Tip lop WEEKLY

“An ideal publication for the#merican Youth.

 

Issued weekly By Subscription, $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Crass Matier at the N. Y. Post Office by StrEET & SMITH

 

 

NO. 206. 1 _ Price, Five =

 

 

 

 

IWELES MISH

on A FRIEND ae
Mi THE GUISE OF A FOE

BURT L.STANDISH

 

‘*IT WILL RUIN HIS ARM FOREVER!’’ WAS GRATED, AS THE DRUG WAS INJECTED INTO MERRY’S WRIST.

 

 

 
 

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| TIP TOP WEEKLY

_ AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THE AMERICAN YOUTH

 

 

 

dssued won ee Subscription $2.50 per year.

Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. ¥. Post Office, by SrrEwr & Smrrx, 288 7

NV. ¥Y. Sintered According to ‘Act of Congress, in the year 1900 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C.

 

No. 206.

NEW YORK, March 24, 1g00,

Price Five Cents,

 

Frank Merriwell’s Mishap;

OR, :

A FRIEND iN THE GUISE OF A FOE.

CHAPTER I.
ROLAND PACKARD,
Spring-like weather. toward the end of
_ March warmed into new hfe the athletic spirit
of old Yale; and every man, freshman and
senior, who fancied that he was possessed of
athletic ability, was working hard to develop
it, eager to gain, if possible, the coveted ’Var-
_ sity. “ | |
_ The campus began to buzz again, and the
old fence in front of Durfee drew its crowd
: of choice spirits, who joked and sang and
talked of all things under the sun, from the

 

ee é _ beauty of the oe who were at the dances of

te

By BURT L. STANDISH.

. the subject.

 
   
   

>

the mid-winter “Prom.” to the latest news
about baseball.

It always came back to that, no matter what
The baseball spirit once more
palpitated the air, and the wonderful things
that Yale was to do on the diamond the com-
ing season exercised many lively imagina-
tions. For one thing, Yale was again going
to hang Harvard’s gory scalp at her belt,
every one said, and was to add to it the scalp

of almost every other college nine from

‘Princeton away out to little Lafayette.

In spite of the many attractions out of ©
doors, the gymnasium was still crowded, as Oe

2 g-
  

had been all winter. Up in the big general
room more than two hundred men were work-
ing hard at all forms of athletics. Some were
running and walking, some putting the ham-
mer and throwing the shot; some toiling at
the athletic machines, others tossing footballs
about in preparation for regular football prac-
tice, and still others were jumping, pole-vault-
ing, whirling dumpb-bells and Indian clubs,
sparring, or swinging in the rings and on the
trapese and horizontal bars.

Downstairs, though other oarsmen were
out on the water, an ambitious and promising
crew were practicing in one of the big rowing
tanks, watched over and shouted at by a
graduate coach and the ’Varsity captain.

In the baseball cage outside—a long, red
building, one story high—there were mysteri-
ous sounds of pounding and beating. Only a
few men were in the cage, however, as most
of the experts were swinging the bat and
twirling the elusive sphere out in the open air.

Harry Rattleton emerged from the cage,
and as he did so a body of sturdy young fel-
lows in athletic clothes came up at a dog trot
from a long run in the open air. At their
head was Frank Merriwell, and numbered
with them were Bart Hodge and Jack Dia-
mond,

Rattleton threw up his hand and gave them
a shout of welcome.

“This is the liver to make you weath—I
mean this is the weather to make you live!”
he ‘cried.

“Great!” exclaimed Merriwell. “You
ought to have been with us on this run. The
air is as delicious as wine.”

“T don’t like wine,” declared Browning,
who had come out of the cage at that mo-
ment and heard the remark. “Not when I
have to work for it so hard as that.”

“But you’ve been batting in the cage,” Bart
_ observed.

“No,” answered Browning, dropping onto

2 : TIP TOP WEEKLY.

a camp stool. “I’ve been practicing by proxy.
It’s almost as good, and you save a lot of ex-
ertion. I’ve had Rattleton twirling the bat,
while I sat by and gave him large and liberal
doses of advice. When he took my advice,
whick wasn’t always, I could see just what I
could have done by following that advice my-
self. It’s so good an idea that I think [ll
utilize it more.”

’

“You'll die of fat and laziness,” said Dia-
mond,

“That sort of practice won’t fit you for the
nine this season,” laughed Merriwell.

“He’s going to be too lazy to get on the
nine,” growled Bart. »

“Nein,” declared Browning, fishing out his
pipe. “When the muster roll is calling, Vil
be there. This is just one of my off days.”

“And you have them very off-ten,” said
Frank. “Have them less, and that will be a
little less reck-less.”

“Less,” shouted Harry. “He will never
less that. learning—I mean, he will never
learn that lesson. He will never learn any-
thing that takes effort. Next term he is
going to be dropped back to the freshman
class. The head of this noble institution told
me so the last time we smoked cigarettes to-
gether.” ;

“There is no danger that you will ever

,

learn any sense,” grunted Browning, scratch-
ing a match to light his pipe. :

“Musn’t cool off out here,” said Merry,
turning toward the gymnasium.

Then he hastened into the building, the
others trooping at his heels, all of them hur-
rying to be bathed and to be rubbed down
and weighed.

,

“That was a hot run,” said Bart, when he
issued from the gym. some time afterward.
“I dropped three pounds this morning. Most
I ever dropped was six. The way you tear
along on those runs, Merry, puils the weight

right off a fellow.”

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93

“Don’t get lazy, like Browning,” Frank
urged. “I dropped some weight myself. I
feel likea new man. And we'll get it all back
again before this time to-morrow.”

Browning was still sitting on the camp
stool in the delicious sunshine—he had chosen
a spot that was warm and sheltered—and was
pulling contentedly at his pipe.

Rattleton leaped up from a stool at his side
and walked toward Merriwell, Hodge and
Diamond, who were coming out of the gym-
nasium together, with Bink Stubbs and
Danny Griswold trailing behind them.

Another man hurried toward the gymna-
sium entrance at the same moment... He
seemed to be in a heedless mood, and ran
roughly against Merry.

Rattleton, who had reached Merry’s side,
bristled like an angry terrier.

Then the student, whose name was Roland
Packard, drew back and struck fiercely at
Merriwell. Merry caught the fellow’s wrist
and turned him half round.

“Hit him,” Rattleton panted. “He tried to
strike you in the face. Block his knock off.”

Packard’s countenance was flushed and his
eyes glittered. It was plain that he had been
drinking. Still, this was not enough to ac-
count for his singular actions.

“Our good friend Roland has mixed him-
self too strong a dose of his own medicine,”
said Merry.

Packard was a medical student.

“And it has kinked his brain,” sneered Jack
Diamond.

Roland Packard turned on Diamond quick
as a flash.

“T’vé no more use for you than I have for
Merriwell,” he snarled.

Then he reached out and pulled Jack’s nose.

Diamond lifted his clinched fist, but Merri-
well’s hand fell restrainingly on his arm.

“Not here,” he said.

“Do you suppose I intend to take an insult

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY. 3

like that?” Jack hissed. ‘Not on your life.
He shall answer for that.”

“Not here,” Frank insisted.

“T’ll fight him, or any of your crowd, now
or anywhere,” Packard declared.

“You can have what you want, Packard, at
the proper time and place,” was Merriwell’s
stern declaration. “That isn’t here and now.
Will you stand out of the way and let us go
by?”

“I knew you wouldn’t fight,” sneered Ro-
land. “You’re a set of cowards, the whole
of you.”

A crowd began to gather and some one
shouted, “A fight!” |

“See you at Morey’s this evening,” said
Jack, lowering his voice, which quivered with
repressed rage. “I know you’ve got a bit of
a jag on, but not so much but that you know
the meaning’of what you’ve done.”

“Don’t let him off so easy,” begged Rattle-
ton, turning to Merriwell. “Those are the
kind of fellows that want to tread on you.
He thinks you’ll let him say and do anything,
just because he’s drinking a little. “Let Dia-
mond hit him one.”

“T'll not hit him now,” said Diamond, turn-
ing away, with terrible emphasis on the
“now.”

Roland Packard again lifted his hand, but
Merriwell flung him violently against the
wall, and walked by him.

“What’s the matter with that cad?” grunt-
ed Browning, who had not risen from his
stool nor taken the pipe from his mouth.

“Jealousy!” said Frank. “If he was a doc-
tor instead of being only a student, I should
diagnose it as professional jealousy! He is

as mad at me as a hornet, simply because I
have been saying a lot of pleasant: things
about Snelling, who is in his class in the
‘Med.’ and whom he hates. Snelling went
with the rooters to New York, you know,
when we played those ice hockey games in

  
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St. Nicholas Rink, and was on hand to help a pen around you to make you another hog!”

that girl who was so badly hurt in the railway said Danny, dancing back out of the way as

 

 

wreck. I’ve spoken about it more or less, and he said it. 4 of}
Dr, Roland Packard has it in for me, in con- “T'll take after you—with’a club!” shouted |
sequence.” Bink, hurling the camp stool at Browning. f
“He'll get it in the neck,’ snapped Rattle- “Lend me another match,” begged Brown-
ton. ing. “These fellows raise such a breeze with ee 4 :
“My dear Rattles, vou are too unobserv- their mouths they blew that one out.” ; i
ant,” said Browning, getting up at last. “He se ka ‘ ~ t
already has got it in the neck.” CHAPTER II. A
Bink Stubbs plumped down into the va- AT MOREY’S. 2 s
cated seat. “From out of the home of Absentmind *
“Huah!” Browning grunted, slowly turn- Rose a_wail to thunder drown: ‘
ing round and lifting Bink bodily from the ‘Ma, pa has spanked the carpet, ok
chair by the collar. And he’s nailed the baby down.’ ”’ 3
' “Why—er—what do you mean by that?” The singer was Danny Griswold. 4
| Bink protested, struggling in the air. - Jack Diamond walked on, with that black a
“Just looking for my cap,” explained frown on his handsome face. He was in an i
Browning. “I thought perhaps you sat down intensely irritated mood, and this jesting was 4
on it, Oh, here it is!” most distasteful. q
“Why, you scoundrel, it’s on your head,” Joe Gamp had dropped into the crowd and }
Bink howled, after he had been dropped caught on to the drift of the conversation. 4
heavily back on the stool. “Heard a bub-blamed funny story abub- ,
“So I discovered,” Bruce answered, stick- : bub-baout oneof them medical students t’other 4
ing the pipe again into his mouth. “I’m for- dud-dud-day,” he grinned. “His old bub- ~ |
, gcetful at times.” boss was a farmer, stis-stis-sus-same’s mine, tl
. “Knew an old lady once who would wear and he thought it wan’t any use fuf-for him H
q her spectacles all over the house while look- to study Latin and Gug-Gug-Greek. f
‘ ‘ng for them,” said Danny. — _ “The professér tut-tut-told the old man ye
i “My grandmother,” explained Browning. that it would strengthen his sus-sus-son’s H
} “T take after her.” mum-mum-mum-mind. :
A “And I read of an absent-minded profes- “‘T dud-don’t cuc-cuc-care anything abub- ip
sor who fancied that he had left his watch  haout that,’ sus-sus-said the farmer. ‘What
' at home and took it out of his pocket to see [ want mum-my sus-sus-son to learn is sus- =e
| if he had time enough to-go back after it;”’ something that will strengthen his fuf-finan- | a
said Merriwell. cial gug-gug-grasp. Them’s the dud-dead F
“My grandfather,” said Browning, pulling languages, ain’t they?” sus-sus-said the far- i}
at his pipe. “Somebody give mea match.” mer.
“And [il take after you,” squealed Bink, “*Y-yes,’ sus-sus-sus-said the professor. :
indignantly. ““They w-won’t bub-be of nun-nun-no ee
“Do,” answered Browning, accepting the mum-manner of use to him, then,” sus-sus- ee

| match which Diamond extended, “If you fol- said the farmer. ‘He ain’t gug-going to bub-

”»>

 

low in my footsteps you'll

 
 

bub-be an undertaker,’ A-haw! A-haw! A-_
“Become a great big porker, needing only haw!”

 
 

   
 

 

 
 

 

TIP TOP

  

Joe Gamp nearly always laughed at his own
humor. :

“T can’t help thinking about Packard,” said
Rattleton, who was almost as irritated as Dia-
mond. “I’d like to go back to the gymnasium
and thump him for his insolence.”

“There is only one“thing that keeps me
from knocking you down,” said Bink Stubbs
to Browning, for the little fellow had not been
able to get rid of his indignation.

“What is that?” Browning asked, looking
down at him.

“My grandfather weighed two hundred
pounds and my grandmother weighed but
ninety-seven, and I take after my grand-
mother, That’s saved your bacon more times
than one, and you know it.”

And thus, with a mixture of grumbling
and threats, joking and laughter, Merriwell’s
crowd took their way from the gymnasium.

That night several of them met at Morey’s,
a noted resort of college men, where fresh-
men may never go, and where one may dririk
anything except beer. One may also eat at
Morey’s, but the bill of fare is always the
same and confined to four dishes—boiled
eggs, eggs on toast or scrambled, Welsh rare-
bit and golden buck. One may also get toast
without eggs or cheese on it, and plain toast
with ale is much in demand by the college
men who nightly visit the place.

Merry was at Morey’s that night because
he feared there would be trouble between
jack Diamond and Roland Packard, the med-
ical student. The talk turned almost wholly
on athletics—on baseball, football and on
rowing. The best men for the different

\eams were beginning to prove themselves,

- and to attract general attention.

‘Harry Rattleton was always at home in
such a crowd, and, as usual on similar oc-
casions, he was praising Frank Merriwell at
every opportunity.

In a lull of the conversation Dunstan Kirk,

WEEKLY.

thing to equal that double-shoot.

    

      

the Yale baseball team, made

the captain of
his way to Merriwell’s side and drew him
into a vacant adjoining room. His manner
was not as cordial as it had been on previous
occasions. ‘

“What is this I hear, Merriwell, about the
boast you’re making, that you’ve a lot of fel-
iows in the set you’re practicing with who
are better than anything that has ever been
in a Yale nine?’ he asked, when they were
alone together.

“T have made no such boast,” Merry anr
swered, a hint of color,showing in his face.

“You are practicing with some fellows?”

“Oh, yes, with a few of my friends—Bruce
Browning, Bart Hodge, and some others.
We've been practicing pretty steadily all win-
ter

“And you’ve been in the rowing tanks,
too?”

Frank nodded.

“We try to keep up in athletics, and your
experience, Mr. Kirk, must have shown you
that the only way to do that is by constant
hard work.” -
“We've

been acquainted long enough not to need it

“Drop the mister,” urged Kirk.
in a conversation like this. You know what
I think of your pitching. I never saw any-
But [
didn’t like the boasts I heard!”

“Tt’s not my habit to make boasts,” said
Merry.

the statement got out.

“T think, though, I can guess how
[ have said to a few
of my friends that Browning and Hodge, gs
batter and catcher; have few equals in Yale.
I say so now. Browning is lazy, but he is
a wonder when he gets waked up, and a
nervier man than Hodge, nor a surer, never
put on a catcher’s mask. The only trouble
with Hodge is that he sulks at times, but this
doesn’t count against him much when I pitch
for him.”

There was not the slightest trace of boast-
   
   
    
  
   
  
  
 
  
 
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
   
 
   
   
   
    
 
  
   
  
 

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ing in either Merriwell’s tone or manner;
nevertheless, something in Kirk’s face. told
him that the captain of the ball team felt that
there was. However, Frank affected not to
notice this.

“Are any of your other players as good as
the men you name?’ Dunstan Kirk ques-
tioned.

“Hardly, though some of them are good
players.”

“T don’t believe I know the names ?”’

“Well, there are Diamond and Rattleton,
both good men; and there are, besides, Danny
Griswold and Bink Stubbs, not to mention

3erlin Carson and several others. We have

 

not formed a regular nine, you know—yjust
been practicing with different men, and shift-
ing these about.”

Dunstan Kirk was not satisfied. He had
heard certain stories which had greatly net-

tled him—stories told mostly by enemies of

Frank Merriwell, who wished to injure him
in the eyes of the baseball captain.

“You expect to be one of the pitchers of
the ’Varsity nine this season?” he bluntly
asked.

