Frank Merriwell at Yale | Page 5

water. Then he was dragged out, thumped on the head with
stuffed clubs, deafened by the horns that bellowed in his ears, and
tossed in a blanket till his head bumped against the ceiling. Then he
was forced to crawl through a piano box that was filled with sawdust.
He was pushed and pulled and hammered and thumped till he was sore
in every part of his body.
All through this ordeal not a word or murmur escaped his lips. His teeth
were set, and he felt that he had rather die than utter a sound that
betrayed pain or agitation.
This seemed to infuriate his assailants. They banged him about till he
could scarcely stand, and then, of a sudden, there was a great hush,
while a terrible voice croaked:
"Bring forth the guillotine!"
There was a bustle, and then the bandage was stripped from Frank's
eyes, he was tripped up, and a second later found himself lying helpless
with his neck in the socket of a mock guillotine. Above him was
suspended a huge gleaming knife that seemed to tremble, as if about to
fall. At his side was a fellow dressed in the somber garments of an
executioner.
It was really a severe strain upon his nerves, but still his teeth were
clinched, and not a sound came from his lips.
"The knife is broken," whispered the mock executioner in Frank's ear,
"so it may accidentally fall and cut you."
"Have you any last message, fresh?" hoarsely whispered the mock
executioner. "There might be a fatal accident."
Frank made no reply save to wink tauntingly at the fellow.

The next instant, with a nerve-breaking swish, the shining blade fell!
A piece of ice was drawn across Frank's throat and a stream of warm
water squirted down his back.
It was most horribly real and awful, and for a moment it seemed that
the knife had actually done the frightful deed.
Despite his wonderful nerve, Frank gasped; but he quickly saw that the
knife had swung aside and his head was still attached to his body.
Then he forced a derisive laugh from his lips, and seemed not the least
disturbed, much to the disgust of the assembly.
"Confound him!" growled a voice, which Frank fancied he recognized
as belonging to Browning. "There's no fun in him. Let's try another."
Then Frank was lifted to his feet and assisted to don his coat.
"If you want to stay and see the fun, put on a mask," directed Mephisto.
"You must not be recognized by the other freshies."
He was given a mask and he put it on as directed.
A moment later the masked youths began to howl and blow horns. A
door opened, and Diamond, blindfolded and bound, was led into the
room.
The young Virginian stood up haughtily, and he was seen to strain and
struggle in an effort to free his hands.
"I protest against this outrage!" he cried, angrily. "I want you to know
that my father--"
The horns and the shouts drowned his words. He was forced to mount
the steps to a high platform, and an instant later he found himself
shooting down a slippery incline of planed and greased boards.
The racket stopped as Diamond scooted down the slippery surface. He

dropped sprawling into the vat of icy water. Several hands caught hold
of him, yanked him up, and thrust him down again.
"Oh, somebody shall suffer for this!" gurgled the helpless freshman,
spluttering water from his mouth.
He was dragged out of the vat, and then he was forced to endure all the
hustling, and thumping, and banging which Frank Merriwell had
passed through. His protests seemed to fall on deaf ears.
It had been reported that Diamond had declared that the sophomores
would not dare to haze him, as his father would make it hot for them if
they did. The report was remembered, and he was used more severely
than Frank had been.
Hazing at Yale was said to be a thing of the past, but Frank saw it was
still carried on secretly.
"Make a speech, fresh!" shouted a voice.
"Speech! speech!" yelled the masked lads.
Diamond was placed on a low table.
For a moment he hesitated, and then he fancied he saw his opportunity
to make a protest that would be heard.
"I will make a speech," he declared. "I'll tell you young ruffians what I
think of you and what--"
Swish! a sponge that was dripping with dirty water struck him square in
the mouth. Some of the water went down his throat, and he choked and
strangled.
The table was jerked from beneath his feet, and he fell into the waiting
arms of the masked sophomores.
"He called us ruffians! Give it to him!"

Then the