“You haven’t seen Merriwell fight?”

“No.”

“I have.”

“He is clever?”

“He is a corker.  Of course I believe I can do him, but I want to do him easy, and that is why I am training.”

Another party of sophomores came in.

“It is Harrison and his crowd,” said Parker, “and I’m blowed if they haven’t got Roll Ditson with them!  That cad of a freshman has succeeded in getting in here again.”

“Ditson hates Merriwell, don’t yer know,” said Paulding.  “He pretends to be friendly with Merry, but he’s ready to do him any time.”

CHAPTER XI

“Lambda Chi!”

Ditson had fawned around Browning a great deal since entering college, with the result that the king of the sophomores came to entertain a feeling of absolute disgust for the fellow.  The very sight of Ditson made the “king” feel as if he would enjoy giving him a good “polishing off.”

But Bruce was no bully, although he was a leader of the sophomores.  He had proved his ability to fight when it was necessary, but no one could say that he ever showed any inclination to do bodily harm to one who was weak and peaceable.

During his freshman year Browning had originated any number of wild projects for sport, and he had always succeeded in carrying them through successfully.  Thus it came about that he was called the “king,” and his companions continued to call him that when he became a sophomore.

But now there was a man in college who had fairly outwitted Browning on several occasions, and so it came about that the king was aroused against Frank Merriwell.

Browning keenly felt the sting of being beaten at his own game, and he was obliged to confess to himself that Merriwell had accomplished the trick.

But our hero was not inclined to let Bruce alone.  He did not wait for the king to become aggressive; he set about keeping Bruce in hot water, and he succeeded very well.

The other freshmen, stimulated by the example of one who was distinctly a leader among them, carried on such an energetic campaign against the sophomores that the latter found themselves almost continually on the defensive.

Such a thing had never before been known at Yale and the sophs were highly indignant.  They informed the freshmen that they were altogether too fresh.  They said the freshmen were breaking a time-honored custom, and it must be stopped.

But the triumphant freshmen kept right on, laughing in the faces of their angry foes.

It was expected that Browning would not delay about getting back at Merriwell and his friends, and the admirers of the king were surprised when he seemed to remain inactive.

Then it came out that Bruce was in training, and it was said that he was putting himself in condition to give Merriwell the worst licking of his life.