“Tf I can strengthen the nine by going into
the box, I want to do it; if I can’t, I want
to stay out. That is my real feeling on the
subject, Kirk. If you need me, I’m ready to
help you. , And I can say the same for my
friends, one and all. The only thing that
we're anxious about is the honor of old Eli.
We want Yale to defeat every nine it goes
qeainet this season, if possible. If we can
help to secure that we will be pleased.”

“But about this report,” said Kirk, coming
back to the subject that had nettled him.
“You can see that it is likely to work injury
to the nine that is finally selected, if your
friends happen not to belong to that nine.
There will be a lot of fellows who will be
ready to believe that a mistake has been made.

 

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I ees

  

There are always some to cry favoritism, you

know !”

Merriwell assented.

“The report is, that you claim that the men
who have been practicing with you can de-
feat any other nine I can select, and that they
ought to be on the ’Varsity.” \

“Nothing of the kind,’ Merriwell posi-
tively asserted.

_ He was not pleased by this return to the
question. It seemed an imputation of his
veracity,

“Captain Kirk, you ought to know I would
not publicly proclaim such a thing, nor pri-
vately state it among my friends,” Merry went
on. “I have never said it. What some of my
men may have said I do not know, and am
not to be held responsible for their expres-
sions of opinion, anyway. Such a thing must
be merely a matter of opinion. Yet I will say
here to you—what I would not say to any one

else—that I believe I can take some of the

men I have named, with others that I can get, ©

and form a nine that will defeat anything you

can bring against it.”

Kirk colored. He did not like: this plain

talk.

“You have a very high opinion of them.”

“And of yourself,” he was about to add,
but checked the “words.

“T know them!” said Frank.

“And you can beat the regular ’Varsity
nine ?”’

“Merely an opinion. No man can tell that
until it has been tested. Besides, the ’Varsity
nine in its final form isn’t even guessable
now.”

In saying these things Frank Merriwell

knew he was jeopardizing his chances of be--

ing one of the pitchers of the regular Yale
nine. But, as he had said, his desire to go
into the pitcher’s box was not personal. If
he could help win battles. for the Blue, he

was ready and anxious to do so. If he could

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not, he wanted to stand back and see other
men win the battles. And for those victors
of Yale, whatever their name or class, he
would cheer lustily and loyally. There was
nothing little or mean about Frank Merri-
well, a thing that the captain of the ball
team was destined to learn by and by.

“When can you get this wonderful nine
ready ?”

It was not possible for Dunstan Kirk to
hide his sheer.

“To-morrow!” said Merry. “They are
ready now.”

Though Merriwell was not a man to boast,
he did not hesitate to say a thing that he
felt to be true merely because somebody
might accuse him of boastfulness. That
would have been cowardice.

“It begins to look as if you did make some
such statement as came to me,” Kirk com-
mented. ,

“T am not in the habit of having my word
doubted!” Frank declared. with a trace of
irritation.

“You declare your readiness in a remark-
able manner. I am free to say that I couldn’t
he ready to meet any respectable nine to-mor-
row.”

“Next Saturday afternoon,” said Merry,
and his voice was again calm and even, “you
You

Over

can get together a nine for a game.
have plenty of material to. pick from.
two hundred men came forward in answer
to your call some time ago, and most of those
I will get
together this nine of my friends and pit it
against anything you can put on the ball
field that day.

the things reported against me.

You seem to want to believe
This is a
challenge

Dunstan Kirk opened his lips to reply,

when the sound of angry voices reached them.

“That’s Diamond and Roland Packard,”

  

WEEKLY.

        

7

said Merriwell, springing up and hurrying

from the room.

CHAPTER III.
DIAMOND SENDS A CHALLENGE,

“I began to think you weren’t going to
come,” Packard was saying to Jack Diamond,
when Merriwel! appeared on the scene.

Morey’s was filled to overflowing with col-
lege men that night, and Morey’s waiters
were frantically busy. The air was thick
with tobacco smoke and heavy with the odor
of mixed drinks,

Roland Packard, standing before the bar,
on which was the drink he had ordered, had
turned to speak to Jack Diamond, who had
just come in. Rattleton was with Diamond,
together with Danny, Bink and Joe Gamp.
Packard’s face was even redder than it had
been that day, and it was evident that he had
been drinking all the afternoon, possibly to
keep his courage up for this meeting with
Jack Diamond.

“This.is the way I treat ‘you and your
whole set!” Packard shouted.

Then he picked up the glass of liquor and
threw it into Diamond's face.

The next instant he was on the floor by
the bar, having been knocked down by Jack
Diamond’s hard fist.

Merriwell crossed the intervening distance
at a bound. The crowd was closing in
round Diamond and Packard, but Merry
forced a passage and stood at Diamond’s side,

“Look out! He’s got a knife!’ some one
shouted; and when Packard struggled to his
feet Frank caught the gleam of a blade.

Merry struck it from his hand in an in-
stant and kicked it beyond his reach as it
fell.

Then the proprietor bustled forward from
a back room. |

* : ’ se .
“No fighting here!” he said in a firm voice.
  
  

   
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
    
 
 
  

 

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“I’m not going to have my place raided by
the police. No fighting here, gentlemen!”

Frank Merriwell had advised Diamond not
to go to Morey’s that night, knowing that if
Jack went and met Roland trouble would be
the result. But even while insisting that
Diamond should not go, a feeling that he
would go anyway had drawn him there him-
self.

“Come, Jack,” Merry urged.
settle with this fellow in another place.”

“You can

The tone comforted Jack Diamond’s vol-
canic heart, for it said that in another place
Merry would be glad for him to meet Roland
Packard and whip him soundly.

The. proprietor took Packard by the shoul-
der. ,

“No fighting!’ he said, “And no more
drinking to-night for you.”

Roland struggled to get away and follow
Diamond, who was at Merriwell’s side and
turning toward one of the little rooms.

The room which Frank and Jack entered
was the one in which but a few moments be-
fore Merriwell had talked with the captain
of the ball team.

“You don’t mean to ask me to stand such
an insult as that?” Diamond demanded.

“No,” Merry answered, “I shall not ask
you to do anything but pound some sense
into him through his face., But I’m sorry
you came. This is no place for a fight, you
know.”

“T didn’t intend to fight him here, but
when he threw that liquor into my eyes, [
couldn’t do anything else than knock him
down. And this isn’t the end of it! [’m go-
ing to send him a challenge. I wish he would
meet me with swords, but I know he won't.
But I’ll meet him in any way he wishes.”

The Southerner was quivering with rage.

There was a tap on the door and Merry
opened it, to find Harry Rattleton and their

other friends seeking entrance. e

WHEKLY.

“Come in,” Merry invited.

“Packard out there still?’ Diamond de-
manded, as they came in.

“Pup-pup-proprietor bub-bundled him out
of the haouse!’’ said Gamp.

“Tf Jack could have kicked him out,” grum-
bled Danny Griswold.

“The gall of the fellow!” gasped Rattle-
ton. “Didn’t that jar you? I wanted to
shout for joy when Diamond keeled him
over.”

“My bones are aching yet because he
couldn’t give him more,”. Bink Stubbs de-
clared,

“I shall give him all he wants,” said Jack,
grimly.

“Diamond is going to challenge him,” Mer-
ry stated, in a voice that was as even and
yuiet as if he were talking to these friends
in his own room.

There was a chorus of approval.

“And I'll be his second!” Harry exclaimed.

“1 think I shall. ask that honor myself,”
said Frank. ;

“Then Ill carry the challenge,” Rattleton
cried. “T must have a hand in this!”

“And the rest of us would like to be there
to see Diamond-put it all over him, and: to
whoop ’er up in the end!” declared Danny.

“Tt was afraid Merry meant to insist. that
there should be no fight,” said Diamond, joy-
fully, while his fine dark face and flashing
eyes shone.

“T don’t like fighting,’ Merriwell reminded.
“You know that. But I can’t ask Diamond
or any other friend to swallow such am in-
sult.” =

“Rather take the liquor from the glass my-

self—just put it up to my lips gently,” gur-
gled Danny, who was bound to have his lit-_

tle joke. “I never object to another man
saying for it, but I don’t want him to hand

it to me in such a hasty and heedless way.”

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“Will vou shut up?” Diamond flung at

him.

“Or put up?” Danny chirped. “Sure!”
I’m as silent as the—well, any old thing that
is—er—-silent.”

9?

“T don’t like fighting,” Frank repeated
“But there are times when fighting seems to
be necessary and even desirable. This is one
of.the times. Diamond can whip that fellow,
and Packard needs the worst whipping of his
life just about now.”

He called for a waiter; and one came bus-
tling in.

“Can you let us have writing materials?”
Merry requested.

Outside, in the bar-room and elsewhere,
the talk of the encounter between Diamond
and Packard was the chief subject of con-
versation, It buzzed with greater earnestness
when the waiter was seen to take writing
material to the room into which Diamond and
his friends had retired.

Diamond feverishly wrote the challenge,
and Rattleton hastened away with it, after
which Diamond and Merry and the others
emerged from the room. In doing so they

encountered some of Packard’s friends, who

_ were inclined to be loud-voiced and boastful.

“J don’t want you to stay here,” Frank
said to Diamond. “We will all go up to my
room.” :

Diamond hesitated, but finally turned with
him to the door. -

As he did so, a student crowded against
Frank. Merry looked up and saw the friend-
ly face of Phil Porter.

“Y’m sorry about this,” said Porter, in a
low tone. “Packard is a nasty fighter. I
know that he is wonderfully clever with his
dukes. And he’ll stoop to mean tricks, too.
He is a fist fighter and a hard hitter. Jack
must look out for him.” .

“A knife fighter, too,’ growled Diamond.

sd

WEEKLY. 9

“He whipped out a knife the first thing. Like-
ly you saw that?’

Porter nodded.

“T wanted to give you a friendly tip,” he
said. “Don’t go up against him, thinking he
is easy, for he isn’t.”

“Thank you,” said Merry,. pushing on to-

ward the door. “We'll have an eye out for

Mr. Packard.”

CHAPTER I[V
GETTING READY

A secluded back room of the medical school,
which was safe from intrusion and to which
he had access, Roland Packard selected as
the place for his meeting with Jack Diamond,
and he chose naked fists as the weapons.

“He was wild with joy,” said Rattleton,
somewhat nervously, as he made his report,
which he could not do until the next morn-
ing, for Packard was not to be found the
night of the encounter at Morey’s. “He
thinks he can whip Jack and not half try.
They say he’s a terrible fighter.”

Diamond smiled disdainfully.

“J wish he had said swords, but I’ll meet
him any old way!”

“Well, it is to be to-night, and in that room,
and his brother is to be his second.”

“Good enough!” shouted Bink.

“Hope spectut-tut-tut-tators ain’t to bub-be
bub-bub-barred,” said Gamp. :

“If fighting was not so sinful I’d like to go
down there myself,” declared Dismal Jones.
“T’m all the time trying to escape temptation,
but I don’t always succeed. I may not suc-
ceed now.” .

“He is going to have some of his friends
there,” said Harry. “He told me so. And
he will be glad to see some of us there. He
says he is going to whip Jack first, and then

Merry, and after that I suppose he will be

ready for the other members of the flock.”

  

 
 

10 : TIP TOP

“Tt is quite evident that he could succeed
as a prize fighter!’ was Merry’s grim declara-
tion. “His head seems to be fully developed
in the region of brag.”

Not much else was talked about or thought
of by the members of Merry’s flock that day.
Merry gave Diamond some lessons in hard
and sure hitting in the boxing. room in the

that into

 

gymnasium afternoon—a room
which they could retire and cut off all ob-
servation by a big screen of blue cloth.

“I. don’t know his style of fighting, of
‘course,” Merry explained, “but he will likely
come at you with fierce rushes. Watch him
for an opening and land just under the jaw
here with your right, after feinting with your
left. Let him be
the one to get excited.”

“Oh, I'll keep cool,”

with terrible earnestness.

But you must keep cool.

Diamond declared,
“Feel my pulse. It
is as steady as a clock. I can keep as cool
as that.” .

And Diamond was, to outward seeming, as
cool as Merriwell could wish, when he went
down to the room in the “Med.” that night
with his friends to meet Roland Packard.

They found Packard already there, to-
gether with his brother, Oliver Packard, and
several of his backers.

Merriwell looked at the two brothers with
For the life of him he
They

Standing side

unfeigned interest.
could not tell Roland from Oliver.
were. alike in every particular.
by side, oné was just a trifle taller; but which
Their

hair and eyes were the same; and so with the

was the taller Merry did not know.

cut and color of their features and their gen-
eral expression. And they were dressed alike.

“IT confess I don’t know which of you my
friend Diamond is to fight this evening,”
“One of
you is to second the other, I understand, and

Frank said, after a close scrutiny.

as I am to be Mr. Diamond’s second I am
ready for the arrangements.”

WEEKLY.

. Until he saw them together, Merriwel! had
no knowledge that there were two Packards;
but he felt sure, now, that he had confounded
them and perhaps had seen both many times,
always thinking each time the brother he saw
was Roland, to whom he had once been intro-
duced.

Qne of the brothers stepped forward.

“T am Oliver,” he said. “Our best friends
mix us up. Both of us are in the medical
school, and that makes it worse, I suppose.”

At the same time Frank could see that this
was pleasing to him.

“We are twins, you know,” Oliver went on.
“And we are said to grow more alike in looks
as we grow older.”

“Diamond will soon change the looks of
one of you so that there won’t be any trouble
in telling you apart,” thought Rattleton.

Merriwell and Oliver Packard walked aside
and began to confer about the arrangements.

“Mum-mum-mighty good pup-place to get
tut-tut-trapped in,” stuttered Joe Gamp, look-
ing round at the brightly lighted room.

Rattleton that

seemed to separate it from a room beyond.

pushed aside a_ curtain
He drew back with a shiver.
“Say, fellows!” he whispered. ‘There are

dead men in there! Honest! This is just a
corner of the dissecting room cut off.”

“Nothing of the kind!” snapped Roland
Packard, overhearing the remark. “Some
stiffs have been put in there, but this isn’t the
dissecting room.”

There will be another’ dead man before
this thing is over,” boasted one of his sup-
porters. |

“Two of them,” said Roland, “if Merriwell
is willing to meet me after I’m through with
Diamond.” ;

The contemptuous tone irritated the sensi-
tive Southern lad. But he strove to hold him-
self in check, feeling sure the words were

spoken for that purpose.

So
-

 

fre oon

 
 

 

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY. 11

“Sus-sus-say, fuf-fellows, I dud-don’t like
this a little bub-bub-bit!” Gamp stuttered,
peering into the room, where on slab-like ta-
bles two forms that seemed to be human lay
under suggestive white cloths. “It would
tut-take away all mum-mum-mum-my nun-
nerve to fight in a pup-place like this.”

“And that is why this room was selected,”
“They hope

Fortu-

was Diamond’s grim thought.
to rob me of my nerve in that way!
nately, I’m not at all afraid of dead men.”

His pulse seemed to slow down—it had
quickened a trifle after Roland’s stinging
sneer—and his irritability'to leave him. The
knowledge that they hoped to unsettle him by
such childish means gave him better com-
mand over himself.

“This is the hour when graveyards yawn,”
observed one of the medical students.

“Your remarks make me yawn,” said- Dis-
mal, drearily.

“They merely make me mad,” grumbled
Hodge, who had come along, not because he
so much loved Jack Diamond, but because
there was to be a fight in which one of Mer-
ry’s friends and a member of the flock was,
as all believed, to knock out a man who had
grossly insulted him.

“T’ll give you a chance, Merriwell, when

,

I’m through with your heeler,” sneered Ro-
land, when Merry came back from his talk
with Oliver. “I wish I was to meet you first,
for you’re really the man that I want a crack
at.” \

“Gug-goshfry! The gug-gug-gug-gall of
the fellow!’ Gamp stammered.

“Just to talk of fighting stirs up a man’s
bile,” moaned Dismal. “I shall never fight—
unless I know I can whip.”

A cold smile settled on Frank’s: face, and
his eyes glittered.

“T regret very much that I am not in Dia-
mond’s place,” he said, slowly and distinctly.

“T'd like to take his contract. But you won’t

feel so much like fighting when he is through
with you.”’
“Your

I'll give you all you want.”

“Needn’t worry,” snapped Roland.
turn will come.

“Your lecturers can use you as an example
of a fractured head when Diamond finishes
with you,” said Rattleton.

“And I can give you all you want, too,”
snarled Roland.

