Hashi still smiled. Frank was calm and grave.
Fred Fillmore found it difficult to control his features to hide an expression of eager satisfaction and malignance.
“This is my time to triumph!” he thought. “Merriwell walked into the trap like a lamb going to the slaughter. While he is recovering from a broken leg I’ll be perfecting my plans to steal Inza Burrage from him. I’m bound to have her! She shall be mine!”
Hodge was watching Fillmore, and the expression on the fellow’s face made Bart long to hit him.
“Is the honorable gentleman quite prepared?” gently inquired Hashi.
“Quite,” nodded Merry.
They crouched and moved toward each other. Hashi held himself on the alert, waiting and expecting his opponent to attack with a rush.
It is a feature of jujutsu to seem to yield before the first rush of the enemy, but to turn the attack to the undoing of the assailant, actually causing him to use his own force to aid in his defeat. Therefore Hashi was a bit disappointed when Merry failed to come after him in the style of most American wrestlers.
“I must provoke him to attack,” thought the Jap.
Aloud he observed: