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Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-1

Chapter 7
Characters, Strings, and the StringBuilder
A Guide to this Instructor’s Manual:

We have designed this Instructor’s Manual to supplement and enhance your teaching
experience through classroom activities and a cohesive chapter summary.

This document is organized chronologically, using the same headings that you see in the
textbook. Under the headings you will find: lecture notes that summarize the section, Teaching
Tips, Class Discussion Topics, and Additional Projects and Resources. Pay special attention to
teaching tips and activities geared towards quizzing your students and enhancing their critical
thinking skills.

In addition to this Instructor’s Manual, our Instructor’s Resources also contain PowerPoint
Presentations, Test Banks, and other supplements to aid in your teaching experience.

At a Glance

Instructor’s Manual Table of Contents

• Overview

• Objectives

• Teaching Tips

• Quick Quizzes

• Class Discussion Topics

• Additional Projects

• Additional Resources

• Key Terms

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-2

Lecture Notes

Overview
Chapter 7 covers working with character strings in Java. Students will learn to use the
Character, String, and StringBuilder classes. The Character class
provides methods for working with single characters. The String class is most
commonly used to represent a character string and is immutable. The
StringBuilder class provides a mutable representation of a character string.

Objectives
• Identify string data problems
• Use Character class methods
• Declare and compare String objects
• Use other String methods
• Use the StringBuilder and StringBuffer classes

Teaching Tips
Understanding String Data Problems
1. Using the example code in Figure 7-1, explain that, although it seems logical,
comparing Strings for equality using the == operator will produce incorrect
results in Java.

Before beginning this lesson, ask students to create a program similar to that in
Teaching Figure 7-1 to discover for themselves that the == operator cannot be used to
Tip
compare Strings for equality.

2. Introduce the concept of a reference to a memory location. Note that the reason the
== operator cannot be used to compare reference objects is that this operator is
comparing the memory addresses rather than the contents of the memory addresses.

Teaching All Java objects are stored as references. The == operator should only be used to
Tip check the equality of primitive types.

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-3

3. Explain that Java provides three classes that are helpful when working with strings:
Character, String, and StringBuilder and StringBuffer. Use the
definitions on page 332 to define each class.

Two Truths and a Lie

1. Discuss the two truths and a lie on page 332.

Using Character class Methods

1. Introduce the Character class. This class provides a number of methods useful for
working with single characters. Several of these methods are listed in Table 7-1.

Teaching
The Character class is a wrapper for the char primitive type.
Tip

2. Review the CharacterInfo program listing in Figure 7-3. This program provides an
example of using many of the methods introduced in Table 7-1. Review the bulleted list
on page 334 for an overview of how the code in Figure 7-3 executes.

3. During your lecture, code an example of the character class counting vowels in a
sentence.

Two Truths and a Lie

1. Discuss the two truths and a lie on page 335.

You Do It
1. Students should follow the steps in the book on page 335 to create a Java application to
test your understanding of characters.

Quick Quiz 1
1. As an object, a String variable name is not a simple data type. It is a(n) ____; that is,
a variable that holds a memory address.
Answer: reference

2. The ____ method of the Character class returns true if the argument is a digit (0–
9) and false otherwise.
Answer: isDigit()

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-4

3. What is the value of the result in the following program code?

char aChar = 'C';
Boolean result = Character.isWhitespace(aChar);
Answer: False

4. List the mutable string objects in Java.

Answer: StringBuilder, StringBuffer

Declaring and Comparing String Objects

1. Redefine the term “literal string” for students using the definition from Chapter 1.

2. Demonstrate that a String variable can be created by using the new operator and
calling the String constructor, or by assigning a literal value directly to a String
variable. This makes the String class unique in the Java language.

3. Mention that a literal string is called an anonymous object, because it is unnamed.

Remind students that the program statement myString = "Hello World"

Teaching is identical to the statement myString = new String("Hello
Tip World"); a new String object is created each time a value is assigned to a
String.

Comparing String Values

1. Describe how Java stores reference objects in memory locations. Point out that in Java,
when a new value is assigned to a String variable, the memory address where that
value is stored is changed to a new memory address. This is because the String class
is immutable; its value cannot be changed. Every time a new value is assigned to a
String variable, a new String object is created. Use Figure 7-5 to help students
understand this concept.

2. Remind students that it is incorrect to compare two String values using the ==
operator.

3. Demonstrate how to use the String class equals() method to compare two
Strings. Figure 7-6 shows this method in a program. The equals() method accepts
one argument—another String—and returns a boolean value of true or false
depending on whether the two Strings are the same.

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-5

Teaching
All Java objects should be checked for equality using the equals() method.
Tip

4. Introduce the equalsIgnoreCase() method and the compareTo() method.

5. Walk through the steps involved in determining the results of compareTo() using the
example on page 340. Define the return values of compareTo().

6. Write code during your lecture that uses the equals(), equalsIgnoreCase(),
and compareTo() methods.

If students have difficulty interpreting the results of compareTo(), note that

Teaching the results can be thought of as the result of subtracting the Strings being
Tip compared. If the first is larger, the result will be positive; if the second is larger,
the result will be negative.

Empty and null Strings

1. Define empty Strings and null Strings. Use the three examples on the bottom of
page 340 to illustrate the differences.

2. Strings are set to null by default.

Two Truths and a Lie

1. Discuss the two truths and a lie on page 341.

You Do It
1. Students should follow the steps in the book on pages 341–342 to learn more about the
String class.

Using Other String Methods

1. Discuss the following methods of the String class: toUpperCase(),

toLowerCase(), length(), indexOf(), charAt(), endsWith(),
startsWith(), and replace().

2. Define concatenation.

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-6

3. Explain that the toString() method can be used to convert any Java object into a
String. The concatenation operator, +, can also be used to convert other data types to
Strings.

