Frank Merriwell's Champions: or, All in the Game

In the meantime Frank and Bart had taken a car and were on their way to the Continental. Bart showed considerable agitation concerning Merry’s hands.

“I hope you will not be knocked out so you’ll be unable to go in for athletics the same as usual this fall, Merry,” said Hodge. “What would the Yale eleven do without you?”

“They would get some other man equally as good,” smiled Frank.

“They couldn’t!” cried Hodge, loyally. “That would be an impossibility!”

“It can’t be you really mean that, old man?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then you are foolish. Why, Hodge, there are hundreds of men just as good as yours truly. I know I am a good player, but I also know there are others.”

It was nearly midnight when they left the car and started to walk the short distance to the hotel. Frank led the way by a short cut through a narrow street, which was rather dark and deserted.

“There are not many fellows who would have done what you did to-night for a girl who had treated them as Miss Darling treated you,” said Bart.

“Oh, I don’t know! It seems to me that almost any fellow would have done that.”

“Hegner was with her, but he did not lift a hand to save her.”

“It is plain he did not know what to do. He did not think quickly enough.”

“That is just it, Merry. In any emergency you think of just the right thing to do, and that is what makes you such a good man. I say Yale can’t afford to lose you from her eleven, and I hope you will not be damaged so it will knock you out.”

At that instant five or six dark forms suddenly darted out from both sides of the street and surrounded the boys. A voice snarled:

“When we are through with him he’ll be damaged so he won’t play football this season!”

CHAPTER XXXIV – A FIGHT AGAINST ODDS

“Ambushed!”

“Trapped!”

Frank and Bart uttered the exclamations as those dark forms gathered around them and they heard that snarling voice.

At a glance they saw the faces of their assailants were hidden by handkerchiefs which had been tied across them to their eyes, and one of them had turned his coat wrong side out.

The one with the turned coat seemed to be the leader of the party.

“Get around them, fellows!” he ordered, sharply. “Don’t let them skip!”

“We’re in for it!” grated Hodge.

“It looks that way,” admitted Frank.

“We’ll have to fight!”

“Sure.”

In another moment they had placed themselves back to back, and were ready to meet the assault of the young thugs of the street.

“So you’ll fight, will you?” grated the leader. “Well, you won’t stand much show with this crowd. We can knock the packing out of you in short order.”

“Don’t be so sure of that,” said Frank, with that singular laugh which Hodge knew indicated Merry was thoroughly aroused. “You may not find it. such a snap.”

“We are three to your one.”

“Even then you are not so many.”

“The trouble with you is that you think yourself a great deal smarter than you are. Well, you’ll change your mind after this. To-morrow you’ll be in a hospital.”

“You may be in a coffin, my fine fellow.”

The masked ruffians had surrounded Frank and Bart, and were ready for the attack. Their leader gave the word:

“At ’em, boys! Hammer ’em! Knock ’em down and kick ’em!”

Then the assault was made with a rush that was hard to withstand. For a moment it seemed that Merry and Hodge would be swept off their feet, overthrown, crushed.

Hodge was a fighter. He had a temper like a cold chisel, and he did not fear anything that walked. Frank knew the caliber of his Fardale chum, and he was glad that Hodge happened to be with him.

A big fellow got Bart by the throat, after Hodge had sent two others reeling backward before cracking blows, and for some seconds it seemed that Frank’s friend would be overcome.

But Bart broke the hold of his assailant, gave him a terrible jab in the wind, and then smashed him under the ear, when he doubled over. That put him out of the fight for a few moments at least.

The others were ready to come at Bart again by this time. They were cursing in a manner that told they were genuine toughs of the slums.

“Kill der bloke!” snarled one.

“Give it to him, Bill!” howled the other.

“That’s right!” cried Hodge fiercely. “Come right on and give it to me! You’ll find me here!”

One of them succeeded in striking him a blow on the cheek that cut his face and started the blood to flowing; but that did not daze Bart for a second, and he got a kick at the ruffian that doubled him over and made him gasp and groan.

Frank could use his feet, as well as his hands. He had learned the trick in France, where a style of boxing with the feet is taught. When a man can strike and kick with equal skill he is a dangerous antagonist, and it was not long before the ruffians found they had a Tartar in Merriwell.

Frank watched his chance and then tried to tear the handkerchief from the face of the leader of the gang, but he failed in this, although he knocked the fellow’s hat from his head.

