Hegner was giving Burk his regular daily training, explaining just when
it was best to use the stop for the left-hand uppercut and when it was
advisable to duck and counter on the body.
Quite a throng had gathered to watch them. Both were stripped down to
their regular training suits, which gave Frank a chance to size them up
still better than heretofore.
Merriwell saw he had made no mistake in Burk, but, if anything, Hegner
was more sinewy and had better muscular development than Frank had
thought.
The two lads were working gently, going through the movements for each
blow, parry, dodge and counter with deliberation, and Frank soon saw
that Hegner really knew his business.
"What do you think of those chaps, Merriwell?" asked Hodge, who seemed
strangely restless and nervous.
"I haven't seen them get to work in earnest yet," was the answer.
"Say, old man!"
"What is it?"
"I'd like to see you go up against that Hegner and hammer him all over
the lot. I despise the sight of him."
"Perhaps I couldn't do the trick, you know."
"What? Get out! I know you could!"
Diamond was attracted by what was passing between them, and dipped in.
"Could? Could what?" he asked.
"Could knock the packing out of Mr. Hegner," declared Bart,
incautiously.
"Of course!" nodded Diamond.
Frank was about to caution them to speak lower, but it was too late.
Hegner's keen ears had heard enough, and he whirled on the trio like a
tiger.
"Who is it that can knock the packing out of Mr. Hegner?" he harshly
demanded. "If it is one of that party, let him step out! I'll give him a
chance."
This sudden action confused both Hodge and Diamond, and Merriwell was
silent. The eyes of all in the room were turned on the little group.
After a moment, Hegner laughed scornfully.
"What's the matter with you chaps?" he sneeringly demanded. "I heard one
of you say that somebody could knock the packing out of me. If you will
bring the gentleman forward, I'll be happy to give him a chance to try."
Still the three were silent.
"Bah!" cried Hegner. "You're a lot of bluffs! I can do you all in turn,
one after the other, but there's not one of the lot who has the nerve to
put on the gloves with me."
"If that is what you think, Mr. Hegner, it won't take long to show you
that you are mistaken," said Frank, quietly, as he stepped out. "I am
willing to put on the gloves with you for a friendly go."
"You'll be a snap," came derisively from Hegner.
"Possibly so; but you can tell better about that later on."
Creighton was somewhat disturbed.
"Hold on, fellows!" he exclaimed. "If you're going to box, we do not
want any hard feelings about it."
"Don't let that worry you as far as I am concerned," said Frank, as
placidly as ever. "Can I borrow a suit, Charlie?"
"Yes, you may have mine."
Frank followed Creighton to a dressing-room, and Diamond went along.
Hodge started to accompany them, and then seemed to change his mind, and
remained behind.
"It's too bad!" declared Creighton, as soon as they were in the room.
"I'm sorry anything of the kind should happen."
"I'm glad of it!" exclaimed Diamond, whose dark face was flushed and who
seemed to be well satisfied.
"Oh, it's all right," laughed Frank, as he began to strip off. "There's
no damage done, old man."
"But there may be. Hegner has an ugly temper."
"Unless he can control it, it will be all the worse for him."
"I don't know. You can't tell what he will do."
"Don't let it worry you."
"But you do not profess to be away up in fighting and that fellow can
fight like a tiger."
"All the same, I shall do my best to give him a lively go."
Creighton was worried, and he did not get over it quickly. In his heart
he feared that Frank would get so much the worst of it that he would be
regarded with derision, and he had bragged a great deal about Merriwell
as an all-around athlete.
Diamond was not worried at all. He had the utmost confidence in Frank,
and he seemed elated to think Merry was about to get at Hegner.
It did not take Frank long to strip and get into Charlie's suit. Then
the three came forth and found Hegner waiting for them.
The fellows present had gathered around, and it was the almost universal
opinion that Hegner would make short work of the fellow from Yale.
Frank looked handsome in the sparring suit. He was neither too stocky
nor too thin, but was graceful and supple, with a figure that aroused
the envy of many a lad who looked him over then.
"This is to be a friendly bout, Mr. Hegner," he said, as he accepted the
gloves which were passed to him. "We are not to attempt to murder each
other."
"Oh, not at all!" said the other, with a crafty twinkle in his eye.
"There is not much danger of murder with such gloves as these."
When the gloves were carefully put on, they faced each other and shook
hands, after which they were at it quickly.
Hegner danced away and came in with a bewildering rush, which was
avoided with ease by Frank, who gave him a light body blow as he passed.
Like a cat Wallace came about and was after Merriwell again. They
sparred a moment, and Hegner tried to get in with a feint and a straight
left-hand drive for the face. He put all his force into the blow, and it
would have been a stunner had it landed; but Frank guarded with his
right and countered with his left, sending Hegner staggering backward.
At the very outset Merriwell had the best of it, much to the surprise of
those who had expected Hegner to "walk into him with a rush." They
looked at each other, and then said over and over that there would be a
sudden change.
Wallace seemed a bit dazed by the reception he had received, and he
ground his teeth with anger. He did not delay about coming to the
scratch, however, and the bout went on.
After a little sparring, both led for the face, neither guarding, and
both blows told. Then, like a flash, Hegner dropped under and tried to
uppercut Frank, thinking to do this before Merry could recover.
