Frank Merriwell's danger

To Be Published During March

250. Neka, the Boy Conjurer. By Capt. Ralph Bonehill. 249. The Young Bridge Tender. By Arthur M. Winfield. 248. The West Point Boys. By Lieut. Frederick Garrison, U.S.A. 247. Frank Merriwell’s Secret. By Burt L. Standish. 246. Rob Ranger’s Cowboy Days. By Lieut. Lounsberry.

To Be Published During February

245. The Red Rover. By J. Fenimore Cooper. 244. Frank Merriwell’s Return to Yale. By Burt L. Standish. 243. Adrift in New York. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 242. The Rival Canoe Boys. By St. George Rathborne.

To Be Published During January

241. The Tour of the Zero Club. By Capt. R. Bonehill. 240. Frank Merriwell’s Champions. By Burt L. Standish. 239. The Two Admirals. By J. Fenimore Cooper. 238. A Cadet’s Honor. By Lieut. Fred’k Garrison, U.S.A.

237. Frank Merriwell’s Skill. By Burt L. Standish. 236. Rob Ranger’s Mine. By Lieut. Lounsberry. 235. The Young Carthaginian. By G. A. Henty. 234. The Store Boy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 233. Frank Merriwell’s Athletes. By Burt L. Standish. 232. The Valley of Mystery. By Henry Harrison Lewis. 231--Paddling Under Palmettos. By St. George Rathborne. 230--Off for West Point. By Lieut. Fred’k Garrison, U.S.A. 229--Frank Merriwell’s Daring. By Burt L. Standish. 228--The Cash Boy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 227--In Freedom’s Cause. By G. A. Henty. 226--Tom Havens With the White Squadron. By Lieut. Orton. 225--Frank Merriwell’s Courage. By Burt L. Standish. 224--Yankee Boys in Japan. By Henry Harrison Lewis. 223--In Fort and Prison. By William Murray Graydon. 222--A West Point Treasure. By Lieut. Fred’k Garrison, U.S.A. 221--The Young Outlaw. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 220--The Gulf Cruisers. By St. George Rathborne. 219--Tom Truxton’s Ocean Trip. By Lieut. Lounsberry. 218--Tom Truxton’s School Days. By Lieut. Lounsberry. 217--Frank Merriwell’s Bicycle Tour. By Burt L. Standish. 216--Campaigning With Braddock. By William Murray Graydon. 215--With Clive in India. By G. A. Henty. 214--On Guard. By Lieut. Frederick Garrison, U.S.A. 213--Frank Merriwell’s Races. By Burt L. Standish. 212--Julius, the Street Boy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 211--Buck Badger’s Ranch. By Russell Williams. 210--Sturdy and Strong. By G. A. Henty. 209--Frank Merriwell’s Sports Afield. By Burt L. Standish. 208--The Treasure of the Golden Crater. By Lieut. Lounsberry. 207--Shifting Winds. By St. George Rathborne. 206--Jungles and Traitors. By Wm. Murray Graydon. 205--Frank Merriwell at Yale. By Burt L. Standish. 204--Under Drake’s Flag. By G. A. Henty. 203--Last Chance Mine. By Lieut James K. Orton. 202--Risen From the Ranks. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 201--Frank Merriwell in Europe. By Burt L. Standish. 200--The Fight for a Pennant. By Frank Merriwell. 199--The Golden Canon. By G. A. Henty. 198--Only an Irish Boy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 197--Frank Merriwell’s Hunting Tour. By Burt L. Standish. 196--Zip, the Acrobat. By Victor St. Clair. 195--The Lion of the North. By G. A. Henty. 194--The White Mustang. By Edward S. Ellis. 193--Frank Merriwell’s Bravery. By Burt L. Standish. 192--Tom, the Bootblack. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 191--The Rivals of the Diamond. By Russell Williams. 190--The Cat of Bubastes. By G. A. Henty. 189--Frank Merriwell Down South. By Burt L. Standish. 188--From Street to Mansion. By Frank H. Stauffer. 187--Bound to Rise. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 186--On the Trail of Geronimo. By Edward S. Ellis. 185--For the Temple. By G. A. Henty. 184--Frank Merriwell’s Trip West. By Burt L. Standish.

Frank Merriwell’s Danger By BURT L. STANDISH

Author of “Frank Merriwell’s School Days,” “Frank Merriwell’s Chums,” “Frank Merriwell’s Foes,” “Frank Merriwell’s Trip West,” “Frank Merriwell Down South,” “Frank Merriwell’s Hunting Tour,” “Frank Merriwell’s Bravery,” “Frank Merriwell in Europe,” etc.

STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS 238 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK CITY

All through the long winter the only green thing to be seen on the Yale campus was the festive freshman, but now, on this mild, sunny April day, which was a promise of June soon to come, a few blades of grass were struggling to appear.

It was a day to bring everybody out. For the first time one could realize that winter was really a thing of the past.

At noon the campus swarmed and the fence was lined with roosters. The juniors came out and smoked their big English pipes, and did their best to imitate the graveness and dignity of the seniors. The sophomores loaded their line of fence, joking, laughing and guying the freshmen. And the freshmen gamboled like young colts just turned out to pasture, betraying their absolute “newness” by every word and act.

Big Bruce Browning smoked in lazy abandon, leaning against a post, feeling far too tired to climb to a seat upon the top rail. Bink Stubbs was whittling with a brand-new knife, while Danny Griswold whistled a rollicking tune. Dismal Jones actually wore an expression on his face that was as near perfect satisfaction and happiness as anyone had ever seen on his long countenance. “Lucy” Little, with a necktie “loud enough to jar the bricks out of South Middle,” was doing his best to see how many packages of cigarettes he could smoke in five minutes.

Everywhere the talk was baseball. Who would make the team? Would it be as strong as the year before? and would they win out from Harvard?

It was pretty certain Harvard would have an exceptionally strong team. The material to choose from was better than ever before, and Harvard was “making a brace” in all directions. Yale had won the last football game from Harvard more by the wonderful work of one man than by the superior strength of her eleven, and the Cambridge lads were thirsting for revenge.

The man who seemed to stand head and shoulders above all others in Yale sports and athletics was Frank Merriwell. But Merriwell had become a “greasy grind” during the winter, and there were those who prophesied that he was satisfied with his fame, and would retire on his laurels. It was even reported that he was ambitious to be valedictorian, and it was known that he could go to either Bones or Keys, as he might choose, which was a most remarkable state of affairs, as there were hundreds of good men and true, with hearts full of ambition, who could not reach either.

All along Merriwell had refused to say anything about his plans, and he would not talk baseball. He had been drawn into the football game with Harvard through force of circumstances, and against his inclination, so it was not strange that the general belief was that he might refuse to become the leading “twirler” for Yale that season.

It was generally conceded by Merriwell’s friends and foes alike that his refusal to play would be a great blow to Yale. Hugh Heffiner and Dad Hicks, the old timers, were gone, and Merriwell was the only man left who had been tried by Yale and not found wanting.

True, there was some new material. Walbert, an Andover man, was a promising candidate; and Haggerty, who had come to Yale after being dropped at straight-laced little Williams for some thoughtless prank, was said to be a great “southpaw” twirler.

But what Yale wanted was steady, reliable material in which confidence could be placed. The new men might show up all right when the time came, but what if they did not? The “if” was in the way.

So baseball was the theme on this bright April day, and the enthusiasm which the game always arouses among the “cranks” was beginning to make itself manifest.

While they were talking of him, Frank Merriwell appeared. He looked trim and well-groomed. It was one of his peculiarities that he always looked as if he had just emerged from a bath.

Barely was Frank upon the campus before Harry Rattleton, his old-time chum, rushed up and caught him by the arm.

“Looking for you, old man--looking for you!” he excitedly sputtered. “There’s tomething on sap--I mean something on tap.”

“You know I never drink beer,” smiled Frank.

“Never mind--t’ain’t beer,” Harry rattled on. “This is just the day, isn’t it?”

“Just the day for what?”

“Cruise.”

“What sort of a cruise?”

“On the sound. I’ve got a cat.”

“A cat? Well, what has a cat to do with a cruise on the sound?”

“I mean a batcoat--no, no, a catboat! Bought her yesterday.”

“Oh! I must say you are starting early.”

“None too early. And this is just the day for a sail. We can have a glorious afternoon on the sound. What do you say to it, old man?”

“Who is going?”

“Anybody you want. We’ll take along Browning and Diamond.”

“I don’t think I ought to spend the time.”

“Oh, come off! You have been cramming like a fiend all winter, and an afternoon’s outing is just what you need. You can’t say no. Think of the sport.”

Frank did think of it. He knew it was true he had become a “dig,” and he felt that a sail on the sound would do him good. It would serve as a relaxation for half a day, and he could return to his studies with fresh energy on the morrow.

All at once he turned on Harry, exclaiming:

“I am with you, old fellow!”