LITMIR.BIZ

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all sorts of calls and persiflage from the sophomores, who had gathered in knots to watch them pass.

      This sort of chaffing gave Rattleton "that tired feeling," as he expressed it, and by the time they reached their room he was in a desperate mood.

      "I'll get even!" he vowed, fiercely. "I'll do it."

      "Go ahead—you can do it," laughed Frank. "You can do anybody."

      Then Harry flung a book at him, which Frank skillfully caught and returned with the utmost politeness.

      At breakfast Rattleton was chafed by the freshmen, and he boiled more than ever.

      "Somebody has my coat, vest, hat, shirt and undershirt," he said as he thought the affair over. "I had to go home in a linen duster which I got down to Billy's last night. I don't care so much for the clothes I lost, but I'd like to know who has 'em. I'd sue him!"

      But after breakfast an expressman appeared with a bundle for Rattleton, and in the bundle were the missing articles.

      The sophomores were jubilant, and they taunted the freshmen. They said the fate that had befallen Rattleton was simply a warning. It was nothing beside what might happen.

      For the time the freshmen were forced to remain silent, but they felt that the sophomores had not evened up matters by any means. And the affair would not be dropped.

      During the afternoon of that day it rained for at least two hours, and it did not clear up and let the sun out, so there was plenty of dirt and mud at nightfall.

      Then it was that Rattleton some way found out that a number of sophomores who dined at a club on York Street were going to attend a party that evening. It was to be a swell affair on Temple Street, and the sophs were certain to wear their dress suits.

      "They'll din for dresser—I mean dress for dinner," spluttered Harry as he was telling Frank. "It's certain they'll go directly from dinner to the party."

      "Well, what has worked its way into your head?"

      "A scheme."

      "Give it to us."

      "We'll be ready for 'em when they come from dinner, and we'll give 'em a rush. They're not likely to be in any condition to attend a party after we are through with them. What do you say, old man? What do you think of it?"

      "We are likely to get enough of rushing in the annual rush, but I'm with you if you want to carry this job through."

      "All right, then, we'll do it. We'll give those sophs a warm time. I have been grouchy all day, but I begin to feel better now."

      So Frank and Harry communicated the plan to their friends, and a party gathered in their room immediately after supper.

      Dismal Jones was out as a scout, and he had agreed to let them know when the sophomores left their club. They were inclined to take much more time in dining than the freshmen.

      Pretty soon Jones came racing up the stairs and burst into the room.

      "Come on, fellows!" he cried. "The sophs are leaving their club, and there's lots of 'em wearing dress suits. We'll have a picnic with 'em!"

      Dismal seldom got excited, but now he was quite aroused.

      The freshmen caught up their caps and hurried downstairs. They were soon on the street, and they hastened to meet their natural enemies.

      The sophomores had formed by twos, with Browning and Emery in advance. It was true that many of them were in dress suits, and they were not a little disturbed when they saw the solid body of freshmen coming swiftly to meet them.

      To pass on the right the sophomores were entitled to the inside of the sidewalk, and although they would have given much to avoid the encounter, they formed solidly and prepared to defend their rights.

      The freshmen also formed in a compact mass, and came on with a rush, keeping hard up against the wall.

      "Turn to the right! Turn to the right!"

      The sophomores uttered the cry as they hugged the wall on the inside.

      "Sweep 'em off! Sweep 'em off!"

      That was the cry that came from the determined freshmen.

      "Hold on! hold on!" ordered Browning. "There is a law for this!"

      "Then you will have to produce officers to enforce it," laughed Frank Merriwell.

      "But there is a regular time for rushing."

      "This is not a regular rush, so we don't mind."

      "But you fellows have no right to do it!"

      "Is that so?" was the derisive retort. "Hear the sophs squeal fellows! Oh, my! but this is funny!"

      "Stop a minute and we will argue this matter, freshies," invited Browning, who was thoroughly disgusted over the prospect.

      Then the whole crowd of freshmen roared with laughter.

      "Hear the baby cry!" they shouted. "He is begging! Ha! ha! ha!"

      Browning's face was crimson with anger and confusion.

      "You are an insolent lot of young ruffians!" he snapped, "and Merriwell is the biggest ruffian of you all!"

      "Back it up! back it up!"

      "I can!"

      "Why don't you?"

      "I will when the right time comes."

      "What's the matter with this for the right time?"

      "No! no! Turn to the right and let us pass now. We will see you again."

      "We see you now, and we are going to raise you the limit."

      The sophomores held a hurried consultation, and then Browning said:

      "If you fellows will wait till we go change our clothes we'll come out and give you as warm a time as you want."

      "All right, we will wait."

      "Then let us pass."

      "We'll do that, but you will have to pass on the outside."

      That was something the sophomores could not do without yielding to the freshmen, and they felt that they had rather die than yield unless compelled to do so.

      The sophomores stormed and scolded, and the freshmen, who outnumbered them, laughed and flung back taunts.

      Then the sophomores determined on a quick, sudden rush, but it happened that the freshmen had decided on a rush at the same moment, and the two bodies of lads plunged forward as if at one signal.

      "'Umpty-eight! 'Umpty-eight!" yelled the freshmen.

      "'Umpty-seven! 'Umpty-seven!" shouted the sophomores.

      Crash! They met!

      Then there occurred one of the liveliest struggles of the season up to that date. Each side did its best to force the other off the sidewalk, and for some moments they swayed and surged in one spot.

      At last the superior weight of the freshmen began to tell, and the sophomores were slowly swept backward, contending every inch.

      Feeling that they must be crowded to the outside, Browning gave the signal for them to break and make it a hand-to-hand affair. Then he grappled with Merriwell.

      Frank was ready, and he willingly left the line as the freshmen forged onward. He was anxious for an opportunity of seeing just what sort of stuff the king of the sophomores was made of, and this was his chance.

      Finding that they could not hold the freshmen back, the sophs had each singled out a man, and the contest became hand to hand.

      In a few moments several parties were down, and some of them rolled from the sidewalk into the street.

      Now that they had been forced to do battle, the sophs were desperate, and they sailed in like a lot of tigers.

      Rattleton found himself

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