Frank Merriwells Reward | Page 9

a suit of Badger's clothes, and laid it in a chair. Then he
went to a desk and selected from it some "make-up" preparations which
had been there ever since the production of the sophomore play, "A
Mountain Vendetta." Then, after locking the door, he arrayed himself
in Badger's suit, and, standing before the mirror, applied the
preparations to his face, forehead, and eyebrows.
Pike had a good deal of artistic skill in such matters, and in a short time
he had darkened his face, blackened his brows and drawn certain lines
and colors, that, together with the change produced by the clothing,
made him resemble Badger in a remarkable manner. When he put on
Badger's hat the alteration seemed complete.
"Of course, that wouldn't stand close inspection," he muttered. "But
there will be no close inspection. I shall look out for that. Now for the
voice!"
He bunched up his shoulders to give them a thick look, cleared his
throat, and looking straight at himself in the glass, began to imitate
Badger's tones and characteristics of speech, speaking so low, however,
that there was no danger of being heard by any one who might chance
to pass.
"I allow that I'm a Kansan from away beyond the Kaw, and I reckon
I'm a diamond pure without the slightest flaw! Sure! A genuine
prairie-dog from the short-grass country couldn't chatter more like a

Westerner than that. That would fool Badger himself. That's whatever!
Yes, I reckon. My daddy is a rancher, and I allow that I am great; for
my home is on the boundless plains of the wonderful Sunflower State!
If I should practise, I reckon I could become a poet!"
Satisfied with his make-up and his abilities to imitate Badger's tone and
language, Donald Pike returned the unused articles to the drawer, put
away the clothing he had removed, and then sneaked down into the
campus, carrying under his coat a long, stout cord. Keeping away from
the electric lamps and other lights he slipped stealthily on until he
reached the entrance which led to the rooms occupied by Merriwell and
Hodge.
Diamond and Browning came down, talking in low tones of Merry and
Bart, and from this talk, Pike, who had withdrawn into the shadows,
learned that both Hodge and Frank were out in town somewhere. This
suited Pike's plans, and when Diamond and Bruce disappeared, he
crawled into the shadow of a column and watched the path along which
Hodge and Merriwell would come on their return.
"They'll not come back together, sure, unless all the stories I've heard
are lies; for they're not on speaking terms!" he reflected. "The only
thing I fear is that Hodge may not care to come to his rooms at all."
The thought made him uneasy, and caused the vigil which followed to
appear torturingly long.
"Ah! there he is!" he whispered, at last.
Slipping across the path, he tied an end of the cord he had brought to a
post, then retreated into the shadow and tied the other end about the
column. The youth he had seen came on at a brisk walk. Pike was sure
it was Hodge. He almost ceased to breathe as the unsuspecting young
fellow approached the cord. He put himself in position for a hasty
spring.
Crash!

The youth tripped over the string, and went down headlong, falling
heavily.
"I reckon I've got you now!" Pike hissed in a low tone, imitating
Badger's voice, and at the same time leaping toward the prostrate form.
Deceived by the darkness, Donald Pike had tripped Frank Merriwell,
but he did not yet know it. With that imitation of the Westerner's
speech, he knocked Merriwell down, as the latter tried to get up.
Again he struck, as Frank attempted to rise, but Merriwell dodged the
blow, and, catching Pike by the legs, threw him. Before Pike could
realize what had happened, Merriwell was on top, with his fingers at
Pike's throat.
"You scoundrel!" Frank hissed. "I am tempted to give you what you
deserve for that!"
But Pike was not ready to surrender, though he knew now that he had
committed a woful blunder. In fact, the knowledge that he was dealing
with Frank Merriwell aroused him to a fierce resistance. He felt that it
would simply be ruinous to be held and recognized by Merriwell, and
he began to fight like a demon to get away.
He freed his hands, and struck Frank heavily in the face, at the same
time kicking with all his might. He tried to thrust his thumbs into
Frank's eyes.
"I'll kill you, if you don't let me go!" he snarled.
Frank had felt from the first that his assailant could not be Buck Badger;
now he recognized the voice of Donald Pike,