Frank Merriwell's Races Part 22

CHAPTER XII.

THE CHALLENGE.

Merriwell and Diamond entered a dressing-room together. The moment the door closed behind them, Frank laughed shortly.

"I'll wager that I hit the nail on the head that time," he said. "The moment I saw that knot of fellows talking so excitedly I decided they were speculating concerning the change on the crew, and my eyes told me they had deputized Robinson to question me, so I did not give him the chance."

"The dropping of Flemming and your acceptance in his place has created a stir," said Jack. "It is generally thought that you will ruin everything with your English ideas."

"That shows how little they know me," smiled Merriwell, as he threw off his coat. "I almost fancy it is generally believed that I go in for English methods simply because they are English."

"You fancy rightly, Merry. The majority of the fellows believe that."

A cloud came to Frank's face.

"I do not care to be misunderstood to such an extent," he said. "I am no Anglomaniac; I am American to the bone. I have traveled some, and I prefer this country above all other countries on the face of the earth.

I was at Oxford long enough to witness the races and make an investigation of their methods. I believe that in the matter of rowing the English are more advanced than the Americans. This is not strange, for they have been at it longer. Now, although I claim to be thoroughly American, I try not to be narrow and pig-headed. Simply because a thing is American, I do not believe it must therefore be superior to everything else in the world; but I am bound to defend it till I find something by which it is excelled. If Americans will adopt the English oar and the English stroke, I am confident that, in a very few years, they will so improve upon them that they will be able to give points to our cousins across the 'pond.'"

"You are, indeed, broad-minded and liberal, Merriwell," said Diamond, with admiration. "It was you who first convinced me that Northerners no longer hold a feeling of enmity against Southerners. Till I met you the word 'Yankee' seemed to me to be a stigma--a name to be applied in derision to the people of the North. To my astonishment, I found you were proud to be called a Yankee, and then you explained to me that foreigners applied the name to all native-born Americans. You explained to me that in the early days of this country, when Northerner and Southerner fought for one common cause, freedom and independence, all who opposed the tyranny of our oppressors were termed Yankees. I remember the night when we sat up till two in the morning talking of these things. You did not tell me anything I had not considered before, but you revealed things to me in a new light. You showed me the North and South bound by ties of blood, and I think you aroused in me a broader feeling of patriotism than I had ever before known."

The cloud pa.s.sed from Merriwell's face as his companion spoke, and, as Diamond finished, Frank reached out and took his hand.

"You are from the South, I from the North," he said, in his most charming manner; "yet we are brothers. In the North and in the South there are those who still entertain sectional feelings and prejudices, but the time will come when all this will pa.s.s away."

"I think it is fast pa.s.sing," declared Jack.

"It is," nodded Frank. "So far as sectional feelings go, there should be no North, no South, no East, no West. We are all united under one flag, the most beautiful of all flags--the Star Spangled Banner! We are all citizens of one country, the greatest and grandest the sun ever shone upon! We should be ready at any time to lay down our lives for our flag and our country."

Diamond's eyes flashed, and it seemed that the n.o.ble look on Frank Merriwell's face was reflected in Jack's. His blood was stirred by the grandest of all emotions--patriotism. Looking at the Virginian at that moment, no one could for an instant doubt his courage and his loyalty.

"I believe we should pay more attention to the early history of our country, when North and South were united against a common foe,"

continued Frank. "That is what will arouse true patriotism.

Ma.s.sachusetts had her Tea Party, but Virginia had her--Washington!"

Jack Diamond bared his head.

"Merriwell," he said, with great earnestness, "the greatest enemies of our country are those who try to arouse sectional feeling. I am sure of that."

"Quite right," said Frank. "In the North and in the South there are cheap fellows and cads who pose as gentlemen. You and I have had a few experiences with some of them, and it seems that there are others."

"I presume you mean Flemming, Thornton and their crowd?"

"Flemming is the leader, and his enmity against me has been aroused because I have been taken on the crew in his place. I did not seek the position, and I was surprised when Collingwood called on me to take it."

"You were no less surprised than others, for Collingwood has always maintained that Yale's methods are superior to those of Oxford, and he knows you believe quite the opposite. It is a matter of speculation if he intends to change to the English methods at this late hour."

Frank smiled.

"Collingwood is not a fool. There will be no change. Already I am in training to perfectly acquire the Yale stroke."

This was both a surprise and a relief to Jack, who had feared that Collingwood had decided on the change, and that in case Harvard won Merriwell would be blamed to a certain extent.

"I am glad, Merry!" exclaimed Diamond, his eyes gleaming. "If Yale wins and we square matters with Flemming and Thornton, I shall be perfectly satisfied."

"I am hoping to get at Mr. Flemming this afternoon," said Frank, grimly.

"How is that?"

"He spends some time in the gym every day, and I timed my visit to-day in order to catch him here."

"But what can you do here?" asked the Virginian, wonderingly. "You can't fight him in the gym."

"I do not want to fight him."

"No?" cried Jack, in astonishment. "Then what do you mean to do?"

"Flemming considers himself the champion wrestler at Yale. I hope to wrestle with him."

"Hope to wrestle?" exclaimed Diamond, still more astonished. "Why, even if you were to throw him, it could give you very little satisfaction."

Frank smiled mysteriously.

"Do you think so?" he inquired. "Well, we shall see. When you are ready, we shall go out. I will wrestle with you, and you shall throw me. We'll be near Flemming at the time. That will give him an opportunity to pa.s.s some remarks, if he so desires. If he does so, you may be sure I will lose no time in picking them up. I am tired of fighting, and I hope to finish this chap in another way."

"If you finish him by wrestling with him, I shall consider it a marvel.

I am afraid you have misjudged your man, Merry; he'll not be finished so easily."

"We shall see. Are you ready? Then come on."

They left the dressing-room, Frank in advance. As they came out they were regarded with some interest by the knot of soph.o.m.ores, who were still talking of the surprising change that had been made on the crew.

As he pa.s.sed the lads, Frank called pleasantly to them, and they greeted him in return, and the manner in which this was done would have betrayed to a keen-eyed stranger that Merriwell was something more than an ordinary man at college.

Frank's keen eyes detected Flemming at the ladders.

"That is first rate," he muttered. "The turf is nearby."

A few moments later Frank was engaged in casting the shot near where Fred Flemming was exercising on the ladders.

At about the time Frank fancied Flemming would finish, Frank gave Jack the signal, and they were soon struggling in what seemed to be a good-natured wrestling match.

Diamond was really supple and catlike on his feet, and he possessed more than common strength; but he was not Frank Merriwell's match, for, besides being a natural athlete, Frank had developed himself in every way, so that he was really a wonder for a youth of his years.

The struggle between Frank and Jack quickly attracted a number of spectators to the spot, and Merriwell was well pleased to see Flemming come down from the ladders and approach, accompanied by Tom Thornton.