"And then-then what?"

"She wanted me to hilp her run away."

"Did you?"

"Did Oi? Well, say! Did ivver a swate girrul appale to Barney Mulloy thot he wurn't ready to break his neck fer th' loikes av her?"

Frank's excitement grew.

"Barney, you are a trump!" he shouted. "I could hug you! What did you do? How did you do it?"

"She told me she had some money av her own with which she could pay her way back to th' Unoited Shtates."

"Yes, yes!"

"All she wanted wur to get away widout her fayther ur th' lord knowin' a thing about it."

"And you aided her?"

"Me b'y, she didn't know how to do th' thrick, an' so I was afther securin' pa.s.sage fer her on a steamer bound fer San Francisco."

"And did you-were you able to get her away? Did she get on board without being stopped?"

Barney nodded.

"She has an aunt in Sacramento, an' she said she would be all roight av she could rache thot lady."

"In Sacramento? And she is there now? You aided her in getting to her aunt? Barney, you should have a gold medal!"

"Waid a bit, me laddibuck; you're gettin' ahid av me shtory. Oi got her onto th' stamer, an' Oi took pa.s.sage on th' same craft. As Oi didn't have money to burrun, Oi come in th' sicond cabin, whoile she came firrust cla.s.s. All th' same Oi found a chance now and thin to chat wid her. She told me all about her aunt. She said her aunt could make th'

fayther av her give up th' skame to marry her off to the Inglish lord."

"Blessings on that aunt!"

"Wait a bit! wait a bit!"

Frank showed alarm.

"Don't tell me she could not find her aunt, or that the woman refused to aid her!"

"Nayther thing happened. It war loike this: Another stamer sailed fer San Francisco the day afther us."

"What of that?"

"It wur a fasther stamer than th' one we wur on, Frankie."

Merriwell's fears were fully aroused.

"Go on! go on!" he cried.

"Av course her fayther an' th' Inglish lord diskivered she had run away, an' they found out she had taken a stamer."

"They followed on the other?"

"They followed a pace."

"Followed a piece? Why, how were they to turn back?"

"Nivver a bit did they do thot, but th' last parrut av th' trip we wur folleyin' thim, an' nivver a thing did we know about thot."

"They pa.s.sed you without your knowing it, you mean."

"Thot is phwat Oi mane."

"And then-then--"

"Whin we lift the stamer at this port, they wur there to receive us."

A cry of dismay broke from Frank, and then he suddenly became quite cool in his manner, the change being so p.r.o.nounced that it was startling.

"I presume they took charge of her?" he said, grimly.

"Thot's phwat, an' they nearly took charge av me whin they found me wid her. An officer wur called to arrist me, but it's a roight loively pair av legs Oi have, an' th' polaceman nivver got his fingers on me collar, though it wur some high dodgin' Oi did."

"What became of Inza?"

"Thot is phwat Oi'd loike ter foind out, Frankie, an' it's two days Oi've been thryin' to do so."

CHAPTER III-IN A QUANDARY

Frank took a turn twice the length of the room, and then stopped before Barney and the others, who were watching him in silence.

"Fellows," he said, his voice firm and steady, "Inza Burrage is a girl whom I admire very much. When I attended school at Fardale we were sweethearts. I fancy the most of you know what it is to have a sweetheart at school. Circ.u.mstances may separate such sweethearts in after years, but nothing ever makes them forget each other. They are sure to think of each other with tenderness and respect. A thousand times have I thought and dreamed of Inza. I have felt that I was ready to make any sacrifice for her-ready to do anything in my power for her.

I have said that, if the time ever came when she needed a true friend, she could depend on me. That time has come. She is in need of a friend, and I must find her and aid her. It may be possible that I shall need the a.s.sistance of my friends. Who may I count on?"

In a moment every boy in that room was on his feet and declaring his eagerness to stand by Frank through anything and everything.

Frank did not smile; he was very grave and stern, although something like a look of satisfaction pa.s.sed across his face.

"I thought so," he nodded. "In fact, I knew it. The first thing is to find out where Miss Burrage is."

"She may not be in San Francisco at all now," said Browning, who showed unusual interest for him.

"That is quite true."