"Did Merriwell really mean to throw him off?" asked another.
There were some murmurs of disapproval at Frank's action, but the expressions of astonishment and admiration for his display of strength drowned all other sounds.
Yates turned and looked at Frank, but he seemed unable to express his feelings by means of words.
Jack Diamond was flushed with rage.
"It would have served the fellow right if Merriwell had dropped him off!" declared the hot-blooded Southerner.
Andy Emery was near at hand, but he had been unable to give Yates any assistance when the latter was grasped by Frank.
"Good heavens!" he kept repeating, as he stared at Frank Merriwell in a manner that showed his unutterable amazement.
It was plain that such a display of strength had been a revelation to him, and from that time Emery was bound to regard Merriwell with renewed respect.
"Mr. Yates," said Frank, quietly, "this is no place to settle any quarrel that has arisen between us; but I
wish to say before witnesses that I consider you entirely in the wrong, and certainly you owe me an apology. You may not think so now, but I believe you will think so in time."