"That will give me no chance to get square for this insult."
"You can show your superiority by throwing him, which you will do, as you are an expert wrestler, and, for all of the other things he does so well, no one ever heard that Merriwell could wrestle. Then, the next time you meet him outside college bounds, you can force him to apologize."
Emery nodded.
"Thornton is right, Flemming," he said.
Then, with a mighty effort, Fred seemed to gain control of his anger, and he calmly said:
"All right, I will wrestle him, but I shall not be gentle with him, although I promise not to foul him."
"Be as rough as you choose, as long as you keep within bounds."
Then it was that Frank Merriwell was heard saying to the friends who had gathered around him:
"It may seem that I have opened myself to criticism by my manner in challenging this person, but I call you all to witness that he was the first to be insulting by his manner of criticising the friendly bout between Mr. Diamond and myself. That, however, was not the beginning. Had not Flemming given me other cause, I should not have challenged him in such a manner. I have sought neither his friendship nor his enmity, but he has seen fit to regard me as an enemy. I can honor an honest foe who meets me man to man, but not one who takes a mean advantage of me. On my head I now bear a bruise where I was felled by a heavy cane in the hands of one of Flemming's friends, when he with five companions set upon Diamond and myself. I always endeavor to square all my accounts with friends and foes, and I shall balance the books with Flemming."