4. Explain how to use the substring() method to extract a portion of a String.

Another version of the substring() method accepts a single integer

Teaching
argument and returns the portion of the String between that integer’s index
Tip
and the end of the String.

5. Explain the purpose of the regionMatches() method. Discuss how this can be
used in a program.

6. Review the BusinessLetter application in Figure 7-8. This application

demonstrates the use of many of the String methods covered in this section.

7. Code an application during your lecture that uses several of the String methods. Try
to use an application that mimics a game such as hangman.

Converting String Objects to Numbers

1. Introduce the term wrapper. Note that Java provides wrappers for each of the
primitive data types. For example, the Integer class is a wrapper for the int type.

2. Use the parseInt() method of the Integer class to convert a String to an int.

Alternatively, the valueOf() and intValue() methods of the Integer class can
be used to convert a String to an int.

3. Explain that the parseDouble() method of the Double wrapper converts a

String to a double.

4. Create an example that converts String input into numeric values.

Teaching Java 5 includes a feature called autoboxing that provides automatic conversion
Tip between primitive types and their wrappers.

Two Truths and a Lie

1. Discuss the two truths and a lie on page 348.

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-7

You Do It
1. Students should follow the steps in the book on pages 348–350 to create a Java
application that capitalizes the first letters of a full name.

2. Students should follow the steps in the book on pages 350–351 to create a Java
application that converts a String to an integer.

Quick Quiz 2
1. True or False: The class String is defined in java.lang.String, which is
automatically imported into every program you write.
Answer: True

2. Strings and other objects that can’t be changed are known as ____.
Answer: immutable

3. The String class ____ method evaluates the contents of two String objects to
determine if they are equivalent.
Answer: equals()

4. The ____ method requires an integer argument that indicates the position of the
character that the method returns.
Answer: charAt()

5. True or False: String objects can be directly compared.

Answer: False

Learning About the StringBuilder and StringBuffer Classes

1. Note that the StringBuilder and StringBuffer classes provide an alternative to

the String class, and are useful when a program needs to modify the value of a
String.

2. Discuss that the StringBuilder and StringBuffer are identical except for the
differences between these two classes listed on page 3752 Define threads of execution
for the students.

Teaching StringBuilder and StringBuffer can be used anywhere a String can

Tip be used.

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-8

3. Explain the difference between the buffer length and the capacity of a
StringBuilder object. Describe the methods used to alter the length and capacity.
Review the program in Figure 7-12.

4. The append() method and insert() method are used to add characters or
Strings to a StringBuilder. The charAt() method returns the char at the
specified index.

5. Review the constructor method shown for the StringBuilder class on page 355.

The insert() and append() methods return a reference to the

StringBuffer (a this reference) so that these operations can be chained
Teaching
together as:
Tip
myStringBuffer.append("value1").append("value2").
append("value3");.

Two Truths and a Lie

1. Discuss the two truths and a lie on page 357.

You Do It
1. Students should follow the steps in the book on pages 357–358 to create a Java
application that creates a program that demonstrates the StringBuilder class.

Don’t Do It
1. Review this section, discussing each point with the class.

Quick Quiz 3
1. To convert a String to an integer, you use the Integer class, which is part of ____
and is automatically imported into programs you write.
Answer: java.lang

2. A method of the Double class is the ____ method, which takes a String argument
and returns its double value.
Answer: parseDouble()

3. True or False: You can change the length of a String in a StringBuilder object
with the setLength() method.
Answer: True
© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-9

4. What are the differences between the StringBuilder and StringBuffer

classes?
Answer: StringBuilder is more efficient than StringBuffer. However,
StringBuffer can be used in threaded applications.

Class Discussion Topics

1. Why do you think Java provides both primitive data types and wrapper classes for
them? Why not just one or the other?

2. Under what circumstances would you choose to use the String class? When would
you use StringBuilder?

3. Why does Java make String objects immutable?

Additional Projects
1. Use the Character class to create a program that analyzes a password entered by the
user. The program will count the number of digits, punctuation marks, lowercase letters,
and uppercase letters in the password. The program will then assign a score of weak,
medium, or strong to the password.

2. Create a program that prompts the user to enter two Strings and then displays the
Strings in alphabetical order. If the two Strings are equal, the program should
display a message that they are equal rather than printing them in alphabetical order.

3. In addition to the methods covered in this chapter, Java provides a number of classes
used to convert and format Strings and numbers in the java.text package. Using
the Internet, find the name of one of these classes and write a program that uses this
class to convert a String to a number and a number to a String.

Additional Resources
1. An article on using String and StringBuffer:
www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-03-2000/jw-0324-javaperf.html

2. How to use wrapper classes:

https://www.w3resource.com/java-tutorial/java-wrapper-classes.php

3. The StringBuilder Class:

http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/data/buffers.html

4. Java performance of StringBuilder in a loop:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/242438/java-performance-of-stringbuilder-in-a-loop
© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Java Programming, Ninth Edition 7-10

Key Terms
➢ Anonymous object: an unnamed object.
➢ Buffer: a block of memory.
➢ Capacity: the actual length of the buffer in a StringBuilder object, as opposed to
that of the string contained in the buffer.
➢ Character class: instances can hold a single character value. This class also
defines methods that can manipulate or inspect single-character data.
➢ Concatenation: the process of joining a variable to a string to create a longer string.
➢ Immutable: cannot be changed.
➢ Lexicographical comparison: based on the integer Unicode values of characters.
➢ null String: a Java keyword that ensures a variable does not receive a memory
address.
➢ Reference: a variable that holds a memory address.
➢ String class: used for working with fixed-string data—that is, unchanging data
composed of multiple characters.
➢ String variable: a named object of the String class.
➢ StringBuffer: used for storing and manipulating changeable data composed of
multiple characters. It is an alternative to the String class when you know a String
will be modified. StringBuffer is thread safe.
➢ StringBuilder: similar to StringBuffer, but more efficient.
➢ Threads of execution: units of processing that are scheduled by an operating system.
They can be used to create multiple paths of control during program execution.
➢ Wrapper: a class or an object that is “wrapped around” a simpler element.