He was in an ugly mood. But he had not
been drinking., The talk was angering and
irritating him, and he had begun it for the
purpose of angering Diamond. In his pres-
ent mood, with the black scowl disfiguring
his face, he did not look so much like his
brother. Merry began to believe, too, that
Oliver was a man of a different type. Oliver
had talked reasonably and sensibly in discuss-
ing the preliminaries, and had indulged in no
useless ‘bragging.

“T believe we are ready,” said Oliver, now
stepping out. “Are we not, Mr. Merriwell?”

“Tut-tut-take them cuc-cuc-cuc-corpses out
of t’other room first!” begged Joe Gamp.
“Who wants to fuf-fuf-fight in a gug-gug-
graveyard? I fuf-feel like running away,
be-fuf-fore the fight begug-gug-gins.”

“We are ready,” said Merriwell:

CHAPTER V. *
KNOCKED OUT.

Diamond and Roland Packard stripped to
the waist. Packard was bulkier and heavier
about the shoulders, with a longer reach, but
Diamond was like a lithe panther, and, though
he was slender, his muscles were steel.

Packard towered half a head above him,
and it really seemed, with his powerful arms
and shoulders, he would be able to beat down
But he lacked Dia-

mond’s gracefulness, suppleness and agility.

his slim. antagonist.

“He is a big brute,” was Frank's thought,
‘and I suppose he has, besides, a good deal
of skill. He has made something of a record

 
 

 

12 TIP TOP

for himself as a fighter, But Diamond will
knock him out.”

“Gentlemen,” he said, “this is to be a
straight pitched battle: from start to finish,
till one fellow squeals. or is knocked out.
There are to be no rounds.”

[hey will not be needed,” was Roland’s
boastful comment. “One -round will be
enough to settle his hash.”

Merry looked at Diamond and was pleased
with his cool, confident manner. Diamond’s
finely cut featurés were pale and his eyes
glittered, but he was steadily refusing to be
tortured into,losing his head.

“Are you ready, gentlemen?” Merriwell
called.

“Ready !”

“Ready !”

Diamond and Roland promptly stepped out
and faced each other.

Joe Gamp stopped his grumbling and his
nervous shivering, though he could not forget
the ghastly shapes in the room just beyond
the concealing curtain.

“Life on one side and death on the other,”
Dismal whispered, in a sepulchral way.

Danny Griswold pinched him.

“Shut up, Dismal, or I’ll want to be fight-
ing you, next. You give me the creeps.”

Jack Diamond had forgotten the suggestive
forms. But he did not forget his natural
courtesy. He extended his hand to his an-
tagonist.

Roland affected not. to see it.

“Come on,” he growled. “I want to hurry

through with you and give Mr. Merriwell a

chance. It will take just about two seconds”

to polish you off, Mr. Diamond.”
“Oliver Packard gave the word for the fight
to begin. .

Instantly; like a bounding panther, Dia-
mond went in and swung for Roland’s face.
The blow landed and left a red welt, but it

was higher than Frank had instructed him to

WEHEKLY.

strike. Roland was staggered by it for a
moment, and Diamond landed again, lower
down this time, with a jolting whack.

Then. Roland gathered himself together
and came at Diamond with a roar like that
of an enraged bull.

The fighting was fast and furious after
that.

bl 0d

Once Roland’s knuckles started the

on Diamond’s cheek. But Diamond
seemed not to feel the blow. His teeth were

hard set, and his eyes glittered in the light.

Soon it was seen that the boastful medical
student was finding a higher fighting quality
in Jack Diamond ‘than he had counted on.
Diamond’s “blows landed in a regular and
paralyzing way, and they nearly always
brought the blood. On the other hand, Dia-
mond was so light on his feet and so agile

that Roland séldom touched him.

it, ~«» Dud-Diamond!

We're ~bub-bub-betting our little wad -on

“Gug-gug-gug-g0

you!” shouted Joe Gamp. “Gug-give him
another cuc-cuc-cut like that!”

And Diamond did give him another cut—
and not only one, but half a dozen in bewil-
dering succession. :

3iff—biff—biff ! Whack—whack—whack !

Diamond’s hard fists were playing a tattoo
on the face and head of Roland Packard.

“Break away!” some of Packard’s friends
called to him, for to their surprise they saw
he was getting the worst of it.

But he was deaf to their cries. He was
likewise furious and dazed. He had confi-
dently counted on knocking Diamond out
without any trouble, and had expected to fol-
low that victory up with one over Merriwell.
He had been loud in his boasts, not only in
this room and to Merriwell’s friends, but else-
The fear

of being whipped by Diamond came to him

where and before his own friends.

now; and, while it made him fight more -fu-.

riously and stand up with amazing courage

 

raininyeoa lie

 
wo

 

—

2 TIP TOP

under. terrific punishment, it made him also
less able to meet Diamond’s rushes.

The fact that Frank Merriwell was.there,
watching and ready to give a word of advice,
It kept

him cool, when otherwise he might have lost

had a stimulating effect on Diamond.
>

‘his head and laid himself open to some of the
fearful blows that Roland launched at him.
Merriwell’s presence always had that effect
on his friends. They fought better and
steadier*and with far more science when he
was with them, even if he remained out of
sight and said never a word.

With all the energy he could command, Ro-
land Packard pulled himself together for a
final attempt to knock out his wiry and perti-
“nacious antagonist. His followers were ex-
cited, and were shouting all manner of advice
to him. But Packard heeded none of their
suggestions, even if he heard them, and he
gave no sign that he heard them.

Again and again he tried to rush in. and
grapple with his lithe foe, but Diamond al-
ways danced back out of the way, and was
ready for the first opening that again offered.

Joe Gamp’s tongue began to buzz like a
fence splinter in a gale of wind. Diamond’s
other friends began to applaud.

“You have him whipped!’ Danny called.
“He’s groggy! Knock him out!’

Diamond had been waiting for this time,
and was not ready to try the knockout blow
which Merry had taught him until he had
convinced both friend and enemy that he
was in every respect the superior in fighting
ability to his taunting antagonist.

Crack! :

The blow fell at last, catching Roland un-

der the ear and fairly lifting him from his

WEEKLY.

13

of the time limit, but rushed to his brother’s

assistance when he saw that he made no
effort to rise.

“T believe you have killed him!” he cried,
aghast. |

“Not.a bit of it,” said Merriwell. ‘He will
come round in a moment or two.”

And even as he said it, Roland’s chest
heaved, a groan sounded, and the Medic. tried
to sit up: ~

“Down and out!” said Merry, putting his

watch into his pocket and turning as if ready

to go. “He will not care to fight the rest
of us. I was sure from the-first that he

wouldn’t, when Jack was through with him.”

CHAPTER VI.

PACKARD SENDS FOR BADGER.

 

The talk at the fence, at Morey’s and Trae-
ger’s, in the gymnasium, and throughout the
college, centered upon two topics, almost to
the exclusion of everything else, and both of
those topics concerned Frank Merriwell and
his friends. One of the topics was the won-
derful fight which Jack Diamond had put up
against Roland Packard; the other was
Merry’s queer.challenge to the captain of the
baseball nine.

“They say that Diamond punished the fel-
low, terribly,” said Donald Pike, speaking to

Buck Badger, in the latter’s room the even-

ing after the battle.

“T reckon he couldn’t have done it if Pack-
ard hadn’t been boozing. The man who pro-
ceeds to fill himself: up on red-eye simply
knocks out his own nerve. I know, for I’ve
tried it. There are a lot of fool fellows who
can’t go into a quarrel or a fight without

bracing themselves with liquor. I allow that

 

 

o feet. Then he fell with a thunderous crash, maybe they get a sort of courage by doing

* and lay still. . that, but they lose a good deal more than they

“e Several watches were out. The time ran gain. Packard is that style.”

a by, and still Roland did not try to get on his “They say he was sober enough when the

a y feet. Oliver did not wait until the expiration fight came off,” said Pike. — gee

 
 

14 SP Tor
“FE hope you won’t go to tooting a horn
around in behalf of Merriwell and his gang,”
Badger growled, not at all pleased with the
tone of Pike’s comments. “They can furnish
wind enough themselves to run several good-
sized Kansas windmills. I’m only sorry that
Packard didn’t knock Diamond out.”
He wanted to talk

about the great fight, but he saw how dis-

Pike shifted uneasily.

tasteful the subject was. If only Diamond
had been whipped, Badger would have de-
lighted in hearing all the details.

“Tt’s the talk, that Dunstan Kirk has asked
you to be one of the nine that is to meet Mer-
riwell’s scrub team Saturday?’ Donald re-
marked, putting it in the form of a question.

“There’s nerve for you,’ snarled Badger.

“They say that Merry actually told the cap-.

tain that he didn’t know how to get together
a good nine, and that he could take nine of
his chums and beat anything Kirk could put
into the field.
going into the pitcher’s box this season by it.

He has spoiled his chance of
But I don’t care any whatever. In fact, I’m
glad of it. I know that Merry can pitch, but
he’s just too conceited to live. He thinks he
can do any old thing.”

“And you are going on the nine against

him Saturday ?”
oUt... ,

“As a pitcher?”

“Well, I reckon I can show these fools that
are bowing down and licking the polish off
of Merry’s shoes that there are others. Mer-
riwell isn’t the only man that can twirl a ball.
He’s bragging big about the batting of Bruce
Browning. Browning is too lazy to become
a batter; but, if he was the best that ever
swung at a ball, I think I’ve got hold of a
few twists that will puzzle, him.”

-, Badger was sublimely ignorant of his own
self-conceit. ,
There was a tap on the door of the room,

WEEKLY.

and, when Badger opened it, a boy came in
with a note.

When Badger tore it open and read it, he
saw that it was from Roland Packard.

“He wants me to come over and see him,”
Buck explained, passing the note to Donald
Pike and dismissing the boy. “Whatever can
he be up to?”

“Haven’t the least idea,” Pike answered,
passing back the note after reading it, “un-
less he is going to try Jack Diamorid again
and wants you to give him some instructions
That
What else could he want?

in hard hitting. must be it, Buck.
You’ve never been
intimate.”

“Hardly know the fellow,” said Badger, re-

reading the request. “But I’ll go over. May-

be he’s got some pointers to give me about

the pitching Saturday. He will be wild, I
reckon, for me to put it all over Merry and
his set.”

Badger took down his hat to go out, but
disdained a top coat. Yale men are not par-
tial to heavy clothing, even in severe weather.
Then he descended to the campus alone and
took his way in the direction of the room of
Roland Packard.

Packard was in and alone. He was reclin-
ing in a big chair, tugging furiously at a short
black pipe. One eye was half shut and orna-

“mented with a heavy blue fringe. Several
generous sections of court-plaster told where
Diamond’s cutting knuckles had struck.
Only a glance was needed to show that he
was in a vicious mood. But he did not seem
to be in the leasf under the influence of liquor.

“Good-evening,” he growled, unable to be
civil even to a man whom he hoped to ally
to his interest. “TI wanted a talk with you,

and I didn’t care to go‘ strolling round with

these beauty marks on my face. Of course

you know how they came there?”
Badger dropped into a chair and nodded.
“Heard a little about it.”

 

&

 

 
 

 

fa! Sy

>
“My brother don’t think so, but I’m satis-
fied that He

couldn't have cut me up the way he did with

Diamond used brass. on me.
his bare fists.”

Badger looked at the “beauty marks.”

“I allow I didn’t think Diamond was such
a hitter.”

“You’ve had trouble with that set?” Ro-
land questioned.

Again Badger nodded.

“You have fought them?”

“Likely to fight them again, too,” Badger
growled. “We've got several little scores
that can’t well be settled in any other way, I
reckon.”

Roland smiled as well as he could, though
the effort was painful.

“TI suppose you would be willing to do al-

most anything to even up those scores?”

CHAPTER VII.
BADGER RESENTS AN INSULT.

“T don’t know just what your little trick
is,” said Badger, in a non-committal way.

“You dislike Frank Merriwell ?”

“No love lost between us.”

“IT knew that.
well I wanted to get at, instead of Diamond,

[ hate him. It was Merri-
anyway; and I could have whipped them
both if Diamond hadn’t used brass on me.”

His face took on a terrible look.

“You won’t be in any condition whatever
to go up against Merriwell for a day or two,”
was Badger’s grim comment.

“T know it. I. want to knock him out in
another way, and before Saturday’s ball
game.”

Buck Badger was both attracted and re-
pelled. He could sympathize with Roland
Packard in his hatred of Frank Merriwell,
but the wickedness of the hate that was re-
vealed in Packard’s swollen face was some-

how repulsive to the Westerner.

“T reckoned that you would likely want

TOP WEERKLY.

15

me to give you some tips about hard hitting,”
he said.

“No. Buster Kelley has been training
me.” |

Badger had undergone an experience with
the ex-pugilist who held himself forth as an
instructor in the art of self-defense.

“It has reference to the ball game,” Pack
slowly
bluntness would not work in the scheme he
“You and

ard went on, feeling his way, for
wished to spring on Badger.
Merriwell are rival pitchers.”

“Hardly that,” said Badger. “I reckon
that doesn’t just correctly set forth the situa-
tion.”

“Well, you are both pitchers, and both
hope to be on the ’Varsity nine this season.
It is, of course, possible that both of you
may be elected, though not at all likely. If
Merriwell was out of the way, your chances

of getting into the pitcher’s box would be

materially better than they are now.”

“T allow that’s all right and true enough.”

“T’ve a scheme that will make it impossible
for Frank Merriwell ever to pitch another
game of baseball. It’s dead sure, and you
are the man to work it.”

He spoke with lowered voice and eager,
wolfish intensity.

Buck Badger sat up straighter in his chair,
while his eyes brightened and his nostrils
dilated just a little.

“T don’t know whatever you are driving

BC:
“You’ve said that you would like to im-
prove your chances by getting Merriwell out
of the way as a rival pitcher. I can show
you how to do it.”

“I didn’t say that I wanted to get him out
of the way,” Badger corrected. “I just ad-
mitted that if he was out of the way I reckon
my chances would be better.”

“It amounts to the same thing. You want

him out of the way, so that your chances may

o~

 
 

Sm eh EST

16 iP DOr
be improved. I don’t want him to win
against you in the game Saturday. I never

%?

want him to pitch another ball

“How are you going to do this?” Badger
hesitatingly questioned, while his eyes seemed
to grow even brighter. :

Roland Packard looked about the room
with the quick glance of a nervous cat, then
lowered his voice to a whisper, and, bending
toward Badger, said:

“IT can show you how to ruin Merriwell’s
arm forever. If you’ve the nerve to do it,
he’ll never pitch another ball in his life!”

The glittering light in Badger’s eyes
seemed to leap into a hot flame, and his face
flushed. His thick shoulders appeared to
broaden

and stiffen, and his white teeth

showed for a moment in a wolfish way.
Then the color left his face and he dropped
back into the chair.

“After what has happened, it wouldn’t do
“A drug

must be used—a drug which only a doctor

for me to try it,” Roland went on.
J

or a medical student is likely to be acquainted

with. No one would even

though you are known not to like Merriwell.

suspect you,

As for me, I could absent myself from the
city, or arrange so that I could prove an alibi
I don’t doubt that I should
be arrested as soon as it became known that

without trouble.

such a drug had been used—and that would
probably be as soon as Merry went to. the hos-

pital.

an alibi.”

But I will take my chances there, with

He was already speaking in a whisper,
His voice fell to a still lower key.

“Badger, it would be the greatest revenge
in the world! No power on earth could stop
the working of that drug, after it was ad-
ministered !”

Badger’s eyelids twitched ominously and
his breathing was heavy and _ spasmodic.
Still, with a mighty effort, he held himself

in check. It was a wonderful thing for him

WEEKLY.

to do, forthe Kansan was not given to such
self-restraint.

“Go on!” ‘he almost fiercely commanded.
“You haven’t told me how this thing is to be
done.”

“You will have to plan for that.”

Packard again sat back in his chair, nursed
his swollen and aching face, and licked his
dry lips.

“All I can do is to furnish you the drug
and tell you how to do the work. You will
have to make: the opportunity. I have
thought, though, if you could draw him into
a fight, you might, by a swift motion, stab
the hypo into his arm, while pretending to
strike a blow. Still, I don’t know if that
could be worked. It wouldn’t be safe to try
it, unless you two were fighting alone, and
unless you were pretty sure that your chances
of whipping him were good, for if he found
the hypo on you he might understand after-
ward.”

“Tm
growled, when Packard again stopped.

