Frank Merriwell's Races Part 19

The cane cut through the air and fell on Merriwell's head, dropping the lad in a senseless heap to the floor.

It was a cowardly blow, but it put Merriwell out of the fight in a twinkling, for he was stunned.

"So this is the way you fight!" cried Diamond, wheeling about and leaping at Willis, who gave a scream and vainly tried to escape.

Jack caught the fellow, grasped him by the ears, and flung him back against the wall. Thump! thump! thump!--Jack banged the head of the helpless wretch against the wall till it seemed that Paulding's skull would crack.

Willis tried to scream for help, but with the very first thump his tongue was caught between his teeth, and he nearly bit it in two. Blood gushed from his mouth, and he sunk in a limp heap to the floor as Jack released him.

Diamond turned quickly, but not in time to escape Flemming, whose heavy fist caught the Virginian behind the ear.

Down Jack went. As he tried to get up Flemming kicked him over.

The sound of the fight had aroused those in the front of the saloon, and several came hurrying in.

The door had not been closed, as Flemming had directed, and the curious ones gained easy admission to the room.

Among the foremost was Plug Kirby, a tough of the town, whom Frank had once whipped. He saw Frank stretched on the floor, and he hoa.r.s.ely demanded:

"Who done that job? Who hit me friend Merriwell? Show me der blokie, an'

I'll punch der face offen him instanter!"

Thrusting out his chin, Kirby glared around at the boys. At best, he was an ugly-looking scoundrel, with a bullet head and a bulldog neck.

"So you are one of Merriwell's friends!" sneered Flemming. "That speaks well for Merriwell!"

"W'at's dat?" snarled Plug, advancing on Fred. "Dat Merriwell is white ter ther bone, an' I sticks by him--see! Dis gang has done him dirt, an'

I'm goin' ter punch der mugs offen der whole of yer!"

"Merriwell should be proud of his friends!" cried Flemming, scornfully.

"It is plain that he has been very careful in his selection!"

"An' it's plain ter me dat Merriwell has been took foul, else yer never'd knocked him out dis way. I've been up ag'inst him, an' he could lick dis whole gang if he had a square deal."

Then Kirby pointed straight at Flemming, and fiercely exclaimed:

"I t'ink you're der bloke w'at done him dirt! I'm goin' ter knock der packin' outer youse, me fine chap!"

He rushed at Fred, who caught up a chair and struck at Kirby's head.

Plug dodged, caught hold of the chair, and wrenched it from Flemming's grasp.

"Right here is where I cleans out der place!" he shouted.

He swung the chair aloft, and the boys made a rush to get out of the room.

Whiz!--the chair flew through the air, striking Fred Flemming between the shoulders, knocking him down instantly.

Then the police came in suddenly, and clubbed Kirby into a helpless condition, while all the others, with the exception of Merriwell and Diamond, escaped from the place.

Jack was examining Frank's wound when they were both placed under arrest.

"What is this for?" demanded the young Virginian. "What have we done to merit arrest? Why didn't you take those fellows who got the better of us in such cowardly ways?"

"Don't ask questions!" growled one of the officers. "You'll have a chance to answer a few when yer come before the judge in the morning."

Those words filled Diamond with a feeling of terror. He knew what it would mean if they were brought up before a magistrate in the morning.

It would become known that they had been arrested in a place like Jackson's, and in company with a ruffian of Plug Kirby's stamp. Kirby would claim that Frank Merriwell was his friend, and that would settle everything. Jack saw that it meant disgrace and expulsion for himself and Merriwell. Flemming and Thornton would be triumphant.

Jack was very proud, and it made him writhe with anguish when he thought how heavily such a blow would fall upon his parents. For a moment he was quite overcome.

Jackson came into the room. He was greatly excited, and he begged the officers to let the prisoners go, for he knew unpleasant attention would be attracted toward his place if it became publicly known that two students had been arrested there.

"It's time we pinched somebody in this joint," said one of the policemen. "There's been more crooked jobs put up here than anywhere else in the city. You oughter lose yer license, Jackson, and I rather think yer will this time."

Jackson had ordered the door closed to keep out the curious crowd that had been attracted by sounds of the conflict. One of the bartenders was standing guard over the door.

The saloon-keeper drew one of the policemen aside, and spoke earnestly and excitedly to him. The officer shook his head, and replied:

"We've overlooked things that went on here till it won't do no longer, Jackson. There has been complaints against this joint, and ye're lucky that we don't pull the whole shooting-match."

The other officer now took a fair look at Merriwell, who was sitting up and feeling tenderly of his head.

"Why, h.e.l.lo!" exclaimed the policeman. "I t'ink I knows you!"

"h.e.l.lo, Magoon!" returned Frank, rather faintly. "I hope you didn't hit me that crack over the head with your stick?"

"I do know yer!" cried the officer. "Ye're ther boy what stopped ther horse and saved Fairfax Lee's girl! You're all right!"

"My friend there says we're arrested, Magoon. How about it?"

"We didn't know it was you, but ther job is done now," said the policeman, apologetically.

"Well, can't this matter be fixed up?" asked Frank, anxiously. "You know what it will mean to me if I am pulled up before a magistrate in the morning. Everything will come out, and then I'll be expelled from college."

"That's rocky," admitted Magoon; "but what can I do? I can't let you off without lettin' the others go."

"Well, why shouldn't you let my friend Diamond go? We were up against six fellows, and it seems that we got the worst of it. Those chaps are the ones who should be arrested."

"But we didn't catch 'em."

"You caught us because we had been foully knocked out by the crowd,"

declared Jack. "We were taken at an advantage, and did not have any kind of a show. Now are we to suffer while the ones who were to blame go free?"

"You made a big mistake in coming into this kind of a joint," declared the officer, severely. "And you were arrested at the same time with Plug Kirby, a tough of the lowest order. That's what gits you in a hole. If we lets you go, we've got to let him go."

Then Diamond explained how Kirby happened to be in the room, and Frank added light to the matter by telling how he came to know the thug, who had been hired to whip him once on a time, but who had received a severe thumping instead.

"And that is how it happens that he claims you for his friend?" asked Magoon, grinning. "You hammered friendship into him?"