© 2019 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a
license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.
Random documents with unrelated
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 “I don’t like to get swelled up in my statements, Mr. Fernald; but I
will say that Dick and I are a whole lot familiar with each other, and
work pretty well together.”
The Rockford manager smiled.
“That’s right,” he confessed. “I have watched you, and you work
together like machinery. Without a catcher behind the bat who
knows him thoroughly and can hold him, Merriwell would not be
particularly effective. Surely he couldn’t use that so-called
combination ball. It would fool a catcher just as much as it fools a
batter. Whatever that combination ball is, it’s a case of luck when a
batter hits it fairly. Of course, I know it’s no combination rise and
drop, for that’s impossible.”
“You think so,” laughed Brad. “I don’t blame you any, Mr. Fernald;
but I’ll bet something some of your players will tell you it is a
combined rise and drop.”
Fernald shook his head.
“I know it’s something mighty odd,” was his acknowledgment;
“but reason teaches me that a ball can’t be thrown in such a manner
that it will curve in one direction and reverse and curve in another.
Merriwell apparently throws a rise to start with, but it’s his style of
delivery that makes the ball seem to rise. He throws it with a rotary
movement that finally turns it into a drop.”
“It certain appears that you’ve figured the thing out to your
satisfaction; but what are you driving at?”
“It won’t make any great difference with your team if we win to-
morrow,” said Fernald softly. “You will still be close enough on our
heels to run us down before the season closes. It will make a big
difference to me if we lose; I’ll have all the cranks in this town on
my back. How would you like to make a good thing out of the game
to-morrow?”
The Texan started slightly, then turned slowly and stared at his
companion.
 “I sure would like to make a good thing out of it,” he said, in a
queer tone of voice. “That’s natural.”
“Perfectly,” nodded Fernald, fancying he had deftly secured an
opening, and likewise imagining that this sturdy boy was willing to
listen to a proposition. “I want to give you a pointer Buckhart. I am
going to bet on the game to-morrow. There’ll be plenty of chaps
ready to back your team. I am indifferent about making any money,
but I don’t want to lose any.”
“It certain seems to me that you will either have to make some or
lose some if you bet,” said the Westerner.
“I may win my bets without making any money.”
“I opine that’s impossible, Mr. Fernald. How can you do it?”
“Well, for instance, supposing I had it fixed with some one on your
team that whatever I won should go to him in case I did win. By this
I mean that if Rockford took the game I would hand over my
winnings to a member of the Fairhaven team. It’s absolutely
necessary, as I have explained to you, for us to stay in first position.
That will be more valuable to me than any money I might win. If you
can assure me that Rockford will hold her place by taking that game
I will cover all the Fairhaven money that is pushed at me. You may
send bettors to me and keep tabs on the amount posted. I don’t
care how much is put up, as long as I stand no chance of losing.”
Brad’s left hand was lowered at his side, and he quivered a little as
his fingers closed into a hard, bony fist. Although the man was not
aware of it, in that moment he was in danger of being smitten by
that fist.
“I reckon I understand what you mean, Mr. Fernald,” said the
Texan. “You’re proposing to me that I do something to give Rockford
the game?”
“There’s no need to put it thus plainly in words,” said the manager.
“You are sharp enough to understand. Here is your opportunity to
make a big thing. In the most natural manner you can have a
passed ball at a critical point in the game. You can make bad throws
to head off men stealing bases. Such things are done by the best
catchers in the business. They have their yellow days. No need to
excite suspicion by it. Perhaps it might not even be necessary to do
anything of the sort. If Rockford had a good lead, you could play
your best game and still be sure you would get the boodle when the
game was over. What do you say, Buckhart? Can I depend on you?”
“See here, Mr. Fernald,” said the sturdy Texan, “I don’t like to talk
this thing over any more here. There are some people round who
have looked at us right sharp already. We’re attracting attention. If
you will come up to room thirty-seven within ten minutes I’ll give
you an answer. I want a little time to think it over. I’ll be waiting for
you in that room. If you will notice, Whitney, the clerk, is watching
us now. I opine I’ll move.”
Without waiting for Fernald to say whether he would come to
room 37 or not, Brad rose and sauntered away.
As the Texan walked away he looked around the place searchingly.
A shade of disappointment seemed to settle on his face.
“Where are the boys?” he muttered. “Some of them ought to be
hanging round here.”
For a moment he stepped out in front of the hotel. Chip Jolliby
was standing out there with his hands in his pockets, watching the
people on the street. Instantly Buckhart seized Jolliby by the arm
and began speaking to him earnestly, in a low tone.
“Great juj-juj-juj-jingoes!” gasped the tall boy, as he listened.
“Here’s the key to the door,” said Brad, thrusting a key into