“Well, it’s just that.

with a hypodermic syringe filled with the

listening,” Badger impatiently

I will furnish you
drug I have mentioned. If you can get ever
so small a quantity of that drug into the
veins of his right arm, he will never pitch

The first effect will be a
deadening and numbness, and after that there

another baseball.

will be a sort of atrophy.and shrinking of the
muscles. His arm will never be good for
anything again.”

“And that is why you sent for me?”

“Yes,” Packard answered, with a deepen-
ing of the look of wolfish hate. “You've got
nerve, plenty of it, and you are just the man
to work the trick.”

The glittering light in Buck Badger’s eyes
flamed again, as he straightened up, reached
quickly over, and took the astonished medical
student by the throat.

“Packard,” as his fingers tightened chok-

 
er

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

ingly, “you’re a scoundrelly whelp, and I’ve
a good mind to pound your face into a jelly!
[ allow that you’ve made the biggest mistake
of your life, for I’m not the man you’re look-
ing for!”

Roland Packard tried to tear away the
choking ‘fingers and struggled to get out of

the chair. But the relentless iron grip of the
Westerner only tightened.

“Out West we’ve got a mean, poison, little,
onery sort of weasel that we call a hydro-
phobia cat, and we kill it as soon as we set
eyes on it, same as we do a rattlesnake!
You’re meaner and onrier and littler than any
hydrophobia cat that ever spit poison—and
I feel like killing you!”

“Let up!

guregle.

Let up!’ Packard contrived to
p

“T allow I’m soiling my hands by touching
you! You’d ought to be kicked out of New
Haven, and I’d like to be the man to do it!”

Then he flung Packard from him in hissing

scorn and turned toward the door.

CHAPTER VIII.
BADGER S WARNING.:
“T’ll make you suffer for this!” Roland
clutching at his

wheezingly exclaimed,

bruised throat. ‘‘You will settle for this!”
“Always glad to settle,” said Badger, stop-

ping with his hand on the door-knob. “You

know where my room is, for you sent that

note there. Whenever you are ready to make
me suffer, you will find me at home and the
3ut
You're only a sneak and a coward, and Jack

He

ought to have thumped the daylight out of

latch-string out. you won't come!

Diamond didn’t give you half enough!
you. If you ever speak to me again, I'll kick
you into the middle of next week!’
Badger was not only in a towering rage as
he left the room—he was humiliated.
“Whatever have I done to make the puppy
think I’d go into a thing like that with him?”

17

he gtfumbled. “I hope I haven't any such

cut-throat reputation as that! I allow that
just because I’m from the West a lot of fel-
lows think I’m a Bloody Terromdérom Head-
waters, and he is one of them. He knows
better now!”

He did not know how hot has face was
until the cool night air touched it. He put
and the

Then he
noticed that he was shaking all over.

up a hand. The hand trembled,

cheek it pressed seemed to burn.

“Tt knocks me out to hold my temper that
way,” he muttered. “Whenever I try to, I
feel all hot inside, just like a volcano. I want
to explode—to hit something, to tear some-
thing to pieces! But I was bound to learn
his little game, if it killed me!’

On reaching his room, he flung himself
into a chair without speaking, though Donald
Pike was there.

*“Haven’t whipped anybody?” said Pike,
who knew the Westerner’s moods.

“T’d feel a thundering sight better if I
had!” Badger snarled. “That’s just the mat-
ter with me! I ought to have killed Roland
Packard, when all I did was to choke him a
little.”

Pike waited in patience until the Kansan
was ready to speak again. :

“Pike, do I look like a sneak ?”’

He snapped out the question, as he faced
toward his friend.

“Why, no!” Pike answered, wondering
what was coming next.

“Do I look like a man that would slip up
behind another in the dark and stick a knife
into him ?”

“What are you driving at?” inquired Pike.
Why don’t you
You know that you do noi look like

“You've got a story to tell.
tell it?
any such person.”

“T didn’t know,” Badger slowly declared.
And if I did, I just
wanted to go out somewhere and die!” ..°

“T thought maybe [| did.

 
 

18 TIP TOP WEEKLY.

Then he proceeded to tell Pike of the prop-
osition made to him by Roland Packard and
how he had received it.

“The instlting scoundrel!” gasped Pike.
“You ought to have kicked him down the
stairs!”

“T should if he hadn’t been in his own
room.”

Badger took out his handkerchief and
wiped the perspiration from his face.

“We all haye our bad minutes, Pike, but
when I saw what that devil expected: of me,
[ had the worst minute of my life. I never
felt so. I don’t see how I kept from burst-
ing! Just to think of it makes me want to
go back and thump him yet.”

“What are you going to do about it?’
asked Donald, who had come to dislike Frank
Merriwell as much as Badger did.

“T’ve been trying to think of that. Seems
to me Merriwell and I have as little use for
each other this week as we ever had. We
had words the other day. I don’t want to
go to his room. I don’t want to speak to
him. I don’t want to see him.”

He shifted uneasily.

“Yet I try to be a straight, square man,
Pike, in spite of my faults. Frank Merriwell
ought to know about this, and he can’t know
it unless I tell him.”

He sat irresolutely for a few moments, then
drew his chair up to the table, pulled writing
material across the table to him, and wrote

the following note:

“Mr, FRANK Merriweti—Roland Pack-
ard has it in for you. He would like to ruin
your right arm by injecting some drug into
it, and I think he will do it if the chance
comes. He is a low-down, dirty sneak. This
is a straight tip, so look out for him. I can-
not sign myself your friend, but I can sign
myself a lover of fair play.

i “Buck BADGER.”’

This he read over to Pike.

“That’s all right,” Pike commented. “But

,

I do hate to seem to be wanting to help
Frank Merriwell. He ought to know that,
though, of course.”

“Pike,” and the Westerner looked search-
ingly at his friend across the table, ‘““wouldn’t
I really be showing that my character is
somewhat like Packard fancied it, if I didn’t
do something of this kind? I don’t love
Merriwell any better than you do. I despise
the fellow ina certain way. But he ought to
know about this.”

“Yes, I think he ought,’’ Donald assented.

Badger pulled an envelope from a drawer,
put the note into it and a’stamp on it, and
directed it to Frank Merriwell. Then he got
up from the table.

“T’m going to drop this into the box to-

‘

night,” he said, “so that Merry will get it

in the morning. Perhaps Packard will aban-
don his scheme altogether now, but it will be
safer, I reckon, for Merriwell to know about
it right away.”

Donald Pike rose from his chair.
“T’d like to

stretch my legs and get a whiff of fresh air.”

“Tl go with you,” he said.

CHAPTER IX.
SKELDING AND AGNEW.

When they were gone, a young fellow
slipped with slinking air from the adjacent
room. As he came out into the hall and in-
voluntarily pulled his hat into his eyes, the
light fell on the treacherous features of Gene
Skelding.

“Badger is getting so good that he ‘will be
doing mission work for the Christian Asso-
ciation next!” he sneered. “Lucky I hap-
pened to be in that room! I-wouldn’t have
missed this ‘for anything.
be so pious as Badger, and I'll use it, or put
some one else in the way of using it. I'd
simply die of joy if Frank Merriwell. could
be knocked out in that way. If there was

ever a man that I hated, he is the man!”

 

I don’t profess to

 

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Seta
SPB Sins “+ peeled

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da Acts teal enit acest

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we

‘TIP TOP WEEKLY. 19

He slipped in the same stealthy way down-
stairs and out through the campus, and final-
ly found himself before the door of the room
occupied by Morton Agnew.

It was Agnew who had sneaked the ball
cartridge into the musket that Badger was to
fire at Merriwell in the play called “A Moun-
tain Vendetta,” which act came near causing
Badger to take Frank Merriwell’s life.*

Skelding had secured a talk with Agnew
since that time, and knew how intense was
Agnew’s hatred of the mam who, had exposed
him at card cheating and if his attempt to
drug Frank after the latter had defeated him
at billiards.

a cool, slippery card sharp, with the heart

Agnew was a sporty chap, and

of a wolf and the conscience of a Digger

Indian.

“Agnew will be just the man to go in with
Roland Packard for the purpose of doing up
Frank Merriwell.. And it will be perfectly
safe for him. He will stab that hypo into
Merriwell’s arm quicker than a wink, if he
gets a chance. I’d do it myself, but Agnew

is stronger and nervier.”

Skelding’s mean little heart was actually

bubbling over with joy as he stood in front

of Agnew’s door.

“Lucky that I stayed in that room and fell
asleep on that lounge, waiting for my friend
to come back,” he reflected, as he applied his
“Otherwise I should

And I wouldn’t have

knuckles to the door.
not have known this:
missed it for a thousand dollars!’

The door opened, and Skelding disap-

peared in the room with Agnew, where he
remained closely closeted for more than an

hotr.

The next evening Morton Agnew sought
out the room of Roland Packard.

“T don’t know you very well, Mr. Pack-

 

—

*See Tip Top Weekly No. 203, “Frank Merri-

~-well’s Musketeers; or, ‘A Mountain Vendetta.’ ”

ard,” he said, “but I believe there is common
ground on which we can unite.”

He had already assured himself that Pack-
ard was alone, but now he looked carefully
round and lowered his voice.

“We can talk safely here?” he queried

cer

“Quite safely,” was the answer [here is
no room beyond this, and the fellows in the
room to the right have gone.”

“Do you mind if I make sure of that?” he
asked, getting up and, turning toward the
door.

Without waiting for a reply, he went into
the hall and tried the door of the room men-
tioned

“The room is as empty as a poor man’s
pockets,” he chucklingly declared, on his re-
turn. “Now I feel that we can talk freely.”

Nevertheless, he looked round again and
again lowered. his voice.

“The common ground on which I feel that
we can unite is that we both hate Frank Mer-
riwell. I have no cause to doubt that what
I have heard is correct, and so there is no
reason for beating round the bush. ,You
made a certain proposition to Buck Badger
to ruin his pitching arm by a drug injection.
Badger wouldn’t do it, but I can find you a
man who will. A man who has the nerve
and the willingness to slap the hypo into Mer-
riwell’s wrist, and to make an opportunity if
one doesn’t come of itself.”’

A queer look had come into Packard’s
eyes.

Agnew noticed the look and a certain
heightening of color.

“Perhaps I am going too fast,” he thought.

’“But I haven’t said who the man is yet.”

But the changing countenance and the
queer look in his eyes had an altogether dif-
ferent cause. Morton. Agnew was not talk-
ing to Roland Packard, but to “Oliver Pack-
ard, Roland’s twin brother, who so much re-

sembled him that their best friends. found.

 
wegen amb a See

— ee ete

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2

wants.

 

20 AEP Ds

trouble sometimes in telling them apart. As
had been the case with Frank Merriwell be-
fore Roland’s fight with Jack Diamond, Ag-
new did not know, nor did Gene. Skelding,

that there’ were two Packard brothers

 

a
thing that is not at all strange, when the great
number of men who attend the.many schools
which’ go to make up Yale College is taken
into consideration.

3ut if Morton Agnew had’ known this he
would probably have been deceived on this
occasion anyway, for Oliver’s face had _ re-
ceived injuries in a runaway accident that
morning, and showed abrasions and bits of
court-plaster.
“T am listening,” said Oliver, in a non-
committal way. He wanted Agnew to com-
plete his revelation, and he wanted time for
thought. “Go on.”

“T began to think that perhaps you had
changed your mind, and that it would pay
me to hedge,” Agnew declared, with a mirth-

less laugh.

What had already been said gave Oliver
a good idea of the character of the plot de-
veloped by his brother for the injury of
Frank Merriwell, but he wanted the whole
story. Though he looked so much like his
brother, in every way he was quite different.
He did not like Frank Merriwell, and he
stood ready to back his brother in almost any-
thing—but not in a thing like this. His
quick mind was working rapidly.

“T must not undeceive this fellow,” was his
thought, “for then he will go to Roland, may-
be, and Roland may agree to do.what he
This is the meaning of Roland’s talk
to me about drugs and hypos! Roland has
already broached his scheme to Badger. He
is rushing into trouble. If this thing is done,
and he should get snapped up for it, it might
go hard with him.”

“T haven't changed my mind,” said Oliver,

for the purpose of drawing Agnew on. “T

*

WEEKLY.

see that you have dropped to a little secret.
Tell me how you did it, and then I’ll see if
it’s safe to talk further with you.”

Agned brightened perceptibly.

“Merriwell stands ready to skin your face
up for you just as soon as you get over the
But if

that right arm of his goes down, he will be

effect of Jack Diamond’s love taps!

no more able to fight than to pitch baseball!”.

Oliver lifted a hand to one of the patches
of court-plaster, and smiled in a queer way.

“Go on!” he urged. pote

“Well, are you ready to talk business with
me?” Agnew demanded. “I. have assumed a
good deal of risk in coming here and saying
what I have, but I thought if you would make
stich a proposition to Buck Badger you were
probably enough in earnest to go on with it,
if you found a man with sufficient nerve to
carry it through.”

“TI am ready to talk business,”’ said Oliver.
“But I asked you to tell me first how you
came to know this.”

“Skelding, a friend of mine, whom you

 

know possibly

“T’ve seen him.” .

“He overheard Badger telling of it to Don-
ald Pike in Badger’s room.”

“So Badger gave the whole thing away,
did he?”

“Well, you see, he was so angered. He
not only told Pike, but he wrote about it to
Merriwell.”

Oliver’s face took on an anxious expres-
sion. |

“This is serious! This is most unfortu-
nate! But goon. I am ready to hear more ”’

“There isn’t any more,” said Agnew, “only
that I am willing to do the work you asked
Badger to do. I’m not afraid to try it, even
if Merriwell has been warned.”

“But—lI was thinking of myself. If this is
done, I will be suspected. Don’t you see?”
“You can do as you proposed to Badger—

4

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ona a le es sin a red i

“

Jensailiatiek. litt

 

 
a:

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“game.

TIP TOP WEEKLY. 21

put yourself out of New Haven, or run home
for a few days, or something of the kind, and
stand réady to prove an alibi. You will be
safe enough. I’m thé one that will run the
risk.” »

Oliver strove to conceal his agitation and
nervousness, but only partially succeeded.
However, the deceived gambler supposed this
manifest perturbation only natural to him un-
der the circumstances, and not at all to be
wondered at.

“He lacks nerve and sand,” was Agnew’s
conclusion. “‘He is scared to death, even
That

Their nerve

after mapping out the thing himself.
is the way with some fellows.
goes back on them at the critical point in the
That has spoiled more good gamblers
than anything else. What is the use of plan-
ning, if you. haven’t the grit to put your
plans through?” 2

CHAPTER X.
A FRIEND IN THE GUISE OF A FOE.

Oliver Packard went to\a medicine case
in the back of the room and took out some
filled bottles: : }

“This is the stuff that will do the work,”
he said, coming back to Agnew with one of
the bottles, which contained a dark fluid, and
holding it up to the light.

It was a subtle drug, and he remembered
that Roland held it up just that way in talk-
ing to him .of its effects and of how, if it
should be introduced into the veins of a man’s
arm, it would ultimately ruin the arm.

“Tt makes you shiver just to look at it!”
said Agnew, in a grim tone and with an ex-

~ultant smile. 5

“I pity the fellow who gets any of that
into his circulation! L think the devil him-
self must have had a hand in the discovery
of the process of its making. It is a terrible

thing.”

_ many things, don’t you think?

Agnew smiled in his cold way.
“We have to thank the devil for a good
I am ready
to thank him for this, and to use it without
question.”

“If you put that into Merriwell’s wrist, he
will never play ball again, unless he plays
left-handed.”

“T’d just as soon stab the thing into both
wrists as into one!’’ Agnew hissed, with such
mialevolence that Oliver Packard shuddered.
Oliver

“There could be no greater revenge than the

“Leave him one. arm,”

urged.

ruin of the right arm of such a man! The
thought itself must have come from the lower
regions!”

He turned back to the medicine case and

took out a hypodermic syringe.

“T’ll give you enough of this to fix him!”

he promised, with nervous shaking, as he
proceeded to prepare the syringe.

“There!” he said at last, putting the
syringe and a little phial into Agnew’s eager
hands. “There is enough to ruin a regiment
of men.
self, if you need to.”

“An overdosé won’t hurt?” Agnew ques-
tioned, as he stowed the phial and syringe
somewhere out of sight and rose to go.

“No.”

“Then I’ll see that he gets enough!”

When the door closed behind Agnew, Oli-
All the
color went out of his face and he shook like
a leaf. .

ver sank tremblingly upon the bed.

“T must go and tell Merriwell at once!” he

declared. “My God! to think that Roland

‘would go into a thing like that is enough to

drive me wild!”

He pulled himself to his feet, got his hat
and coat, and was in the campus almost be-
fore Agnew’s footsteps had ceased to echo
there.

“It seems dreadful to have to warn a man

You can charge the syringe -your~

 

 
 

22 TIP TOP WEEKLY.

against my own brother!” he panted, as he
almost ran along. “But that is what I must
do. I know how set he is in his determina-
tion, and how bitterly he has come to hate
And

cause, too! That fight. with Diamond. made

Frank Merriwell. almost without a

him worse. He will take up with some one

 

else—with whoever he thinks he can trust to

carry out this diabolical. plan! Merriwell
must know all about it!”

His thoughts whirled so that they were al-
most incoherent.

The night was bright and pleasant, and
under the trees, as he ttirned in the direction
of Merriwell’s room, the shadows’ were
driven away by the glare of the electrics.

Then he stopped, for, on the other side
of a broad roadway, he saw Frank walking
with Bart Hodge.

“Hello,
turned

Merriwell!” Oliver called, and

in that direction. “I want to see
you.”

He turned to cross the roadway, his mind
still whirling with the awful revelation which
had come to him. He did not hear Frank
and Bart as they shouted at him. He saw
Merry throw up his hands, but he did not
understand the meaning of the gesture. —

Then a rapidly-driven carriage, whirling
down the roadway on the border of the
campus, struck him and knocked him down.

Frank and Bart leaped across to his assist-
ance, while the carriage rolled on, the driver
seeming not to be aware of what had hap-
pened. :

“Unconscious!” said Merry, as he stooped
above Oliver. “And a bad cut in the head.
He must be taken to the hospital. Do you
recognize him, Hodge?”

“Roland Packard,” said Hodge.

“Or his brother?”

“Must be Roland.

ready skinned up! That’s where Diamond

See, his face was al-

; :
struck him.” . ‘

“We must get him to the hospital without
delay. And he was coming to speak to us!
y g :

You heard how he called out. That was
what made me think he couldn’t be Roland.”

He put his hand over Oliver’s heart, open-
ing coat and vest for the purpose. ,

“Summon the ambulance, Bart,” he urged.
“Best not to lose time in these cases.”

The next morning they knew that the vic-
tim of the accident was Oliver Packard, and
not Roland; for, when they called to inqyire
about him, they found Roland there on the
same errand. Oliver was in a serious condi-
tion, they were told, and only partly conscious
at times. No callers were allowed to see
him:

As they strolled back to their rooms they
encountered Agnew, who crossed to the other
side of the way to avoid meeting them.

“Not the time and, place!’’ he muttered.
“But Ill see you again, Mr. Merriwell!
We've a long score to settle, and this little
thing will settle it!”

The phial and syringe in an inner pocket
pressed against his side and seemed to burn
like hot iron.

“Tf the opportunity doesn’t come, I’ll make
one some way,” he continued, walking on.

CHAPTER XI.
FRANK MERRIWELL’S MISHAP.

 

.

Morton Agnew was not forced to make an
opportunity. A better 4one than he could
have brought about came that afternoon at a
late hour while he was strolling with Gene
Skelding in a country-like section beyond the
suburbs.

He and Skelding had been drawn together
by the bond of a comtnon hatred of Frank
Merriwell. ae

“T never knew until to-day. that there are
two of those Packards here. in the medical
“I might never

They

college!” Gene was saying.
have known it but for that accident.

LIN OE

/

 
salt tia et

nies

al et hi

 

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY. 23

are said to look wonderfully alike. Oliver
was the one that was hurt.’

“Glad it wasn’t the other one,” said Ag-
new. “He is too valuable a man for us to
lose. Now, if Merriwell would only happen
this way!”

He gave a harsh laugh and laid a hand on
his coat over the hidden syringe and phial.

“What would you do? Slug him?”

“We'll plan that when he comes. There is
no such good luck as his coming.”

“There he is now!” Skelding announced,
in a startled, but lowered, voice. “Talk about
the devil and you'll hear the clanking of his
hoofs!’’ .

Merriwell was riding alone on the high-
way, having recently taken to horseback ex-
ercise. He did not at first see these foes,
whom he despised, but of whom he stood in
no fear. However, when he did see them, he
rode’straight on toward them.

“He is here,” whispered Skelding, nervous-
ly. “Now, what can you do?”

“Just studying that,” answered Agnew.

“You can’t reach up and pull him off his
horse.” |

“We might get him into a quarrel and

double on him. Couldn’t we knock him
out?”
“J—I don't know!” said Skelding. “I
don’t much like that idea. Perhaps you'd
better let him go by, and wait for another
time. lf-we don’t get a chance at him before
the ball game, that won't matter. Now that
you've got the stuff, we can take our time.
We've got the whole college year before us
—what remains of it!”

Agnew did not answer. He was almost

resolved to do something to draw Merriwell’s

anger, in the hope that the result might turn
to their advantage.

He picked up a little stick, as Merry came
on, and switched it against his leg.

Merry started the spirited animal into a

e

trot. Their very presence seemed so detest-
able that he wanted to get by as quickly as
he could.

As he trotted past, reining the horse to one
side, Agnew gave the stick a quick flip.

It struck the horse a stinging blow in the
flank, causing the animal to leap aside.

As the horse made this shying, startled
leap, Frank Merriwell’s head came into vio-

lent contact with the overhanging limb of a

roadside tree and he was thrown violently

backward. He lurched half-way out of the
saddle, and clung there for a few moments
while the horse dashed wildly on, then fell to
the ground.

Merriwell did not try to rise, and the
frightened animal raced wildly down the
road and out of sight.

“Now is our time!” hissed Morton Agnew.
“What luck!”

His words roused Skelding, who had wit-
nessed the outcome of the tossed stick with
startled wonder, and now stood staring in a
fascinated way at the fallén youth.

“T suppose it’s our opportunity,” Gene,an-
swered. “You don’t suppose he is dead?”

“Wouldn’t you be glad to know that he is?”

With quick, nervous tread, he walked down
the road toward Merriwell, with Skelding at
his heels.

“T don’t believe I want him dead,” Agnew
coolly continued. “I want to punish him. I
want to ruin that great right arm, in which
he takes so much pride. Ah! I thought I
saw him stir!”

He crossed the intervening distance at a
run. Skelding came on more slowly. His
nerve seemed not so strong as Agnew’s.

But Merriwell had not stirred. That was
just a fancy. He lay still and breathless,
with closed eyes and parted lips. Skelding
shivered as he looked at him, Frank so re-
sembled a dead man.

“That was a heavy fall!” Agnew whis-

 
    
   
      
  
  
  
  
   
 
  
  
     
  
  
  
  
    
   
   
  
  
  
  
  

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‘Pie eae

pered, as he bent over Merriwell. “But I
don’t doubt he will come round in a short
time. His bones are hard.”

He stooped again, with the hypodermic
syringe in his hand.

“It will ruin his arm forever!” was grated,
as the contents of the syringe were injected
into Merry’s wrist.

“That ought to be enough to paralyze a
horse!’ he whispered, as he straightened up
and slipped the syringe back into his pocket.
“Now, let’s make tracks!’

Skelding was only too glad to go.

“The road turns up here,” he said. ‘We
can take that, and soon strike another road
leading back to the city.”

Agnew seemed quite as anxious to get
away. He was shaking, too, whereas but a
moment before he had seemed quite self-

Now he passed Skelding, walk-

possessed.
ing rapidly.

“Come on,” he urged. “I’m glad the deed
is done. We’ve had such luck as I never
dreamed of!”

Yet there was no pleasure in his tones, and
his face looked white and haggard.

“Yes, we've done him up at last!” whis-
pered Skelding, with a fearful backward
glance, as if he half expected to see a ghost
stalking his footsteps. “Do you suppose he
will suspect us ?”’

“He fell

He may try to raise a row

“How can he?” snarled Agnew.
and hurt himself.
with me for striking his horse, but I don’t
see that he can do anything else. And if he
gets belligerent, I will seize the opportunity
to pound him to pieces. ! won't be afraid
to tackle him, with that arm knocked out.
He is a fighter, but he can’t whip me with
one hand!”

se CHAPTER XII. .
MERRIWELL’S ARM.
When. Frank regained con-
sciousness, he found his horse gone and his

Merriwell

  

 

WEEKLY.

enemies as well. He looked about in a dazed
way, not recalling instantly where he was and
what had occurred. Then memory came
fully and he sat up.
“The scoundrels! ‘They didn’t even stay
to help me, after striking and frightening my
horse in that way! But that is only what I
would expect of them. That was a regular
knock-out!”
He knew

that he had received a Serious fall, yet he did

He climbed heavily to his feet.

not seem to be injured, though his right arm
felt strangely dead and numb. He pushed
up his cuff and saw the pin-like stab of the
syringe.

“It’s a wonder that tree didn’t punch me
full of holes. My head might feel lovelier!
[ think I shall have to even this score with
Morton Agnew. That was a cowardly thing
ti do!’

Though he felt stiff and sore from the fall,
be walked slowly down the road, hoping that
his horse had stopped. » But the horse had
raced back toward the city. _

“T can walk in all right,” he muttered. “1
don’t mind that, for I’m used to walking.
But I'd like to meet Agnew and Skelding be-
fore I do. I’d take the contract of settling
with both of them, or at least of forcing an
apology for this!”

He did not dream of the true nature of the
dastardly attempt made against him.

When he reached the city he found that
the. horse had returned to the livery stable.
He found Rattleton ‘also at the stable, whither
he had come for the purpose of meeting Mer-
riwell on the latter’s return from his ride.

“T was sketting geared about you—I mean
I was getting ‘skeered’ about you!” said Rat-
tleton. “But I didn’t really believe the horse
1ad thrown you. I thought he had got away
from you when you stopped somewhere, or
something of the kind. How was it?”

Merry drew him away from the stable, and

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acquainted him with the circumstances of the
fall.

“It was a heavy bump!” he declared. “It
came near breaking my right arm, too! That
arm feels as dead and limp as a string!”

Rattleton looked anxious.

“Hope it won’t interfere with your pitch-
ing Saturday afternoon. Say! it is too bad
that Elsie has to be gone next week! But
we've arranged for a boat ride—steam launch
——in thé morning. We're all going out. If
the day will only be as good as this! But,
even if it is a little rough, we can have some
fun. To-morrow afternoon, you know!”

“And the afternoon after that is the ball
game,” said Frank, feeling of his numb right
arm. “I suppose this arm will be all right
by that time. I shall have to pitch, anyway,
even if it isn’t.”

“hey think your nub scrine—your scrub
nine—won’t be a mouthful for the nine the
captain has got together! Badger is to pitch
for them. And they’ve got us beaten now—
in their minds! Say, that’s going to be a
great game! It’s talked about everywhere.
Badger is feeling prouder than a peacock.”

Frank Merriwell’s right arm was still a
subject of anxious thought and inquiry the
next afternoon, when a number of the mem-
bers of Merry’s flock went out for a sail in a
steam launch on the bay in honor of Elsie
Bellwood, who was going away from the city
for a few: days. ’

'“T wanted to see you pitch to-morrow after-
noon, Frank,” she said. ‘And you know that

Did you have a doctor

I would, if I could.
look at your arm?”

“Ves,” was Merry’s answer: “He thinks
it is just bruised. But it feels awfully queer.
I hepe, though, that it will be all right for
to-morrow afternoon.”

“The other fellows are feeling joyful over
Hodge.

it.” grumbled Bart “If anything

should happen that you couldn’t pitch, I

WEEKLY.

 

   

25

 

should weaken behind the bat. They would
put it all over us, sure.”

In the steam launch were Mr. Burrage,
Inza’s invalid father, with two ladies of New
Haven, who were friends of the Lee family,
together with the Hon. Fairfax Lee himself.
Of course, the young ladies were there—Inza,
Elsie and Winnie, and also Amy May. It
was a jolly party, and no cloud of possible
future ill was suffered to shadow it long.
Winnie would have been a good deal happier
if Buck Badger had been along, but Badger
would not come, even though he had been in-
vited. Merriwell had brought both Elsie and
Inza down to the landing, but Barf was now
making himself as agreeable as possible to
Elsie, while Merriwell gave a good deal of
attention to Inza.

“I wish, myself, that Elsie could see you
afternoon,” was Inza’s

“She would enjoy it,

pitch to-morrow
warm-hearted remark.
just as I shall. I haven’t a doubt but you
can do your part, even if your arm is hurting
you. You know that I never have any fears
on a score of that kind!”

“You are a loyal friend, indeed!” lifting
his hat to her, while he laughed merrily.
“With you and Elsie to look on and praise
and approve, a wooden man could pitch
curves that would bother the man that in-
But IT haven’t much fears of

It will be better

vented batting.
this arm going back on me.
in the morning!”

“And, oh, dear! next week the boat clubs
will be out in all their glory, and I shall miss
that, too!” Elsie sighed. “But I am going
to hurry right back as soon as I can!”

“There will be a lot of fun in_and around
New Haven this spring!” Rattleton prom-
‘ised. ‘““We’re going to have warm times,
with baseball and boating, and football prac-
tice, and a little of about everything else that
you can think of. The young lady that
misses it will just about miss living!’

  
     

26

  

TiY LOOP

“Oh, I shall be here!” said Elsie. “I am
laying my plans for that, with the help of
Winnie!

for the honor and pleasure of seeing who can

We three girls are going to fight

witness the most games and races!”

“With the excitement of a little bear fight-
ing thrown in!” remarked Danny Griswold,
referring to Elsie’s heroic fight, made not
long before, in defense of Frank Merriwell
against a man whom she at first took to be
a bear.

“Tt wasn’t a little bear,” she declared, color-
ing and

laughing. “The bear was big

enough to scare any one. I was a good deal
more afraid of the bear than I was of the
man!”

“You see, she likes men!” Winnie gravely
explained.

“Your head is all right now, though,” Inza
said, to Merriwell.

“And if his arm was all right!” Elsie anx-
iously exclaimed. .

“Oh, it will be all right to-morrow!” said
Frank.

But it was not all right when the morrow
came!

CHAPTER XIII.
FRANK MERRIWELL IN THE BOX.
“Now

sneered Morton Agnew, speaking to Gene

watch the great aggregation!’
Skelding.

Both were on the ball-feld. The much-
talked-of Saturday afternoon had come, and
Frank Merriwell’s scrub nine had come out
to face the nine which had been picked by
Dunstan Kirk, the captain of the Yale team.

“Wonder how Merry’s arm feels?” Skeld-
ing anxiously queried. “I fancy he won’t try
to pitch.” |

“He can’t pitch. I heard this morning that
the doctor advised him against it. He will
put some one else iti the box.”

“T should say it is a great aggregation!”

WEEKLY.

snickered Skelding, maliciously.

“Did you

ever see such another? It would do to travel

under canvas! Look at Dismal Jones over

there in the right field! If he ever starts
after a ball he will tie those long legs into
regular granny knots!”

“And Gamp in the left field!” sneered Ag-
new. “The only way he could catch a ball
would be with his mouth. He usually has
that open wide enough.”

Even as he said it, Gamp’s “A-haw! a-haw!
a-haw !” came rolling across the field in a way
that was, to them, most exasperating and
irritating.

The grand stand was crowded, and the ball-
field itself swarmed with people—with Yale
men and their friends, with citizens of New
Haven who were interested in the great na-
tional game and in the college, with pretty
young ladies and matronly dames. Inza and

Winnie were there, of course.

“We can both be pleased and happy this
afternoon,” said Inza. “It will make me
happy to see Frank send in those red-hot

liners and twisters, and it will make you

happy to see Buck doing the same. They tell
me that Buck isa fine pitcher.”

Winnie’s face showed the pleasure this
compliment gave her.

TD

3ut Frank’s arm?” she said.

“T should worry about that, if I would only
lef myself,” Inza answered; “but I’m not go-
ing to worry. Frank’s will-power is some-

thing wonderful. I expect him to go into

the box forgetting for the time all about that

arm, and pitch a game that will astonish the
people who have been hoping to see him fall
down in his pitching. I have known him a
long time, you know! I never knew him to
fail, even when it seemed impossible for him

te succeed.”

