g about, and then it will not be so easy to finish him off."

But Frank saw that in a scientific way Diamond was no match for him, and
he disliked to strike the fellow. He regretted very much that the
unfortunate affair had come about, and he felt that there could be no
satisfaction in whipping the Southerner.

Merriwell hoped to toy with Diamond till the latter should see that his
efforts were fruitless and give up in disgust.

But he did not yet recognize the kind of stuff of which John Diamond was
built.

"Come! come!" impatiently called one of the spectators. "Quit ducking
and dodging and get into the game."

"That's right! that's right!" chorused several. "This is no sport."

"And it's no six-day walking match," sneered Roland Ditson. "Merriwell
seems afraid to stand up and face Diamond."

"Is that what you think?" Frank mentally exclaimed. "Well, I suppose I
will have to hit him a few times, although it goes against my grain."

A moment later he dropped his hands by his side and took a step to meet
the Virginian. It seemed like a great opportunity for Diamond, and he
led off straight for Frank's face, striking with his left.

With a slight side movement of his head Frank avoided the blow, allowing
his enemy's fist to pass over his shoulder. At the same time he cross
countered with his right hand, cracking Jack a heavy one under the ear.

"Hooray!" cried Harry Rattleton in delight. "That was a corker! Bet
Sparkler saw more stars than there are in the Wilky May--I mean Milky
Way."

For a few minutes the fight was hot. Again and again Frank struck his
enemy, but without putting his full strength into any of the blows, but
it did not seem to have any effect on Diamond save to make him more
fierce and determined.

"The Southerner's got some sand," commented Bruce Browning.

"That's right," nodded Puss Parker.

"He takes punishment well for a while, at least; but I don't believe he
will hold out much longer. I think he is the kind of a fellow to go to
pieces in an instant."

"You can't tell about that. I have a fancy that he's deceptive."

None of them, save Rattleton, possibly, knew that Merriwell was
reserving any of his strength when he struck his foe.

The fellows who a short time before were the most indignant against the
Southerner because he seemed determined to "blow" were now forced to
admire his bulldog tenacity and sand.

Merriwell had no desire to severely injure Diamond, although he had