“Why don’t you finish the year at Fardale, Chip?”
Billy Mac was distinctly worried. So was Owen Clancy.
“I’m sure I don’t know,” returned Frank, with a frown. “Dad only hinted
that he and I might go West. Looked as though Uncle Dick was mixed up
in it, too, but I couldn’t get him to say anything definite.”
“Looks bad for Fardale if you have to leave,” remarked Clancy. “We’ll
lick the spots off Franklin on Monday, anyhow. With Ted Crockett going
away, too, the team will be all bust up for sure.”
“I s’pose there’ll be a new captain elected,” said Billy slyly.
“That’s right!” exclaimed Chip.
“I guess there’s only one fellow going to nab that honor, Chip.”
“Who?” inquired Frank. “Randall would be a mighty good man, and I’d
like to see him get it----”
“You old humbug!” cried Clancy. “You’re it, of course! Why, Chip, if
you didn’t get it I’d never set foot on the diamond again!” He broke
off abruptly as he stubbed his toe. “Why don’t you get some light in
your blamed old burg, Billy?”
“We’ve got shining lights right now if you’d only take your hat off,”
grinned Billy Mac. “But Clan is right, Chip. Captain Chip, I should
say!”
“Nonsense!” said Merry. “Of course, I won’t say that I wouldn’t
appreciate the honor, fellows, but I think that Randall is the one for
the place. Besides, remember, dad talked as if he and I would go away.
I sure hope it won’t come true.”
He paused suddenly, for he had detected a dark figure lurking against a
wall ahead of them.
“Do you ever have holdups here, Billy?” he went on, in a low voice.
“Looks as if that fellow was waiting for a belated traveling man, eh?”
“No danger,” scoffed Billy Mac, after a glance at the hulking figure,
which remained by the wall in shadow. “This isn’t a particularly good
residence section, but the constable keeps things pretty clean around
here. No, I sure hope you won’t leave----”
He was interrupted as the lurking figure slouched out and barred their
path. Chip took a keen look, but did not recognize the man at once,
for it was dark, and the fellow’s hat was pulled down over his eyes.
Something about the figure suggested Bully Carson to him, but he
dismissed the swift suspicion that flashed over him.
“Where ye goin’?” demanded the fellow, in an obviously disguised voice.
“That’s our business,” flashed Merry. “Get out of the way.”
The figure lunged forward with a swift blow. So rapidly was it done
that before Frank could dodge he felt the man’s fist strike his breast,
flinging him violently back against Clancy. At the same instant the
eager voice of Carson rose in a low cry:
“We got ’em, boys! Come along!”
Out from an adjacent doorway poured a group of dark shapes, while
Carson flung himself forward with another blow at Merriwell. Before
it landed, however, Chip had recovered himself, and he realized the
situation in a flash. Darting under the big fellow’s lunge, he snapped
in a blow that caught Carson full in the mouth and jarred him to an
abrupt stop.
“Against the wall, fellows!” he cried quickly. “We’ll have to fight
them off!”
“It’s Carson’s gang,” exclaimed Billy, as he and Clancy ranged up
beside Chip.
“You bet it is,” responded a voice, and the dark figures closed in on
them.
It seemed that there was no hope for the three friends, as the crowd
rushed in at them with furious blows. Chip, however, had hastily pushed
back into an angle formed by the union of two house walls, where it
was difficult for the Clippers to get at them.
This fact, together with the darkness, rendered the odds somewhat more
even. Carson’s followers were confused by Merry’s quick move, and when
they came shoving forward in a mass Clancy stepped out and let fly with
his fists.
“Look out!” cried Ironton, trying to get back. “They’ve got clubs,
boys! Watch out for ’em!”
“Quit your crowding,” exclaimed Bully Carson, to those behind.
He was flung forward, however, and Merry’s fist cracked into his right
optic. Unable to see what had hit him, he staggered back with a howl.
“Look out fer sledge hammers!” he cried. “They got some bricks--get
back, you fellers!”
Merry was smiling slightly--that old, self-confident smile which
spelled danger had the Clippers but seen it. Before Carson could
retreat, Chip stepped out and followed up his first blow with two swift
punches from right and left. The big fellow was sent reeling back
headlong into his own men.
Meanwhile, Clancy and Billy Mac had not been idle. Taking advantage of
their opponents’ momentary confusion, they had immediately carried the
battle into the enemy’s camp. Every head was that of a foe, and they
struck out with amazing carelessness as to whether they hurt any one.
Taken by surprise at these bewildering tactics, the Clippers tried to
shove back from the niche in the wall. Their numbers were against them,
however. Those behind were still trying to get into the conflict, and
the two or three in the front rank were getting all the benefit of the
three friends’ flying fists.
