Harlow was beaming with triumph.
"It's going to be an easy thing for our money, Harris," he chuckled. "Yale can't do anything with Harvard to-day."
"That's the way it looks," admitted Harris; "but the game is not over."
"The game will run the same way till, it is over. Yale's rushers could do nothing with Harvard's line. Frank Merriwell is the only man who has distinguished himself for Yale, and he could do nothing but delay the inevitable for a short time."
"That was the only real good opportunity Merriwell has had," said Sport. ”

“ Diamond was one of the few who had stood by him when he was most unpopular.
"The time has come," said Browning, slowly, "when this bully must be shown that he is not cock of the walk."
"Who'll show him?" cried several voices.
"Merriwell didn't hesitate about tackling him to-night—and got the best of him in a fair way. He struck a foul blow, and——"
"A terrible blow it was," confessed Frank, soberly. "I felt as if I had been kicked in the head by a mule."
"Oh, he'll kill a weak fellow with a fair blow of his fist!" exclaim Halliday. ”

“ I'd rather apologize for the accident to Marline than to have him challenge me to a duel. That's the whole of it, and——"
"What will the fellows think?"
"Let them think what they like!" exclaimed Frank, flushing. "A person who is forever considering what some one will think if he does this, that or the other is forever miserable and uneasy."
"But they'll say Marline cowed you."
"Let them."
"They'll say it is proof you have not the courage every one has thought."
"Let them."
Ben looked hard at Frank, and then slowly observed:
"Thought I understood you, Merriwell, but I'm blowed if I do!" ”

“ Merriwell, to consider yourself insulted by me, and you have demanded satisfaction. You shall have it, sah—all you want! We will fight, but not with our fists. I am the challenged party, and I name swords as the weapons!"
Marline's words produced a sensation. Of all who heard them, Frank Merriwell seemed the least startled or surprised. Danny Griswold near fell off the fence. All the boys looked at each other, and then stared at the boy from South Carolina, as if seeking to discover if he could be in earnest. ”

“ I tell you, he is a bad man!"
"Every bad man meets his match some day," said Frank.
"Mason's match is not to be found in Yale."
"Perhaps not."
"He's bound to be cock of the walk."
"And are freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors going to allow this brutal bully to walk on their necks?"
"What else can they do?"
"Kill him!" cried Jack Diamond, fiercely—"kill him, by the eternal gods! He can't walk on my neck! If he tried it, I'd kill him, though I hung for it!"
"I don't think it is necessary to kill him," smiled Frank. "There's always some way of subduing a bully. ”

“ As for myself, I'm going to get over to my room and look up mathematics for a while."
"I shouldn't think you'd need to," said Frank.
"Oh, a man grows rusty after three months away from the books, you know," answered Ford, "and an examination always makes me nervous, anyway. So long."
With this he left the room.
"Say, Merriwell," said Page, the moment the door was closed, "I don't know whether to feel obliged to you, or be as mad as a hornet." ”

“ Frank seemed dazed. The sight of Rob Marline in that house chatting thus with Inza seemed a revelation to him. All at once, he fancied he understood the situation—fancied he knew why Inza had not wished him to play on the Yale football team.
"We shall be in New Haven the last of the week, Mr. Merriwell," said Miss Abigail. "She'll get over it by that time, and we'll call. It's nothing but a foolish whim." ”

“ Congratulations, old man!"
"You'll have to ball the crowd when we get to New Haven, Sport," said Lewis Little. "You can afford to open fizz."
Harris smiled in a sickly way, and tried to say something, but Paul Pierson got him by the hand and gave him a shaking up that literally took away his breath.
"Good boy!" cried Paul. "I'm glad you stuck by old Eli! But did you have the nerve to bet every cent you had that Yale would take that game? My, my! You are a nervy fellow, Sport, old chap. You were the only man who had all that confidence."
"Sport never goes back on old Yale," laughed Little. ”

“ Why, Merry, you are wonderfully clever with the foils, and you have nerves of iron."
"Still, there might be a slip, you know."
"Are you afraid he'll do you up?"
"Not that," said Frank, "although I know he might. I'll tell you the truth. I hate Marline, and I might do him up. A sword is a nasty weapon. What if I should run him through?"
"I never saw the time yet when you were not your own master. I don't think there is any danger that you will kill Marline, but you pink him, just so he would remember you. He wouldn't blow. He's from the South. He wouldn't blow if you pinked him for keeps." ”

“ Of course, I can understand how, in an exciting match like a game of football, a man's temper might get the best of him, but to try to lame a fellow in cold blood hours before the beginning of the event is a little too much for me to think of when it comes to a student, whether he's from Princeton, Harvard or anywhere else. ”

“ Ben was silent, but he stared and stared and stared at Frank. He seemed trying to comprehend it.
"I wouldn't have believed it," he muttered—"I won't believe it now! It isn't Frank Merriwell! He wouldn't do a thing like that. He has a mind of his own, and he does not change his mind with every change of the wind." ”

“ Frank laughed.
"I don't know as I care about having any trouble with this freshman bully," he confessed.
"I should say not!" cried the others.
"But I shall not run to get out of his way."
"You'd better."
"Perhaps some of you are aware that I can put up a good, stiff fight myself."
"Yes, but you can't lick a fellow you can't hurt."
"There is no man living that can't be hurt—if you find out his tender spot. If I were forced into trouble with this Hock Mason, I should try to find how I could hurt him."
"While you were finding it, Merry, he would kill you." ”