Chapter 25
chapter twenty five of frank merriwell at yale or freshman against freshman by burdell standish this librivox recording is in the public domain the traitor discovered i say mary said rattleton the day before the race was to come off you can't guess who gordon is chumming with lately i don't know as i can who is it ditzon get out that's on the level but ditzon the same as suggested outright that gordon was the traitor who had told the soft so much that is true but gordon doesn't know it well he ought to what do you think ditzon is doing always working gordon who has been drinking like a fish since old putt dropped him frank was troubled he did not approve of ditzon and feared that gordon had a weak nature so that he could be easily influenced walter had greatly taken to heart being dropped by putnam and he seemed utterly reckless and careless about himself if he did not look out he was almost sure to get into trouble and find himself rusticated or sent home for good
merriwell could not help thinking it possible that gordon had been innocent and that a mistake had been made in dropping him as it might discourage him so that he would go to the bad this worried frank not a little i'll have to make ditzon call a halt he said to harry he must be told to let up on gordon now that is dead right nodded harry who was inclined to be generous and kindly toward the fellow who might have filled his place on the freshman crew i tell you that didson is a bad man and i would not trust him as far as i can fling a cow by the tail i'll get after him at the first opportunity promised frank harry went out and had a talk with bandy robinson about the matter robinson admitted that he did not have much use for either gordon or didson but he was inclined to think gordon the better fellow of the two that night merrywell and rattleton retired early but they were not allowed to go to sleep barely were they in bed before there was a knock on the door and they found robinson and one of the fellows who lived in the house were there say said bandy ditzon and gordon are down at billy's and gordon has a great load on him i've told ditzon to let him alone but was advised to mind my own business ditzon is deliberately getting gordon stiff
is that so cried frank as he made a jump for his clothes well i think i will have a talk with mr ditzon frank and harry dressed quickly and away they went with robinson and his companion toward billy's on arriving at billy's they were told that ditzon and gordon were in the little corner behind the screen gordon was opening champagne and both fellows were pretty well intoxicated harry slipped up behind the screen stood on a chair and peered over as he did so he heard ditzon say that's right walter merrill well rub dirt all over you he is trying to become another king like browning but you can bet i don't lose any opportunity to throw him down throw him down throw him down echoed gordon dickley that's right but you can't throw him down hard enough to keep him down i don't know about that declared raugham with drunken sobriety if we were to work together gordon old man we could hurt him as it is you've helped me out wonderfully in what i've done have i how harry looked around and saw merriwell preparing to go into the corner behind the screen then rattleton made a few violent gestures which plainly told his roommate to refrain
frank looked astonished what could harry be up to that he appeared so excited he was motioning for frank to come forward cautiously and join him now merrillwell did not believe in playing the eavesdropper on any one but he fancied harry saw something he wished to show him so he went forward lightly placed another chair got upon it and looked over the screen in the meantime ditzon was saying yes you've helped me you know merrillwell is coaching the freshman crew or has been for the race to-morrow well i don't let any chance go to get a jab at him "'I don't know what that has to do with my helping you,' mumbled Gordon, vainly trying to light a cigarette with a broken match on which no brimstone was left.
"'Course you don't,' laughed Ditson, who was almost as full as his companion. "'This isn't the first time we have been out together, eh, old boy?' "'No. Only we had to be quiet about it when you were on the crew, or when you thought you were on it.' "'That's right. We have been pretty full once or twice.
I thought so when we got up the next morning. Well, you've told me lots of things about Meriwell and what he has been doing with the crew. You're a great talker when you're loaded. Gordon stiffened up a bit and tried to give his companion a sober stare, but the effort was a ludicrous failure. Was your mean, he asked. If I told you anything, it was in strictest confidence.
Cert, but then you know anything to knife Meriwell. Gordon braced off, his hands on the table before him. Ditson laughed and went on. Now, if we make a combine against him, we can do him bad. What's your mean?
Gordon again demanded. Mean that you repeated anything I told you in confidence when I was full? Not publicly, grinned Ditson. I may have used it to injure Merrill, but I was careful how I used it. Walter thumped the table with his fist, growing angry suddenly.
