But the Southerner was “out for a racket,” and Frank soon saw it would be useless to try to induce him to go quietly to a room in the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
“We’re fooling away lots of time here,” said Herrick impatiently. “We’ve hired this cab, too.”
“Well, I can pay!” cried Diamond sharply. “Don’t let that worry you, Charley.”
“That’s the stuff!” declared Madison. “Now will you be good? Come on, I want that drink. Bring Mr. Merriwell along, Jack. We’ll fill him to the chin.”
“You’ll have a hard time to do that,” asserted Diamond, as he permitted Madison to pull him across the sidewalk, at the same time clinging fast to Frank’s arm.
“Why?” asked the yellow-haired chap. “Is he a tank?”
“No; he’s a total abstainer.”
Herrick was heard to mutter something beneath his breath.
“Total fiddlesticks!” gurgled Madison. “Then he’d better get out of New York right away. If he doesn’t, they’ll have him on exhibition.”
“Of course he will take one drink with us,” said Herrick persuasively. “One never hurt anybody, and he’ll consent to take a drink with an old friend like you, Jack.”