Frank Merriwell's Champions Part 22

"How does it happen that I find you here?" he asked.

"Capt. Barnaby is one of father's old sailor friends. He has told father many times that I could have a home with him, and at last, when I was tired of going to sea, father sent me here. Here I met Kate Spencer.

Mrs. Barnaby is her own aunt."

"And you are not going to sea any more?"

"No; I am tired of it. I have tried to induce father to leave the sea and settle down, but he always says: 'After one more voyage.' I'm afraid he'll never give it up. He was rich once, you know, but he put all his money in s.h.i.+ps, and his s.h.i.+ps met with bad fortune, so he lost everything. It is his dream to wrest fortune from the sea once more."

"I am glad you are going to sea no more, for now I shall know where to find you, and you will receive all my letters."

"Oh, Frank!" she murmured; "I believe you are braver and n.o.bler than you used to be-if possible."

"And you, Elsie-why, I didn't dream you could become prettier than you were, but you have!"

Light-hearted, whistling on his way, Frank returned to the hotel at Blue Cove.

Kent Spencer, who was seated in a bamboo chair on the veranda, smiled on him as he approached.

"Well, Mr. Merriwell," he called, "I should say by your face that you have found the friend I told you about?"

Frank laughed and nodded, blus.h.i.+ng a bit.

"You are right," he confessed; "and it was the surprise of my life. But it was lucky I went over, for I was just in time to protect her from Rolf Harlow. By the way, have you seen Harlow within a short time?"

"I have," nodded Spencer; "and I rather fancy I know the spy you saw with him. Something had happened to Harlow when he showed up at the hotel a short time ago, for his clothes were very wet, and he looked wretched and disgusted. A fellow by the name of Berlin Radford was with him."

Frank laughed heartily.

"I'll tell you what happened to Harlow," he said, and then proceeded to describe the fight, and the climax when Mrs. Barnaby struck Rolf over the head with the basket of eggs.

Spencer joined in Frank's merriment.

"He had washed the broken eggs from his clothes, and that is why they were so wet," declared Kent.

"Where are those fellows now?"

"They're gone."

"Gone? Where?"

"I don't know where, but they ordered a carriage as soon as they reached the hotel, and it did not take them long to pack up and get out. I am inclined to think they are gone for good."

"Which may prove a lucky thing for them."

"I rather fancy so, as I should have called Radford to account for annoying my sister. Wasn't he the spy you caught?"

"He was," nodded Frank.

"I fancied as much when I saw him with Harlow. You have done Blue Cove Academy a great service to-day, Mr. Merriwell. We did not suspect Harlow. As for Radford, he has been here but a few days. It must be that he is a member of the Alexandria Athletic Club, although we did not know it. I didn't think those fellows up there would resort to such low tricks; but they are bound to beat us this year and win back the t.i.tle of champions, which they lost last year. They have money, and I understand they are betting heavily that they will win."

"I hope you will let our crew into this race," said Frank. "It will add to the sport, even if you row Alexandria, which I think you had better do."

"I will see that a meeting of the a.s.sociation is called immediately, and the matter shall be considered. I am for taking you in. If Alexandria kicks, let them stay out."

Frank expressed his satisfaction if such arrangement could be made, and then went up to his room.

An hour later, the others of the Yale Combine arrived at the hotel, Diamond in the lead, and Hans Dunnerwust bringing up the rear, as usual.

At least a dozen of the Blue Cove Academy boys were on hand to greet the young bicyclists, who gave a cheer when they saw Frank come out of the hotel.

"Hurro!" shouted Barney. "Here we are Frankie, me b'y!"

"Yaw!" cried Hans; "here you vos, Vrankie, mein poy! You peen glat to seen us, ain't id?"

"Gol darn my punkins!" drawled Ephraim Gallup; "but this here is a slick place, I snum!"

"Diamond tells us there is a chance for some sport here," said Rattleton. "That's what we're looking for, you bet!"

Bruce groaned.

"I'm looking for quinine, blankets, hot water, pepper tea, any old thing to warm me up!" he said. "I feel another of those confounded Arkansas chills coming on."

Then Frank introduced his friends to Kent Spencer, and there followed a general case of introducing. The Blue Cove lads seemed a rather pleasant set of fellows, reminding Frank and his friends of the Lake Lily boys.

Browning did not stop for introductions, but hustled into the hotel, and lost no time in beginning the battle to ward off a chill. Browning's chills were unpleasant for him, but they were the subject of much joking on the part of his comrades.

Frank had been certain that the boys would be hungry when they arrived, and he had ordered a square meal served for them all, so that the table was ready for them shortly after they appeared and washed up in their rooms.

Browning was on the bed, covered with quilts and blankets, which he had pilfered from the beds of the other fellows, gulping down quinine in huge doses and groaning dismally.

"Aren't you coming down to get something to eat, old fellow?" asked Hodge.

"Oh, yes, I'm cuc-cuc-cuc-coming down to eat!" chattered Bruce, sarcastically. "I'd enjoy eating, wouldn't I?"

"We'll have something good," grinned Rattleton. "We'll have posen frudding-I mean frozen pudding."

"Boo!" gasped the big fellow. "Dud-dud-don't speak of it!"

"And ice cream-good, cold ice cream."

"Gug-gug-get out bub-bub-bub-before I tut-tut-throw you out!" roared Browning, in exasperation. "You are tut-tut-taking your life in your hand when you cuc-cuc-come around me talking about ice cuc-cuc-cuc-- Confound it! get out!"

Then the laughing lads left him alone in his misery.

It was a jolly meal in the cool dining-room of the little hotel. The boys cracked jokes, told stories, laughed and enjoyed themselves fully.

In the midst of it all, Browning stalked into the room, bundled to his ears in blankets.