After washing up, Frank and Bart found they were not severely scarred; but that it had been a close call for Merry was made evident by the slash in his coat. “Well,” said Frank, as he held up the coat and looked at it ruefully, “that finished your career, but you did one good job to-night. You smothered the fire that would have burned a very saucy and very attractive young lady. I think I will keep you as a reminder of the occasion.” “It’s fortunate we were out strolling around after leaving the theatre,” said Rattleton. “We were feeling rather gay, and did not seem to want to turn in so early.” “New Yorkers say Philadelphia is slow,” grunted Browning; “but I’ll be hanged if it doesn’t seem to be a hot town! I think New Yorkers are sore on the place.” “Slow,” drawled Ephraim Gallup, with a queer twist of his homely face. “Thutteration! There’s more goin’ on here than there ever was araound aour taown up in Varmont, an’ we uster think that was purty gosh-darn lively sometimes. Once we had a dorg fight, a thunderstorm an’ Jeduthin Blodgett’s chimbney burnt aout, all in one afternoon, an’ I tell yeou things was all fired lively up raound them diggin’s. But I swan Philadelfy has more goin’ on than that ’most any day but Sunday.” Some of the boys laughed at this, but Hans stared at Ephraim in a bewildered way. “Dot must peen a lifely down,” he said. “Uf you vos to life there a great vile I oxbect id vould turn my hair gray.” For a long time the boys talked over the street encounter, and then Frank produced the handkerchief he had snatched from the face of the leader of the ruffians. After looking it over carefully he uttered an exclamation. “What is it, Merry?” asked Rattleton. “I have made a discovery,” said Merriwell, with a look of satisfaction, as he restored the handkerchief to his pocket. “What sort of a discovery?” “One that may prove of great importance.” “Don’t be so mysterious about it,” urged Diamond. “Tell us what you have discovered.” “Wait,” said Frank. “I will tell you later.” “Do you think you know any of the ruffians who assaulted you besides the one caught?” “I fancy so. Let’s go to bed now. We can talk this over to-morrow.” Frank went to bed and slept as well as if nothing serious had happened. This was not the case with Hodge. His blood had not cooled, and he turned, twisted, muttered and grated his teeth in his sleep. Diamond, who slept with him, got out of bed, went into the room where Hans and Ephraim were sleeping together, awoke the Dutch boy, and sternly ordered him to go into the other room and sleep with Hodge. Dunnerwust protested some, but as he was stupefied with sleep and being somewhat afraid of the Virginian, he finally obeyed. Toward morning there was a wild outcry in that room, a thump on the floor and sounds of a struggle. Then Hans was heard calling: “Hellup! hellup! Somepody gome und took him off! Uf you don’d gome und done dot britty queek he peen sure to kilt himseluf! Hellup! Fire!”