Jolliby’s hand. “Get a move on you. Must be plenty of witnesses.”
Then the Western youth turned back into the hotel and ascended
the stairs, whistling carelessly.
Barely had Buckhart disappeared when Jolliby observed a man
passing on the street. With a spring Chip grasped this man’s elbow.
 “Hold on a mum-mum-mum-minute, Mr. Blackington,” stuttered
the tall lad. “I wish to sus-sus-see you on important bub-business.”
“What’s that?” asked Uriah Blackington, the former manager of
the Rockford team. “Why, hello, Jolliby! You look excited. Losing that
game to-day at Seaslope must have disturbed you somewhat.”
“You’re sus-sus-sus-still president of the Trolley League, aren’t
you?” asked Chip.
“I believe I am,” nodded the Rockford man. “I wanted to resign,
but they kept me in it.”
“Have you gug-gug-got about twenty minutes to sus-sus-spare?”
inquired Chip.
Blackington glanced at his handsome watch.
“Yes, forty minutes if it’s anything interesting,” he nodded. “What
do you want?”
“Just cuc-cuc-come upstairs in a hurry,” urged Chip. “There’s
something dud-dud-doing—something you ought to know about.”
“What is it?”
“No tut-tut-time to explain now. Pup-pup-please come.”
“Well,” laughed Blackington good-naturedly, “you seem dreadfully
anxious about it, and so I’ll come. Go ahead.”
They entered the hotel and Chip glanced around in apprehension,
as they ascended the stairs, fearing they would be observed. To his
relief no one paid any attention to them. Jolliby led the way to the
door of a room on which he knocked.
“Come in,” called a voice.
“Jingoes!” exclaimed Chip. “Didn’t know there was anybub-bub-
bub-body in there! Jest thought I’d knock and fuf-fuf-fuf-find out!”
He opened the door and stepped in, followed by Blackington,
whose curiosity was greatly aroused by this time.
 It was Merriwell’s room they entered, and they found Dick and Ray
Garrett still pondering over the figures representing the standing of
the teams in the league.
“Is it you, Chip?” said Dick. “Why didn’t you come in without
stopping to knock? You don’t have to knock on my door. Oh, hello! I
see you have some one with you. How do you do, Mr. Blackington?”
Dick rose quickly and stepped forward to meet the president of
the league, who shook hands with him cordially.
“Ain’t gug-gug-gug-got no time to chin,” said Jolliby, in a
mysterious manner, holding up the key Buckhart had given him. “I
want you fuf-fuf-folks to keep mighty still. Where’s that dud-dud-
door lead to, Dick?”
As he asked the question he pointed to a door at one side of the
room.
“That leads into the next room,” said Dick. “It’s locked.”
“Well, I think we’ll tut-tut-try this key on it,” whispered Jolliby, as
he hurried toward the door.
His manner was so unusual that his companions watched him
wonderingly. The key unlocked the door and Chip opened it a
fraction, peering into the next room.
“All right,” he said, with satisfaction, as he pulled the door softly
to, but did not close it entirely.
“Tut-tut-turn out that light, Dick. Come over here, everybody. Get
close to this door and kuk-kuk-kuk-keep all-fired still. You’re gug-
gug-going to hear something that’ll interest you.”
He checked their questions, and a few minutes later the quartette
stood close by the door, silently waiting and listening.
Within three minutes some one entered the adjoining room. This
person began to whistle, and Dick knew it was Brad Buckhart.
Less than three minutes after Brad entered that room, there came
a knock on his door. On being invited to enter, the person who
knocked cautiously opened the door and looked in.
It was Tom Fernald.
“Walk right in, Mr. Fernald,” invited the Texan. “You see I’m all
alone here. I’m waiting for you. Thought you might wish to talk to
me up here where there’s less danger of being observed or
overheard.”
Fernald came in and closed the door behind him.
“What if some one should come here and find us together in this
room?” he asked.
The Westerner sauntered over to the door and turned the key in
the lock.
“No danger anybody will git in that way,” he smiled grimly. “Now
we’re alone here, Mr. Fernald, I’m ready to listen to your proposition.
I want you to make it plain so I will understand. I don’t propose to
go into this thing any unless it’s fixed so there will be not the
slightest misunderstanding between us.”
Brad then induced Fernald to again offer inducements to throw
the game on the following day to Rockford.
“It’s a great opportunity for you to make a big thing,” said the
tricky manager of the Rockford team.
“I should say so,” nodded Brad. “Why, according to that offer, if I
could induce people to bet five hundred dollars, or even a thousand,
on Fairhaven, and Rockford won the game, I’d get all the boodle put
up to back our team.”
“I hardly think you could find five hundred dollars,” said Fernald,
“although it’s possible you may. Of course, you will be able to
discover people ready to bet anything from five to fifty dollars, and if
you convince them it’s a sure thing Fairhaven will win there may be
one or two who will risk larger sums.”
The Texan seemed to hesitate. He soberly shook his head.
 “I confess I don’t like to do it,” he said. “It’s a whole lot like
stealing money. If any one ever finds it out it would cook my goose.
All my friends would go back on me.”
“How will any one ever find it out?” questioned Fernald. “There’s
no evidence that such a bargain was made between us.”
“That sure is correct,” nodded the Texan. “And for that same
reason you may go back on me some and refuse to hand the money
