CHAPTER XII--FRANK IS TROUBLED
Shuddering with horror as he held the dripping girl in his arms, BarneyMulloy looked over the side of the boat, expecting to see the water dyedwith a crimson stain.
Browning gave a shout:
"Here he is!"
Frank's head appeared on the other side of the boat.
He had dived just in time to avoid the shark when it turned.
The moment he came up on the other side of the boat Browning and Gallupdropped the oars and grasped him.
They had him in the boat a second later.
The shark had lost its prey.
Frank sank down in the bottom of the boat, utterly helpless and withoutstrength.
Barney placed Inza on the rear seat.
"Begorra!" he gasped, wiping great drops of perspiration from his face;"thot wur a close shave, but we did it, me b'ys!"
Ephraim Gallup, despite the exertion of rowing, was pale as a ghost, andBrowning was seen to shiver.
"Darn my pertaturs!" muttered the Vermonter. "It's a wonder we did doit, b'gosh!"
"A wonder!" came from Browning! "It is a miracle!"
"Be me soul, we did it, though! Cheer, b'ys--cheer!"
Then, standing upright in the boat, they waved their caps and gave awild cheer of joy.
Away on the beach the cheer was answered by another and another and yetanother.
Merriwell opened his eyes, and something like a faint smile came to hisdrawn face.
"It's all right, boys!" he said. "You did a good job!"
"An' it's yersilf that did another, Frankie," declared Barney. "But feryez th' young lady would be at th' botthom of the say now."
They rowed back, carrying the rescued youth and maiden.
Inza remained in an exhausted condition, but Frank began to recover soonafter being drawn into the boat.
A large crowd had gathered on the beach, for the four girls were not theonly bathers, and nearly a hundred people had come to the beach forpleasure that afternoon.
When Frank and Inza came ashore the crowd cheered again, and the boyswho belonged to Merriwell's party rushed to embrace him.
Toots was so overjoyed that he fell on his knees and hugged Frank'slegs, laughing and crying in a hysterical manner.
"Oh, Marser Frank!" he said; "I done fought yo' was a goner one time fo'suah! I nebber suspected to see yo' no moah, Marser Frank! Bress de goodLawd--bress His name!"
Frank was hugged and his hand was shaken till he began to push them off,laughing and remonstrating.
And the strangers who were looking on turned and said to one another:
"Who is he? See how much they think of him!"
Wallace Random, a handsome young fellow of nineteen, who had been onhand to receive his sister, as he was near the beach when she went intothe water, hastened to Frank.
"Mr. Merriwell," he said, earnestly, as he grasped Frank's hand, "I amproud to know you. Your friend has saved my sister's life in the samenoble manner. You are both heroes."
The girls had come to the beach in carriages, and Inza was soon placedin one, bundled about with a wrap and whirled away.
Frank looked for Inza as soon as he could escape from the ones who wereoffering their praise and congratulations, but he was told she had gonewith Miss Random.
"I shall see her to-night," he said. "There is a dance at the hotel, andshe has promised to give me the first waltz."
He made haste to escape to his room at the hotel, whither he wasfollowed by the boys, where Toots rubbed him down and they all talkedover the adventure and rescue.
Frank confessed that he was on the verge of giving out when the boatreached them, and he had just strength enough to dive and escape theshark, that had seemed to snap at Inza's feet as she was pulled out ofthe water.
"I don't think I could have held out a minute more," he said; "and Ishould have gone down again immediately if Bruce and Ephraim had notgrabbed me when I came up after diving under the boat. I used my lastbit of strength to get to the surface that time."
"When you dived," said Hodge, "Effie arose close to me. I saw in aninstant that she was ready to give out, and I helped her to get ashore.I could not have done that, but she was able to swim a little after afew minutes. She was almost frantic, and kept saying over and over thatshe had been forced to break Inza's hold to save herself. She laughedand cried and then swooned for a moment when the boat reached you andyou were pulled in."
Later in the afternoon Frank called on Inza, having been sent for by Mr.Burrage.
Inza's father, who was weak and ill, wrung the lad's hand.
"My dear boy!" he cried; "how noble you are! I wished to see you, for Ihave heard all about your brave deed."
After a few further words, Frank left his card for Inza, who wasconfined to her room, and returned to the hotel.
The boys found time to talk over their combination, when they had growntired of discussing the rescue of the two girls. All were elated by theprospect of great sport on their trip back East.
While they were sitting on the veranda of the hotel chatting aboutathletic sports, Wallace Random appeared. Once more he shook Frank'shand, expressing his appreciation of Merriwell's brave act, and then hewas introduced all around to the boys.
"Mr. Random," said Frank, "we have organized an athletic club, and Ishall be pleased to accept your invitation to take part in the contestsday after to-morrow."
"I am glad to know that," smiled Random. "We hope to make the affair abig success. Entrances for the various contests may be made now orto-morrow, if that serves you better."
"Perhaps it would be better to wait till to-morrow, as we can have timeto decide who will take part and what sports they will choose. As yet wehave not arranged matters fully, as the first meeting of our club wasinterrupted when we hastened to save your sister and Miss Burrage. Thatmeeting broke up without adjournment."
"Suit yourselves," laughed Wallace, "but you must remember that we havesome hot lads down here, and we do not propose to let anybody from theEast carry off honors if we can prevent it."
"I rather fancy you will find some hot stuff among the members of ourclub," said Frank, quietly. "We will represent Yale College, and it isseldom 'Old Eli' gets left at anything."
"I understand you are something of a runner and hurdle-racer," Randomsaid.
"There are others," was the answer. "I am not the only one."
"But I have heard that you are pretty good."
"He is a dim jandy--I mean a jim dandy," spluttered Harry, gettingsomewhat excited. "I don't believe you have any one out here who cankeep in sight of him."
Random elevated his eyebrows.
"Now you do interest me!" he exclaimed. "I am something of a runnermyself, and I shall take part in the hurdle race and the hundred yardsdash. Perhaps Mr. Merriwell may like to enter those contests. Out herethey say I am bound to win in a canter. Mr. Merriwell might make itinteresting, at least."
"Inderesting!" cried Hans. "I pets you your life he peats der packin'oudt uf you! I haf seen dot poy sbrint!"
"Begorra! he's a birrud!" nodded Barney. "He was th' shwiftest runner inFarrdale whin we wur there."
"Mr. Merriwell," said Random, pleasantly, "I trust you will take part inthe races. I do not think you will be able to win over me, but I am sureit will be a pleasant and fair rivalry between us, and there will be nohard feelings in any case."
"Well," said Frank, "I do not pretend to be a champion, but I will comein and do the best I can."
"Good!" nodded Wallace. "I hope to see you at the hop to-night.Good-evening, gentlemen."
Then he departed.