sires, who bravely faces ridicule and scorn because he
is confident that he is doing right, yet who quails, cowers, trembles,
and flees in the face of physical danger.

Who will say which is the greater hero?

As soon as they were in the open air, Davis turned to Merriwell, his
voice shaking, as he said:

"You must not fight with that fellow on my account."

"Why not?" asked Frank.

"Because you must not. It would not be right. He is big and
strong----"

"But I am not afraid of him."

"That may be true, and still it is not right for you to fight in my
place. That will not help me any. I can see that I will not be
thought any better of if you fight in my place. You must not fight
him!"

Fred was very agitated and excited.

"The matter rests entirely with Bascomb now," said Frank, calmly. "I
have expressed my opinion of him in public, and I shall be forced to
back up my words if he challenges me."

CHAPTER XLI.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER.

Reynolds and Bascomb came from dinner arm in arm.

"Your time has come to knock out this fellow Merriwell, Hugh," declared
the big fellow's sporty companion. "You'll have to do it."

"It looks that way," admitted Bascomb, but there was something
ludicrously dubious in both his face and voice.

"Looks that way!" exclaimed Rupert, in a fiery manner. "Of course it
looks that way. There's nothing else to be done, and I should think
you'd be well satisfied with the opportunity."

"But I am not sure I can do it," confessed the bully, hesitatingly.

"Do it! Why, you ought to do it with one hand tied behind your back."

But Bascomb was not so easily reassured.

"I have boxed with him," said the big fellow, "and I know he is not
easy fruit for anybody."

"You boxed in the gym?"

"Yes."

"And there it was necessary to conform to certain rules."

"Of course."

"That wasn't much like a genuine fight."

"I know it; but I found it impossible to hit him a soaker with my left.
He is up to all the tricks."

"That's all right. Fight him in the evening, where you are not liable
to be interrupted till you have finished him. The darkness will be an
advantage to you, for he cannot see to guard or avoid all your heavy
blows, and you will soon do him up. If you work it right, you can get
him into a straight fight from start to finish, so it will not be a
matter of rounds, which would accrue to his advantage. Once you get at
him, you can follow him up till he is