over after you get your paws on it. I can’t make you give it up. If I
tried that I’d be exposing myself. What assurance have I that you
will be square with me?”
“My word!” cried Fernald. “I give you my word!”
Brad hunched his broad shoulders.
“Your word!” he exclaimed, with a short laugh. “Why, I don’t opine
the word of any galoot who will put up such a job is worth a great
deal.”
“Come, come, young man, don’t be insolent!” exclaimed Fernald,
in annoyance. “I can’t afford to throw you down after a bargain of
that sort. I have a standing to maintain here. I am taking more
chances than you. If this thing should become known, and it could
be proven that I entered into such a compact, I’d be dropped from
the management of the Rockford team.”
“Is that right?”
“Certainly it’s right. Let me whisper something to you that I have
never mentioned to any one before. Really I don’t care a rap
whether Rockford wins the pennant or not, but for the present I
must keep my team at the head of the league. I must do it in order
to satisfy the people here who have backed the team. If I can keep
Rockford at the front up to within a few days of the finish I will be
well satisfied. More than that, I will agree with you now to throw
two of our last games in return for this one to-morrow.”
“Why should you do that?” asked Brad, in a puzzled manner. “I
don’t see how that would benefit you.”
 “I will explain it. I am betting on my own team now, and I risk
money for the purpose of making money. If I can keep Rockford
ahead till near the finish of the season, there will be plenty of
Rockford people ready to back us to win the pennant, and they’ll
back us good and heavy. I’ll not let any of them suspect the game
I’m playing, but I’ll have some good men ready with my money to
bet that Rockford does not win the pennant. I shall bet heavily, too.
Then I’ll throw the important games that will cause us to drop into
second place. If your team can keep close onto our heels, you will
go into first place and get the pennant. It will be a good thing for
Fairhaven, as it will create enthusiasm over there and lead the
islanders to put a team into the league next year. So you see, my
boy, you’re not damaging your own team by entering into this
agreement with me about the game to-morrow. The loss of one
game now will mean your final advancement.”
Brad stood with his feet quite wide apart, and his hands on his
hips, watching the crafty rascal all through this speech.
“Well, you’re sure a first-class schemer!” exclaimed the Texan.
“I’ve heard before that such things happen in professional baseball,
but I didn’t suppose there would be a chance for such a deal in a
league like this. I opined every team in the league would be out for
blood and ready to capture the pennant, if possible.”
“That’s the way it used to be in this league,” retorted Fernald;
“and it was a disadvantage to the league, for Rockford had a way of
always winning the pennant, and the smaller places grew
discouraged. If Rockford loses this year by a game or two she’ll be
right back in the league next year as fierce as ever. If Fairhaven
loses, it’s likely she’ll be discouraged and won’t try it another year.
So you see I’m really willing to do a generous thing.”
“Yes, a heap generous!” nodded Brad, with a touch of sarcasm he
could not repress. “But do you consider it honest sport? Do you think
it right to fool the backers of your team in such a manner? Without
doubt some of those backers will bet their money that Rockford
takes the pennant. Besides putting up their money to support the
team, they’ll lose their bets at the end of the season and be mighty
sore over it.”
“They are a lot of easy marks, anyhow!” snarled Fernald. “I don’t
see that you’re called on to worry about them. The principal thing
you care about is to come out on top, isn’t it?”
“I certain should like to see Fairhaven come out on top,” confessed
Brad. “Still I am some afraid you’re inclined to fool me. Without a
witness to our agreement I can’t be satisfied that you will stand by
the whole of it. That being the case,” he added, walking toward the
door that opened into the adjoining room, “I will just call in a
witness or two.”
Having said this, he suddenly flung the door wide open.
Into the room stepped Dick Merriwell, followed by Ray Garrett.
“These yere gents are my witnesses,” said the Texan. “They’ve
heard our little agreement at my invitation.” Then he paused, for
Uriah Blackington followed Dick and Ray into the room, with Chip
Jolliby at his heels.
The face of Blackington was like a thundercloud. He pointed an
accusing finger at Fernald as he cried:
“So this is the kind of a man you are! I’ve always been inclined to
think you a crook, although you’ve escaped detection until now!”
Fernald had turned pale, and for a moment or two he stood quite
still, apparently thunderstruck and overcome. Suddenly he wheeled
toward Buckhart, his fist clinched, and his teeth gleaming between
his back-drawn lips. With the intention of striking the Texan, he
made a single step.
In a twinkling Dick and Ray Garrett were between Brad and
Fernald.
“Let him come! Let him come!” palpitated the Western lad. “I’ll
give him his medicine good and plenty.”
 “Better not raise a disturbance, Mr. Fernald,” said Dick quietly. “It’ll
be a bad thing for you. A row here will cause this whole matter to
come out, and if you’re not ridden on a rail and tarred and feathered
after that, it will surprise me.”
 CHAPTER III

