“Then I demand to have the challenger face me.”
There was a moment of hesitation, and then Herbert Hollingsworth stood out.
“I am the challenger!” he cried. “You’ll ’ave to show your certificate or be barred!”
Merry looked him over with an expression of contempt and withering scorn on his handsome face.
“You’re a very clever rascal, Hollingsworth,” he said; “but the cleverest rascals sometimes overreach themselves.”
“I hobject to such language!” snarled the trainer.
“Oh, I haven’t begun to tell you what I think of you!” said Frank. “When the race is over, if you remain, I will, in your presence, tell the judges and the officials of this club all about you and your rascally tricks. I know you were in my room at the Ashport House day before yesterday. You——”
“Lies habout me won’t ’elp you!” sneered Hollingsworth. “You’ll ’ave to show your certificate. If you can’t do that, you can henjoy the pleasure of being a spectator.”
“Enough of this!” commanded Robert Ashley, in high disapproval. “Mr. Merriwell, like the others, must show his certificate.”
“Which he can’t do,” asserted the trainer.