Finally Hashi came still nearer. Suddenly he felt a hand close on the back of his neck. Merriwell had caught him before he could prevent it. He knew now that Frank could move with such swiftness that light itself seemed barely faster. Hashi shot his own hand up and tried to secure a hold on Frank’s wrist, with the intention of seeking a certain nerve with his fingers and robbing the American youth of strength in that arm. Frank read his intention and prevented it by his manner of maintaining his hold, at the same time closing on the professor’s arm at the shoulder. Hashi twisted and snapped away barely in time to prevent the American from finding one of those paralyzing nerves. He continued to smile, but he understood that Merriwell was inclined to meet him at his own game. A moment later Frank secured another hold on the Jap. Instead of coming at Hashi, he drew the yellow athlete toward him. Then there was a grapple. “Ah!” cried the spectators. Hashi sought to get one of Frank’s hands in a certain manner. Being baffled, he changed instantly and tried to bring himself into a position of advantage by twisting Merriwell’s arm behind his back. Again he was defeated. In the meantime Merry had continued to seek to secure a hold on the little man, finally obtaining it. They went to their knees together. Hashi broke Frank’s hold. As they came up, the Jap again sought to twist Frank’s arm behind his back. He was prevented in this, and he clasped Merry’s body behind, getting him round the waist. Frank slipped down, reached up and closed his fingers in a lock about the back of Hashi’s neck. Hashi’s waist lock held, but Merry went over, sending the heels of the Jap in a half circle through the air. Hashi landed flat on his back, with the American full upon him. It was a clean case of a wrestler’s trick being baffled by another trick, and the Jap was down. A shout went up from the spectators. Fillmore looked astounded and dismayed. But the Jap did not let Frank rise. Instead of that, as Merry was getting up, Hashi caught one of his legs. Fillmore caught his breath. He knew what that meant, and he was satisfied now that Hashi had permitted Frank to bring about the fall in order to obtain this opportunity. Frank seemed warned just in time, for he gave a squirming whirl that brought him round facing in the opposite direction and prevented the Jap from securing the leverage he desired. “Let go of that leg!” he commanded. But he did not wait to see if the Jap obeyed. He did not dare risk it. Instead of waiting, he dropped in such a manner that his free knee was driven into Hashi’s wind. That broke the fellow’s hold. Fillmore saw this and breathed a curse of dismay. Hodge was stirred up. “What did he try to do, Merry?” he palpitated. “Oh, nothing,” smiled Frank. “These jujutsu men never recognize a fair fall. To them it means nothing to be thrown flat on the back. He was trying for another hold, and I had to check him.”