Thus it came about that Bruce's appearance led his former admirers to misjudge him, and he saw a growing coolness toward him.
"I'll meet Merriwell on the level," he finally decided, "and I will whip him on the level or I'll not whip him at all."
Then he instructed Hartwick to carry a challenge to Frank.
"I will fight him with hard gloves," said Bruce.
He had decided that with a glove on his hand he could not easily perform the trick of breaking his enemy's wrist in case he was seized by an impulse to do so.
"Gloves?" cried Hartwick. "Why, man, why don't you challenge him to meet you with bare fists?"
"Because I have decided that gloves are all right."
"The fellows will say you are afraid."
"Let them say so if they like," returned Bruce, but he winced a bit, as if a tender spot had been touched.
Hartwick did his test to induce his friend to challenge Merriwell to a fight with bare fists, but Bruce had made up his mind and he was obstinate.