“I know you just the same!” cried Merry. “You have proved to be just the kind of a fellow I thought you were!”

“You know too much!” the fellow flung back. “You won’t know so much in a few minutes!”

One of the other ruffians came in on Frank, who made a feint to strike, and then kicked him in the neck with such violence that he went down as if he had been shot. He lay on the ground like a log, and it was plain he had been knocked out.

“Blazes!” howled one of the others. “He’s knocked Shiner out!”

“All I want is a good chance at you,” laughed Merriwell. “You’ll get the same dose, my fine fellow!”

“Hammer him – hammer him!” panted the leader. “Get in on him quick! We must do this job before the police come!”

He rushed at Frank, who attempted to kick him over, as he had the other chap, but failed, for the fellow dodged. In a moment two of them were pressing Frank close.

“Here’s where we do a little in-fighting,” said Merry, as if he were jubilant over the prospect.

It was hot for some seconds, but it proved too hot for Merriwell’s assailants. Frank had a way of causing them to bother each other, and it sometimes seemed that one could have done much better against him.

But Frank was not to escape without a scratch. He was unable to watch every enemy, and a blow on the ear made his head ring and staggered him.

“Now we have him!” shouted the leader.

They sprang upon him, and Frank found himself forced to his knees.

“Down with him!”

He fought them off, but they assailed him like furious tigers. He was struck repeatedly while on his knees.

It happened that Hodge had beaten off his foes for a moment, and he saw Merry’s peril. With a growl such as might have issued from the throat of a wild beast, he whirled to aid his friend.

Crack! crack! – with two blows Bart sent two fellows spinning, and then he dragged Frank to his feet.

“Much hurt?” he asked.

“No, not a bit,” was the cool answer.

The ruffians were astounded by the fight made by the two fellows they had expected to overcome with ease. They had never before struck anything just like that, and, for a moment, they hesitated.

The leader, however, was raving like a madman, made insanely furious by the rebuff.

“At ’em again! at ’em again!” he fumed. “I’ll make it ten more each. Do ’em up some way!”

A scornful laugh came from Frank.

“So these are your hired bruisers, my fine chap!” he cried. “Well, they are fit associates for a creature of your low instincts. It’s a hundred to one you land behind the bars with the rest of them.”

The fellow urged his satellites to a fresh attack, and they came at the boys once more. The one Frank kicked had recovered and joined in the new assault, although he took care not to get another one from Merry’s feet, for which he had a healthy respect.

The fight was resumed with fresh vigor, but still Frank and Bart held their own, for they had been given a few moments to recover their breath.

“Why, this is a regular cinch!” cried Frank as with a corking left-hander he bowled one of the masked rascals over. “I haven’t struck so much sport as this in an age! Hit hard, Bart – hit hard!”

No need to tell Hodge to hit hard; he was putting in his best licks, and they were counting. Blood was running down his face, but he did not realize he had been touched at all.

Again Frank resorted to the use of his feet, and he sent one chap back with a sharp kick in the middle, while another caught his heel on the back.

Then it was that one of the ruffians cried:

“We can’t do ’em without the others. Call the guards!”

A shrill whistle cut the air, and it was answered from up and down the street.

“There are more coming, Bart!” cried Merriwell. “Put as many of these fellows out of the game as you can before the others get here! This has turned out to be a very warm evening!”

CHAPTER XXXV – MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL

Frank had quite forgotten his burned hands; there was no time to think of them then. Had both arms been in splints, he would have tried to defend himself just the same.

Down the street came a running figure; up the street came another. They were two of the gang, who had been set to watch for the approach of officers.

Although there were three of the ruffians to one of the boys they had attacked, the gang had been forced to call on the watchers for assistance!

“What’s the matter?” panted one, as he came up. “You’re making an awful racket! Can’t you do them two stiffs?”

“Get at ’em!” ordered the fellow whose coat was turned. “It’ll take all of us to do the job.”

“All of you may not be able to do it,” cried Merry.

But the two fellows who had been on guard were fresh, and they pitched in fiercely. In a short time Bart and Frank found they were being overpowered. They were blinded by blows and beaten breathless, but still they fought.

Hark! What was that? The sound of singing from a distance – the old, familiar song:

“Here’s to good Old Yale – drink it down!Here’s to good Old Yale – drink it down!Here’s to good Old Yale,She’s so hearty and so hale —Drink it down! Drink it down! down! down!”

