y fuss."

"But you must listen to me!" cried the little plebe, on the verge of
tears. "People sometimes get killed in fights. If you are badly hurt,
I'll never forgive myself. Can't I do something to stop it? Why, I
will apologize to Bascomb, and----"

"That would simply place you more in contempt, and would not let me out
in the least, boy. Take him away, Mulloy," Frank spoke to the Irish
lad, who was now at hand. "See that he doesn't get into trouble."

Seeing it was impossible to put an end to the contest, Fred gave up in
despair.

Merriwell and Bascomb now faced each other. There was no demand that
they should shake hands, and neither offered to do so. The boys formed
a circle around them, and, at the word, they leaped at each other and
the fray had begun.

Bascomb made an effort to clinch immediately, but Frank landed two
blows that sent him staggering. This was an advantage which Merriwell
followed up, and Bascomb was forced to keep falling back for some
moments, shifting the battle-ground considerably from the point where
the struggle began.

Spat! spat! spat! sounded the blows; but it was not always an easy
thing to tell who was getting the worst of it.

To and fro, forward and back, moved the fighting lads, their movements
being breathlessly followed by the spectators. Sometimes it would seem
that one of the lads had the advantage, and then it would appear to be
the other.

With his hands clasped together and his heart beating wildly, Fred
Davis strained his eyes to see it all. To him every moment seemed an
hour of acute agony and suspense.

Bart Hodge and Barney Mulloy were both intensely interested and
excited, but neither of them entertained a doubt but what, barring
accident, Frank would come forth the victor.

The breathing of the fighting boys became short and loud, and Bascomb
occasionally muttered fierce words. Merriwell fought silently and
fiercely.

At length the tigerish determination of Bascomb's foe began to drive
the big fellow back again. Several times he clinched Frank, but his
hold was quickly broken on each occasion. Three times both went down;
but the strength of neither seemed sufficient to get the advantage and
hold the other.

At length, as they were apparently on the point of grappling again,
Bascomb was seen to make a quick move of one hand, and Frank
immediately cried:

"My eyes! Oh, I am blinded! They are burning!"

Instantly there was the greatest e