“Well, there are others,” smiled Merry. “I do not consider myself anything more than fairly handy with the gloves.”
“Now, Frank!” began Hodge; but Merriwell cut him short with a glance.
“Well, I didn’t know but you thought you could spar,” said Hegner, in a bored way, and then he turned and began to talk to Fanny Darling, who chatted and laughed with him as if pleased by his attention.
Frank was thoroughly disgusted by the air assumed by Creighton’s companion, and Charlie himself was not pleased. And Bart Hodge was chewing his tongue as a war horse might champ its bit, while he glared at Hegner’s back in a way that told he was thoroughly “stirred up.”
After a while, Creighton proposed that they should go down to the club. To this the girls objected, but Hodge and Diamond exchanged significant glances, and then expressed sudden eagerness to go.
“I’ll have to go anyway,” said Hegner. “Burk will be there, and I am due to give him his regular course.”
“Well, I will remain here and do my best to entertain the girls,” said Frank.
“Not by a hanged sight!” said Hodge, quickly. “We want you to come along with us, Merry.”
“That’s right,” agreed Diamond. “Won’t you come, old fellow?”
“Oh, yes, by all means, go!” cried Fanny Darling.