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 passed 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 pass away."
"I think it is fast passing," 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 noble 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.
Massachusetts 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 pass
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 sophomores, who were
still talking of the surprising change that had been made on the crew.
As he passed 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.
It seemed that the battle between the wrestling lads became fiercer and
fiercer, but at last Jack secured a sudden advantage, and Merriwell went
down heavily.
"Bah!" Fred Flemming was heard to say. "Those fellows remind me of two
awkward cubs. Neither knows the rudiments of scientific wrestling."
One leap brought Frank Merriwell to his feet, another leap carried him
before Flemming, who was turning away.
"Wait a moment, sir," said Frank, his voice cold, clear and distinct. "I
believe you consider yourself something of a wrestler, Flemming?"
Merriwell had appeared before him so suddenly that Fred started back
involuntarily. Then, angry with himself at the recoil, his lips curled
scornfully, and he surveyed the other lad in the most haughty and
insolent manner.
"Get out of my way!" he cried, harshly. "I will not be bothered by you!"
The same old smile--the smile that was so dangerous--crept over
Merriwell's face.
"You think you will not be bothered by me," he said, his voice smooth
and soft, "but you deceive yourself. You have taken a fancy to bother
me, to revile me behind my back, even to make false statements
concerning me, for you have said that I sought your position on the crew
and obtained it by underhand means. In the presence of these witnesses
you have stated that I am a most bungling wrestler. That is something
you cannot deny."
"I do not wish to deny it. You are not a wrestler--you know nothing of
the art."
"And you claim to be a wrestler?"
"Yes, I can wrestle."
"Then, here and now, I challenge you to wrestle me at side-holds,
catch-as-you-can and arm's end, the winner of two out of three falls to
be acknowledged the best man, and Hugh Heffiner to be the judge. If you
refuse to wrestle, I will brand you as a blower and a braggart--a fellow
not fit to be accepted in the society of gentlemen. Your answer,
Flemming--your answer!"