A WORTHY PAIR.

“That’s right,” nodded Uriah Blackington. “If this thing gets out,
you’ll be driven out of Rockford, Fernald. There’s only one thing for
you to do.”
“I hope you’re not chump enough,” said Fernald, “to think I meant
it when I offered to throw the final games this season. I did that in
order to lead this fellow into the bargain with me about the game to-
morrow.”
“I wouldn’t believe you under oath!” retorted Blackington. “You’re
a thoroughly untrustworthy scoundrel! As president of this league, I
demand your instant resignation from the position you hold.”
“Oh, do you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I suppose you intend to become manager again?”
“Perhaps I do. You forced me out of it by your trickery, and if I’m
asked to take the position again I may consent.”
“Consent!” snarled Fernald. “You’ll jump at it!”
“Sit down right here and now,” commanded the president of the
league sternly, “and write your resignation. I’ll furnish the pen.”
“And I’ll furnish the paper,” laughed Dick, stepping into his own
room and returning in a moment with a sheet. “Here it is.”
 “That’s bub-bub-bub-bub-business!” chattered Jolliby. “We’ll gug-
gug-gug-get rid of one crook! If we could catch old Hammerswell
the same way it would be a mighty gug-gug-good thing for baseball
in these parts!”
Fernald seemed undecided. He took a cigarette case from his
pocket and extracted a cigarette, which he slowly rolled between his
fingers. All the while he was thinking, but in vain he sought some
loophole of escape. He had fallen into the trap, and the only way out
of it was to assent to the demand made upon him.
“I want to tell you people one thing,” he finally observed, having
struck a match and lighted the cigarette. “No man up to date has
ever played me a trick like this and not lived to repent it. This fool
boy will repent it, too.”
“Listen to the wind,” chuckled Brad. “How it blows!”
Without another word Fernald sat down and wrote the resignation
demanded by Blackington.
“There,” he said, having signed his name, “now go ahead and
blow on me, the whole of you. I want to tell you something more.
You’ve put me in a bad hole. I have a few friends here who will stick
by me. Some of them are bad men to have for enemies. I will find
out who goes from this room and tells what has happened here.
From the moment he opens his mouth to blow on me, the man who
does so will be in constant danger. Night and day, asleep or awake,
he’ll be in danger.”
“Better keep your threats to yourself, Fernald,” advised
Blackington. “If anything serious should happen your words will be
remembered and will rise to accuse you.”
Fernald laughed disdainfully as he turned toward the door.
“If any of you think I’m disposed of in this manner he will live to
discover the mistake,” declared the man, pausing with his hand on
the knob. “You will still find me and my influence effectual in
baseball in this league. Good night!”
 “Well,” said Brad, when the rascal had departed, “this is the first
time any galoot ever tried to buy me. I sure reckon he didn’t know
who he was dealing with. Chip, you followed instructions a whole lot
clever. I didn’t expect you’d be able to get hold of Mr. Blackington,
but I’m right glad you did. Only for the fact that Mr. Blackington
heard the whole thing, Fernald would have made a fight before
resigning as manager.”
“He forced me to resign some time ago,” said Blackington; “but
the tables were turned on him to-night. I may not be reappointed as
manager of the Rockford team. In fact, I am not anxious for the
position, as it entails no end of worry and work. Nevertheless, it’s
pretty certain that whoever is now appointed to fill the place will be
an honest man, and baseball will be benefited by it. With a man like
Henry Duncan in Benton Hammerswell’s place at Maplewood the
patrons of this league would get a chance to see honest games.”
“I don’t suppose there’s any way to fuf-fuf-fuf-force old Ham out,
is there?” asked Chip, who was quite exultant over what had taken
place.
“It’s doubtful if he can be forced out,” said Blackington. “He has
everything in his hands up there. He’s the sole backer of the team,
and thus far it has cost him a fat little sum of money.”
For a short time they talked over Fernald’s trickery; but finally
Blackington departed, having stated his intention of at once calling
together the directors of the Rockford team in order that a new
manager might be appointed. Although Tom Fernald had seemed to
recover his nerve ere leaving room 37, he was quivering with rage as
he descended the stairs. He hurried through the office and made his
way directly to the small barroom in the basement of the Corndike.
Several persons were patronizing the bar, while in the corner sat a
ragged young man, who seemed to be sleeping off the effects of too
much drink. This chap had not purchased a drink since entering the
place, but had slipped in quietly and apparently had fallen asleep on
the chair almost as soon as he sat down.
 “Whisky,” growled Fernald, as he found a place at the bar.
“Hello!” exclaimed a man, whose elbow he happened to jostle. “Is
it you, Tom? What’s the matter? Sore because we took a fall out of
you to-day?”
To Fernald’s surprise he recognized Benton Hammerswell, the
Maplewood manager.
“What are you doing down here, Hammerswell?” he inquired.
“Oh, I just run down to see how the baseball fans were feeling.
Have been looking for you. Inquired at the office. They said you
were around a short time ago, but I couldn’t discover a sign of you.
I thought it possible you might drift in here some time this evening.
Taking whisky, are you? That’s hardly hot-weather drink, and it’s hot
enough to-night.”
“Yes, it’s hot enough,” nodded Fernald. “Too thundering hot! I’ve
been given quite a sweat to-night.”
Again Hammerswell eyed his companion closely.
“Dropping that game to us must have made you sore,” he said,
with a pantherish grin. “Never mind that, old boy. We’ll take a fall
out of Seaslope to-morrow. It’s up to you to down Fairhaven and
land the islanders at the bottom. That’s where they belong. After we
get Seaslope into third place and Fairhaven into fourth, we’ll fight it
out between us for the pennant. I’ve got the team to win games
now. There’s only one trouble with my bunch: Arlington is sore. I
was compelled to promise that he should remain as captain of the
team, but it wouldn’t work.
“After getting my new men here a whole lot of them threatened to
leave unless their regular captain was retained at their head. I had
to agree to that. I have done my best to pacify Arlington by
