CHAPTER X--THE YALE COMBINE
"This is as good a place as we can find to do the business," declaredDiamond. "And the first business is to appoint a temporary chairman, whowill call the meeting to order."
"I nominate Mr. Diamond," smiled Frank.
Without loss of time, Jack was appointed temporary chairman, and hebrought the meeting to order, compelling Bruce to sit up and payattention to the business in hand, which caused the lazy fellow togrumble somewhat.
"Gentlemen," said Jack, "the first business before this meeting is toappoint a president and permanent chairman. How shall he be appointed,by hand-vote or written ballot?"
"I brobose he vos abbointed by acclimatation," put in Hans, which causedthe boys to laugh.
It was decided to nominate a candidate and elect him by show of hands.Rattleton nominated Frank Merriwell for the office of president andpermanent chairman, and the question was quickly put.
With the exception of Frank, every boy present held up both hands.
"Mr. Merriwell is elected," said Jack, soberly, "and I now surrender thechair to him."
Frank made a little speech, expressing his thanks, and then asked theviews of the boys as to the proper name for the club. Several names weresuggested, in all of which Frank's name was included. He was notsatisfied with any of them.
"What do you think would be a good name?" asked Hodge.
"Well, we have come across the continent representing Yale, and I don'tsee why we shouldn't go back carrying the Yale banner to victorywherever we can. Four of us are from Yale, and Hodge contemplatesentering the college, while Toots has worn a Yale sweater during ourtour. That leaves Ephraim, Barney and Hans. I wonder if they object tothe use of the word Yale in the name of our club?"
"Gosh, no."
"Nivver a bit av it."
"Vot you took us for?"
"Then that point is settled. Of course we have no authority from Yale touse the name, but if we give a good account of ourselves in the contestsin which we may participate, I hardly think that need trouble us. Ipropose the name, 'The Yale Combine.' How does that strike you?"
"Good!" cried Rattleton, with enthusiasm.
"Good! good!" echoed the others.
"Is it your pleasure that our club be called the Yale Combine?"
"Yes! yes! yes!"
"Then I declare that name formally adopted. Now I wish some assistantofficers--a vice, a secretary and a treasurer. How shall they beelected?"
"I motion they be elected by written ballot," proposed Hodge.
"Sicond th' motion," said Barney, promptly.
"The motion is made and seconded that the assistant officers be electedby written ballot. If that be your minds make it manifest by a show ofhands."
Up went the hands of all.
"It is a vote. Please prepare your ballots for vice."
"Hold on a jiffy, Mr. President," said Ephraim, awkwardly, grinning alittle. "I want to wag my jaw a bit before we begin tew vote."
"Mr. Gallup may speak."
"I ain't got much tew say; but it kinder seems tew me that as long asthis is ter be called the Yale Combine it's jest abaout the right thingthat the officers should all be fellers who b'long ter Yale Collige.That would make the thing seem a site more reg'ler, an' I don't s'poseanybuddy will object to it."
Hodge frowned a bit and looked disappointed, for he had desired aposition of some importance, but he raised no objection to Ephraim'sproposal.
"If you think that is best," said Frank, "it is very easy to elect myassistants from the three Yale men of the party."
Then they balloted for vice. Diamond had five votes, Browning two, andDunnerwust one.
"Holdt on!" cried the Dutch boy. "Vot somepody done dot for, aindt id?Some feller peen goin' to had a coot time mit me--I don'd think! I knowa choke ven I seen him, but dees vas peesness. Id was a plamed fool dotchokes apoudt peesness! Yaw! You vos velcome mein obinion to."
Hans was red in the face and greatly excited, causing no small amount ofmerriment.
Merriwell declared Diamond elected vice.
When the vote for secretary was counted, Rattleton had seven and Gallupone. If possible, Ephraim was more excited than Hans had been.