From Frank Merriwell’s lips pealed a wild cry – the Yale yell. It echoed along the street, and the distant singing stopped. The cry was answered!

“Help, fellows!”

There was another answer, and soon running feet were heard.

“A thousand furies!” snarled the leader of the ruffians. “Those other fellows are coming!”

Then he made a desperate lunge at Frank, who saw something bright glitter in his fingers. Merriwell avoided the thrust, but heard a cutting sound as the bright instrument slashed his coat.

Frank knew the wretch had struck at him with an open knife, and again he snatched for that handkerchief. This time he caught it and tore it from the fellow’s face.

But the leader of the ruffians turned and ran like a deer. Merry would have followed, but, in trying to do so, he stumbled over one of the gang who had been knocked down.

This fellow grappled with Frank, and then Mulloy, Diamond, Rattleton, Gallup, Browning and Dunnerwust came running up.

“Pwhat’s this?” cried Barney, excitedly. “Is it a schrap, an’ Oi not in it? Did yez ivver see th’ loikes av this!”

“Wal, gol darn it all!” puffed Ephraim. “If this don’t beat all natur! Where’s the rest of um?”

“They ran when they heard you coming,” said Frank; “but I have this chap all right.”

“Shimminy Ghristmas!” gurgled Hans. “Uf I hadn’t peen here before, dem vellers vould peen licked britty queek, ain’d id! Ven I heard dem comin’ they all rund avay off. I pet your life dey known vot vas coot vor mineseluf. Yaw!”

“Blame the luck!” grunted Browning. “Think of running like that and then arriving too late to get into the fight! It’s disgusting!”

“Who were they, Frank?” asked Diamond.

“I think I know the leader, and I have the handkerchief he had tied over his face. As for this fellow – No, you don’t!”

The one Merry was holding made a desperate attempt to break away, but was prevented.

And, now the fight was over, a policeman approached, saw the crowd, and rapped a call for assistance. Within a minute three officers were on the spot.

Frank and Bart told their story. At first the officers were inclined to discredit it, thinking there had been a street row among those found there by them, but when they saw Merriwell’s captive and obtained a good look at the fellow’s face one of them cried:

“It’s Shiner Gregg! He belongs to the Stone Alley gang.”

Then Frank showed where his coat had been slit open by a knife, told where he was stopping, and satisfied the officers that he was telling nothing but the truth.

Two of the officers took Shiner Gregg to a police station, while another accompanied the boys to the hotel, where he satisfied himself that they had told the truth, and made Merriwell and Hodge promise to appear against Gregg.

After washing up, Frank and Bart found they were not severely scarred; but that it had been a close call for Merry was made evident by the slash in his coat.

“Well,” said Frank, as he held up the coat and looked at it ruefully, “that finished your career, but you did one good job to-night. You smothered the fire that would have burned a very saucy and very attractive young lady. I think I will keep you as a reminder of the occasion.”

“It’s fortunate we were out strolling around after leaving the theatre,” said Rattleton. “We were feeling rather gay, and did not seem to want to turn in so early.”

“New Yorkers say Philadelphia is slow,” grunted Browning; “but I’ll be hanged if it doesn’t seem to be a hot town! I think New Yorkers are sore on the place.”

“Slow,” drawled Ephraim Gallup, with a queer twist of his homely face. “Thutteration! There’s more goin’ on here than there ever was araound aour taown up in Varmont, an’ we uster think that was purty gosh-darn lively sometimes. Once we had a dorg fight, a thunderstorm an’ Jeduthin Blodgett’s chimbney burnt aout, all in one afternoon, an’ I tell yeou things was all fired lively up raound them diggin’s. But I swan Philadelfy has more goin’ on than that ’most any day but Sunday.”

Some of the boys laughed at this, but Hans stared at Ephraim in a bewildered way.

“Dot must peen a lifely down,” he said. “Uf you vos to life there a great vile I oxbect id vould turn my hair gray.”

For a long time the boys talked over the street encounter, and then Frank produced the handkerchief he had snatched from the face of the leader of the ruffians. After looking it over carefully he uttered an exclamation.

“What is it, Merry?” asked Rattleton.

“I have made a discovery,” said Merriwell, with a look of satisfaction, as he restored the handkerchief to his pocket.

