“I’m just trying to find out——”
Walter hesitated, for he saw a gleam in the eyes of the hot-tempered Virginian that was more than a simple warning.
“I hardly think anyone will believe that I would steal a watch,” said Merriwell, slowly; “and yet I do not like to have this thing hanging over me. I repeat, if it was a joke, it is a pretty poor joke.”
“Joke!” exploded Diamond. “It’s an infernal outrage, and I can lick the sneak who did the job! If more than one fellow took part in it, I’ll agree to lick the whole gang one at a time!”
This brought something like the ghost of a smile to Frank’s face, for he thought of the time when Jack Diamond had regarded fighting as low and beneath the dignity of a gentleman and Virginian. Then it was that Diamond had refused as far as possible to engage in a “low fistic encounter,” but now he was making fighting talk without saying anything about calling anybody out upon the “field of honor.” Since coming to Yale there had been a wonderful change in the passionate lad from the South, but he was not a whit less courageous and full of chivalry.
“Thank you, old fellow,” said Frank, placing a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “I assure you of my appreciation, but perhaps you’d better let me do my own fighting.”
Jack was thinking, too—he was thinking of the trip across the continent, when Frank Merriwell had stood by him for all of his peevishness and ill temper. Then Jack had become so disagreeable that the others of the party would have been glad to rid themselves of him, but Merry had been patient to a most remarkable degree, for all that he seemed to be the butt of Diamond’s anger on every occasion.
When it was all over Jack could look back with calmness at those things, he began to realize what kind of a friend he had in Frank, and it aroused in the heart of the chivalrous Virginian a feeling of affection that positively was without bounds. No danger could be appalling enough to keep Jack Diamond from Frank’s side.
It was in moments of danger when Diamond showed his affection for Frank. At other times he seemed rather cold and undemonstrative. He was quite unlike Harry Rattleton, who, in everything and at all times, showed his high regard for Merry.
It is pretty certain that Bruce Browning was no less Frank’s friend, but it was very seldom that he showed it so that his friendship was conspicuous to anyone but Merriwell himself.