“When you dived,” said Hodge, “Effie arose close to me. I saw in an instant that she was ready to give out, and I helped her to get ashore. I could not have done that, but she was able to swim a little after a few minutes. She was almost frantic, and kept saying over and over that she had been forced to break Inza’s hold to save herself. She laughed and cried and then swooned for a moment when the boat reached you and you were pulled in.”
Later in the afternoon Frank called on Inza, having been sent for by Mr. Burrage.
Inza’s father, who was weak and ill, wrung the lad’s hand.
“My dear boy!” he cried; “how noble you are! I wished to see you, for I have heard all about your brave deed.”
After a few further words, Frank left his card for Inza, who was confined to her room, and returned to the hotel.
The boys found time to talk over their combination, when they had grown tired of discussing the rescue of the two girls. All were elated by the prospect of great sport on their trip back East.
While they were sitting on the veranda of the hotel chatting about athletic sports, Wallace Random appeared. Once more he shook Frank’s hand, expressing his appreciation of Merriwell’s brave act, and then he was introduced all around to the boys.
“Mr. Random,” said Frank, “we have organized an athletic club, and I shall be pleased to accept your invitation to take part in the contests day after to-morrow.”
“I am glad to know that,” smiled Random. “We hope to make the affair a big success. Entrances for the various contests may be made now or to-morrow, if that serves you better.”
“Perhaps it would be better to wait till to-morrow, as we can have time to decide who will take part and what sports they will choose. As yet we have not arranged matters fully, as the first meeting of our club was interrupted when we hastened to save your sister and Miss Burrage. That meeting broke up without adjournment.”