self.

Frank was a very good amateur ventriloquist, although he seldom
practiced the art. Now, however, he saw his opportunity.

_Little Eva_ was on her deathbed, and the mourners were assembled about.
All at once one of the mourners seemed to say:

"This business is on the bum."

Every one started and stared. The actors were astounded, and the
audience amused. Then the death agony went on until another of the
watchers by _Eva's_ side observed:

"It makes me sick!"

The manager was heard to hiss from the shelter of the wings:

"I'll make you sick when you come off!"

"Oh, go fall on yourself, you old cheat!" the actor seemed to fling
back.

Then _Little Eva_, in her death agony, apparently remarked:

"Give it to the old duffer! He owes me six weeks' salary, and I'll quit
dying right now if the ghost doesn't walk immediately!"

This brought laughter and hearty applause from the college lads.

When the applause had subsided _Uncle Tom_ apparently observed:

"He can't get ahead of me. I've put an attachment on the jackass."

This was more than the excitable manager could stand, and he rushed
onto the stage, shaking his fist at _Uncle Tom_ and crying:

"Confound you! I don't owe you a cent! You obliged me to pay up before
you would go on to-night!"

And then he nearly collapsed when he realized what his anger had led him
to do and say.

The college lads arose from their seats and cheered.

Standing in the front of the box, Charlie Creighton shouted:

"This is the best part of the show, fellows. Let's give 'em one!
Now--all together!"

Then the Yale yell pealed forth, and _Little Eva_ came near dying in
reality from heart failure.

This broke up the show entirely, and the curtain came down with a rush,
while the frightened orchestra made haste to disappear. From behind the
curtain the manager shouted that the show was over, and the laughing,
tumultuous students hurried out of theatre.

"Well, Merriwell," said Charlie Creighton, "how have you enjoyed the
evening?"

"Immensely," laughed Frank.

"It was a regular sus-sus-sus-circus," declared Joe Gamp. "Never had so
much fuf-fuf-fuf-fuf-fun in all my bub-born days!"

"We had them on a string, like a kite," murmured Bruce Browning.

"And that's what made them soar," chuckled Griswold.

Just as the street was reached, Frank gave a slight exclamation, and
quickly forced his way through the crowd toward a man who was near at
hand.

That man was