"I know I'm gol darn green," he said; "an' I don't seem to git over it,though I have traviled araound some; but I tumble when folks go topokin' fun at me, b'gosh!"
Hans chuckled:
"Dot peen a coot von on you, Efy! Haw! haw!"
"Oh, haw! haw!" mocked the Vermonter. "I don't see where the fun comesin!"
Rattleton was pronounced secretary.
For treasurer Browning had seven votes and Toots one.
The colored boy laughed as if he considered it a good joke.
When the officers were elected, Frank said:
"To raise funds to carry this club through I propose to sell my yacht,for which I have no further use. Yesterday I received an offer of ninehundred dollars for her, and I hope the gentleman who wants her will addanother hundred to-day. That is what I paid for her, and I got abargain. She is easily worth fourteen hundred, and I could get somethingnear that out of her if I had time to look for a customer."
"And you propose to put that money into the running of this club?"
"Why not? Prof. Scotch knew I would need money, and he provided a sumfor my use. He will expect me to use it as I see fit."
"I don't suppose anybody here will raise an objection," laughedRattleton.
"That point is settled. Now for the matter of getting into thetournament here. I have been invited to take part."
"So soon?"
"Yes. Miss Random introduced me to her brother, Wallace, who is aprominent member of the Santa Barbara Athletic Club. He is a greatsprinter, and expects to carry off the honors in the hurdle race. He hadheard that I am interested in athletics, and he urged me to enter forsome of the contests. As he is a member of the committee onarrangements, his invitation goes."
"It would give him a black eye if you should go into the races in whichhe will take part and beat him out," said Browning.
"Merry can do it, too," nodded Diamond.
"That is not a sure thing, by any means," smiled Frank. "I never knew afellow who was so good at anything that he would not run up against someother fellow that was a little better. They say Random is a dandy."
"He will have to be to get away from you, old man," said Hodge.
"Boys," cried Harry, enthusiastically, "we won't do a thing but have aglorious time on our way back East!"
Browning groaned.
"I did think you would be satisfied to drag me into a bicycle touracross the continent," he said; "but this is something a great dealworse. The next thing I know, you'll be getting me into a six-days'running match, or something of the sort."
"Now we have you worked down so you are in good condition, we mean tokeep you so," declared Merriwell. "It will be----"
At this moment a shrill scream startled the boys and drew theirattention toward the water, where the girls had been bathing in thesurf.
They had been so absorbed in the business at hand that Inza Burrage andher companions were quite forgotten till that cry of fear and distressbrought them to their feet.
"What's the matter?" gasped Browning, struggling up.
"The surf! There must be an undertow! One of the girls is drowning!"cried Diamond.
Both Hodge and Merriwell were already racing toward the beach.
As they ran, Frank and Bart saw two of the girls struggling in thewater.
"It's Inza!" panted Frank.
"And Effie Random!" added Bart.
"Inza can swim."
"She is trying to save Miss Random."
"That's right! Miss Random is frantic with fear--she is dragging Inzadown!"
"There they go under!"
"They'll both be drowned!"
"Run, Frank--run!"
Run both lads did as if their own lives depended on their efforts. Theothers came stringing along behind them.
As they ran the two boys threw off the light blazers which they had beenwearing. Neither had on a vest, and both were lightly dressed for warmweather.
"Oh, if I had time to get rid of my shoes!" thought Frank.
But he knew seconds were precious, and he would not stop to get rid ofhis shoes.
He reached the water slightly in advance of Hodge.
Two of the girls had waded out and were standing on the beach, wringingtheir hands and sobbing.
Several times the girls who were struggling in the water disappearedbeneath the surface, but they came up each time, and it was seen thatone of them was doing her best to support the other, who seemed franticwith fear.
"Save them! save them!" cried the girls on the shore, as Merriwell andHodge plunged into the water.
It is not likely that either Frank or Bart heard this appeal.
The knowledge that Inza Burrage was in danger nerved Frank Merriwell todo his very utmost.
