But we’ll not pry into his secrets, although we understand now how it was that, with his mind far away, he walked straight into the trap that had been prepared for him. At another time he might not have been taken so by surprise, for, as a rule, he seemed constantly on the alert. Now, before he realized anything was wrong, a man had jumped out at him from the corner and struck him a terrible blow on the side of the head.
That blow knocked Frank down!
Buster Bill had started in to earn his money, and it must be confessed that he had made a good beginning.
He had intended to jump on Merriwell instantly, but now he paused, astonished that even a college athlete could be popped over so easily. That pause was fatal to the ruffian’s plans.
Although the shock had been terrible, although his head was ringing and he was somewhat dazed, Merriwell quickly recovered and started to rise.
Then, with a snarl, the thug made another spring and a kick. He meant to earn his money by fracturing a rib with his heavy boot.
In a crouching position Frank Merriwell sprang aside with a froglike hop. Then he straightened up. The violence of that kick, which had reached nothing but empty air, had thrown Buster Bill down.
When Bill, astonished beyond measure, scrambled to his feet, he found Frank Merriwell, the Yale athlete, waiting for him.
Not a word passed Merry’s lips, but he sailed into that fellow in a manner that meant business. He swung at Bill’s head, and Bill did not entirely avoid the blow. He was hit pretty hard, but not hard enough to knock him off his pins.
Then a hot time followed. If Buster Bill had underrated his antagonist at the start, he soon experienced a change of opinion. The Yale man, for all of the blow he had received, became the aggressor in less than thirty seconds.