The horrors of the night he had spent alone in the woods overcame Bas...o...b..so that he was quite prostrated, having to remain in hospital several days, and barely escaping a fever.
But he was very happy to know that Frank still lived, and this happiness led to his quick recovery.
As for Frank, although Bas...o...b..had played a most contemptible trick on him in flinging the red pepper in his eyes, he knew the bully had been punished quite enough, and he decided to let the matter drop. As it was, there were many other matters to claim his attention, some of which will be related in the next volume of this series, ent.i.tled: "Frank Merriwell"s Foes."
The report of Davis" exploit in rescuing Bas...o...b..became generally known, and, instead of being called a coward, Fred was regarded as something of a hero. The boys thought him peculiar, but there were not a few who came to uphold him in refusing to fight when he had given his mother his word that he would do nothing of the kind.
From the time that he dragged Bas...o...b..out of the river he had very little trouble in the school, and there were ever dozens of champions ready to fight his battles when he did find it necessary to fight.
But Frank had been first to defend the little fellow, and there never came a time when Fred did not think Frank the n.o.blest and bravest lad in all the world.