Frank saw he must resort to desperate measures. He secured a firm grip on the shoulder of the young Virginian, and, a moment later, gave a surge that caused them both to fall from their wheels.
Over and over they rolled, and then lay in a limp heap on the desert, where the earth was hot and baked and the sun beat down with a fierce parching heat.
Diamond was the first to stir, and he tried to scramble up, his one thought being to mount his wheel again and ride onward toward the shimmering lure.
Frank seemed to realize this, for he caught at his friend, grasped him and held him fast.
Then there was a furious struggle there on the desert, Diamond making a mad effort to break away, but being held by Frank, who would not let him go.
The eyes of both lads glared and their teeth were set. Frank tried to force Diamond down and hold him, but Jack had the strength of an insane person, and, time after time, he flung his would-be benefactor off.
The eyes of the young Virginian were red and bloodshot, while his lips were cracked and bleeding. His cap was gone, and his straight dark hair fell in a tousled ma.s.s over his forehead.
Occasionally muttered words came from Diamond"s lips, but the other was silent, seeming to realize that he must conquer the mad fellow by sheer strength alone.
So they fought on, their efforts growing weaker and weaker, gasping for breath. Seeing that fierce struggle, no one could have imagined they were anything but the most deadly enemies, battling for their very lives.
At last, after some minutes, Diamond"s fict.i.tious strength suddenly gave out, and then Frank handled and held him with ease. Merriwell pinned Jack down and held him there, while both remained motionless, gasping for breath and seeking to recover from their frightful exertions.
"You fool!" whispered the Virginian, bitterly. "What are you trying to do?"
"Trying to save your life, but you have given me a merry hustle for it," answered Frank.
"Save my life! Bah! Why have you stopped me when we were so near the lake."
"There is no lake."
"Are you blind? All of us could see the lake! It is near--very near!"
"I tell you, Jack, there is no lake."
"You lie!"
"You have been crazed by what you fancied was water. Some time you will ask my pardon for your words."
"You will ask my pardon for stopping me in this manner, Frank Merriwell! You did it because I was the first to discover the lake!
You were jealous! You did not wish me to reach it first! I know you!
You want to be the leader in everything."
"If you were not half crazy now, you would not utter such words, Jack."
"Oh, I know you--I know!"
Then Diamond"s tone and manner suddenly changed and he began to beg:
"Please let me up, Merry--please do! Oh, merciful heaven! I am perishing for a swallow of water! And it is so near! There is water enough for ten thousand men! And such beautiful trees, where the shadows are so cool--where this accursed sun can"t pour down on one"s head! Please let me up, Frank! I"ll do anything for you if you"ll only let me go to that lake!"
"Jack, dear old fellow, I am telling you the truth when I say there is no lake. There could be no lake here in this burning desert. It is an impossibility. If there were such a lake, the ones I asked about the water-holes would have told me."
"They did not know. I have seen it, and I know it is there."
Frank allowed his friend to sit up.
"Look, Jack," he said; "where is your lake?"
Jack looked away to the south, the east, the north, and then toward the west, where lay the mountains.
There was no lake in sight.
CHAPTER II.
ON TO THE MOUNTAINS.
"Where--where has it gone?" slowly and painfully asked Diamond. "I am sure I saw it--sure! The lake, the trees, all gone!"
"I told you there was no lake."
"Then--then it must have been a mirage!"
"That is exactly what it was."
With a deep groan of despair Diamond fell back limply on the sand, as if the last bit of strength and hope had gone from him.
"This ends it!" he gasped. "What"s the use of struggling any more! We may as well give up right here and die!"
"Not much!" cried Merriwell, with attempted cheerfulness. "That is why I ran you down and dragged you from your wheel."
"What do you mean?"
"I knew the mirage might lure you on and on into the desert, seeming to flee before you, till at last it would vanish in a mocking manner, and you, utterly exhausted and spirit-broken, would lie down and die without another effort."
Jack was silent a few moments.
"And you did all this for me?" he finally asked. "You pursued and pulled me from my wheel to--to save me?"
"Yes."
Another brief silence.
"Frank."
"Well, Jack?"
"I was mad."