est to stand well in their classes.

For all of his mischievous disposition, Frank was studying enough to
hold his own in his class, and he was looked on favorably by his
instructors. He was magnetic, and had a winning way, so that he made
many friends, always among the better class at the school. No one,
either man or boy, is ever popular without having enemies, and this was
true of Frank; but his enemies were those who were jealous of him, or
those with whom he did not care to associate, for the best of reasons.

Hodge was not a fellow to make friends, being haughty and proud, and
Merriwell obtained many enemies because he roomed with Bart, and seemed
to stand up for the fellow.

The friendship of the two lads was rather remarkable, considering how
they had once been enemies, and how Hodge had worked hard to injure
Frank.

Among the plebes there were a few who stood head and shoulders above
their companions in athletics. Hodge went in for fencing, and
Professor Rhynas declared he would make a master of the foil. Hugh
Bascomb, with a pugilist's thick neck and round head, was spending all
his spare time boxing, and it was said that he could strike a blow that
would stagger an ox. His admirers declared it was a beautiful sight to
see him hammer the punching-bag, and they assured him over and over
that he was certain to make another Sullivan. Naturally, this gave
Bascomb the "swelled head," and he got an idea into his brain that he
was really cut out for a fighter, and that nobody in Fardale could
stand up before him for four rounds.

Day after day Barney Mulloy took a long pull at the rowing machine.
Ned Gray spent his spare time on the horizontal bars or the trapeze,
and Hans Dunnerwust tried his hand at everything, making sport for the
spectators.

Among the plebes there were two lads who seemed all-round athletes.
They were Paul Rains and Frank Merriwell.

Paul did not like Frank. In fact, he was envious of Merriwell's
popularity, although he did his best to keep the fact concealed. Being
a sly, secretive person, it was but natural that Rains should come to
be considered as modest and unassuming. In truth, he was not modest at
all, for, in his secret heart, there was nothing that any one else
could do that he did not believe he could do. And so, while appearing
to be very modest, he was really intensely egotistical.

Rains had not been given much attention for a time after he entered the
academy, b