he had made no pretense to be the
champion boxer, and he had allowed them to think Bascomb was more than
a match for anybody in the academy.

When forced to meet some one in a contest that should be a test of
skill, Frank had chosen to meet Bascomb, which showed he had been
confident in himself all along, for all that he had not thrust himself
forward.

In his heart, Rains was very sore, for he had just met Bascomb, and,
while he had made a good display, the big fellow had shown that he was
the superior.

"Merriwell is putting me in the shade without running up against me at
all," thought Paul. "I have lost ground with the fellows right here.
How can I recover?"

It did not take him long to decide that he must go against Merriwell in
some kind of a contest--and beat him.

"You are very clever with the gloves, Merriwell," said Rains, stepping
forward, and speaking placidly; "but I would like to see what you can
do jumping."

"Is that a challenge?" asked Frank, quietly.

"If you wish to regard it as such."

"Oh, I am not anxious; I simply wanted to know just what you meant it
for."

"Then let it go as a challenge."

"For what--high jump, or broad jump?"

"Both."

"That's the talk!" laughed one of the spectators. "Now we will have
more sport!"

"All right," laughed Frank. "I will go you, though I have not been
doing much jumping lately, and I am not in my best form."

"That will sound all right if you beat," said Rains; "but it will not
do for an excuse if you lose."

"All right; let it go. I won't try to make any other excuse in case
you are the victor."

In a mass the boys surged toward a piece of ground just outside of the
gymnasium adapted to jumping.

"What shall it be first?" asked Frank, as he stood at the edge of the
long strip of turf.

"Running long jump," decided Rains.

"That's agreeable. You challenged, and I presume we are to take turns
for three jumps, the one who makes the best leap out of the number is
the winner?"

"That's all right."

Hodge spoke up quickly:

"What do you mean by taking turns? Is one to jump three times, and
then the other jump three times?"

"No, I mean for us to alternate," explained Frank. "First one jumps,
and then the other."

Hodge nodded his satisfaction.

"That is fair, and it is much better than the other way," he declared.

The rivals made preparations for the contest. By lot it fell to Rains
to lead off.

Rains was smiling and c