The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-10-29
CHAPTER 1

his half-smoked cigarette to the
floor. Letting his feet down from
the leather-covered seat before him,
he Strengthened up and gazed dis
tastefully through the car window
at the frame houses of the small
town the train was pulling into.
Then he lifted his hand to attract
the brakeman's attention.
"Hey, you'll" he called. Come
here and take my bag"
It wasn't a request; it was an
imperious command. But maybe
the man was deaf. At any rate, he
turned away and disappeared on
the car platform.
Flushing with annoyance, Hodge
picked up his handsome leather
travelling bag and carried it himself
as he followed two or three other
passengers who were moving to-
ward the door.
"Bum service on this dirty old
train," he muttered. "No Pullman,
no porters, nothing but dirt and dis
comfort. And look at this jerk-wa-
ter town I'm being dumped into!
What placed"
Descending to the station platform
he nearly fell over small, shaggy
mongrel dog that ran awkwardly
against his ankles. Quick as flash,
he gave the dog kick that bowled
it over, yelping with pain. Scram-
bling up, the animal took refuge be-
hind small, shabby boy who was
offering peanuts and popped corn
for sale.
eli, there!" cried the boy.
"That's my dog! What'd you kick
him for?" He stepped forward and
faced Hodge Indignantly.
s'Keep your NANCY old pooch out
from under peoples feet, runt," adj
vised Bart. "He almost tripped me
up"
"But he's blind in one eye md
didn't see yer. He wouldn't hurt
nobody, Shag wouldn't. ] think
you're big bum
'Oh, is that SOP"
A back-handed slap sent the
owner of the dog Keeling. Bags of
peanuts and popped corn, flying
from his basket, were scattered
over the platform. e-
A hand gripped Hodge by the
shoulder and swung him round face
to face with another boy about his
own age. Neither appeared to be
more than sixteen.
''Now that was nice thing to do,
wasn't it?" said the one who had
jerked Bart round.
His voice was scornful, his eyes
contemptuous. He had just de-
scended to the platform from the
steps of a car next to the smoker,
and his travelling bag lay at his
feet, where he had dropped it. He
was a good-looking lad in manly,
wholesome way Not quite as heavy
as Bart Hodge, but fully as tall,
he was poised lightly on his feet
as if ready for anything. And he
was not withered in the least by
Bart's glare of wrath.
For a moment Hodge was speech
less. His teeth had snapped togeth-
er behind the slightly parted lips of
his petulant, willful mouth-the
mouth of a fellow of unreasonable
impulses and quick to take offense;
a fellow who could carry grudge
and seek to get even for sights or
injuries. A vain fellow who wore a
signet ring, a handsome wrist
watch, and clothes extravagant OF
pattern and extreme in cut.
you'd better keep your hands off
me-" said Bart after tense pause.
"And you'd better keep your
hands off that boy you just slapped"
was the calm but grim reply. II
don't like to see dogs kicked or
small boys knocked around"
"Oh, you must belong to the S. P.
C. A." sneered Hodge. whats
your name, anyhow"
"What difference does it make?
But / don't mind telling you. It's
Frank Merriwell."
''I'n just jot that down mentally
for future reference. I noticed you
on the train, and I've a notion
you're on your way to Fardale acad-
envy"
cts good guess"
"Well, I am too, and I'll be see
ing you later, Mr.. Merriwell. I'll
be seeing you'll"
An odd smile f1ickered across
Frank Merriwell's face. SIS that
promise?" he said.
"You can take it any way you
want to- replied Hodge holly. 81
don't forget people who NEEDLE with
my business.
s'Then I'll make you promise"
Frank retorted. eff it's your bust
ness to kick dogs and cuff small
boys I'll be meddler every time !
catch you at it"
For a moment it seemed that
Bart Hodge was going to drop his
bag and pitch into Merriwen then
and there. But, never letting his
gaze waver for an instant before
Bart's wrathful glare, Merriwen re-
manned lightly poised, ready and
steady. The tension broke sudden