“why don’t you finish the year at fardale, chip?”
billy mac was distinctly worried. so was owen clancy.
“i’m sure i don’t know,” returned frank, with a frown. “dad only hinted that he and i might go west. looked as though uncle dick was mixed up in it, too, but i couldn’t get him to say anything definite.”
“looks bad for fardale if you have to leave,” remarked clancy. “we’ll lick the spots off franklin on monday, anyhow. with ted crockett going away, too, the team will be all bust up for sure.”
“i s’pose there’ll be a new captain elected,” said billy slyly.
“that’s right!” exclaimed chip.
“i guess there’s only one fellow going to nab that honor, chip.”
“who?” inquired frank. “randall would be a mighty good man, and i’d like to see him get it——”
“you old humbug!” cried clancy. “you’re it, of course! why, chip, if you didn’t get it i’d never set foot on the diamond again!” he broke[146] off abruptly as he stubbed his toe. “why don’t you get some light in your blamed old burg, billy?”
“we’ve got shining lights right now if you’d only take your hat off,” grinned billy mac. “but clan is right, chip. captain chip, i should say!”
“nonsense!” said merry. “of course, i won’t say that i wouldn’t appreciate the honor, fellows, but i think that randall is the one for the place. besides, remember, dad talked as if he and i would go away. i sure hope it won’t come true.”
he paused suddenly, for he had detected a dark figure lurking against a wall ahead of them.
“do you ever have holdups here, billy?” he went on, in a low voice. “looks as if that fellow was waiting for a belated traveling man, eh?”
“no danger,” scoffed billy mac, after a glance at the hulking figure, which remained by the wall in shadow. “this isn’t a particularly good residence section, but the constable keeps things pretty clean around here. no, i sure hope you won’t leave——”
he was interrupted as the lurking figure slouched out and barred their path. chip took a keen look, but did not recognize the man at once, for it was dark, and the fellow’s hat was pulled down over his eyes. something about the figure suggested bully carson to him, but he dismissed the swift suspicion that flashed over him.
[147]
“where ye goin’?” demanded the fellow, in an obviously disguised voice.
“that’s our business,” flashed merry. “get out of the way.”
the figure lunged forward with a swift blow. so rapidly was it done that before frank could dodge he felt the man’s fist strike his breast, flinging him violently back against clancy. at the same instant the eager voice of carson rose in a low cry:
“we got ’em, boys! come along!”
out from an adjacent doorway poured a group of dark shapes, while carson flung himself forward with another blow at merriwell. before it landed, however, chip had recovered himself, and he realized the situation in a flash. darting under the big fellow’s lunge, he snapped in a blow that caught carson full in the mouth and jarred him to an abrupt stop.
“against the wall, fellows!” he cried quickly. “we’ll have to fight them off!”
“it’s carson’s gang,” exclaimed billy, as he and clancy ranged up beside chip.
“you bet it is,” responded a voice, and the dark figures closed in on them.
it seemed that there was no hope for the three friends, as the crowd rushed in at them with furious blows. chip, however, had hastily pushed back into an angle formed by the union of two[148] house walls, where it was difficult for the clippers to get at them.
this fact, together with the darkness, rendered the odds somewhat more even. carson’s followers were confused by merry’s quick move, and when they came shoving forward in a mass clancy stepped out and let fly with his fists.
“look out!” cried ironton, trying to get back. “they’ve got clubs, boys! watch out for ’em!”
“quit your crowding,” exclaimed bully carson, to those behind.
he was flung forward, however, and merry’s fist cracked into his right optic. unable to see what had hit him, he staggered back with a howl.
“look out fer sledge hammers!” he cried. “they got some bricks—get back, you fellers!”
merry was smiling slightly—that old, self-confident smile which spelled danger had the clippers but seen it. before carson could retreat, chip stepped out and followed up his first blow with two swift punches from right and left. the big fellow was sent reeling back headlong into his own men.
meanwhile, clancy and billy mac had not been idle. taking advantage of their opponents’ momentary confusion, they had immediately carried the battle into the enemy’s camp. every head was that of a foe, and they struck out with amazing carelessness as to whether they hurt any one.