explaining that a man who pitches should not play in any game
unless he is on the slab, and, therefore, it’s not policy to keep him as
captain of the team when he will play in no more than one-third of
the games. I honestly believe the fellow’d rather be captain and not
pitch at all. He’s a good player, but has a mighty nasty disposition.
Drink up, Tom. Here’s luck for both of us to-morrow.”
Fernald had poured a brimming glass of whisky, and he dashed it
off at a gulp.
“There,” he said, “perhaps that’ll make me feel better. I’ll tell you
something that will surprise you, Benton.”
“Go ahead! Surprises are coming thick lately.”
“I am not manager of the Rockford team now.”
Hammerswell was surprised indeed.
“What are you giving me?” he cried.
“Straight goods.”
“You’re not manager now?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I resigned to-night.”
“Resigned?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, why in blazes did you resign?”
“Step over here,” invited Fernald, drawing the Maplewood man
toward the corner where the tramp sat sleeping on his chair. “I’ll tell
you about it. Don’t want to let every one hear.”
“Go on!” urged Hammerswell. “They are paying no attention to us.
This fellow is snoozing off a jag.”
Fernald lowered his voice almost to a whisper. Swiftly he explained
how he had attempted to clinch the coming game for Rockford by
making a bargain with Brad Buckhart.
“Without Buckhart at his best,” he said, “I was confident we could
beat the islanders easily.”
 “Sure thing,” nodded Hammerswell. “He’s the only catcher they
have, and the only man who can hold Dick Merriwell. Of course, they
might get hold of Brodie, the fellow I let go when I engaged my new
team; but Brodie can’t handle Merriwell’s combination ball. It would
fool him just the same as it fools batters. You were right, Fernald;
with Buckhart out of the game, or with him bought up, it would be a
simple thing to down Fairhaven. One thing that led me down here
to-night was to see you about this business. I wondered if there was
no way it could be fixed so Rockford would have the game nailed to-
morrow.”
“It must be fixed,” nodded Fernald. “Either that or I’ll be
compelled to hedge.”
“Then you’ve bet on the game already?”
“Yes. I didn’t tell this fellow, Buckhart, about it, but I’ve backed
Rockford to win. I hate to hedge on this game. I’d almost as leave
see Rockford beaten.”
“No! no!” exclaimed Hammerswell, “not that! If Fairhaven loses
she’ll go to the bottom of the list. I know how you feel. I know you’d
like to see Rockford lose her first game under another manager; but
you can’t have any friendly sentiment toward Fairhaven and this
chap Buckhart, who trapped you.”
The Rockford man shook his head.
“I am between two fires,” he confessed. “I’d like to fix Buckhart,
somehow. I’ll do it, too! I don’t know just how to get at him.”
“A little dope in his coffee,” whispered Hammerswell.
“He doesn’t take coffee. Those chaps over there are temperance
cranks. Every man on the team drinks water.”
“Then a little dope in a glass of water—that’ll do it.”
“I believe I can get a drug into him all right,” said Fernald. “I stand
in with the head waiter here at the Corndike. He’s a poker player,
and I have divided winnings with him in more than one game we
have played together. I did the crooked dealing and gave him the
hands to win.”
“Then it’s a simple matter,” whispered Hammerswell eagerly. “If
you can fix it with the head waiter, I will provide the drug.”
“What sort of a drug?” asked Fernald. “I don’t like to monkey with
stuff unless I know how it is going to work. I don’t want to poison
any one.”
“Don’t worry about that. I know a drug that will do the work, and
it’s perfectly tasteless.”
“Where do you get it?”
“I’ll get it. Leave that to me. If you will fix it with the head waiter,
I’ll provide the powder.”
“Explain how the stuff works on a man who takes it,” urged
Fernald.
“It takes the life and judgment out of him. He loses his strength.”
“Then it doesn’t knock him flat? It doesn’t put him down and out?”
“Not a bit of that. He’ll keep on his feet, but he’ll be useless as a
ball player.”
“Get me the dope,” hissed Fernald. “I will guarantee to reach
Buckhart. I’ll soak that fellow, and I hope he makes a holy show of
himself to-morrow.”
“He will,” chuckled Hammerswell.
“How long will it take you to get the powder?”
“There’s plenty of time. I will find a man to purchase it here in
Rockford at a drug store. Don’t want to do it myself. Leave it all to
me. You shall have it to-night, but you’re not to use it until to-
morrow noon. Understand that? If you use it before that time he
might recover from the effect in time to play all right. He will feel it
for four or five hours after taking the stuff.”
 “Then it’s a go,” said Fernald. “I’ll make a big winning on Rockford
to-morrow. After that I hope Rockford will get it in the neck
regularly. Have another drink with me. Come on!”
They again stood up to the bar and called for drinks.
While they were drinking one of the bartenders noticed the
sleeping fellow in the corner. Immediately he came from behind the
bar and gave the sleeper a poke in the ribs.
“Here! here! what are you doing?” he demanded. “This is no
lodging house.”
Apparently the fellow was undisturbed. A second poke toppled him
from his chair to the floor, where he sprawled awkwardly.
“Thunder and guns!” he muttered thickly; “that was an awful
shock! Thought I was riding on the truck of a freight car. Lost my
hold and fell off. The whole train went over me.”
“This is no place for bums,” said the bartender, surveying the
fellow’s ragged clothes. “When did you blow in here?”
“Beg your pardon, boss,” said the young tramp, slowly and
unsteadily rising to his feet. “Just arrived in your beautiful town.
Came in my own parlor car. Brought an awful thirst with me, too.
Open a bottle of Mumm’s for me, and mark it down on a cake of
ice.”
The bartender called a boy.
“Open the basement door, Joe,” he said. “Can’t have this fellow
strolling out through the office.”
The basement door was quickly opened, and then, without a
moment’s delay, the bartender hustled the young tramp out and
thrust him into the street, giving him a push that caused him to lose
his feet and sit down heavily on the sidewalk.
“Too bad!” muttered the hobo, as he sat there and looked round
over his shoulder at the door, which had closed behind him. “I didn’t
hear all of that. They whispered too low for me to catch the whole of
it. They’re up to something that interests me a great deal, as a chap
by the name of Buckhart is concerned. I will keep my eyes open.”
 CHAPTER IV

