"What do you mean? Speak plainly."
"You ought to know what I mean," said Bas...o...b.. doggedly, keeping his eyes on the floor. "It isn"t always the best trotter that wins a race."
"It will not be easy to beat Merriwell fairly."
"That"s right; but you are a fellow of nerve and brains, and you ought to be able to devise some scheme to get the best of him unfairly."
Rains stopped and stared at Bas...o...b.. his face showing that he was angrier than ever.
"Now your meaning is pretty plain," he said, slowly. "I will confess that I dislike Merriwell--that I would give almost anything to get the best of him; but I want you to understand, Hugh Bas...o...b.. that I am no sneak!"
Bas...o...b..still kept his eyes on the floor.
"Oh, what"s the use to get on your high horse, Rains!" he said, in his sullen way. "If you dislike Merriwell, as you pretend, and if you hope to down him at anything, you cannot be too much of a stickler for little things. Once get him to going down hill, and we can keep him going. I can help you start him."
Had Bas...o...b..taken more than a fleeting glance at Rains" face, he must have seen that the latter was regarding him with contempt.
"I suppose you have a scheme of your own?" Paul finally observed, in a questioning way.
"Sure."
"What is it?"
"Well, to begin with, I have pretty good proof that Merriwell was the originator and perpetrator of that crawfish joke on Mulloy and Dunnerwust."
"What of that?"
"I think that Lieutenant Gordan would be able to fasten it on Merriwell, if he knew what I know."
"That would mean certain expulsion for Merriwell."
"Of course. All three of the professors were so tangled up in that affair that the fellow would surely be fired, if the blame could be fastened upon him."
"What do you want of me?"
Bas...o...b..cleared his throat, twisted on, the stool, and hesitated.
Finally, he said:
"You may be able to devise some other means to get the best of the fellow; but, if you can"t, and you are ready to take hold of this, you may see him fired out of the academy, so he will no longer be in your way."
"What do you want of me?" repeated Rains, coldly and quietly.
"Well, you see--you understand--you know I came near getting into trouble once by trying to help Gage do Merriwell up. After that Gage was caught cheating at cards, and had to run away. Everybody knows I hate Merriwell, and they"d all think I blowed if anything came to Lieutenant Gordan"s ears. That"s why I don"t dare make a move. With you it is different."
"What do you want of me?" demanded Rains, the third time.
"I will give you the proofs, and you can carry them to Lieutenant Gordan, who will follow it up, and see that Merriwell is expelled. In that way, I will not get entangled, and no one will suspect you."
With one wide stride, Rains reached Bas...o...b.. caught him by the shoulders, and thrust him backward, thus forcing him to look up.
"You have insulted me!" came fiercely from Paul"s lips. "I am no sneak and informer! Did you think I would do the dirty trick you are too much of a coward to try? Well, you made a big mistake! I dislike Merriwell, but I am not ready to make myself contemptible in my own eyes by blowing on him."
Bas...o...b..put up his big hands and thrust Rains off.
"Whom are you calling a coward!" he snarled, as he got upon his feet.
"You!" shot back Paul. "You are a coward and a sneak!"
"Why, I"ll thrash you well!"
"No, you won"t!" cried Rains, flinging up one hand to stop the advance of the big plebe. "If you lay a hand on me, I will make known to the entire school the scheme you just proposed to me. The boys would tar and feather you."
Bas...o...b..stopped and showed his yellow teeth, while he trembled slightly with anger.
"So that"s your trick!" he said, growlingly.
"Yes, that"s my trick; and if you blow on Merriwell, I will play the card. You made a big mistake in taking me for a sneak just because I didn"t happen to like a fellow who is popular. Get out now, and don"t come round me again! I don"t belong to your cla.s.s, and I don"t want to have anything to do with you. Get!"
Bas...o...b..hesitated, longing to strike Rains, but not daring to do so.
Slowly he moved toward the door, where he paused to growl:
"This is all right! I will get square with you some time. If you blow on me, I will pound the life out of you!"
Then he went out
Rains had shown his manhood.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE RIVAL PROFESSORS.
Professor Jenks and Professor Scotch were rivals. Each admired and sought to win the affections of a widow of uncertain years, who lived in Fardale village.
For some years Professor Gunn"s two a.s.sistants had been very friendly, but Nancy Cobb, the widow spoken of, was the rock on which they split.
Their jealousy often caused them to completely forget their dignity, and they did things that made them utterly ridiculous in the eyes of all beholders.
As yet, neither had possessed nerve enough to propose to the widow, and so, wishing to make a sure catch, the elderly lady had clung to both, ready to jump at the first one who should offer himself.
The cause of the ill-will existing between the under professors was well known to the cadets at Fardale Academy, and had provided them with no small amount of sport.
Now it happened that Tad Jones, a village lad who was very well known to Frank Merriwell, was the nephew of the coquettish widow, and the widow made her home with Tad"s father and mother.
Tad was a lively youngster, who liked fun, and, in more ways than one, he was "a thorn in the flesh" unto his aunt.