Skelding and Agnew were critically look-

ing the field over.

i
ae =

dy

 

 

     

 

 
  

 

  
  

 

 

 

 

but it will do, I hope.

TIP

“There is Hodge behind the bat,” said
Skelding. ‘Merry is talking with him.”

“Discussing their signals!” said Agnew, in
a scornful tone.

“Browning is on first!”

“Worse than a wooden man on first bag!”
Agnew declared. “The laziness of that fel-
low is said to be positively awful. He will
never in the world be able to stop a hit or a
wild throw!”

“And there is Diamond on second, and
Rattleton on third.”

“Well, they’re better.,
ter of the two, I should think.
too flighty and light-headed

“Danny Griswold is short-stop.”

Diamond is the bet-
Rattleton is

3)

Agnew laughed in an amused way.
“There is that lanky, solemn Dismal
Jones in the right field, with Bink Stubbs in
the centre field, and Joe-Gamp in the left.”
“Frank Merriwell’s Great Aggregation of
“Put a tent
over them and send them out on the road.
Barnum’s Greatest and Only Show wouldn’t
be in it with them! Say, this is going to be
fun! If Dunstan Kirk’s nine don’t everlast-
ingly wipe the earth with those fellows, [ll
quit making guesses on baseball!”
“Merriwell couldn’t win with such a nine,
even if his arm was all right!” Skelding glee-
fully declared. “As it is, I don’t see a ghost

Wonders!” sneered Agnew.

_ of a show for him!”

There were others who thought the same
that afternoon, and not the least among them
yas Dunstan Kirk, though Kirk, of course,
1ad no real knowledge of the condition of
Merriwell’s arm. He had heard that Merry
had been thrown from a horse and his right
arm and shoulder somewhat jammed up
thereby, but, inasmuch as Frank made no
complaint about it and went on with his prac-
tice, he did not consider the injury to be at
all serious.

At the last moment, it occurred to him to
question Frank, in a polite way, about the
‘condition of his arm. :

“T suppose you are going to pitch?” he
asked.

“Yes,” said Frank. “My arm isn’t good,
I shall make a try

of it. If I find I can’t go on, I’ve got another

     

TOP WEEKLY. 27

man to take my place. But I shalltry to

pitch.”
“That’s right!’ was Kirk’s answer. “I
admire good grit. I’m counting big on
Badger this afternoon.”
“Badger can pitch,’ Merry admitted. “We
I hope the
people who have come out to see it will feel
paid for their trouble and interest.”
said Kirk,
moving away, and feeling that, no matter
what others might say, Frank Merriwell was,

ought to have a lively game.

“No doubt of that, I guess,”

after all, a manly fellow, and one whom he
had somewhat misjudged.

The spectators began to yell and show their
impatience.

Merriwell took the clean new Spalding ball
and faced the batter.

“Take me home to mommer!” gasped Jack
Ready, who had prepared to witness the game
from the grand stand, and who did not be-
lieve that Merriwell’s nine had the ghost of a
“Tf you don’t want to do that, get
me a pillow, so that I can take a nap while
they’re walking the bases!”

But Jack Ready, and a good many others,

show.

were destined to be given a great surprise.

“Play ball!” said the umpire.

Crack! |

The first ball pitched was hit, and went
sailing over into the right field.

“He'll never get it!” sighed Ready, fanning
himself wearily. ‘See him tie up those long
legs!”

3ut Dismal Jones-did get it, making a
beautiful catch.

“Just an accident!” was the scornful cry of
a young fellow who sat near Ready.
“Couldn't do the like again in a month of
Sundays!”

But these “accidents” began to pile up right
away in a most amazing manner. The spec-
tators began to realize that Frank Merriwell’s
scrub team could play ball. The fielding was
really remarkable. And as for Frank’s arm,
he seemed to forget that it had ever been in-—
jured and pitched in a way to cause Gene
Skelding and Morton Agnew to stare in
wonder.

Captain Dunstan Kirk began to look dis-
gusted.

But his feeling of admiration for

    
         
    
      
  
    
 
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
   
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
    
  
     
        
    
     
    
  
   
  
     
     
     
     
              
          
   

28 TEP Por

Frank Merriwell Fivery
man of Frank’s nine seemed to have been
placed just where he would be most useful
and add greatest strength. Bart was a won-
der, and Browning’s batting elicited unbound-
ed admiration. The lazy fellow seemed to
forget his laziness as completely as Merry
forgot the condition of his arm,

And Merriwell’s nine won over Kirk’s
picked team by a handsome margin!

k * * * * *

That evening Frank Merriwell was sum-
moned to the hospital.

“Oliver Packard wants to see you,” was
the message.

He: found Packard propped up with pil-
lows, conscious and on the way to complete
recovery, but weak.

“T am glad to know that you are all right,”
he said, looking anxiously at Merry’s arms.
I’ve something to tell you—something to
warn you against. I was coming to do that
when I was run down by that carriage and
sent here.”

Then he acquainted Merriwell with the
character of the plot that had been laid to
injure him.

“T dislike to say such a thing against my
brother, but I must!’ Packard declared, with
gasping breath.

Merriwell’s quick mind put two and two
together.

He slipped up his cuff. The mark of the
hypodermic syringe could still be seen.

“Did Skelding or Agnew give me that?”
he asked.

He had already told Oliver of the accident
and of their connection.

“Yes,” was Oliver’s answer, “I am sure
that they did. But there was nothing in the
syringe or in the phial that could injure your
arm. I fooled Agnew in that! When [
filled the syringe I substituted a harmless
preparation for the deadly stuff that was in
the bottle, which I made him think I gave
him. Your arm has been feeling badly just
because it was nearly broken by that fall from
the horse!”

constantly — rose.

THE END.
The next number of the Trp Top WREKLY
(207) will contain ‘‘Frank Merriwell’s In-
fluence; or, Inza, the Mascot of the Crew.’’

WEEKLY.

Correspondence,

C, M., Montgomery, W. Va.—No premium,
F. G., Pittsburg; Pa.—See answer to Chick.

F, P., Ft. Caswell, N. C.—The publication has been
discontinued.

Bart Hodge II., Chicago, Ill.—l, To the north. 2.
‘We do not know,

A, B. C., Milwaukee. Wis.—You should certainly
consult a physician,

Boston ee Boston, Mass.—You will find what
you want in No. 202

J. B. C., Jersey City, N. J.—Consult the columns of
the New York Clipper,

A Southerner, Abilene, Tex.—Thank you. Your
Suggestion shall be considered.

I’, C. G., Memphis, Tefin.—Why not call your club
“The Merry Lads of Memphis’?

Bt Y. Z., Abington, Mass.—Write tc Spaulding &
Bro., Nassau street, New York City.

I’, M., Indianapolis, Ind.—Send your questions and
we will do our best to answer them.

BE. D. F., Montreal, Can.—Send your full name and
address, and we will look the matter up.

True Admirer, Bristol, Tenn.—Thank you for your
suggestion, which wiil be taken into consideration,

G. L., Gloucester, Mass.—We cannot advise you
— to become a contortionist. Better abandon the
1dea.

£. D., Chicago, Ilii_-No premium on the half dime
of 1853. are cannot place the other coin. See answer
to Chick,

KE, N., Edgewood, Pa.—Your suggestion will be
considered, although we scarcely think we can adopt
it at present.

F. D. H.—On general principles, we think that
either move would be far from wise. We could not
counsel such things.

G. B. L., Philadelphia, Pa.—You are certainly a
wonderful athlete. From what you say, few boys
of your age can equal you.

J. W., Philadelphia, Pa.—No premium on either
coin. It is impossible to answer in ‘“‘the next issue,”’
as we go to press three weeks in advance.

Cc. C. N., Edgewood, Pa.—l. You can obtain the
badge at-any time. 2. You are about the average.
3. We hope so. 4. About twenty. 5. It is possible.

Chick, Minneapolis, Minn.—The penny of 1803 is

worth three cents. No premium on the quarter eagie
of 1840. Write to the J. W. Scott Co., 40 John street,
New York City.

Cc. A. W., Ashtabula, Ohio.—1l. Better let it alone.
z. You are rather below the average. 3. The three-
cent silver piece of 1865 is worth twenty-five cents.
4. We should think it very good.

D. H., Baltimore, Md. and W. T. B., Hutchinson,
Kan,.—You can procure a book giving you all in-
formation as to make-up from Samuel French, 22d
street, New York City. Also all materials for
make-up.

H. W. F., Butler, Pa.—There is no Consul General
from the United States to the Orange Free State.
The agent is Alfred Elliott, Bloemfontein, As to
free transportation, you have unquestionably been
misinformed.

D. E. C., Springfield, Mass.—A college graduate
always has a. good chance for a position in the
railroad world, although he would have to begin in a
small capacity and work his way up. Then his edu-
eation would tell.

Twentieth Century, Portland, Me.—i. Nineteen
hundred years are not completed until the last day of
1900, just as the first year was completed at_the end
of the year one. 2 About twenty. 3. You are
somewhat above the average. 4. Possibly.

Cc. F., Chicopee Falls, Mass.—l. It would take too
much space to give the causes of the Boer war here.
2. You are very much above the average. 38, The
translation of ‘‘Longum iter est per praecepta, breve
et eflicax per exempla’’ is ‘‘Long is the journey by
precepts, short and efficacious by examples.

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IP IOPWEEKLY.

“AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THT AMERICAN YOUTH

 

 

 

NEW YORK, Marcu 24, 1900,

 

Terms to Tip Top Weekly Mail Subscribers.
(PosTAGK FREE.)

Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each.

3 months - - - - - + - 65c.] One year - - + © + + + $2.60
4 months - + + - + + - 85c,]|2 copiesone year - + - - 4.00
@wonths - - + - + = - $1.25)1 copy twoyears - + + - 4,00

How Tro SaNp Monzry.—By post office or express mohey order,
registered letter, bank check or drait,at your risk. At yourown
risk if sent by postal note, currency, coin, or postage stamps in
ordinary letter.

Recnwiprs,— Receipt of your remiltunce is acknowledged by proper
change of number on your label. Ifinotcorrect you haye not been
properly credited, and should let us | now at once.

STREET & SMITH’S TIP TOP WEEKLY,
238 William St., New York City.

 

APPLAUSE.

Having read the Tip Top Weekly for over four years, and
got the thought out of every story, I come to the conclusion
that the author of these works is a competent and able
writer for boys. I think it is a very good American paper,
and one week’s end of my time to the other is devoted to
longing for Thursday evening to come, when I receive the
Tip Top Weekly. My father taught me to read the other
side of the story, or, in other words, ‘‘read between the
lines.”” He first taught me grammar and composition thor-
oughly, and then taught me to find the plot or plots, as
the case may be, in the story. He urged me to form in
my mind the author’s style of writing, to find the capacity
of his vocabulary, to be an able critic, to be. ready at any
time to find fault in the author if there is any. At first he
would not let me read the Tip Top, he thinking it would
spoil my good literature. But he read a couple at last,
the first one being No. 5. As this story dwells on the mis-
leading of poker games, he thought it would help me to
shun all the evils as far as a boy can, and he let me read
these books. I am well educated, have read Shakespeare,
Browning, Scott, Plliott, Dickens, and many others, and I
am sure my literature is not spoiled by reading your weekly.
I remain, CLARB NECKERMAN,

Edgewood, Pa.

Your testimony is valuable and exceedingly gratifying to
us. Your father is right, and evidently has a keen per-
ception of what is proper and helpful for the youth to
read. See correspondence column.

‘In No. 200 of Tip Top a Mr. Joe Bush, of Beatrice, Neh.,
has a very interesting article on the love affairs of Inza,
Elsie and Frank. Mr. Bush has made a strong case for his
side of the question, but there are always two sides, If
Mr. Bush will remember, Frank first admired Inza (1 don’t
say loved, because I don’t think Frank actually loved Inza)
in hig first days at school. Frank was only a young boy
then, and Elsie was not known. Elsie has shown more love
for Frank than Inza has. Inza has always been very cool
toward Frank, while Elsie has nothing but love and kind-
ness. The perils Frank has gone through for Dlsie will
more than double thuse for Inza. Frank was the last man
from a burning ship, the last man from a buruing building,
the first man to rescue Blsie from a watery grave, and
when that scoundrel of an uncle of hers was trying to
steal her, how Frank would jump from one burning roof to
another with Elsie in his arms when his own life was in
danger. And he did it all for the love of Elsie. No man
can say that Frank doesn’t love Elsie with his whole heart,
‘In his travels in England and France Frank was always
by Elsie’s side, and how he rescued her from the villain
Harris, and almost lost his own life to save hers! These,
‘with many others, only go to show that Frank’s love is
greater for Plsie than for Inza. While Frank has made no
actual proposal to Bilsie, I think on several occasions he
has been to the popping point, and only for his good judg-
ment they would be married to-day. Mr. Bush brings. out
only one strong point in Inza’s favor, and that was when
Frank was sick; but I think Frank more than repaid her
for her kindness. Inza has shown very little considera-
tion for Frank’s feelings by being engaged to the young
dude Chandler, and then comes around doting the ‘‘ery act’”’
to win Frank’s affection from Elsie. I thank Mr. Bush for
his article, as it brings out an argument and makes it more
interesting. I would also like to hear more from the read-
ers of Tip Top on this subject, as I don’t think I am alone.
-{Y am a reader from No. 1 to No, :

ED, D. BAKER,

Spokane, Wash.

You will see in these columns that there are others who
agree with you. This discussion is certainly most inter-
esting. - ;

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

   

29

It is with great pleasure that I write tn praise of your
excellent publication, the Tip Top Weekly. I have never
writtem before, although I have read all of the issues. Mr.
Standish can’t begin to realize the good he rs doing for the
young people of our country. He certainly has helped me
in my daily life There is one character, though, that
never has appealed to me—that of Bart Hocge. Hodge is a
double of a chap I know and dislike. He is surely never
to see the light side of anything, quick tempered and un-
reasonable. Diamond, on the cther hand, is well Lalanced,
and for the life of me I can’t see why Frank should take
Hodge as a closer friend than Diamond, Rattieton Brown-
ing. Of course, I may be wrong in my assertions, and hope
Mr. Standish will forgive me, for Hodge is a magnificently
drawn character. Buck Badger Ah! he is my. favorite.
This is Mr. Standish’ best e ‘t, and I am seconded by
nearly all my friends. Some think that Badger is drawn
better than Merry himself. Of course this could not be
entertained for a m ent, and will raise a storm of indig-
nation from sharp- d readers. But am ¢ reat admirer
of Badger, so pardon me. I wish Mr. Standish w< i re-
introduce Wat Snell and Paul Raines. “aines >
character in the first Fardale series. The basebcll 5
are great—simply great. A true friend of the Tip Top.’’
DONALD EDGAR CAREY,

Springfield, Mass.

There does seem-to be a “‘screw loose’’ with Bart lately,
but perhaps the reason for this will be explained. [It is
hard for us to conquer our faults, but Bart ha: certainly
tried. We are sure he is a fine fellow at heart. There is
no reason to ask pardon for criticisms so courteously of-
fered as yours, See correspondence column.

   

     

 

    
 
 
 

 
  
     

  

   

 

Having seen so many letters to the Tip Top Weekly, I
think it is my turn to write. I have read it up to the
latest, and will continue to do so. -I think ‘t is the best
weekly out, and many other. boys in the neighborhood are
of the same opinion. There are a few back numbers which
I have not read. I received the quarterlies which: I sent for,
and I felt like dancing when they c-me. I see that v-
eral. other boys wrote in their letters about another weekly
and pronounced it worthless. They are about right—it is
not worth the paper it is written on. It lally l.as. the
hero of the story knockins over a half doz: men with one
hand on the cover. You never see anytbing like that in the
Tip Top Weekly. Not much! FRANK KUTZ,

Los Angeles, Cal.

Glad you received the quarterlles safely and enjoyed them.
Frank is a real young man, and does not pretend to perform
miracles.