"'You're a hanged-to-faced fraud,' he huskily cried. "'That's just what you are, Ditson. "'Somebody's been telling things to the softs. "'They found out everything. "'It was you, and you pumped your points out of me when I was full.'
"'That didn't hurt you,' Ditson hastened to declare. "'It was entirely to hurt Meriwell. "'And he is our common enemy.' "'Don't care a Continental if he is,' cried Walter. "'I don't like him, but you have hurt me.
Bet anything Meriwell and old Putt thought I had blowed. I didn't have any confidence in Meriwell's methods, but I didn't blow to the softs. Still, I was to blame for letting you get me full and pump me, and the fellows think I'm a tattler. Well, I'll be hanged if I don't even up with you by hammering your face off right now. Walter stood up and attempted to grasp Ditson's arm, but he was so full that he made a miscalculation and caught nothing but empty air.
Then he struck across the table at Raul. Oh, you would hit me, would you? grated Ditson, who saw that his companion was much the drunker. You would hammer my face. Well, perhaps I'll do some hammering myself.
Then he caught up an empty champagne bottle and swung it over his head, as if to strike Gordon. Like a flash, Merrill's hand darted over the top of the screen and snatched the bottle from Raul's grasp. A moment later, Frank went around the screen and confronted the two lads, still holding
the bottle in his hand. I saved you from having a cracked head that time, Gordon, he said as he collared Ditson, and I found out who the traitor is. I'm glad you are not the man. As for this thing, he gave Ditson a shake that caused the fellow's teeth to click together. He has shown tonight that he is the most contemptible cur. I hated to think him as dirty as he has shown himself to be. Frank's face was full of unutterable disgust for Ditson. Other freshmen came crowding
into the corner, and Ditson saw himself regarded with scorn and contempt by everybody. He cowed like a whipped cur and whined, I was simply fooling. It was all a jolly. I never did anything of the sort. I was simply trying to get Gordon on the string by telling him so. Well, you got yourself on a string, and pretty well tangled up. Gentlemen, turning to the freshman present, here is the traitor who has been giving our secrets away to the softs. Both Rattleton and
myself heard him acknowledge it. Take a good look at him, so you'll know him in the future. Oh, we'll know him, cried many voices. It's a mistake, Ra began. That's right, agreed Frank, the worst mistake you ever made. At last you have shown just what you are, and everybody is dead on to you. Get out of this. Tar and feather him, shouted a voice. Let him go, advised Meriwell. He is covered with a coating
of disgrace that will not come off as easily as tar and feathers. Ditson sneaked away, the hisses of his classmates sounding in his ears. The look on his face as he rolled his eyes towards Merrill before leaving the room was malicious in the extreme. Frank turned to Walter, who did not seem to know what to do. Gordon, you have found that fellow out, which is a lucky thing for you, he said. He would have ruined you. At the same time, I have found out that you have had no hand
and sneaking work that has been going on of late. You are simply an unconscious and unwilling tool, and it did me good to see you resent it when you found out what Ditson had been doing. Walter tried to say something, but he choked and stammered. Then he muttered something about having a drink all around, but Frank assured him that he had taken quite enough. Rattleton and Robinson led the crowd away from the corner, and Meriwell had a brief talk with
Gordon. Then Harry and Frank took Gordon out and did not leave him till he was safely in his room. As they were going away, Walter thickly said, "'Marowell, what is it? I want to apologize. What for? Things I've said about you. I don't know about them. Cause I've said them behind your back, sneaking thing to do. Marowell, I'm shamed. I am by thunder. I guess you're all right. Don't believe you ever done me dirt.
Is it all right, old man? Yes, it's all right. Say, that makes me feel better. It does by thunder. You're a good fellow, Meriwell, and I'm a fool. I talk too much, drink too much, too. You don't talk and you don't drink. You're all right. Good night, Meriwell. Good night, Gordon. When Frank retired the second time that night, it was with a feeling of intense relief for the perplexing problem as to the identity of the traitor had been settled, and he felt that
he had done Gordon a good turn by getting him away from Ditson. And Ditson? Well, he deserved to pass a wretched night, and he did. He felt that he was forever disgraced at Yale, but he did not seem to consider it his own fault. He blamed Merriwell for it all, and his heart was hot with almost murderous rage. Over and over he swore that he would get square some way. Anyway, End of chapter 25
