“Are you ready to accompany me to the room of Defarge?” he asked.
“Sure thing!”
“Then I will convince you. Come on.”
They went out, and Merry closed and locked the door of his room.
CHAPTER XXVI.
FRANK TURNS THE TABLES.
Frank Merriwell’s “athletic spread” at the New Haven House was a great success. Probably never before had there been given such a supper in the “College City,” for meat or fish in any form was not served. The hearty food consisted of eggs and nuts prepared in the most tempting manner, so that it was sometimes impossible to tell what a dish consisted of before tasting it.
Fruits of all sorts abounded, there being great heaps of bananas, grapes, oranges, and things tempting to the eye as well as the palate. There were no pies, cakes, nor pastry of any sort on the table. Fresh strawberries in abundance were supplied. Whole wheat bread, corn bread, and rye bread might be had to any amount. The liquid refreshments consisted of pure water, milk, or “coffee” made from browned barley. In fact, it was a “vegetarian” banquet, but never had any one present relished a feast more than they did that one.
“So help me,” said Jack Ready blandly, “I never supposed vegetarian cranks had so many good, hearty things to live on. I always imagined them as blue-nosed, pinched, and nearly starved to death. A man couldn’t starve on this variety of stuff if he tried. Anyhow, if he could, I’d be willing to starve on it a while.”
“Mum-mum-me, too, b’gosh,” agreed Joe Gamp. “I ain’t never had such a sus-sus-slappin’ good time eatin’ sence I came down here to cuc-cuc-college.”
“Out on a ranch,” said Berlin Carson, “we can’t get all these things to eat, and we have to live on beef.”