  

I have just read the letter written by Joe Bush, in No.
200 of your ever popular weekly, Tip Top. I hope that
Mr. Bush will see this letter in your Applause column.
Joe, I would like to shake vou by thé land. You express
my sentiments in your letter. If the .admirers cf Elsie
will look back a few numbers they /i{] fi.d that while
Frank was out West in “> show busines~ he befriended
Elsie, then wrote < play, <nd made ‘ie hervine’s charac-
ter to represent Disie and expected her ‘» accept it. When
he told her about i* she refused to accep: it, saying she was
ill and must return East. No doubt but what she was
sick; but look what Frank had done for her—saved her life
several times, helped_restorc her fortune for her, and numer-
ous other things. Would Inza have refused? No! She
would have secepted it because Frank wished it. This is
one of the little instances that I have noteq. Leaving their
faults out and comparing them, I find that Elsie makes an
ordinary heroine. Inza’s character is different; it is a
character to be studied. That is what makes the Tip
Top so popular. It has characters that need to be studied
to understand them. For instance, Buck Badger, Jack Dia-
mond, Bart Hodge and the hevo, Merriwell. The character
of EPlsie is changeable at first. She gave Inza the chance
of winning. Frank, but whila with Frank’s company her
hatred for Inza was unbounded, because she thought that
Frank cared for Inza. In No, 200 Frank acknowledged
that Inza was his first love, and ‘*There’s nae love like the
old love.’”” Do not take on the new love before you are
done with the old. WOLFRGANG WOLLRAVEN,

Glassboro, N. J.

You certainly have put the matter in a clever way, al-
though we cannot think that you fully appreciate Elsie.
But we will leave her defense to her admirers, and she
has a legion of them. Yes, it is a pleasure to study char-
acter, and try to find out the motives of people. It seems
to us that there is plenty of chance for this fascinating~
study in Frank and his friends. See the difference of opin-
fon about: Bart Hodge, for instance.

We have read in the Applause the arguments in favor of
Inza by Joe Bush. While agreeing with him in. many
points, we believe that Elsie is the girl for Frank, his in-
clinations seeming to tend in that direction. We beg to ask
our friend from Nebraska who it was that, during the
Christmas vacation, planned to cause Frank pain by cold-
ness on account of paying attention to another. girl who
was in difficulty? Inza Burrage. Then wno was it who
objected to the plan, not wishing to cause Frank pain?
Disie Bellwood. We wish that Frank would make friends
with Badger as soon as possible, for we consider him one
of the best characters in the story. Your sincere_admirerg
and readers.

ACW. SB. ALS a a Be Cee, CS:
H-H,.0.°C.,. 8. 3B 8S, Ins A. Re W.. 2S... COC. “G.. T.

: Fort Wayne, Ind.

Your questions seem to the point. Perhaps Mr. Bush will
answer them. " ;

 
30 Tre

 
 

I have just finished reading the last chapter of your most
interesting book, Tip Top Weekly, No. 200. I cannot re

frain from writing and telling you what I think about
your. books. I have been reading them ever since they

came out, and I never read a more interesting book. Frank
is truly a mode! gentleman. His friends are all true friends,
Jack is about the best friend Frank has, I think. Bart,
Bruce and Harry I admire very much. ] hope Frank will
goon be able to make Buck Badger and Defarge his true
friends. It 1 please me very much to hear more about

would
Hock Mason and have him enjoy himself with Frank and

      
  
   

  
   
 

his friends. Frank’s girl friends—Dlsie, Inza and Winnie—
are very nice young la« I agree With Mr. Bush. I do
not think Inza ever exhibited any more pride than she
should. She seems to be the same Inza every time Frank
meets her. Although, I admire Elsie very much; but she
does act queer at times Vhen Frank was with her last,
in book No. 195, she had him puzzled by her strange be-
havior. I hope they meet soon and be happy again. I wish
Jack would win Winnie Lee, for I think th would make
a handsome couple. Bart Hodge and Inza ought to be
sweethearts. When the girls are together wi Frank and

books are the most interesting.
It gives me great pleasure

the
wether soon?

his friends, I think
Will they all be t

 

to offer Mr. Standish and Street & Smith my congratula-
tions. MABEL HEINTZ,
Erie, Pa.

You have undoubtedly already seen that Frank has met
his girl friends Again. Mr. Standish will certainly consult
your wishes.

I am going to tell you how I came to read the Tip Top.
It was just two years ago to-day that I was taken to the
House of Mercy Hospital with inflammatory rheumatism,
As\I. laid in pain ome of the sisters asked me if I wanted
something to read, and I told her I did, so she handedgmge
a Tip Top, and I was so interested in it that I felt no )%un
at all. I stayed there over eight weeks, and I had them
every week. I only can say this, that I wish Mr. Standish
to live to a very ripe age so as to continue to write the

R. SCHILLING.,
Merrick, Mass.

It certainly shows the merits of the Tip Top when one of

Tip Top Weekly.

the good sisters approves of it. Thank you for telling us
ef this.
Being in a poetic mood the other day I took my*pen in

hand, or, I should say, my pencil, and you have the result.

Mr. Burt L. certainly deserves credit ror his remarkable
faculty in presenting life-like characters. Any boy or girl

who reads the noble Tip Top cannot help from trying to im-
itate the lessons set forth from that masterful character of
Mr. Burt L. Standish’s pen, Frank Merriwell, Wishing you

good luck in the future as you have had in_the past, I
remain one of your most ardent admirers. Bettis ik oe
Decatur, Ill.
A TRIBUTE TO THE TIP TOP.

The wind roared in the rafters,
The rain beat on the roof,

The iightning played in fitful flashes,
And the thunder roared its proof,

The stars, it seemed, were sleeping,
For the night was dark and glum,
And the lights from windows peeping
Seemed like small rays of sétting sun,

The clocks the midnight hour had chimed,
And the town was wrapped in peace sublime,
While the good town folk in beds long sought
Lay dreaming what the morrow brought.

But in one house a light still shone
And it seemed as if ’twere al] alone,
For the lights around had long gone out
In the gloomy houses that stood about.

Now why this light so long should burn
Is a question which we'll seek to learn,

On this night so cold and bleak,
In this room of which I speak,

A bed stood in this corner here
With a lamp conveniently near.

A. boy lay reading in this bed,

Although his eyes were dull and red;

But of eyes his thoughts were far away~
He minded not the time of day.

With thoughts upon the book intent
He cared not where the minutes went;
With eyes steadfast upon the page
He minds not how the heavens rage.

The book, it seemed, some magic spell
Had placed upon the boy to dwell,

And though the midnight hour had gone,
He still keeps reading on and on.

Now have we witchcraft yet to cower,
And has this book its magic power?

Let’s slip behind the bed and look
And find the title of this book.
Now look and see this name we’ve got—
Yes, look, and see the name “Tip Top!’’
Thank you for the pains you have taken with the poem,
Good luck to you also. :

 

TOY

“will always remain the same.

WEEKLY.

After reading the letter of Joe Bush in No. 200 of the
Tip Top, I thought I would have my say in regard to

Frank’s choice. I am another admirer of beautiful, dark-
haired Inza, and am weary with the doings of that fickle-
hearted Elsie. I think that if the admirers of Inza would
let themselves be heard in the Tip Top applause column
that Mr. Standish would let the love that exists between
Frank and irresolute Elsie grow dim, Jolly, dark-eyed
Inza is the girl for Frank. True, she seems independent at
times; but, boys, who of you do not admire some independ.
ent spirit in a beautiful girl L. W. SHEPHERD,
Martin, Mich.
The partisans of both girls are certainly expressing theme
selves, and we are glad that they are Mr. Standish is fole
lowing the opinions with much interest.
This is my second poem to the Tip Top, and I hope it
will be accepted:
HURRAH FOR THE YALE COMBINE!
Hurrah

Elsie,

for Frank and

 

And all the Yale combine!
Hurrah for Harry Rattleton,
Who gets twisted all the time!
Hurrah for Hans and Ephraim!
I tell you, they are not slow;
And Bart Hodge and Jack Diamond—~
I like both, don’t you know.

And, although Bruce is lazy,
And always is so slow,
He alw stands by Merry,
No matter where he goes.
Hurrah for Tip Top: Weekly,
And all who read these lines!
And also for the author,
Who is not behind the times!
With best wishes to Street & Smith.
MAUDE G, FAVOR,
Newburyport, Mass,
Hurrah for you, too!

Vs

the

 

Pleased to hear from you again,

After being a reader of the famous Frank Merriwell
stories for two years. I think that it would be no more
than right for me to drop a word into the applause column,
I have learned to appreciate—yes, loye-—this paper, so that
as long as there is one published it will have one friend
who will always remain true te the best weekly printed.
The characters are represented so true to life that one is
taken into the spirit of them. until he seems to be living
with the character in reality. The Tip Top can never be
equaled by any other publication It has won a place in
the hearts of the public which will be hard to excel.

ONE OF FRANK MIERRIWELL’S ADMIRERS,

Providence, R,
are most happy at the place Tip Top has won in so
hearts, and will never do anything to forfeit it.

We
many

There have been many lefters printed in these old re-
liable Tip Tops denouncing a cheap and worthless imita-
tion, and I wish to add my mite. It is worthless, that’s ajl
there is to it. But the publisher seems to realize it, too,
for he has recently started a new and still poorer weekly,
and I am ashamed to say that. I bought one of them—but
did not read it half through. I couldn’t. But I did read
the letters in the back part—letters solicited by the pub-
lisher, too, and was disgusted endugh. It seems that the
ideas in the stories are not all that are taken, but the ideas
in the letters of ‘‘praise’’ themselves. For in one of the
letters appeared the inclosed piece of poetry, which I know
to be the first poem Mr. Mort R. Morland ever wrote for the

Tip Top. And this beggarly reader steals it and signs his
own name to it! What think ye of it? If Mr, Morland
sees this I hope he will be assured that he has one
ADMIRING FRIEND,
Rockland, Me.
Thank you very much for letting us know of this. You
@re quite right. The poem is as follows:
It is quite an inspiration
To express appreciation
Of this wondrous publication,
As some readers do in rhyme.
I am nothing of a poet,
And am willing you should know it.
As to praise, then I will show it
Here in prose some other time,
It appeared in No. 165 of the Tip Top Weekly. What has

Mr. Morland to say as to such base cribbing of his ideas?

—— ; \

: ‘

I have read every one of the Tip Tops published and
think they are the finest stories I have ever read. I think
your idea of publishing new weeklies is a very good one,
and I will try to follow them up and like them, but I don’t
think any writer can equal ‘‘our’ Burt Ll. Joe Bush
ought to be a lawyer, for he certainly has put up a strong
case for Inza, and has influemced me in her favor. Buck
Badger is one of the most interesting characters Mr.
Standish has ever introduced in his stories, and I feel sure
he will become one of Frank’s ns All phe, pore am, St.
Joh rea. ( 1 Tip Top, and join with me in hoping the
wera. wornate’ ted N. LOUIS GREEN,

St. John, N, B.

We have many friends in Canada, and we shall do our
utmost to keep them. Thank you.

\

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a reader of the Tip Top Weekly, and am 14 years of
age. I have read the Tip Top Weekly from the first to this
date. I have composed a few verses about Frank which my
parents want me to send to you. It is as follows:

FRANK MERRIWELL.
Frank Merriwell is the leader
And always he shall be;
He leads his friends to battle
And gains the victory.

He never wants his friends

In troubles of his own,
But goes and fights them out himself,
‘So others can be shown.

But when he and Badger

Got at the awful test,

Who knew who'd be the winner,
When Merry came out best,

I tell you Frank’s a dandy,
And all his chummies, too;
They stick to one another
And fight their battles through.
You must excuse me for this is the first time for me to
compose a few verses. LHWIS TROELL,
Scranton, Pa,
We are pieased to oblige you and your parents.

 

Allow us boys out among the tall firs and cedars of Wash-
ington to express our opinion of your weekly. We have
read of Frank’s adventures from his Fardale school days
to the present. No one can say that it is without doubt
the greatest paper ever published for boys. It is far ahead
of its rank imitators, The present Yale series are great.
ED. WILLIAMS, RAY HURD,

JOB HATTER, J. LOVENZY,
M. HOLTON, LOUIS HARTSON,
Mount Vernon, Wash,

Far and near Frank has his admirers. Thank you.

Seeing in the applause of No. 200 of the Tip Top Weekly
a letter from Joseph Bush, of Beatrice, Neb., praising Inza
Burrage, I would like to ask him who it was that saved
Frank’s life in the saw-mill scene of Frank’s show? When
Frank was out West and met ‘‘Cool’’ Clayton, of Har-
vard, in the bar-room of the hotel and went with him to
his room, there was Inza as cool as an iceberg, and who
on the same day sent Hilsie an infernal machine? Kindest

> ?

 

regards to Mr. Standish. R.

i ae
Dayton, Qhio,

What has Mr. Bush or others who prefer Inza to say to
this?

 

I wish to say that we have been reading the Tip Top
a long time It is well named, well written and well read.
Mr. Standish knows something about every corner of the
globe. The new Do and Dare Weekly is almost as good
as the Tip Top, and I hope that it may get as wide a
circulation as the Tip Top has. Those that like Frank will

‘ surely like Phil, too. With best wishes to Mr. Standish,

Mr. Norris, and Street & Smith, CLAUDIA WERDEN,
Akron, Ohio.
Yes, Mr. Standish is an extremely well informed man,
We hope that those who like Frank will also like Phil.

I think the Tip Top 4s the very best weekly for boys that
I ever read, saw, or heard of. Many people here read it,
and all have as good an opinion of it as I have. I think
Frank Merriwell is an admirable hero, and is an example
which many young men would do well to follow. Bart is
a fine example of the American youth of to-day. Jack and
Bruce are fine, and Harry is a dandy. Bink and Danny
furnish good, clean humor for Tip Top, and are helped out
at times by the brogue of Barney and Hans. I read No. 1
of Do and Dare, and liked it very much. I hope that Frank
will, with his friends, be on the Yale baseball team, and
that they will gain many victories with Merry in the box.
I should like to hear more of Hans, Barney and BHphraim
now, as well as Blsie.. I hope also to sec Buck Badger
become Frank’s friend and have him also help out on the
baseball team. “May Frank and all his friends, as well as
the author and the publishers of Tip Top, have a long,
happy and prosperous life, and may the present readers of
Tip Top continue to read it is the earnest wish of

JACK FASSBTT.

Your wishes will very likely be granted. Yes, Do and
Dare seems to be much liked. You forgot to give your ad-
dress.

 

Not seeing any applause from our city, and knowing
that the Merriwells are appreciated in the little ‘‘Mountain
State,’’ we girls decided we would be the first to tell you
what we think of this paper. We think Frank sets an
example which every American. boy and girl would do well
to follow. Every reader in this city agrees that dear, dar-
ling Inza is the girl for Frank. We most sincerely hope
that she will always be his sweetheart. Wsie should like
Rattleton, as he has always been loyal to Frank. We all
wish Mr. Standish, Frank and Inza a long and successful
life. TWO GIRL ADMIRERS,

Moundsville, W. Va.

“Thank you. Kindest regards to you and to all our friends
in the little ‘‘Mountain State.”

  

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY. 31

Having been a constant reader of your most ideal pub-
lication, the Tip Top Weekly, from the very first, i
to express my appreciation of ich an admirable paper
st, as I take my pen in I fir it most difficult
r to express on paper : ] Tip Top
Weekly, my ardent, admi é
his friends, and my tl
author as Mr. Burt L.
doing more toward modeli
great land than any other a
not the least doubt in the vw
Weekly is the best week] }

wisn

 

   
   
  

    

          
   
 
   
  
  

 

   

 

  
  
 

   

 

 

America. Interesting, amus

in every respect, verily, it

cations May it go on fi r; hi r

American boys’ favorite weekly, rea the old ks as
well as the young, a healthy, hart Ss paper, a paper
indorsed by pulpit and parent, instilli into the hearts of
young Americans a feeling of pa ar self-confi-
dence, urging them’: onward and 1 toward the ped-

 

estal of fame and honor Not long ago an incident hap-
pened to me, which will help to show how interesting the

Tip Top Weekly is, and its power to interest the old as well

 

 

  
 

as the young. I was at thi atre It was not yet time
for the curtain to rise. Directly in f or me sat a mid-
dleaged man reading a Tip Top Weekly I glanced casually

at him, noticed that he was reading “a Tip Top, and thought
no more about it until the time for the play to begin. The
curtain rose, the music ceased, the play began, but still
the man in front of me read unc -ernedly on, buried in
the paper, too interested to stop just then for the best play
in the world. Nor did he stop reading until he had fin-
ished the weekly, and when he put it away it actually

 

  

 

seemed he did so with a sigh of regret. He had read well
into the first act, yet I doubt not he would have continued
reading had he another Tip Top Weekly. The thought

came to me that if the Tip Top will ¢
thus is it any wonder it is indorse y ‘parents all over
the land? For many months I ve been undecided as to
the Inza-Eilsie question. I have decided, however, that
Elsie is the girl for Frank, and when Frank Merriwell weds
I hope his bride will be Elsie Bellwood. It is true that
Inza Burrage was Merry’s first love, -but things have
changed since then, and now it seems he cares most for
golden-haired Elsie, and the girl that Frank admires most,
that girl will he wed. The Tip Top Weekly has many
readers in Minneapolis, and Frank Merriwell is a great
favorite with the boys of the Flour City. Wishing Mr. Burt
I. Standish, Frank Merriwell and his many friends, and
the publishers of the Tip Top Weekly, long and prosperous
lives, I will ever be a-.constant reader of your great pub-
lication. WM. HARKINS,
Minneapolis, Minn.

