“Back to back, Bart!” hissed Merry. “It’s not the first time we have fought that way!”
Back to back they placed themselves, and they fought fiercely.
Parker Flynn was there, and he was eager to get at Merry. He held a large stone in one hand, and he watched his chance to strike Frank with it.
“I’ll crack his skull if I hit him right!” grated the fellow. “In a fight like this it would not count against me, for it would not be possible to tell who did the job.”
Frank was watching Flynn, for he knew the fellow was desperate, and would hesitate at nothing.
Woodock considered himself something of a fighter, and he did make it hot for Merriwell for a few moments; but Frank got in a blow that dazed the fellow and made him wary.
Hodge found Wallace not eager to follow him up, and this caused him to break away from the back-to-back program for a moment and leap toward Walter.
Smack!—Hodge landed with his left, and Wallace was stretched on the sand. Then Hodge sprang back to defend Frank’s rear.
Flynn fancied he saw his opportunity, and he made a rush to get at Frank from behind. As Hodge whirled into his position, the stone in Flynn’s hand came down on his head.
Without a cry or a moan, Bart dropped and lay still.