h a
scrape?"

"Keep cool, professor," said the boy, calmly. "If this young gentleman
insists on forcing me into a duel, I cannot take water--I must give him
satisfaction."

"I tell you I won't have it!" roared the little man, in his big, hoarse
voice, his face getting very red. "I am your guardian. You are a minor,
and I forbid you to fight a duel."

"If Mistah Merriwell will apologize, it is possible that, considering
his age, sah, Mistah Raymon' will not press this mattah," smoothly said
the man with the bristling mustache.

"What has he to apologize for?" asked Scotch.

"He struck Mistah Raymon', sah."

"Did you do that, Frank?"

"Yes; but he struck me first."

"He did, eh?" roared the professor, getting very red in the face. "Well,
I don't think you'll apologize, Frank, and you're not going to fight.
You're a boy; let him take a man. If he wants to fight anybody, I'm just
his hairpin, and I'll agree to do him up with any kind of a weapon from
a broad-ax to a bologna sausage!"

CHAPTER XV.

MYSTERY OF THE FLOWER QUEEN.

Frank looked at Professor Scotch in amazement, for he had never known
the little man to use such language or show such spirit in the face of
actual danger.

"I wonder if the professor has been drinking, and, if so, where he got
his drinks?" was the thought that flashed through Frank's mind.

"Mistah Raymon', sah, has no quarrel with you, sah," said the individual
with the bristling mustache. "If there is to be any further trouble,
sah, I will attend to your case."

"You? Who are you?"

"I, sah, am Colonel La Salle Vallier, the ver' particular friend of
Mistah Raymon'. If yo' say so, we will exchange cards, sah."

"Then we will exchange. Here is mine."

"And here, sah, is mine."

"This," said Colonel Vallier, "precludes yo' from interfering in this
othah affair, Professor Scotch."

"Hey? It does! How's that, I'd like to know?"

"I am at your service, professor," bowed the colonel. "You shall make
such arrangements as yo' choose. Pistols or swords make no difference to
me, for I am a dead shot and an expert swordsman. I trust yo' will
excuse us now, gentlemen. We will see yo' later. Good-day."

He locked arms with the young man, and they turned away, with a sweeping
salute. The throng parted, and they passed through.

Professor Scotch stood staring after them till Frank tapped him on the
shoulder, saying:

"Come, professor, we may as well get out of this."

"Exc