“Here’s to good Old Yale—drink it down! Here’s to good Old Yale—drink it down! Here’s to good Old Yale, She’s so hearty and so hale— Drink it down! Drink it down! down! down!” From Frank Merriwell’s lips pealed a wild cry—the Yale yell. It echoed along the street, and the distant singing stopped. The cry was answered! “Help, fellows!” There was another answer, and soon running feet were heard. “A thousand furies!” snarled the leader of the ruffians. “Those other fellows are coming!” Then he made a desperate lunge at Frank, who saw something bright glitter in his fingers. Merriwell avoided the thrust, but heard a cutting sound as the bright instrument slashed his coat. Frank knew the wretch had struck at him with an open knife, and again he snatched for that handkerchief. This time he caught it and tore it from the fellow’s face. But the leader of the ruffians turned and ran like a deer. Merry would have followed, but, in trying to do so, he stumbled over one of the gang who had been knocked down. This fellow grappled with Frank, and then Mulloy, Diamond, Rattleton, Gallup, Browning and Dunnerwust came running up. “Pwhat’s this?” cried Barney, excitedly. “Is it a schrap, an’ Oi not in it? Did yez ivver see th’ loikes av this!” “Wal, gol darn it all!” puffed Ephraim. “If this don’t beat all natur! Where’s the rest of um?” “They ran when they heard you coming,” said Frank; “but I have this chap all right.” “Shimminy Ghristmas!” gurgled Hans. “Uf I hadn’t peen here before, dem vellers vould peen licked britty queek, ain’d id! Ven I heard dem comin’ they all rund avay off. I pet your life dey known vot vas coot vor mineseluf. Yaw!” “Blame the luck!” grunted Browning. “Think of running like that and then arriving too late to get into the fight! It’s disgusting!” “Who were they, Frank?” asked Diamond. “I think I know the leader, and I have the handkerchief he had tied over his face. As for this fellow—— No, you don’t!” The one Merry was holding made a desperate attempt to break away, but was prevented. And, now the fight was over, a policeman approached, saw the crowd, and rapped a call for assistance. Within a minute three officers were on the spot. Frank and Bart told their story. At first the officers were inclined to discredit it, thinking there had been a street row among those found there by them, but when they saw Merriwell’s captive and obtained a good look at the fellow’s face one of them cried: “It’s Shiner Gregg! He belongs to the Stone Alley gang.” Then Frank showed where his coat had been slit open by a knife, told where he was stopping, and satisfied the officers that he was telling nothing but the truth. Two of the officers took Shiner Gregg to a police station, while another accompanied the boys to the hotel, where he satisfied himself that they had told the truth, and made Merriwell and Hodge promise to appear against Gregg.