Dick Merriwell's Pranks Part 8

To this old graveyard in the dusky light of morning came three persons.

One was an old man, haggard and pallid; the others were boys. The boys each carried a basket carefully covered by a cloth.

Professor Gunn had scarcely closed his eyes in sleep that night. He tried to sleep, but his "medicine" ran out, and without its soothing influence he wooed slumber in vain. During the greater part of the night he had walked the floor of his room or sat writing at a little table.

Beneath the dismal cypress trees which filled the cemetery it was still quite dark.

"Boys," whispered the professor, as they paused on the point of entering, "can you see anything of them?"

"Can't see much of anything," answered d.i.c.k, "only what looks like a lot of drunken ghosts."

In truth the graveyard seemed filled with reeling, ghostly forms, but, on closer inspection, these were found to be tombstones. The human appearance of these lurching stones was explained on closer examination, for it is the custom of the Turks to carve the stone above the grave of every man so that its top is crowned either with a turban or a fez. Seen in a dim light, the tilted stones looked remarkably like staggering human forms, robed in white.

"Boo!" muttered Buckhart, shrugging his broad shoulders. "This sure is a spooky old place."

Both boys heard a sudden sound like rattling dice. They discovered it came from the professor, whose teeth were chattering loudly.

"Keep a stiff backbone, professor," advised d.i.c.k. "It will all be over in a short time."

"Ye-yes," faltered Zenas, "it will all bub-bub-be over fuf-fuf-for me.

Richard, I fuf-fuf-feel that I am gug-gug-going to fuf-fuf-fall."

"Nonsense! Why, you were bold as a lion last night when Achmet called."

"Bub-bub-but that was lul-lul-last nun-nun-night," chattered the shaking old fellow. "Besides, I had tut-tut-taken some tut-tut-tonic. I wush I ha-ha-had sus-sus-some nun-nun-now."

"It sure is a shame you ran out of tonic," said Brad. "But you won't be any good whatever unless you get a brace on. You've got to fight Fitts now."

"Yes, you'll have to give him fits," said d.i.c.k, making a poor pun. "You can't back out without being branded as a coward, after which you'd never again dare look at your own reflection in a mirror."

"I know it," sighed Zenas; "but I was a fool to be so bub-brave last night! That woman is responsible for it all! If I dud-dud-die, my blood will be on her head!"

"But you're not going to fall," declared Buckhart.

They finally succeeded in leading him into the gloom of the cemetery, and he seemed greatly relieved when they ascertained beyond doubt that Major Fitts and his second had not arrived.

"Perhaps they won't come at all," said the old pedagogue eagerly.

"Perhaps not," agreed d.i.c.k; "but I wouldn't count on that, for I believe Achmet will bring the major."

But the professor was hopeful as well as anxious. He watched the gray light of morning sifting through the cypress branches and bringing out the ghostly tombstones with more and more distinctness. Then he began to fear.

"I-I think there is no doubt about it," he said, at last. "He is not coming, boys. He's a bluffer. He tried to bluff me, but he failed."

Having arrived at this conclusion, he rapidly grew indignant.

"This thing is outrageous!" he bl.u.s.tered-"outrageous, I say! Why, the craven little whipper-snapper! Just think of it, he hasn't the courage to come here like a man and meet me in mortal combat! He is a coward-that's what he is, a coward! A fire eater, indeed! Bah! The next time I meet him, I shall tweak his nose! Yes, sir, tweak it!"

In the dim, gray light d.i.c.k and Brad exchanged glances. Neither laughed, but both felt like it.

"I'm tired of waiting," declared Zenas. "The time is past. He isn't coming, and we may as well return to the hotel."

"I think we had better wait a little longer," urged d.i.c.k.

"But what's the use. It's morning now, and that craven from Mississippi is not on hand. I'll warrant he is hiding beneath his bed this very minute."

"I opine you're mistaken, professor," said Brad dryly. "If I ain't a heap mistaken, here he comes now."

"Where?" gasped Zenas.

"There," said the Texan, motioning toward three dim figures which were entering the cemetery and approaching. "I reckon it's Major Fitts, accompanied by two friends."

"Oh, Lordy!" groaned the professor, growing limp and leaning on d.i.c.k's shoulder, all the bl.u.s.ter taken out of him in a second.

Once more Merriwell urged the old pedagogue to brace up.

"Don't let him see you're afraid," he urged. "Do stiffen up, professor!"

"Richard," groaned Zenas, "I had a premonition that my time had come.

Here, Richard, take these papers. One is my last will and testament. The other is a fond adieu to my wife. Poor Nancy! how I pity her! She'll never see me again! Tell her how I perished, Richard. Perhaps some time-when I'm gone-you may think-of me. It is a fearful thing-to perish-in a foreign land-far from-the loved ones-at home."

The old man choked and could speak no more.

The three persons were now quite near, and by the dim light the boys could recognize the short figure of Major Fitts. Aziz Achmet had the major by the arm and seemed talking to him earnestly in low tones. The third man carried a small hand case, and seemed like a surgeon.

Fitts and the surgeon stopped a short distance away, while Achmet advanced swiftly, with his usual soft step.

"I see you are here, gentlemen," he said.

"We are," returned d.i.c.k; "but we began to think you were not coming.

Professor Gunn is anxious to have this affair over in order that he may take a bath before breakfast."

"A bath!" said the Turk. "Before breakfast?"

"Yes; he always has his morning shower or sponge."

"But he may not need one this morning."

"I reckon he will," muttered Buckhart, to himself. "If Fitts' aim is any good, the professor sure will need one a heap."

"Major Fitts," said Achmet, "is inclined to be magnanimous."

"Indeed?" said d.i.c.k questioningly.

"Yes; he wishes me to say that he has no real desire to slay one of his own countrymen."

"Kind of him!"

"And, therefore, if Professor Gunn will apologize, he will overlook the insult and spare him."