That night, immediately after supper, Rupert Reynolds appeared at the door of Frank"s tent.
"Mr. Merriwell," said Reynolds, stiffly, "I am here in the interest of my friend, Mr. Bas...o...b.."
"I presumed as much," came quietly from Frank"s lips.
"You have openly insulted Mr. Bas...o...b.. and he demands an immediate apology."
Frank whistled.
"Is that all?" he exclaimed, with a queer twist of his face and a twinkle in his eyes.
"You will find this a very serious matter, sir," said Reynolds, with an a.s.sumption of great dignity.
"Mr. Bas...o...b..may also find it serious."
"Will you apologize?"
"You may tell Mr. Bas...o...b..that I will apologize to him when he is man enough to apologize to Fred Davis, and publicly acknowledge that he treated the little plebe in an unmanly and bullying manner."
Reynolds made a scornful gesture.
"Mr. Bas...o...b..will not do anything of the kind!"
"Very well; I shall not apologize to him."
"Then you must fight him."
"I will do so with the greatest of pleasure."
"Oh, you won"t find much fun in it," sneered Reynolds. "It isn"t going to be that kind of a fight. Bas...o...b..is thirsting for your life. It was with the greatest difficulty I persuaded him not to challenge you to fight a duel with deadly weapons. He said he would take satisfaction in meeting you in an affair of honor where he could run a blade through your body or perforate you with a bullet."
Frank whistled again.
"Why, he has become very courageous since he took to bullying boys! He is really bloodthirsty."
"He is determined to square accounts with you, sir. He says you have been boning military at his expense for some time, just to show your authority."
"Which he knows is absolutely false," Frank flashed back. "I have reprimanded him when compelled to do so by his utter disregard of what is right."
"That may be your opinion; Mr. Bas...o...b..thinks differently. He demands that this fight take place without delay."
"The sooner the better."
"What do you say to making the time immediately after dark?"
"I am agreeable."
"As Lieutenant Gordan has been watching the old boathouse of late, it will be necessary to have the fight take place elsewhere."
"All right."
"It may be stopped if it is anywhere in this vicinity."
"Yes."
"Black Bluff is but a mile away."
"That"s all."
"Why not go there?"
"The place is satisfactory to me."
"Then it is settled. Be on hand with your second as soon as possible after dark."
"I will."
Reynolds walked away with his head held very high and his neck very stiff.
Of course, the boys had been expecting Frank would receive a challenge, and no small number had been watching the two lads. Immediately on Rupert"s departure, Frank"s friends came swarming around him, asking scores of questions.
"Pwhat did th" b"y want wid yez, Frankie?" asked Barney Mulloy, eagerly.
"Oh, not much," smiled Frank, who did not believe in letting the entire gathering know exactly what had happened and what was going to take place. "He informed me that Bas...o...b..demands an apology. Of course, I did not apologize, which may lead Bas...o...b..to challenge me."
"An" he didn"t challenge yez alridy? Wurra! wurra! Oi thought there moight be a foight on hand, so Oi did."
"Dot"s vot"s der madder mit me," sighed Hans Dunnerwust, in disappointment. "It vos peen so long alretty yet since I haf seen a sc.r.a.p dot I don"d know vot it vos."
"G"wan wid yez, Dutch!" cried Barney, who was in ill-humor on account of the failure--as he supposed--of Bas...o...b..to challenge Merriwell.
"Thot Yankee from Vermont called yez a balloony sausage t"-day, an" ye nivver did a thing. Av ye wur dying fer a foight, ye"d challenge him.
Ye"re th" biggest coward on th" face av th" earth. Ye give me distriss!"
"Vos dot so!" retorted Hans. "Don"d you pelieve me! Vos id my blace to fight mit a blebe?"
"Of course it is yer place, ye ignoramus."
"Vell, I didn"t know dot. Maype I fight him some dime pime-py right avay soon alretty yet."
"Oh, no ye won"t."
"Von"t I?"
"No, ye won"t dare, ye Dutch coward. Av ye had a bit av s.p.u.n.k in yer body, ye"d challenge him to wance."
"Vell, you pet me my boots I don"d vos a coward," declared Hans, emphatically. "I"ll vight dot feller!"
"Thot"s th" shtuff, me b"y!" cried the delighted Barney. "Let me take th" challenge."