"The time has come," said Browning, slowly, "when this bully must be shown that he is not cock of the walk."
"Merriwell didn't hesitate about tackling him to-night--and got the best of him in a fair way. He struck a foul blow, and----"
"A terrible blow it was," confessed Frank, soberly. "I felt as if I had been kicked in the head by a mule."
"Oh, he'll kill a weak fellow with a fair blow of his fist!" exclaim Halliday.
"If we can't do anything else," said Browning, "we'll have to organize against him. If we were to do that, we could bring him to time after a while."
Danny Griswold lighted a cigarette, and perched himself on top of the table.
"If Merry will be our leader we may do something," he said.
"I am not in favor of the scheme," declared Frank.
"It seems cowardly for several fellows to band together against one."
"But it's all the way he can be subdued. What can we do?"
"I am not certain it is the only way he can be subdued."
"I won't make any suggestions to-night, but I will think it over."
"We should organize for the protection of Diamond," suggested Creighton. "He is bound to find out Jack struck him the blow that knocked him out, and then----"
"Don't worry about me," broke in the Virginian. "I am not afraid of Hock Mason. He might kill me, but he'd never be able to make me squeal."
This was not boasting. Those who knew Jack Diamond best realized that he spoke nothing more than the simple truth. Brute force might conquer him physically, but his heart could not be conquered in such a manner.
Creighton was in earnest about forming some sort of a combination, offensive and defensive, against Mason, but Merriwell would not go into it, and the scheme failed to go into effect.
Some one suggested that Mason might be hurt more severely than they supposed, and Robinson went out to find out, if possible, about it. He finally returned, but brought no information.
"It would be a good thing if he couldn't get into bed for a day or two," said Halliday; "but you'll see him about as well as ever to-morrow."
Ben was right. Mason came forth to chapel in the morning, and, from his appearance, no one could have told that he had been knocked out in such manner the night before.
Straightway the giant freshman set about trying to discover just who it was that struck him, but those he questioned did not know, or lied by saying they did not know.