“What sort of a discovery?”

“One that may prove of great importance.”

“Don’t be so mysterious about it,” urged Diamond. “Tell us what you have discovered.”

“Wait,” said Frank. “I will tell you later.”

“Do you think you know any of the ruffians who assaulted you besides the one caught?”

“I fancy so. Let’s go to bed now. We can talk this over to-morrow.”

Frank went to bed and slept as well as if nothing serious had happened.

This was not the case with Hodge. His blood had not cooled, and he turned, twisted, muttered and grated his teeth in his sleep. Diamond, who slept with him, got out of bed, went into the room where Hans and Ephraim were sleeping together, awoke the Dutch boy, and sternly ordered him to go into the other room and sleep with Hodge.

Dunnerwust protested some, but as he was stupefied with sleep and being somewhat afraid of the Virginian, he finally obeyed.

Toward morning there was a wild outcry in that room, a thump on the floor and sounds of a struggle. Then Hans was heard calling:

“Hellup! hellup! Somepody gome und took him off! Uf you don’d gome und done dot britty queek he peen sure to kilt himseluf! Hellup! Fire!”

Several of the boys rushed into the room, and when they turned on the light, an astonishing spectacle was revealed.

Hans and Bart were struggling on the floor, all tangled up in the clothes they had dragged from the bed. Hodge was striking out wildly, muttering:

“Come on! come on! We are enough for you! Three to one is small odds! Back to back, Merry! We’ll fight as long as we can stand! They can’t lick us! They never could lick us at Fardale, Merry!”

One of his fists landed on the Dutch boy’s ear, and Hans squawked louder than ever.

“Hoch, I peen gone grazy!” he cried. “Took him off I toldt you! Uf you don’d took him off he vill kilt mineseluf! Murter! Id hurts heem ven he hits me dot vay!”

Frank and Jack grasped them and dragged them apart, but Hodge turned on Diamond and gave him a crack that sent him up against the wall.

“Come on, the whole of you!” he shouted. “You can’t do us up! Give it to them, Merry!”

Hans broke away and tried to crawl under the bed, wildly crying:

“Oxcuse me vile I look vor my vatch! Id might step on somepody uf I don’d took care uf id.”

Merriwell made a leap and caught hold of Hodge, whom he ran up against the wall, where he held him, speaking sharply:

“Steady, Bart, old man! It’s all over! We have cleaned out the whole gang.”

Bart struggled a moment, and then a wondering light came into his eyes, which had been wide open and staring all the while. His hands dropped at his sides, and he ceased to struggle.

“What’s the matter?” he faintly asked.

“You have had a rather lively touch of nightmare,” explained Merry.

“Nighdtmares!” cried Hans from under the bed, in a smothered voice. “Uf he didn’d haf a whole heardt of vild hosses you vos a liar!”

The racket had aroused a number of guests, and the night watchman and two bellboys appeared. It took considerable smooth talk from Frank to convince them that murder had not been attempted in that room, but the curious ones departed at last, although there were mutterings of “disgraceful,” “an outrage” and “ought to be fired.”

Frank laughed when it was all over.

“We’ll be lucky if we are not fired in the morning,” he said.

Hans refused to go to bed with Bart again, when he had been dragged from beneath the bed.

“Uf I done dot, you vos a fool!” he squealed. “I vould peen in dancher uf killin’ me pefore der mornings! Shack Tiamon’, you haf no peesness to done notthing like dot! Id vos an imbosition on me, und you von’t stood id!”

So Diamond was obliged to sleep with Bart, but Hodge did not create any further disturbance. The remainder of the night passed quietly enough.

CHAPTER XXXVI – AN EXPLOSION COMING

When Bart and Frank presented themselves at the police court on the following day to testify against Shiner Gregg, the judge took them into a private room and heard the story they had to tell, after which he said:

“I am going to hold this Gregg a day or two for a purpose before I give him a trial. The police are looking for some information they believed the prisoner could give them, and they proposed to ‘put on the screws.’”

Frank and Bart assured the judge that they would remain in Philadelphia four days and could be found at the Continental when wanted. Then they were allowed to depart.

Immediately after lunch Merriwell started for Charlie Creighton’s, feeling a strong anxiety to know how severely Fanny Darling had been burned.

