The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-11-19
CHAPTER II-Continued


Burrage! The name gave Frank a
little shock. Barney had told him,
he recalled, that Inza Burrage had
a brother in the school.
Hodge let it sink in before he
added: "Bascomb's big shot on
the football team. We were in high
school together. Waits sister, be-
ieve you've seen her-ixed it up
for him to show me around. He's
a swell guy"
He was enjoying himself nightly,
for he felt that he was rubbing it in.
That was something he always
found pleasure in doing.
Mulloy's face was the color of a
beet. He bit his tongue to make it
behave.
"You're lucky to have such
friends here" said Merry.
care you telling mel" Bart's
smile became a grin. "It puts me
in right. They showed me all over
the place, and it's some school, take
it from me. I've tried couple
others, but know I'm going to
like it here"
"But you didn't like the others?"
"They were punk. This ones fine.
That's why it's damned to over
flowing" Then Hodge numbered
his heavy gun. "Burrage says a
lot of late applicants were turned
down simply because there was no
room for them in the dorms and
the classes were stretched to the
limit"
Barney swallowed uneasily. 1t
didn't sound good for him.
He said: "But if it's crowded,
me lad, where will they put us?"
ooh, your" said Bart malicious
". IT should worry. But I've been
to see the dean, and he says he'll
slip me in somewhere. You see,
he received few letters about me,
signed by persons of importance.
They settled it."
The Irish boy shot Merriwen a
glance and wondered at his undis-
turbed aspect. Hodge seemed to be
wasting his ammunition, as far as
Frank was concerned.
This was something Bart noticed
himself, and it irritated him. He
decided to let 60 a full battery
broadside.
''The fact is, Irish," he said with
a sheer, 81 guess both you and
Merriwell are going to find your
selves on the outside looking in. OF
course that's going to make me feel
simply terrible"
He was laughing insolently now,
and Barney quickly thrust his
hands into his pockets to make it
little more difficult for them to fly
around carelessly.
Franks level gaze was fixed
steadily on the knocking face OF
his enemy. He smiled just a trifie,
but it was a smile of faint scorn
and silent pity. Words could not
have cut Hodge so much. He blew
up. Swapping his fingers under Mer-
RVS nose, he barked:
"You put yourself in Dutch when
you insulted INA Burrage last
night, Merriwell. That queered you
with her, and I'd knocked your
block off if she hadn't stopped me.
But she was right; you're too cheap
to notice. Still if you want to pick
it up"
"You know / won't pick it up
here, Hodge," said Frank. Were
where anybody around the academy
can see us, and Mulloy is with me.
You'd like to have me lose my
head and make a pass at you, for
then you could claim attacked
you-with Barney backing me up.
Two to one against you. Not so
good for me-"
saw, you'd crawl anywhere.
You're a big four-husher, Merri-
well. You make big bluff when
you feel sure you won't be called"
Bart got control of himself,
shrugged his square shoulders, and
glanced quickly at his wrist watch
as if he had just thought of some
thing.
1--WE been wasting time on you
two punks," he said, when I've
got heavy date and am late al
ready" He half turned away and
then swung back again. You'll no