The Yale lad went back with a bound, and Hegner found nothing but air.
In another instant Frank came in again, and they were at it with fresh
fury.
Again both led at the face with their left, but both ducked, and, with
crossed arms, their fists shot over each other's shoulder. They got away
instantly, and Hegner followed Frank up, apparently determined to press
the battle.
"If he gets Heg angry, he'll be sorry," declared one of the club
members. "The fur will fly."
Diamond, who seldom laughed, laughed now.
"If Mr. Hegner knows what is good for him, he'll hold his temper," he
said. "If he loses it, Frank Merriwell will play with him."
"Rats!" was the return. "Mr. Merriwell won't melt things, if he is from
Yale. He's not the only shirt in the laundry; he can be done up."
"You may be right, but Wallace Hegner hasn't the starch to do the job."
"Wait and see."
For some moments the boxers sparred craftily, feeling for an opening,
and then Hegner pushed things again. But his leads were met or dodged,
and he received several sharp raps in return. One of his swinging blows
came near landing, and it would have knocked Frank down had it reached.
It was plain enough that all Hegner wanted was a good opportunity to
strike Merriwell with every bit of force at his command. He tried the
trick repeatedly, and the look of rage increased in his eyes as each
attempt was a failure.
"Merriwell is cleverer than I fancied he would be," admitted one of the
club members; "but he can't last. Hegner will get him on the run after a
while."
A lead with Hegner's left brought a sharp cross-counter from Merriwell,
and the tap set the head of the young trainer ringing. He tried to get
in with his right, and, instead of retreating a bit, was met with a
right-hand cross-counter. Then he made a savage effort to uppercut with
his left, but Frank ducked to the right and gave him a wind-killer under
the heart.
Then it was seen that Hegner was fast losing his temper. He did his best
to get Merriwell's head under his arm, but simply succeeded in receiving
a tap on the nose that made the blood run freely.
Hegner would have gone on fighting with the blood streaming down over
his mouth, but several fellows jumped in and stopped the bout for the
time, declaring that he must wash up.
"I know nothing has been said about rounds, but this is enough for the
first one," said Creighton.
"Steady, Heg, old man!" warned Burk, as he got hold of the excited
fellow. "You are losing your head and giving him all the best of it.
Take a little time to cool off, and you will be better off for it, my
boy."
So Hegner was led away to wash off the blood, but he called to Frank
that he would return and finish the bout.
With the exception of Hodge and Diamond, nearly every one of the
spectators was astonished by what he had seen. It was evident that Frank
had much the best of the battle thus far, but still they could not bring
themselves to believe he was a more scientific man than the trainer of
Hank Burk. Hegner would redeem himself quickly enough in the next round,
they were sure.
Frank was quite cool, smiling a bit as he pulled off the gloves and
stood talking with Diamond and Hodge. But most remarkable of anything,
although, with the possible exception of Frank, those who saw it did not
know it, was the fact that there was a smile on the faces of both Bart
Hodge and Jack Diamond. A smile was something remarkably rare for the
face of either, and never before had they been known to smile both at
the same time.
"Oh, this is great--simply great!" muttered Hodge. "Wonder if he isn't
beginning to think I knew what I was talking about when I said you could
knock the packing out of him?"
"Oh, if you had on anything but those soft gloves!" said Diamond. "But
you want to keep your eyes open. Some of his blows are wicked. They'd
shake you up bad if they landed."
"Have you seen any of them land yet?" asked Merry, in his quiet way.
"Not yet; and that's why I'm happy. This is going to be the biggest
surprise that ever struck the Fairmount Athletic Club."
Hegner came hurrying back, with his companions trailing at his heels. He
had succeeded in stopping the flow of blood very quickly, and now he was
palpitating to be at Merriwell again.
"Come on!" he cried. "Let's settle this thing! I haven't got warmed up
yet."
"Give it to him, Merry!" cried Hodge.
"Crowd him this time!" whispered Diamond.
Again the lads faced each other. They began sparring slowly, Hegner
making an effort to control his temper. He led at Frank a number of
times, but Merry broke ground quickly each time, and it began to look as
if he had resolved to hold off and keep away from Hegner. Wallace
decided this was so, and attempted to press the tussle.
Right there he made his mistake. Merriwell had been trying to lead him
on, and the effort was successful. One of the trainer's rushes was met
as if Frank had been nailed to the floor, and Hegner was sent spinning
backward with two well-directed blows, catching his heels and sitting
down heavily on the floor.
Somebody laughed outright.
Almost frothing at the mouth, the fallen fellow leaped to his feet. For
a moment he stood glaring at Frank, and then, with a cry of rage, he
threw off both gloves and leaped forward!
"I know when you try a foul!" he grated. "Two can play at the same
trick!"
Then he tried to smash Merriwell in the face with his bare fist.
Frank was not in the least excited, and he did not attempt to get the
gloves off. He met Hegner, parried his first blow, gave him a jolt that
drove him back two steps, followed him up and came in with a swinging
smash that landed on the fellow's jaw.
Hegner was literally lifted off his feet and sent flying through the
air. His head struck against the hard wall with a resounding crack, and
then he dropped to the floor, where he lay in a limp and motionless
heap.