"You will have to excuse us this evening, gentlemen," said Merriwell, suavely. "We have done our best to entertain you, and we will see you again at some other date."
"You are certain to see me again," assented Browning. "You ran away, or we would have settled matters between us this evening. As it is, I am going to watch my opportunity to do you fairly and squarely. When I am done with you one of us will be beautifully licked."
"And that one will not be King Bruce," declared Andy Emery.
"Say! say! say!" spluttered Rattleton. "I'll go you a shot that it is! I'll stand you a supper for twenty at any place you'll name that Merriwell knocks the everlasting stuffing out of Browning."
"Done!" returned Emery.
"You name plime and tace—I mean time and place, and we'll be there, you bet!" declared Harry. "All we want is a fair deal."
"You'll get that," assured Browning. "This little affair shall be arranged very soon."
"The sooner the better. Don't delay on our account."
The sophomores, seeing it was useless to linger there and be taunted by the freshmen, began to stroll away one by one.
Up in Merriwell's room Rattleton got down his banjo and began to put it in tune. A merry party gathered there. One of the strings snapped, and as he was putting on another Harry fell to laughing.