A fragment of rock crashed against the wall behind Frank. Flaming with
anger at the whole cowardly attack, he leaped forward with a cry to
Clancy and Billy. Carson met him with an angry bellow.
The big fellow lacked all science, however. Already smarting under his
punishment, his attack was futile. Merry’s fists beat a tattoo on his
heavy face, while his own vicious blows merely beat the air. Once again
Chip’s knuckles landed against his puffing eye, and he measured his
length in the dust.
One of the Clippers had hurled a rock at Clancy, which had struck
the red-haired chap on the shoulder and staggered him. He recovered
instantly, however, and as Carson went down the three leaped forward,
carrying the fight back into the street.
Ironton went reeling away, clasping his stomach where Billy’s fist
had located his solar plexus. Clancy floored Murray, while Chip sent
another of the assailants staggering. How the battle would have ended
was doubtful, had not Bully Carson scrambled to his feet at this
juncture and promptly started for home.
Already demoralized by their failure to carry the three friends off
their feet at the first rush, the Clippers lost any further desire for
combat on seeing their leader streaking his way into the darkness.
Hardly had his flying figure disappeared when the others broke. They
attempted no retaliation for the blows they had received, but simply
melted off into the night and vanished. Billy McQuade would have
pursued, but Chip seized his arm and dragged him back.
“Hold on,” he panted, with a laugh. “We can be mighty glad they’ve
decided to go, Billy. No use getting after them, or they might change
their minds.”
“Bring ’em on!” cried Clancy vigorously. “Hoop-a-la! I’m just getting
ready to scrap, Chip!”
“Who were they?” asked Frank, getting Billy calmed down. “Was it Carson
and the Clippers?”
“Didn’t you recognize Bully’s voice? Sure it was.”
“Here’s a job for the town constable, then,” said Clan energetically.
“Chip, if this wasn’t a cowardly, no-account, low-down assault, then
I’ll eat my hat!”
“Eat this one instead,” laughed Frank. He picked up a soft felt hat
which lay on the ground at his side.
Billy struck a match. The hat bore a violent scarlet band, and on the
sweatband inside were stamped the letters “E. T. C.”
“Who does that stand for?” asked Chip.
“Bully Carson,” spoke up Billy promptly. “Edward T., otherwise Bully.
Say, fellows, I guess we can land that bunch in the lockup, hey? There
must ’a’ been six or eight of ’em, and with this for evidence we can
maybe jail the whole bunch.”
“Seemed to be more like a dozen,” said Clancy.
Merry laughed.
“Come along, you two fire eaters. Billy’s right, for I counted six.”
“You were cooler than I was, then,” commented Clancy. “Shall we go wake
up the constable, old man? There’s no doubt about our being able to----”
Frank shook his head.
“I think they’ve had enough punishment, to judge by the way they acted.
Let it go, fellows. You aren’t hurt?”
“Nary scratch,” said Clancy. “Somebody hit me with a brick, but it
struck my shoulder and didn’t hurt. Of course, if you think it’s better
not to prosecute ’em, I’m agreeable. But I’d like to see that cuss
Carson do time for this business.”
Frank nodded. He knew exactly how his chum felt in the matter, but the
Clippers had received fair punishment, and their attack had failed.
When he went on to state that by prosecuting Carson they would be
detained in town, the others agreed instantly.
“Sure,” said Billy. “We couldn’t afford to miss that Franklin game. I
wish you two obstinate mules wouldn’t go to the hotel, though.”
“We’ll let your mother get a little sleep,” said Clancy. “She got a
bang-up supper after the game, and it wouldn’t be fair to impose on
her, Billy. I’ll take you back to-morrow in the _Hornet_, if you’ll sit
on the running board.”
“You bet I will! Just the same, I wish we were goin’ back to-night,”
added Billy, with a worried note in his voice. “The Carsons are down on
you because you helped me, Chip, and they never overlook an injury.”
“I don’t think Bully will overlook anything for a day or two,” said
Frank. “I landed on his right eye twice, anyhow. Nonsense, Billy! He’s
tried for a cowardly revenge and he’s failed, and that closes up the
incident. We’ll get back to Fardale to-morrow night if your mother
doesn’t kill us with that chicken dinner she promised for to-morrow.”
“Yum!” and Clancy smacked his lips. “Billy, don’t say anything more
about our going back to-night, or I’ll assassinate you! Wow! Your
mother’s chicken dinners certainly do hit me in the right spot!”
“All right,” retorted Billy Mac. “But I’d bet you fifteen thousand
dollars and a half that we hear from that crowd again!”
Merry flung the initialed hat into the street, and they went on their
way. None of the three observed a shadowy form that followed them at a
little distance, as if spying on their movements.