"I will save her or drown with her!" he thought.
Straight through the surf he dashed, hurled himself headlong through thecrest of a big roller, and began to swim.
Hodge did the same trick with equal skill.
It seemed that the struggles of the two girls were growing weaker, andonce they were beneath the surface so long that Frank feared they wouldnot come up again.
They did come up, however, and Inza's white face was turned for a momenttoward the two lads who were swimming to their rescue.
There was something in that look of appeal that smote Merriwell to theheart and made him frantic to reach her. He tore at the water with hispowerful arms, and even the strongest roller did not bear him back orseem to check him in the least.
To him it did not seem that he was making any progress at all, and hewas furious at the slowness with which he got along. He felt as ifweights of lead were attached to his feet.
"Oh, this infernal water!" he panted. "It drags at me! I never swam soslowly in all my life! If they go down again---- Where are they?"
The girls had disappeared.
In a moment, however, they arose into view on the crest of a swell,still struggling.
"Hold on, Inza!" cried Frank. "Bear up a little longer!"
She answered with an inarticulate cry that seemed full of despair andturned Frank's blood cold.
"Have I saved her from that English puppy for this!" he gasped. "Is itpossible that she is to die now? Oh, no, no!"
Then Frank Merriwell prayed as he swam. He asked God to give him powerto reach her and give her strength to bear up till he could get to her.
He remembered how he had first met her at a picnic at Fardale, and howpretty she had looked in her short pink dress. He remembered how on thatvery day, by a wonderful display of nerve and strength, he had saved herfrom being bitten by a mad dog. And after that--oh, she had thought himsuch a hero! She had worshiped him as her ideal of all that was braveand noble. All that seemed years and years ago.
And now--could he save her again? or was she to perish before he couldreach her?
Nearer and nearer he swam.
Close behind Frank, Hodge was exerting every muscle.
"We'll get to them, Merry!" he called, encouragingly. "We'll pull themout all right. We are sure to---- They've gone down again!"
It was true!
"Merciful heavens!" came huskily from Frank's lips. "I fear this is thelast time!"
He swam on--he reached the spot where the girls had last been seen.
Where were they?
He looked around for them, but could see nothing of them.
"Gone!" he groaned, his lips turning a blue-white. "My Heaven, they areboth drowned!"
Hodge was at hand, swimming about and looking around. Now his face wasashen white. He tried to speak, but his voice died away in a huskywhisper.
The agony of soul that Frank experienced at that moment was such as hehad never before known. It seemed as if he turned to be a very old manin a fraction of time.
"Poor Inza!" he gasped.
A cry came from Hodge!
"Look there!"
Something floated on the surface of the water for a moment, and then itdisappeared.
Frank dived.
Down beneath the surface he went, where the water was green and shotthrough with streaks of sunshine. He kept his eyes open and looked abouthim.
Just ahead of him something was slowly sinking toward the bottom, makingfaint struggling movements.
The sunlight that came down through the green waves showed the whiteface of a girl upturned for a moment, the eyes wide open and staring.
Frank plunged at the object with remarkable speed, and he felt a wildthrill of hope as his arm closed around the waist of a girl.
That clutch seemed to arouse her, and, in a moment, she had fastened herhands about his neck.
It was the clutch of a drowning person, and the girl seemed to possessthe strength of Samson.
Frank tried to break away, but she held fast to him.
Down they went toward the bottom.
"I must break her hold!" thought the youth. "If I do not, she will drownus both! It is the only chance!"
He understood how desperate the situation was, and prepared to make alast mad effort.
Then the girl folded him in her arms and drew him close to her with afrantic clutch that caused him to gasp, and the salt sea water poureddown his throat.
He found he could not well exert his strength, as the girl held him in aposition so that he could not get hold of her hands.
"It means death!" was his thought, as they sank still more swiftly."Poor Inza! We will die together!"