The girl arose at once, but just then two waiters came hurrying up, demanding to know what the trouble was about. “No trouble at all,” assured Frank. “Well, what are you doing bothering this gent and lady?” growled one of the waiters, who looked like a bouncer. Frank did not look at him. “Will you come with me, miss?” he asked. “Well, that beats!” gasped the bouncer. “He’s tryin’ ter take the gent’s lady frien’ away from him.” “T’row him out!” suggested the other. “All right!” Now Frank paid some attention to the men. “Don’t attempt to put your hands on me!” he said, grimly. “If you do, I shall knock you down!” “Ho! ho!” laughed the bouncer. “Out yer goes, freshy!” He endeavored to catch hold of Merry to run him for the door, and the other offered assistance. Smash! crack!—two blows stretched one of the waiters on the floor and sent the other flying over the top of a table. The girl seemed overcome with terror, but Merry politely offered his arm, calmly saying: “If you will accept my protection, I will see you home.” She took his arm, and they started toward the door. All this had happened so suddenly that the other patrons of the place scarcely seemed aware there was any trouble before the waiters had been knocked down and Frank was leaving with the girl. Uttering furious exclamations, the waiters scrambled up. “Give it to him!” snarled the bouncer, starting after Frank. Then, strangely enough, Douglas Dunton thrust out his foot, and the man tripped over it, going down with a crash. The other waiter was following him closely, and he went sprawling over his companion. Dunton made haste to skip out by a side door, not even stopping to pay his bill. The waiters saw him escaping, and, remembering he had not paid, they turned after him, giving Merry an opportunity to get away without further molestation. CHAPTER XII. A LIVELY NIGHT. Entirely unaware that he had been saved from a second attack from the waiters by Dunton’s action, Frank lost no time in leaving the place, the girl clinging to his arm. She was so badly frightened when the street was reached that it was some time before she could tell where she lived. When they had walked some distance, Frank said: “Miss, I hope you will pardon me for interfering as I did, but I could not help it when I saw Dunton inducing you to drink wine. I read innocence in your face. I knew you were out of your element in that place and among the frequenters of it, and I resolved to save you.” “But—but, the gentleman I was with, Mr. Dunton, is one of your company, Mr. Merriwell,” faltered the frightened and bewildered girl. “I am well aware of that, and that was one reason why I was all the more determined to save you.” “But he seemed like a nice fellow. Of course I did not admire him as I do you, Mr. Merriwell, but he was so pleasant, so jolly, so kind!”