The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-01-07
Frank MerriWelI ali FardaIe
! By GILBERT pArTEN The Original BURT l. srAmsH


wound through grove beyond the
hill. Jaws hard, hands sunk into
his pockets, he swung along with his
gaze on the brown road in front OF
him.
He scarcely noticed the barking
of dog until he heard a shrill ia
miliar boyish voice calling to him.
Then he saw them running toward
him, Tad Jones and another dog.
"By golly, Frank! BY golly,"
cried Tad as he came up, 81 never
spected to bump into you over
here" He was all steamed up, ex-
cited and laughing. LOCKER my
new dog, Frank. Amt he somethin'
slick? Just look at him, Frank"
Merriwell knelt down right there
and fondled the lively black Scottie
that responded as if he had found
long-lost brother.
"Oh, gosh, he'll git you all over
dirt, Frank" worried Tad.
"He's a grand dog. Just the right
dog for you, Tad"
"That's the kind Miss Inza said
he was, and she's always right, she
is-'cept when she let's that sneak
Hodge come sappin' round her."
said Tad. ''What she sees in him
has got me stumped."
Frank got up, brushing off the
dust left by the dogs paws. Were
you surprised when you got this
dog, Tad?" !.
"My stars, yes! That's why I call
him S'prise for his name. You see,
Miss Inza never tole me a thing
about it till she fetched him. Nd
he was awful hungry nd she had me
feed him first. ND she talked to
him md tole him he b'longed to me,
md by golly he knew just what she
said, for he just showed it that he
was my dog from that minute.
Don't you think she's swell,
Frank"
sob, sure" said Merry.
From behind him came the sound
of galloping horses. Turning, he
saw two riders come round curve
of the road, side by side. They
were very near and he recognized
them instantly. Bart Hodge and
INA Burrage!
Both wore riding toys, and, like
Bart, INA was mounted astride.
She rode beautifully and looked
well, simply great. Her cheeks were
flushed and she was laughing. A
| picture that would not be so easily
kept out of Frank Merriwell's
dreams.
It was a race, and they did not
see Frank and Tad until they were
sweeping by. Then INA cried:
"Hello, Tad! Oh, hello, Frank!"
And on they went, with puffs of dust
shooting up from the heels Of their
horses.
"By golly!" said Tad Jones, star
ing at Bart's back. 81 never 60 out
in the woods without gun that /
don't see somethin' I'd like to
shoot"
That brought a wry smile to
Franks face. ''Come on, old pal"
he said, ''let's walk it off, you and
and S'prise together"
The dog barked and cut circles
around their feet, eager to 60. This
was his happy day.
A raw wind from off the ocean
brought in the dun drift of clouds
late in the afternoon. Over Franks
head the night mail roared north
ward under a low and heavy CELL
ing before he got back to the school.
And there he found a cloud Of
gloom also, with much low moaning
and muffled sounds Of pain; for the
telephone had brought the incredi-
BILE news that Mayfield had licked
Fardale, IA to IL.
The school was stunned.
Never since the dark ages before
Fardale had employed a profession
al coach had little Mayfield High
been able to get within shooting dis
lance of the Musketeers in a foot
ball game. Never until this black
Saturday, on the morning of which
the odds that Fardale would win
again had been the sky against what
have you.
The first telephoned reports Of the