"I think, we'll get away from here, as the police seem to have a grudge against any one in a sailor's suit, and this racket may bring some of them down here."

Immediately Frank said:

"We owe you thanks, sir, for the aid you gave us in getting out of a bad sc.r.a.pe. You responded to my appeal for help immediately, and--"

The man interrupted with a laugh.

"We were only too glad of a chance to do it, as we were looking for a good opportunity to smash a few c.h.i.n.ks in the mug. Eh, boys?"

"That's right," nodded his companions.

Merriwell looked at the men curiously, and he saw they were anything but ordinary sailors. All were fine-appearing men, and they spoke like persons of education.

"We will go along with you, if you don't mind," he said. "I think we have seen quite enough of Chinatown to suffice for to-night. What do you say, fellows?"

"I am sure I have," said Diamond.

"And Oi," nodded Barney.

"You vos anodder," grinned Hans, who meant to say he was quite willing to leave Chinatown for the night.

So the little party moved away, and as they went along the leader of the yachtsmen said:

"My name is Chandler and I am stopping at the Baldwin. Have been cruising in my yacht with several friends, but just now I am trying to sell her, as some business has arisen which defeats my plans for a summer's outing."

Frank introduced himself, and in a short time the boys were chatting freely with the yachtsmen, who proved to be rather jolly gentlemen.

Pa.s.sing out of Chinatown they were soon on Market Street, and a walk of a few blocks brought them to the hotel where Merriwell and the friends who had accompanied him on the bicycle tour across the continent were stopping.

Chandler wished to go in and "blow off," but Frank insisted that none of the party drank.

"If that is the case, you are a queer set of college lads," said Chandler, with a laugh. "I never saw a college boy who would not swim in beer every chance he found."

"There are exceptions, you see."

"I see, and I consider it most remarkable. Will you smoke?"

But Frank declined to drink or smoke, shook hands with his accidentally found friends, and they parted.

"Now," he said, addressing Barney and Hans, "you must come in and see our rooms."

They entered the hotel and ascended in the elevator to the floor on which the boys had their rooms.

A few minutes later Barney and Hans were thoroughly at home.

CHAPTER II-BARNEY'S STORY

"Well, Oi nivver saw th' loikes av this!" exclaimed Barney, in amazement. "It's loike bein' back at Fardale ag'in."

"You pet my poots!" grinned the Dutch boy. "Id makes me think der time uf dot Hodge vos hazed der oldt poathouse in. You tidn't like dot so much as you might, eh, Partly?"

"I can't say that I ever took to hazing much," confessed Hodge, who looked moody and worried.

"Yaw, dot vos der trute. Dot vos der nighd ven I sing dot peautiful hymn caldt 'Bull For der Sh.o.r.e.' I remember me dot song. Id vent someding dis a vay:

"Bull vor der sh.o.r.e, sailor, bull vor der sh.o.r.e, Ged indo dot lifepoat, undt ged der roof off, Shbit on your handts, sailor, undt let her rip, Uf you dond'd prace up, you ged left alretty yet."

Dunnerwust roared forth the song as loudly as he could, and Frank hastened to stop him, laughing as he said:

"Good gracious, Hans! this is no menagerie! It is a first-cla.s.s hotel, and we'll be fired out if we make such unearthly noises in the rooms."

"I don'd toldt you so?" exclaimed the Dutch boy in surprise. "Don'd der beople der hodel in abbreciate goot musicks?"

"Possibly they do when they hear it."

"Vell, oben der toor und gif um der chance uf their lifes. I vos goin'

to sing again alretty soon."

"If you try it, I'll throw you out of the window!"

Diamond gave a sigh of relief.

"Talk about a Chinese orchestra!" he muttered. "There are other things quite as bad."

Hans looked sad.

"I vos afraidt mein voice vos not abbreciated," he said. "Id vos hardt ven a veller feels so goot he vants to varble like der pirds und der friendts uf him von't gif him a shance. Oxcuse me vile I shed a tear.

Vill somepody lent me an onions?"

"Oi'm glad ye've got somebody to hold ye down, ye Dutch chaze," grinned Barney. "It's mesilf has been unable intoirely to kape th' Dutchmon shtill, Frankie. It's in danger av bein' arristed he has put us twinty toimes a day."

"What I want to know," said Frank, "is how it happens that I find you two together here in San Francisco."

"Vale," said Hans, "I comes me oudt here to visit mein cousin, Fritz, undt I runs me acrost Parney."

"But, Barney, the last I knew of you you were in London with your Sister Bridget. I didn't suppose you were in America."

"It's an accidint Oi'm here at all, at all," averred the Irish lad. "An'

it's yesilf thot'll be moighty interisted whin Oi tells yez how thot accidint happened."

"Yah," nodded Hans; "he vos sure to trop deat ven you toldt him der odder berson of dot vas San Vrancisco in."

"I am getting intensely interested already," said Frank. "Go ahead, Barney, and tell the story. We'll all sit down and listen."