"Let go!" ordered Havener, almost foaming at the mouth in his mad rage.
"Give up that pistol!"
"Not till I have killed him!"
"That you shall not do!"
"I swear I will!"
It was a furious struggle, for Havener was big and strong, and he did his best to retain the weapon and break away from Frank. But Merry, once the champion all-round athlete at Yale, finally pinned the man to the wall, large and strong though he was, and held him there. Never for a moment had Frank relaxed his hold on the revolver, and now he broke Havener's grip, taking the weapon from him, despite all his efforts.
The stage manager was astounded, for never had he dreamed that Frank Merriwell possessed such strength.
Having secured the weapon, Frank suddenly leaped backward, setting Havener free.
For a moment the man remained motionless, and then he cried:
"All right, you have the revolver, but you can't keep me from killing the cur! I'll strangle him! I'll—— Why, where is he?"