"This is as good a place as we can find to do the business," declared
Diamond. "And the first business is to appoint a temporary chairman, who
will call the meeting to order."
"I nominate Mr. Diamond," smiled Frank.
Without loss of time, Jack was appointed temporary chairman, and he
brought the meeting to order, compelling Bruce to sit up and pay
attention to the business in hand, which caused the lazy fellow to
grumble somewhat.
"Gentlemen," said Jack, "the first business before this meeting is to
appoint a president and permanent chairman. How shall he be appointed,
by hand-vote or written ballot?"
"I brobose he vos abbointed by acclimatation," put in Hans, which caused
the boys to laugh.
It was decided to nominate a candidate and elect him by show of hands.
Rattleton nominated Frank Merriwell for the office of president and
permanent chairman, and the question was quickly put.
With the exception of Frank, every boy present held up both hands.
"Mr. Merriwell is elected," said Jack, soberly, "and I now surrender the
chair to him."
Frank made a little speech, expressing his thanks, and then asked the
views of the boys as to the proper name for the club. Several names were
suggested, in all of which Frank's name was included. He was not
satisfied with any of them.
"What do you think would be a good name?" asked Hodge.
"Well, we have come across the continent representing Yale, and I don't
see why we shouldn't go back carrying the Yale banner to victory
wherever we can. Four of us are from Yale, and Hodge contemplates
entering the college, while Toots has worn a Yale sweater during our
tour. That leaves Ephraim, Barney and Hans. I wonder if they object to
the use of the word Yale in the name of our club?"
"Gosh, no."
"Nivver a bit av it."
"Vot you took us for?"
"Then that point is settled. Of course we have no authority from Yale to
use the name, but if we give a good account of ourselves in the contests
in which we may participate, I hardly think that need trouble us. I
propose the name, 'The Yale Combine.' How does that strike you?"
"Good!" cried Rattleton, with enthusiasm.
"Good! good!" echoed the others.
"Is it your pleasure that our club be called the Yale Combine?"
"Yes! yes! yes!"
"Then I declare that name formally adopted. Now I wish some assistant
officers--a vice, a secretary and a treasurer. How shall they be
elected?"
"I motion they be elected by written ballot," proposed Hodge.
"Sicond th' motion," said Barney, promptly.
"The motion is made and seconded that the assistant officers be elected
by written ballot. If that be your minds make it manifest by a show of
hands."
Up went the hands of all.
"It is a vote. Please prepare your ballots for vice."
"Hold on a jiffy, Mr. President," said Ephraim, awkwardly, grinning a
little. "I want to wag my jaw a bit before we begin tew vote."
"Mr. Gallup may speak."
"I ain't got much tew say; but it kinder seems tew me that as long as
this is ter be called the Yale Combine it's jest abaout the right thing
that the officers should all be fellers who b'long ter Yale Collige.
That would make the thing seem a site more reg'ler, an' I don't s'pose
anybuddy will object to it."
Hodge frowned a bit and looked disappointed, for he had desired a
position of some importance, but he raised no objection to Ephraim's
proposal.
"If you think that is best," said Frank, "it is very easy to elect my
assistants from the three Yale men of the party."
Then they balloted for vice. Diamond had five votes, Browning two, and
Dunnerwust one.
"Holdt on!" cried the Dutch boy. "Vot somepody done dot for, aindt id?
Some feller peen goin' to had a coot time mit me--I don'd think! I know
a choke ven I seen him, but dees vas peesness. Id was a plamed fool dot
chokes apoudt peesness! Yaw! You vos velcome mein obinion to."
Hans was red in the face and greatly excited, causing no small amount of
merriment.
Merriwell declared Diamond elected vice.
When the vote for secretary was counted, Rattleton had seven and Gallup
one. If possible, Ephraim was more excited than Hans had been.
"I know I'm gol darn green," he said; "an' I don't seem to git over it,
though I have traviled araound some; but I tumble when folks go to
pokin' fun at me, b'gosh!"
Hans chuckled:
"Dot peen a coot von on you, Efy! Haw! haw!"
"Oh, haw! haw!" mocked the Vermonter. "I don't see where the fun comes
in!"
Rattleton was pronounced secretary.
For treasurer Browning had seven votes and Toots one.
The colored boy laughed as if he considered it a good joke.
When the officers were elected, Frank said:
"To raise funds to carry this club through I propose to sell my yacht,
for which I have no further use. Yesterday I received an offer of nine
hundred dollars for her, and I hope the gentleman who wants her will add
another hundred to-day. That is what I paid for her, and I got a
bargain. She is easily worth fourteen hundred, and I could get something
near that out of her if I had time to look for a customer."
"And you propose to put that money into the running of this club?"
"Why not? Prof. Scotch knew I would need money, and he provided a sum
for my use. He will expect me to use it as I see fit."
"I don't suppose anybody here will raise an objection," laughed
Rattleton.
"That point is settled. Now for the matter of getting into the
tournament here. I have been invited to take part."
"So soon?"
"Yes. Miss Random introduced me to her brother, Wallace, who is a
prominent member of the Santa Barbara Athletic Club. He is a great
sprinter, and expects to carry off the honors in the hurdle race. He had
heard that I am interested in athletics, and he urged me to enter for
some of the contests. As he is a member of the committee on
arrangements, his invitation goes."
"It would give him a black eye if you should go into the races in which
he will take part and beat him out," said Browning.
"Merry can do it, too," nodded Diamond.
"That is not a sure thing, by any means," smiled Frank. "I never knew a
fellow who was so good at anything that he would not run up against some
other fellow that was a little better. They say Random is a dandy."
"He will have to be to get away from you, old man," said Hodge.
"Boys," cried Harry, enthusiastically, "we won't do a thing but have a
glorious time on our way back East!"
Browning groaned.
"I did think you would be satisfied to drag me into a bicycle tour
across the continent," he said; "but this is something a great deal
worse. The next thing I know, you'll be getting me into a six-days'
running match, or something of the sort."
"Now we have you worked down so you are in good condition, we mean to
keep you so," declared Merriwell. "It will be----"
At this moment a shrill scream startled the boys and drew their
attention toward the water, where the girls had been bathing in the
surf.
They had been so absorbed in the business at hand that Inza Burrage and
her companions were quite forgotten till that cry of fear and distress
brought them to their feet.
"What's the matter?" gasped Browning, struggling up.
"The surf! There must be an undertow! One of the girls is drowning!"
cried Diamond.
Both Hodge and Merriwell were already racing toward the beach.
As they ran, Frank and Bart saw two of the girls struggling in the
water.
"It's Inza!" panted Frank.
"And Effie Random!" added Bart.
"Inza can swim."
"She is trying to save Miss Random."
"That's right! Miss Random is frantic with fear--she is dragging Inza
down!"
"There they go under!"
"They'll both be drowned!"
"Run, Frank--run!"
Run both lads did as if their own lives depended on their efforts. The
others came stringing along behind them.
As they ran the two boys threw off the light blazers which they had been
wearing. Neither had on a vest, and both were lightly dressed for warm
weather.
"Oh, if I had time to get rid of my shoes!" thought Frank.
But he knew seconds were precious, and he would not stop to get rid of
his shoes.
He reached the water slightly in advance of Hodge.
Two of the girls had waded out and were standing on the beach, wringing
their hands and sobbing.
Several times the girls who were struggling in the water disappeared
beneath the surface, but they came up each time, and it was seen that
one of them was doing her best to support the other, who seemed frantic
with fear.
"Save them! save them!" cried the girls on the shore, as Merriwell and
Hodge plunged into the water.
It is not likely that either Frank or Bart heard this appeal.
The knowledge that Inza Burrage was in danger nerved Frank Merriwell to
do his very utmost.
