It seemed that the battle between the wrestling lads became fiercer and fiercer, but at last Jack secured a sudden advantage, and Merriwell went down heavily.
"Bah!" Fred Flemming was heard to say. "Those fellows remind me of two awkward cubs. Neither knows the rudiments of scientific wrestling."
One leap brought Frank Merriwell to his feet, another leap carried him before Flemming, who was turning away.
"Wait a moment, sir," said Frank, his voice cold, clear and distinct. "I believe you consider yourself something of a wrestler, Flemming?"
Merriwell had appeared before him so suddenly that Fred started back involuntarily. Then, angry with himself at the recoil, his lips curled scornfully, and he surveyed the other lad in the most haughty and insolent manner.
"Get out of my way!" he cried, harshly. "I will not be bothered by you!"
The same old smile--the smile that was so dangerous--crept over Merriwell"s face.
"You think you will not be bothered by me," he said, his voice smooth and soft, "but you deceive yourself. You have taken a fancy to bother me, to revile me behind my back, even to make false statements concerning me, for you have said that I sought your position on the crew and obtained it by underhand means. In the presence of these witnesses you have stated that I am a most bungling wrestler. That is something you cannot deny."
"I do not wish to deny it. You are not a wrestler--you know nothing of the art."
"And you claim to be a wrestler?"
"Yes, I can wrestle."
"Then, here and now, I challenge you to wrestle me at side-holds, catch-as-you-can and arm"s end, the winner of two out of three falls to be acknowledged the best man, and Hugh Heffiner to be the judge. If you refuse to wrestle, I will brand you as a blower and a braggart--a fellow not fit to be accepted in the society of gentlemen. Your answer, Flemming--your answer!"
CHAPTER XIII.
THE WRESTLING MATCH.
Flemming turned pale and trembled with suppressed pa.s.sion, while his hands were clinched, and he glared at Merriwell as if he longed to strike the lad who had dared face him and fling such an insulting challenge in his teeth.
He tried to speak, but the words were choked back in his throat. He felt that Merriwell was seeking retaliation, and, for that reason, had purposely worded his challenge in a manner calculated to cut him deeply.
"Shame!" came from the lips of Tom Thornton.
Still the lad who had given the challenge smiled.
"I am meeting Mr. Flemming as he would meet me," said Frank, calmly. "I am using the sort of language he would not hesitate to apply to me. Of course I feel that I am lowering myself in doing so, but it is absolutely necessary in some cases to place one"s self on the level of an unscrupulous enemy in order to meet and defeat him."
All this was said with coolness and distinctness, and it was as if Frank were deliberately sinking the knife deeper in Flemming"s writhing body.
It seemed to be more than Flemming could endure, for he lost control of himself, and would have leaped toward Frank.
"You insolent hound!" he cried, through his set teeth.
Merriwell stood with his hands at his side, making no move, but he saw that Flemming"s friends had grasped him and were holding him in check.
"Steady, Flem, my boy!" fluttered Thornton. "Remember where you are!"
"I will strangle him."
"Wait! You can"t do it here!"
"Let me go!"
"Thornton is right," declared Andy Emery, who had placed himself between the two foes. "You cannot fight him here, old man."
"Then fix it so I can fight him somewhere--anywhere! I could murder him!"
"You will have to wrestle him."
"Yes," said Thornton, "you will have to do that, Fred, or his friends will believe you are afraid."
"Then I will wrestle him--and I will break his back!"
"You must calm down before you attempt it, and you must promise to wrestle fairly according to rules."
"That will give me no chance to get square for this insult."
"You can show your superiority by throwing him, which you will do, as you are an expert wrestler, and, for all of the other things he does so well, no one ever heard that Merriwell could wrestle. Then, the next time you meet him outside college bounds, you can force him to apologize."
Emery nodded.
"Thornton is right, Flemming," he said.
Then, with a mighty effort, Fred seemed to gain control of his anger, and he calmly said:
"All right, I will wrestle him, but I shall not be gentle with him, although I promise not to foul him."
"Be as rough as you choose, as long as you keep within bounds."
Then it was that Frank Merriwell was heard saying to the friends who had gathered around him:
"It may seem that I have opened myself to criticism by my manner in challenging this person, but I call you all to witness that he was the first to be insulting by his manner of criticising the friendly bout between Mr. Diamond and myself. That, however, was not the beginning.
Had not Flemming given me other cause, I should not have challenged him in such a manner. I have sought neither his friendship nor his enmity, but he has seen fit to regard me as an enemy. I can honor an honest foe who meets me man to man, but not one who takes a mean advantage of me.
On my head I now bear a bruise where I was felled by a heavy cane in the hands of one of Flemming"s friends, when he with five companions set upon Diamond and myself. I always endeavor to square all my accounts with friends and foes, and I shall balance the books with Flemming."
Fred forced a scornful laugh.
"A very fine speech!" he cried. "I a.s.sure you, Merriwell, you shall have the opportunity to square matters. I could wish something somewhat more businesslike than a mere wrestling match, but that may come later--if you have as much nerve as you wish persons to think you possess. To begin with, I"ll show you that I spoke the truth when I said you know nothing of the art of wrestling. I am satisfied to have Hugh Heffiner for judge and referee."
Merriwell had chosen Heffiner because he knew Hugh was a square man, and they were not at all chummy, so he could not be accused of having selected a person who would favor him. Heffiner was in the gymnasium, and had been attracted by the struggle between Merriwell and Diamond, so he had overheard all that pa.s.sed between Frank and Fred.
Diamond was standing at one side, his arms folded, a look of satisfaction on his face. For all of Flemming"s reputation as a wrestler, Diamond felt sure that Merriwell was making no false moves. He knew Frank too well to think he would deliberately challenge his enemy to wrestle without feeling certain of his own ability to accomplish his defeat.
Flemming was eager for the struggle, while Merriwell was calm and deliberate in his movements. Flemming"s friends gathered about him, giving him advice.