As for Merriwell, he was astonished to find he had not been seriously injured by the fire. The prompt attention given his hands by the doctor had saved them from blistering, and, although they were red and tender, they promised to be all right in a day or two. He had them done up again, and was advised to keep the air from them as much as possible till the following day.

Creighton and his sister were at home, and they welcomed Frank warmly.

“I called at the Continental this forenoon to see you,” said Charlie; “but you and Hodge were out. However, the fellows told me your hands seemed much better than you had expected they would be.”

“Yes,” nodded Frank; “they seem to be coming out all right. The stuff the doctor put on them appears to have worked marvels.”

“I am so glad!” exclaimed Mabel. “It seemed terrible to think you might be hurt so you could not play football this fall, for Charlie says Yale could not get along without you.”

“Creighton is too kind!” exclaimed Frank. “He overestimates my abilities. But I wish to ask about Miss Darling. Have you heard from her to-day?”

“Yes, I have seen her. One of her arms is quite severely burned, but that seems to be all. She says she will be all right in two or three days, at most.”

“I am very glad to hear that, for I feared her burns might be more severe than was supposed at first. I reached her as soon as possible after she screamed.”

“It’s amazing to me that you reached her as quickly as you did,” declared Charlie. “Wallace Hegner was with her, and he did not find an opportunity to lift his hand to help her.”

“He acted like a coward!” exclaimed Mabel, her eyes flashing. “He retreated from her, and he has been rewarded for his pusillanimous act.”

“Rewarded – how?”

“When he tried to see her last evening after her burns had been attended, she refused to have anything to say to him, and she says she’ll never speak to him again.”

“Well,” said Merry, slowly, “I don’t know but that fire was a good thing if it has opened her eyes to Hegner’s true character.”

Creighton flushed and looked abashed, whereupon Frank quickly cried:

“I beg your pardon, old man! I made a break then, for I forgot you introduced us.”

“It’s all right,” declared Creighton; “and it is my place to beg your pardon for the introduction; but I assure you that I did not dream Hegner was the fellow he has since proved to be. If I had – Well, I scarcely think you would have met him at my home, and I am sure you will not see him here again. You have done considerable to show him up, and – ”

“I may do more.”

“More? How?”

“I cannot explain just now, but I am not through with Mr. Hegner. Yesterday I struck him with a boxing glove. The next time I strike it will be a far more severe blow, and I shall not use my hands.”

“That sounds queer from you, Merriwell. At college you have been considered altogether too kind to your enemies.”

“I am ready to be easy with an enemy who shows any redeeming features, and I am aware that a fellow may dislike me and still be a good fellow at heart. Such things happen. I have my own failings, and I believe in doing by others as I would that they should do by me. But a fellow like this Hegner – well, I doubt if he has a single redeeming trait, and I consider it my duty to expose him as far as possible. That’s all.”

Mabel was regarding Frank admiringly, and she was thinking that he could be stern and unrelenting if the occasion demanded, although he was naturally generous and forgiving.

After a little, Merriwell told of his street encounter of the previous evening, and his hearers listened with breathless interest.

“Great Scott!” cried Charlie. “You must have had a close call! And you think the object was not robbery?”

“I am sure it was not.”

“Then the gang must have attacked you with the sole object of doing you up.”

“That’s right.”

“And you think you know one of them?”

“Yes.”

“Who was it?”

“That is something I will tell you later. Shiner Gregg may be induced to squeal. Look out for an explosion, Creighton. It is coming.”

Two days later, while walking along one of Philadelphia’s principal streets, Merriwell noticed a fellow who was blocking the path of a girl with his person and speaking to her excitedly, although she was trying to pass to reach a carriage that stood at the curb.

“It’s Hegner!” muttered Frank. “And the girl is – Fanny Darling! She is trying to avoid him, and the rascal is – Confound him!”

The exclamation escaped Frank’s lips as he saw Wallace Hegner grasp the girl by the wrist, lean forward and hiss something in her ear.

Frank made a spring, and as he came forward, Hegner happened to turn his head slightly and see him. The girl also saw him, and a look of relief came over her face.

Hegner scowled blackly and hesitated, then he dropped Fanny’s wrist and hurried away.

Merriwell was tempted to follow him, but Fanny called to him, and he stopped. As he did so, lifting his hat with a graceful movement that was natural for him, her face, pale a moment before, grew crimson.