Frank Merriwell's Athletes Part 25

Frank sank down in the bottom of the boat, utterly helpless and without strength.

Barney placed Inza on the rear seat.

"Begorra!" he gasped, wiping great drops of perspiration from his face; "thot wur a close shave, but we did it, me b'ys!"

Ephraim Gallup, despite the exertion of rowing, was pale as a ghost, and Browning was seen to shiver.

"Darn my pertaturs!" muttered the Vermonter. "It's a wonder we did do it, b'gosh!"

"A wonder!" came from Browning! "It is a miracle!"

"Be me soul, we did it, though! Cheer, b'ys-cheer!"

Then, standing upright in the boat, they waved their caps and gave a wild cheer of joy.

Away on the beach the cheer was answered by another and another and yet another.

Merriwell opened his eyes, and something like a faint smile came to his drawn face.

"It's all right, boys!" he said. "You did a good job!"

"An' it's yersilf that did another, Frankie," declared Barney. "But fer yez th' young lady would be at th' botthom of the say now."

They rowed back, carrying the rescued youth and maiden.

Inza remained in an exhausted condition, but Frank began to recover soon after being drawn into the boat.

A large crowd had gathered on the beach, for the four girls were not the only bathers, and nearly a hundred people had come to the beach for pleasure that afternoon.

When Frank and Inza came ash.o.r.e the crowd cheered again, and the boys who belonged to Merriwell's party rushed to embrace him.

Toots was so overjoyed that he fell on his knees and hugged Frank's legs, laughing and crying in a hysterical manner.

"Oh, Ma.r.s.er Frank!" he said; "I done fought yo' was a goner one time fo'

suah! I nebber suspected to see yo' no moah, Ma.r.s.er Frank! Bress de good Lawd-bress His name!"

Frank was hugged and his hand was shaken till he began to push them off, laughing and remonstrating.

And the strangers who were looking on turned and said to one another:

"Who is he? See how much they think of him!"

Wallace Random, a handsome young fellow of nineteen, who had been on hand to receive his sister, as he was near the beach when she went into the water, hastened to Frank.

"Mr. Merriwell," he said, earnestly, as he grasped Frank's hand, "I am proud to know you. Your friend has saved my sister's life in the same n.o.ble manner. You are both heroes."

The girls had come to the beach in carriages, and Inza was soon placed in one, bundled about with a wrap and whirled away.

Frank looked for Inza as soon as he could escape from the ones who were offering their praise and congratulations, but he was told she had gone with Miss Random.

"I shall see her to-night," he said. "There is a dance at the hotel, and she has promised to give me the first waltz."

He made haste to escape to his room at the hotel, whither he was followed by the boys, where Toots rubbed him down and they all talked over the adventure and rescue.

Frank confessed that he was on the verge of giving out when the boat reached them, and he had just strength enough to dive and escape the shark, that had seemed to snap at Inza's feet as she was pulled out of the water.

"I don't think I could have held out a minute more," he said; "and I should have gone down again immediately if Bruce and Ephraim had not grabbed me when I came up after diving under the boat. I used my last bit of strength to get to the surface that time."

"When you dived," said Hodge, "Effie arose close to me. I saw in an instant that she was ready to give out, and I helped her to get ash.o.r.e.

I could not have done that, but she was able to swim a little after a few minutes. She was almost frantic, and kept saying over and over that she had been forced to break Inza's hold to save herself. She laughed and cried and then swooned for a moment when the boat reached you and you were pulled in."

Later in the afternoon Frank called on Inza, having been sent for by Mr.

Burrage.

Inza's father, who was weak and ill, wrung the lad's hand.

"My dear boy!" he cried; "how n.o.ble you are! I wished to see you, for I have heard all about your brave deed."

After a few further words, Frank left his card for Inza, who was confined to her room, and returned to the hotel.

The boys found time to talk over their combination, when they had grown tired of discussing the rescue of the two girls. All were elated by the prospect of great sport on their trip back East.

While they were sitting on the veranda of the hotel chatting about athletic sports, Wallace Random appeared. Once more he shook Frank's hand, expressing his appreciation of Merriwell's brave act, and then he was introduced all around to the boys.

"Mr. Random," said Frank, "we have organized an athletic club, and I shall be pleased to accept your invitation to take part in the contests day after to-morrow."

"I am glad to know that," smiled Random. "We hope to make the affair a big success. Entrances for the various contests may be made now or to-morrow, if that serves you better."

"Perhaps it would be better to wait till to-morrow, as we can have time to decide who will take part and what sports they will choose. As yet we have not arranged matters fully, as the first meeting of our club was interrupted when we hastened to save your sister and Miss Burrage. That meeting broke up without adjournment."

"Suit yourselves," laughed Wallace, "but you must remember that we have some hot lads down here, and we do not propose to let anybody from the East carry off honors if we can prevent it."

"I rather fancy you will find some hot stuff among the members of our club," said Frank, quietly. "We will represent Yale College, and it is seldom 'Old Eli' gets left at anything."

"I understand you are something of a runner and hurdle-racer," Random said.

"There are others," was the answer. "I am not the only one."

"But I have heard that you are pretty good."

"He is a dim jandy-I mean a jim dandy," spluttered Harry, getting somewhat excited. "I don't believe you have any one out here who can keep in sight of him."

Random elevated his eyebrows.

"Now you do interest me!" he exclaimed. "I am something of a runner myself, and I shall take part in the hurdle race and the hundred yards dash. Perhaps Mr. Merriwell may like to enter those contests. Out here they say I am bound to win in a canter. Mr. Merriwell might make it interesting, at least."

"Inderesting!" cried Hans. "I pets you your life he peats der packin'

oudt uf you! I haf seen dot poy sbrint!"