[149]
taken by surprise at these bewildering tactics, the clippers tried to shove back from the niche in the wall. their numbers were against them, however. those behind were still trying to get into the conflict, and the two or three in the front rank were getting all the benefit of the three friends’ flying fists.
a fragment of rock crashed against the wall behind frank. flaming with anger at the whole cowardly attack, he leaped forward with a cry to clancy and billy. carson met him with an angry bellow.
the big fellow lacked all science, however. already smarting under his punishment, his attack was futile. merry’s fists beat a tattoo on his heavy face, while his own vicious blows merely beat the air. once again chip’s knuckles landed against his puffing eye, and he measured his length in the dust.
one of the clippers had hurled a rock at clancy, which had struck the red-haired chap on the shoulder and staggered him. he recovered instantly, however, and as carson went down the three leaped forward, carrying the fight back into the street.
ironton went reeling away, clasping his stomach where billy’s fist had located his solar plexus. clancy floored murray, while chip sent another of the assailants staggering. how the battle would have ended was doubtful, had not bully[150] carson scrambled to his feet at this juncture and promptly started for home.
already demoralized by their failure to carry the three friends off their feet at the first rush, the clippers lost any further desire for combat on seeing their leader streaking his way into the darkness.
hardly had his flying figure disappeared when the others broke. they attempted no retaliation for the blows they had received, but simply melted off into the night and vanished. billy mcquade would have pursued, but chip seized his arm and dragged him back.
“hold on,” he panted, with a laugh. “we can be mighty glad they’ve decided to go, billy. no use getting after them, or they might change their minds.”
“bring ’em on!” cried clancy vigorously. “hoop-a-la! i’m just getting ready to scrap, chip!”
“who were they?” asked frank, getting billy calmed down. “was it carson and the clippers?”
“didn’t you recognize bully’s voice? sure it was.”
“here’s a job for the town constable, then,” said clan energetically. “chip, if this wasn’t a cowardly, no-account, low-down assault, then i’ll eat my hat!”
“eat this one instead,” laughed frank. he[151] picked up a soft felt hat which lay on the ground at his side.
billy struck a match. the hat bore a violent scarlet band, and on the sweatband inside were stamped the letters “e. t. c.”
“who does that stand for?” asked chip.
“bully carson,” spoke up billy promptly. “edward t., otherwise bully. say, fellows, i guess we can land that bunch in the lockup, hey? there must ’a’ been six or eight of ’em, and with this for evidence we can maybe jail the whole bunch.”
“seemed to be more like a dozen,” said clancy.
merry laughed.
“come along, you two fire eaters. billy’s right, for i counted six.”
“you were cooler than i was, then,” commented clancy. “shall we go wake up the constable, old man? there’s no doubt about our being able to——”
frank shook his head.
“i think they’ve had enough punishment, to judge by the way they acted. let it go, fellows. you aren’t hurt?”
“nary scratch,” said clancy. “somebody hit me with a brick, but it struck my shoulder and didn’t hurt. of course, if you think it’s better not to prosecute ’em, i’m agreeable. but i’d like to see that cuss carson do time for this business.”
[152]
frank nodded. he knew exactly how his chum felt in the matter, but the clippers had received fair punishment, and their attack had failed. when he went on to state that by prosecuting carson they would be detained in town, the others agreed instantly.
“sure,” said billy. “we couldn’t afford to miss that franklin game. i wish you two obstinate mules wouldn’t go to the hotel, though.”
“we’ll let your mother get a little sleep,” said clancy. “she got a bang-up supper after the game, and it wouldn’t be fair to impose on her, billy. i’ll take you back to-morrow in the hornet, if you’ll sit on the running board.”
“you bet i will! just the same, i wish we were goin’ back to-night,” added billy, with a worried note in his voice. “the carsons are down on you because you helped me, chip, and they never overlook an injury.”
“i don’t think bully will overlook anything for a day or two,” said frank. “i landed on his right eye twice, anyhow. nonsense, billy! he’s tried for a cowardly revenge and he’s failed, and that closes up the incident. we’ll get back to fardale to-morrow night if your mother doesn’t kill us with that chicken dinner she promised for to-morrow.”
“yum!” and clancy smacked his lips. “billy, don’t say anything more about our going back to-night, or i’ll assassinate you! wow! your[153] mother’s chicken dinners certainly do hit me in the right spot!”
“all right,” retorted billy mac. “but i’d bet you fifteen thousand dollars and a half that we hear from that crowd again!”
merry flung the initialed hat into the street, and they went on their way. none of the three observed a shadowy form that followed them at a little distance, as if spying on their movements.
