The one Merry was holding made a desperate attempt to break away, but was prevented.
And, now the fight was over, a policeman approached, saw the crowd, and rapped a call for assistance. Within a minute three officers were on the spot.
Frank and Bart told their story. At first the officers were inclined to discredit it, thinking there had been a street row among those found there by them, but when they saw Merriwell’s captive and obtained a good look at the fellow’s face one of them cried:
“It’s Shiner Gregg! He belongs to the Stone Alley gang.”
Then Frank showed where his coat had been slit open by a knife, told where he was stopping, and satisfied the officers that he was telling nothing but the truth.
Two of the officers took Shiner Gregg to a police station, while another accompanied the boys to the hotel, where he satisfied himself that they had told the truth, and made Merriwell and Hodge promise to appear against Gregg.
After washing up, Frank and Bart found they were not severely scarred; but that it had been a close call for Merry was made evident by the slash in his coat.
“Well,” said Frank, as he held up the coat and looked at it ruefully, “that finished your career, but you did one good job to-night. You smothered the fire that would have burned a very saucy and very attractive young lady. I think I will keep you as a reminder of the occasion.”
“It’s fortunate we were out strolling around after leaving the theatre,” said Rattleton. “We were feeling rather gay, and did not seem to want to turn in so early.”
“New Yorkers say Philadelphia is slow,” grunted Browning; “but I’ll be hanged if it doesn’t seem to be a hot town! I think New Yorkers are sore on the place.”