“Badger, too!” Frank cried, as his hand met that of the Westerner. “This is untold pleasure!”
“You bet it is!” nodded Buck.
“I trust you’ll not overlook me, Merriwell,” said a pleasant, soft, well-modulated voice, as a handsome, fine-faced youth stepped in, with an agreeable smile and a white hand outheld.
“Jack Diamond, by all that’s good!” Merriwell gasped, as he took that hand. “Back from Europe?”
“Yes, Merriwell; back in time to see you win your final honors.”
The handsome Virginian looked handsomer than ever.
Greg Carker, Bert Dashleigh, Jim Hooker, Ralph Bingham, and Oll Packard were the others who had crowded about Merry when he entered the room, and they were filled with great joy because of his pleasure in meeting those old friends of other days.
“You’ll have to have us arrested for breaking and entering, Merry,” said Carker. “I knew these fellows were going to be here, and we planned this little surprise. I swiped your duplicate door-key so that I could admit them to this room.”
“I’ll forgive you, Carker, if you do not let the earthquake rumble.”
“I think,” said Greg, “that I’ll keep the earthquake suppressed till commencement is over.”