and he stood staring,
open-mouthed at Frank. For some moments he seemed awe stricken, and
then, of a sudden, he turned and ran as if for his life, quickly
scudding out of sight.

"He acted as if he were scared of you, Merry," said Diamond.

"He's gone to tell t'other fellers in town," explained the boat boy.

"Say," laughed Frank, "this is getting altogether too interesting! I'd
rather not be so well known."

"Well, you can't help it," said Hodge. "They've all heard of you down
this way."

"And I had an idea they never heard of anything away down here!"
exclaimed Jack. "My ideas of this part of the country are completely
upset."

"Let's hurry into town," urged Frank. "If we wait, it's ten to one we'll
be escorted by a gang of my admirers. I haven't forgotten Rockland."

So they left the wharf and hastily walked up Bay View Street. Just as
they reached the bank building at the public square they saw a dozen
small boys coming down Elm Street on the run, headed by the one who had
disappeared so suddenly from the wharf.

The moment the running boys saw Merriwell and his companions, they
halted and huddled around the leader, who pointed at the three strangers
in the place, yelling:

"There he is, fellers!"

Frank laughed outright, and Hodge and Diamond smiled. The excitement of
the boys had attracted more or less notice, and the people on the
streets looked at the three young yachtsmen with interest.

It was the height of the season at Camden, and the town was literally
gorged with summer visitors from every part of the country, so the
streets presented a lively appearance. The handsome turnouts of
Philadelphia and New York millionaires could be seen, street cars were
running, bicycles darting hither and thither, and the pedestrians on the
streets nearly all wore clothes suitable for summer outing.

After coming up Bay View Street, which, in the neighborhood of the
wharves, did not present a very attractive appearance, the young
yachtsmen were surprised and pleased to come out to the square, where
they could look around and see handsome brick blocks and buildings of
which a city might be proud.

But the crowd of excited small boys attracted attention for the time.
They came a little nearer, and the leader cried:

"Let's give three cheers for Frank Merriwell! Ready, now! Yell, fellers,
yell!"

They did! They threw up their hands, tossed their caps into the air, and
yelled as loudly as they could.

"Great