"I will save her or drown with her!" he thought.
Straight through the surf he dashed, hurled himself headlong through the
crest of a big roller, and began to swim.
Hodge did the same trick with equal skill.
It seemed that the struggles of the two girls were growing weaker, and
once they were beneath the surface so long that Frank feared they would
not come up again.
They did come up, however, and Inza's white face was turned for a moment
toward the two lads who were swimming to their rescue.
There was something in that look of appeal that smote Merriwell to the
heart and made him frantic to reach her. He tore at the water with his
powerful arms, and even the strongest roller did not bear him back or
seem to check him in the least.
To him it did not seem that he was making any progress at all, and he
was furious at the slowness with which he got along. He felt as if
weights of lead were attached to his feet.
"Oh, this infernal water!" he panted. "It drags at me! I never swam so
slowly in all my life! If they go down again---- Where are they?"
The girls had disappeared.
In a moment, however, they arose into view on the crest of a swell,
still struggling.
"Hold on, Inza!" cried Frank. "Bear up a little longer!"
She answered with an inarticulate cry that seemed full of despair and
turned Frank's blood cold.
"Have I saved her from that English puppy for this!" he gasped. "Is it
possible that she is to die now? Oh, no, no!"
Then Frank Merriwell prayed as he swam. He asked God to give him power
to reach her and give her strength to bear up till he could get to her.
He remembered how he had first met her at a picnic at Fardale, and how
pretty she had looked in her short pink dress. He remembered how on that
very day, by a wonderful display of nerve and strength, he had saved her
from being bitten by a mad dog. And after that--oh, she had thought him
such a hero! She had worshiped him as her ideal of all that was brave
and noble. All that seemed years and years ago.
And now--could he save her again? or was she to perish before he could
reach her?
Nearer and nearer he swam.
Close behind Frank, Hodge was exerting every muscle.
"We'll get to them, Merry!" he called, encouragingly. "We'll pull them
out all right. We are sure to---- They've gone down again!"
It was true!
"Merciful heavens!" came huskily from Frank's lips. "I fear this is the
last time!"
He swam on--he reached the spot where the girls had last been seen.
Where were they?
He looked around for them, but could see nothing of them.
"Gone!" he groaned, his lips turning a blue-white. "My Heaven, they are
both drowned!"
Hodge was at hand, swimming about and looking around. Now his face was
ashen white. He tried to speak, but his voice died away in a husky
whisper.
The agony of soul that Frank experienced at that moment was such as he
had never before known. It seemed as if he turned to be a very old man
in a fraction of time.
"Poor Inza!" he gasped.
A cry came from Hodge!
"Look there!"
Something floated on the surface of the water for a moment, and then it
disappeared.
Frank dived.
Down beneath the surface he went, where the water was green and shot
through with streaks of sunshine. He kept his eyes open and looked about
him.
Just ahead of him something was slowly sinking toward the bottom, making
faint struggling movements.
The sunlight that came down through the green waves showed the white
face of a girl upturned for a moment, the eyes wide open and staring.
Frank plunged at the object with remarkable speed, and he felt a wild
thrill of hope as his arm closed around the waist of a girl.
That clutch seemed to arouse her, and, in a moment, she had fastened her
hands about his neck.
It was the clutch of a drowning person, and the girl seemed to possess
the strength of Samson.
Frank tried to break away, but she held fast to him.
Down they went toward the bottom.
"I must break her hold!" thought the youth. "If I do not, she will drown
us both! It is the only chance!"
He understood how desperate the situation was, and prepared to make a
last mad effort.
Then the girl folded him in her arms and drew him close to her with a
frantic clutch that caused him to gasp, and the salt sea water poured
down his throat.
He found he could not well exert his strength, as the girl held him in a
position so that he could not get hold of her hands.
"It means death!" was his thought, as they sank still more swiftly.
"Poor Inza! We will die together!"