Your capital letter and the very flattering anecdote it
contains are much appreciated by us, and makes us prouder
than ever, if possible, of the Tip Top.

*t middleaged men

    
   

 

  
  

For a long time we@-have been thinking of writing to let
you. know what we think of the Tip Top. We all read
it (there are only ten of us) from mother down to the baby,
four years old. Those that are not old enough to read it
themselves get the older ones to read it aloud to them,
Baby thinks there is not any one quite so nice as his
“Pa’’ and he says Frank Merriwell is his ‘‘other pa.’’
Our brother buys the Tip Top every Friaay night, and he
always reads it hefore he goes to bed, and the rest of us
read it in the morning. We all agree that the Tip Top can
easily keep at the top in spite of all”imitators. We don’t
want Frank to marry any one, but if he does, Inza is the
girl for him. The letter from Joe Bush in No. 200 is all
right. As for the boys, Bart is our favorite, although my
little sister says she likes ‘‘Bink Stubbs’’ the best. We
hope’ Mr. Standish will find a nice little girl to wake up
Bruce Browning, and we are also anxious to know when
Frank is going to buy back his old home t1n_ sioomfield
Best wishes to Mr. Standish—I mean Mr. Burt L, Standish.
MAUDE C. ROBERT C.,

Cadillac, Mich.

You delight us by letting us know that we please so large
a family. We are glad, too, that you like Bart, who
seems, poor fellow, to be a little in disfavor just now.
Yes, the Tip Top is at the top, and will remain there.
ee Standish thanks you and sends regards to all, big and
ittle.

 

Having read the Tip Top Weekly from No, 1 up to the
present issue (and shall continue to read them) I wis?
say a few words in regard to the king of poys’ weeki).»
Having read several other publicatiéns for some time,
think that the Tip Top is the best. I see in some letters
in your applause column where some want Elsie to marry
Frank, and some want Inza. I say, let him remain single
and don’t marry either of them, but to have a good time.
Of the boys, Jack Diamond is my favorite, as Iam a Vir-
ginian myself. I see there is another library trying to
imitate the Tip Top, but they are ruining their reputation
by trying to do so. I see where the hero is in Manila one
day and in South Africa the next. And I wish to say, hav-
ing read nearly all other kinds of libraries, I think that
the imitation of the Tip Top is no good. Will Frank Mer-
riwell hear from 201lf Harlow or Carlos Merriwell or
Evan Hartwick soon? I hope that Buck Badger will turn
out to be Frank’s friend. Wishing Mr. Standish and the
publishers success, W. RAINES,

Danville, Va.
and all the scenes and
This is one

What Frank does is possible,
characters in the Tip Top are true to life.
reason of its great success.
    
   
    
  
   
    
  
   
 
   
     
 
   
 
   
  
   
 
   
   
  
   
  
   
   
   
   
 
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
   
 
 
  
    
      
    
    
   

tinea al

     
    
  
 
  
   
  
  
     
   
 
     
    
   
     
  
    
  
      

—<

Cr

aaah

     
         
        
 
   
     
     
           
       

   
 

           
    
       
 
            
       
      
       
          
           
        
      
   
   

 

       
        

   

As many different opinions have been expressed regarding
which of the two girls, Elsie or Inza, is the one for Frank,
I, too, wish to say a word. I have just finished reading
that of Joe Bush. I think admirers of Dlsie will admit of.
Inza’s prior claim, and they do not forget either of the
many times Inza’s life has been saved by Frank, but the
latter can be offset as an argument by the many times
Elsie, too, has been saved, while the former can be ex-
plained in this way. We all know that the love of youth
is not as strong or lasting as that of the adult. Now,
do not think for a moment that Frank was insincere and
did not think more of Inza at one time than Elsie. But
1 believe when our character is developed our tastes often
change a great deal from what they once were. We can’t
explain why, but we know it is true that many things in
which we used to delight are of very little attraction now,
Thus with Frank, after his character was formed after he
had reached that state, we might say, of manhood, he was
attracted by different qualities in the two girls. Inza has
a way of doing things herself and of taking care of her-
self—she is never bold or immodest, I do not mean that~
while PElsie’s nature is exactly the opposite; she is weaker
in a sense. Thus it was natural for Frank, who is strong,
manly and ever ready to extend a hand to such to be drawn
to the little golden haired girl, the one needing protection
the most. When he found Pilsie struggling alone for a liv-
ing, surrounded by the many-perils which peset young and
pretty girls, it was then that he knew for certain which
he cared the more for. I think it was decided then and
for ever after which was dearer to him. I sometimes think
he knew before, but would not let himself believe it. He
admired Inza, but he thought more gently of Elsie. How-
ever, I think we are all willing to abide by the way in
which Mr. Standish will bring things about. If Frank is
suited we should be. I would sooner not be a match-
maker, but could not help giving vent to my thoughts, long
though they are. FRED PREMER,

Fort Caswell, N. C.

There is much truth in what you say as to the difference
between the love of a boy and a young man. We are glad
to present your views to our readers for their considera-
tion.

While reading the ‘‘Applause’’ in No. 200, I read that of
Jos Bush, of Beatrice, Neb., on the Elsie-Inza question.
Mr. Bush says: ‘‘True, Mr. Standish favors Elsie now, but
time will tell.’’ Now, Mr. Bush, tell me, did not Frank
favor Inza more than any other girl in Nos. 1 to 10, but
since meeting Elsie he has found a girl he roves more than
Inza. In No. 142 Frank hated himself for doubting if he
loved Hlsie most. Inza has had her chance, and now Elsie
is having hers, and I hope Frank ard Elsie will some day
be united. I should think that No, 142 would convince him
that Inza is proud and haughty, when she gives Frank
and Elsie the ‘‘marble heart.’’ In that issue, even the
author refers to Inza as being haughty. Inza did a very
kind act at Frank’s bedside, when he was sick, but did
not Elsie do more than she? Mr. Bush, please read No.
114—F. M.’s Daring-—-where she pretended she cared nothing
for Frank, and tried to put him under the impression that
she was a fickle flirt. - Who did she do this for? For
Inza’s sake, as you will find by reading Nos. 114 and 115.
In No, 143 did not Blsie leave Frank’s company, that she
would not come between Inza and Frank. Inza could not
help that Frank called for Elsie, but Elsie could help, that
she sacrificed herself in No. 114. Was not Wisie’s sacrifice
greater than Inza’s?. I think so, and I think the author
and publishers will agree with me, ‘‘Did not Frank ‘think
of Inza first when her home burned?’’ Mr. Bush asks, No,
my dear friend, It does state whom he thought of first.
But even if he did, he first learned to love Elsie after that,
therefore that does not show that Inza is entitled to Frank’s
love more than Elsie. Frank risked his life for Inza in No,
1, but did *e. not risk it for Elsie in No, 114? From No.
iG w the present issue Frank always favors Elsie, as No.
o9—F. M.’s Choice—will show. Elsie is always uppermost
in his mind.. Long live the Tip Top, Burt L. Standish and
the publishers is the heartiest wish of

G. WALTER KALT,
An Elsie Bellwood Admirer, Detroit, Mich.

We are much pleased to print your lette>. Without ex-
pressing any opinion as to the merits of the case, we
thing it an excellent answer to Mr, Bush. We shall always
be more than glad to receive and print anything that con-
tains new and original ideas as to this question: but our
readers will understand that, considering the enormous in-
‘ease in our correspondence, we cannot give space to sim-

an expression of one’s preference’ for eithér of the two
aris.

Having read the Tip Top Weekly. for some time, I now
wish to state what I think of ft as a publication for girls
as well as boys. True to its name, it is ‘‘Tip Top,’’ and I
think every girl and boy ought to read it. Frank Merri-
well is an ideal young man, and no boy could ever go
wrong if they took him as their model. I also admire
Frank’s friends, Harfy Rattleton especial'-- -- he seems
to be a ‘‘true’’ friend. .Of the girls, I Mike mis. o>
best. She is so unselfish, My brother and I both read
the Tip Top with much interest, and my father also
looks forward for the day of its arrival with as much
pleasure as we. Wishing a long Hfe to Frank Merriwell,
Mr. Standish, and last, but far from least, Street &
Smith. A CALIFORNIA GIRL,

. Petaluna, | Cal.

We are pleased to say that the girls are rapidly appre-
ciating the fact that the Tip Top is as interesting reading
for a as it is for the boys. All thank you for your kind
wishes.

32 TIP TOP WEEKLY.

I am a constant reader of Tip. Top and to show

fit, I will be pleased to see in applause,
I'm Buck Badger from the West;
My dad’s a cattle king,
And the boys upon the governor’s ranch
Say LI am just the thing.
With a rope I am a stunner,
And a bronco rider clever;
I could show you all a thing or two;
But that is, ‘‘none whatever."*
Now I am off to college
And I don’t cut such a figure;
To home I was proclaimed a hero
*Cause I could pull a steady trigger.
I have met a man-at last,
Clothed in glory, robed in fame,
That has conquered me at every sport—
Frank Merriwell is his name,
He has friends at every side,
Which is far ahead of wealth,
So ‘‘here’s to the hero of the day,”’
And with Buck Badger drink his health.
TIT BITS,
Simcoe, Ont.
Your verses are very good, but we are not quite sure
that Buck would at present agree with the sentiments. We
hope he will in time.

Never having seen any sentiments expressed. by Yale stu-
dents in regard to the Tip Top Weekly, I feel it to be my
duty as well as my pleasure to tell you of the enjoyment
I derive from reading them. Frank is a fine representative
of the true Yale spirit—brave, manly and sincere, unconquer.-
able in athletics, as Yale has always been. For three years
I have followed-the fortunes of Frank, and wish to con-
gratulate Mr. Burt Standish upon his keen knowledge of
Yale affairs. How can I end better than by giving a rous-
ing Yale cheer for Frank, Bart, Jack Diamond, and even
Lew YVeazie, who in some ways reminds me very much of
a Yale man I know? Rah! rah! rahi rah! rah! Yale!

To." Hees
A Yale Man, New Haven, Ct.
For a Yale man to praise Mr. Standish’s knowledge of
Yale affairs is very high praise indeed. Mr. Standish has
made a most exhaustive study of Yale. Thank you.

 

As I have read your Tip Top Weekly for 197 weeks, }\
think it is my right to say something in regard to it,
It has (in my mind) reached that high pinnacle called
success, from which no slurring contemporary can drag
down to its own level. In looking’ over a back number
(out of curiosity) of the above contemporary, I saw a
letter written by one of the ‘‘Two Great Americans’ Ad-
mirers.’’ Said writer, as the letter said, lived at 8&8 E.
12th street. There is no such street in this city. Draw
your own. conclusions. 5

Let us hear from. Paul Raines and more of Jack Ready.
He’s all right. By the way, the gold watch I won nearly
three years ago in the Red, White and Blue Watch Con-
test, is still running and keeping excellent time. =

M. A. BROWN,
Rochester, N. Y.

We are glad that the watch has proved such a good
timekeeper. Mr. Standish will consider your suggestion.
Paul Raines seems to have been a favorite with a good
many of our readers.

 

We have also received a large number of other letters,
which we sincerely regret that lack of space alone pre-
vents us from publishing. Our most hearty thanks are due
the following: Constant Reader, Girardville, Pa.; Arthur
Knaus, Springfield, Mo.; Richard R., Rockford, Ill.; John
Preston and others, Bath, Me.; Ina Good, Toledo, O.;
W. C. Smith and others, Boonville, Mo.; Harry Craus,
Springfield, O.;: Canadian Reader, Galt, Cani; A. G., Mil-
waukee, Wis.; Harry Foster, Canton, N. B.; C. W. M.
Auburn, Me.; Arthur C. Hiefer, Chicago, Ill.; A, I,
Loranton, Pa.; H. B. M., Etna, Til.; Hy B. Hanson,
Portland, Me.; Burton Shorts, Buffalo; N. Y.; Peter Hagan,
Frankfort, N. Y.; W. G. Pratt, Alton Bay, N. Hi; W. Cud-
ney and others, Galt, Canada.; Reader, St. Thomas, Can-
ada; Floyd H., Adrian, Mich.;: F. S. Clovers, Bloomington,
Ill.; B. J. Willmering, St. Louis, Mo.; Langham Poneu,
Greenville, Mo.; Ed. Shoemaker and others, Lancaster,
Pa.; Guy B. Leindblom, Philadelphia, Pa.; Jesse Barlet,
Chicago, Ill.; Michael McAue, Hartford, Conn.; Ralph B.
West, North Swansea, Mass.; James Kutz; Los Angeles,
Cal.; Mary B. Hills, Cripple Creek, Col.; J._A. C., Chicago,
Til.; Anthony R. Pruett, Indianapolis, Ind.; Herbert F.
Mack and others, Burlington, Vt.; Bruno Heuer and others,
Quincy, Ill.; Charles Berryman, Leadville, Col.; Harry B.
Win, Fall River, Mass.; Will Strong and others, South
Bend, Ind.; Steady Reader, Johnstown, N. Y.;: Warl Me-
Cartney, Gloversville, . Y.;. Emmet Amundson, Cam-
bridge, Wis.; Ardent Admirer, Buffalo, N. Y.; Bart Hodge,
New Haven, Conn,; Arthur Hill and others, Los An-.
geles, Cal.; Harry Rattleton, Vevay, Ind.; George A.’
Ames, Lynn, Mass.; Merle B. Price, Fairbury, Neb.:

May Smith, Hume, Ill.; William Baker, New York City; . $s

Ardent Admirer, Little Rock, Ark.; Archie Ramsdell. A}-
bany, N. Y.; Rich Wawar2s and others, Terre Haute,
ind.; Wm. Thos, Selmer, Philadetpnta, @a.; A. S. Gard-
ner and others, Princeton, . J.; Joe Hook and others,
Urbana, Ill.; W Presdt, Chicago, Ill.; William Groke,

Glassport, Pa.; A Girl Reader, Clinton, Ind.; T. X. Clark

and others, New York City.

 

my ap-
preciation of it I inclose a few verses, which, if they are

 

 

 

 
 
Another bo STREET & SMITH’S
eader LATEST

“Comrades”

oyame| HIS new weekly library will be introduced to the public
més! on Wednesday, March 28th, 1900. It is bound to be
May) like all of Street & Smith’s lines, a sure winner from
the start. Tom Wright, the hero of Comrades, is a
bright boy who has decided to devote his life to the
service of “ King Steam” in-one of the great railroads of our
land. Rest assured he will reach fame and fortune on the
nk express. The life of an ambitious railroad man is full
of exciting incident, and Tom has his full share of adventures.
Through all of these, he will be found Wright by name, right
in word, right in deed, and a/ways right. ‘The many adventures
of Tom and his fiends will be followed with the deepest 1 interest
by all who are fortunate enough to read this new series of splen-
did stories. Tom will be surrounded by several ‘‘ comrades,”
who will join hands with him and stand by him in his various
enterprises.

MR. ROBERT STEEL is an author of wide experience in the field
covered by these stories, and we are certain his work will please
all who admire our well-known “Tip Top Weekly” and “ Do
and Dare Weekly,” to which “‘ Comrades ” will be a companion.

Street & Smith know just what the boys and girls of
America like best, and as announced in a previous card, propose
to render it possible for every boy and girl in the land to find
just what they want, and as great a variety as they desire in the
publications issued by them. ‘They cover all fields, and fill all
demands. All their lines are leaders.

Remember, No. 7 Comrades will be.on sale March 26th.

“Yom Wright on Jrial;
or, A Clear Jrack to Success.”
READ IT! PRICE 5c.

32 pages—illuminated cover—uniform in size and style with

Tip Top and®o and Dare.

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