ON PEACEFUL POINT.

After the ejectment of the hobo Fernald and Hammerswell

remained some little time before the bar, talking earnestly in low
tones.
The whisky seemed to have a bad effect on Fernald. He grew
flushed and excited. His indignation increased steadily as he thought
of the trap into which he had fallen, and he repeatedly asserted his
desire to square up with Buckhart.
“It’s not enough to simply dope the fellow!” he growled.
“Be still,” cautioned Hammerswell, touching his companion’s wrist.
“Don’t let any one hear you speaking of that.”
“I know what I’ll do,” said the Rockford sharp. “I’ll have that fresh
young fellow put out of business to-night unless he sticks close to
this hotel.”
“Put out of business?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I know a way. I’d like to thump him myself, but I don’t want to
take part in it. I’ll find the boys to do it. Let’s have another drink.”
After drinking again Fernald bade Hammerswell “so-long,”
promising to meet him within an hour at the same bar.
 “That’ll give me time to get the dope,” whispered Hammerswell. “I
think I’ll have it ready for you then.”
Having left the hotel, Fernald turned down the street that led
toward a part of the place known as Peaceful Point. This name was a
misnomer, for Peaceful Point was anything but peaceful. In fact, it
was the most dangerous and degraded section of Rockford. The
most disreputable characters of the place lived on the point, where
there were a number of low saloons, kitchen barrooms, gambling
rooms, and other resorts of bad repute. Although it was said to be
dangerous for a well-dressed man to venture onto the Point after
dark, Fernald proceeded thither unhesitatingly.
The street was crooked, the houses in need of repair and paint,
and the neighborhood ill-smelling.
The night being warm, the doors and windows were open
everywhere. There were men and women and a few ragged, shrill-
voiced children on the street. Lights shone from the windows and
the open doorways. Some carousing sailors went staggering and
singing along the street ahead of Tom Fernald. Profanity and the
smell of beer was in the air.
The appearance at that hour of a man dressed as well as Fernald
was enough to cause the Pointers to survey him keenly. However,
instead of creating surprise whenever he was recognized—and
almost every one seemed to know him—his name was spoken and
he was permitted to pass unmolested. Occasionally a man saluted
him.
No one paid the slightest attention to the trampish-looking young
man who slouched at a distance behind Fernald, carefully keeping
track of the deposed manager of the Rockford team. This was the
chap who had been thrown out of the Corndike barroom.
At last the hobo saw the man he was following pause a moment in
front of a house from which came the sound of music, dancing, and
bacchanalian laughter.
 The pursuer reeled forward, as if finding it difficult to keep on his
feet, and paused at the open doorway to look in. Beyond a short hall
was another open door, and beyond that a room in which the
dancing was taking place. Fernald had paused in the second
doorway. He surveyed the disreputable throng searchingly, and soon
singled out a strapping, big youth who was waltzing with a girl.
Fernald lifted his arm and the man nodded. A moment later, without
asking to be excused, the fellow abandoned his partner on the floor
and joined the man in the doorway.
“Sorry to bother you, Bingo,” said Fernald.
“No bother at all, boss,” was the answer.
“Step over by this window,” invited Fernald, who did not fancy the
odor of the place. “Want to speak with you a moment, McCord.”
They stopped by the open window, neither of them aware that
outside that window a man was leaning against the side of the
building.
“You know the Fairhaven catcher, don’t you, Bingo?” asked
Fernald.
“Sure t’ing,” nodded the youth, wiping the perspiration from his
face with his shirt sleeve. “I know all dem ball players in der whole
league.”
“Well, I suppose you took my pointer and bet something on the
game to-morrow, didn’t you?”
“Dat’s what I did.”
“I thought likely you would.”
“Why, boss, I found some guys dat was bughouse. Dey have an
idea dem kids is going to put it all over your team to-morrer. I
borrowed ten plunks and shook it at um. De whole ten is up, and I
count meself that much ahead. It’s like finding money.”
“It was a safe thing as long as I remained manager of the team
here, Bingo; but I am out of it now.”
 “W’at?” gasped McCord, in astonishment. “What’s dat you’re
giving us, Tom, old man? Out of it! Ain’t you manager any more?”
“No.”
“How’s dat?” gasped the excited and astonished Bingo.
“It will take too much time to explain. But if you want to make it a
sure thing that you gather in your bets it’s up to you to do
something.”
“Tell me what, boss!”
“I want you to get after the Fairhaven catcher. The whole team is
stopping at the Corndike. If you can run onto that fellow Buckhart
on the street to-night and put him out of commission you’ll fix the
thing so your bets will be safe, as there is no other man who can fill
his place to-morrow with Merriwell in the box.”
“You want me to knock de block off dat chap, do yer?”
“If you can put him into the doctor’s hands it will be a good job.
Don’t be satisfied to give him a thumping, but use him up so he’ll be
unable to play ball to-morrow. That’s my advice.”
“I’ll do it if I get der chance, boss,” nodded McCord. “Of course I
don’t want to be pinched for der job, and I can’t jump him right out
in public where dere’ll be witnesses.”
“Of course not. It’s a warm evening, and I fancy the most of those
fellows will walk out for a breath of air. If you could hang around and
follow Buckhart until you get a good opportunity to light on him, it
would be a fancy piece of work.”
“I hate ter leave dis ball,” confessed McCord; “but I can’t afford to
drop any good money on dat game.”
“If you polish this Buckhart off in first-class shape, so he can’t play
to-morrow, I’ll drop you a fiver out of my own pocket,” promised
Fernald.
“I’ll get after dat guy right away, Tom,” nodded the young thug.
 “Better take two friends with you.”
McCord looked surprised.
“What fer?” he demanded. “Don’t you t’ink I can take care of him
all by my lonesome? Why, I can eat dat chap! He’s nutting but a
boy.”
“But he may have friends with him. You will need at least two or
three companions to keep his friends off while you do him up. I
suggest that you take not less than three. Then if you happen to run
onto a bunch of them you will be all right.”
“Mebbe dat’s good advice,” confessed Bingo. “I want to do der job
in a hurry. I’d better have some good scrappers wid me.”
“Any one here you can get?”
“None of my gang, but I guess I know where ter find der boys.
Tapper Mullin is fingering the pasteboards down at Mike McGinnis’
joint. He picked up a couple of sailor chaps what t’ought dey knew a
lot about poker, and he’s skinning dem of dere loose coin. I’ll git him
all right, and den I’ll look after Skip Billings, anodder good man. You
say der baseball chaps are at der Corndike? Well, you jest stroll back
dere and hang around. If you see dis feller we’re arter stroll out for a
walk, jest watch which way he goes. I’ll be along wid my pals in
twenty or t’irty minutes.”
Fernald left the place and retraced his steps toward the hotel.
Instead of following him, the young hobo, who had listened outside
the window, waited until Bingo McCord came out. He then trailed
McCord.
Bingo had made no mistake in saying he knew where to find one
of his pals. At McGinnis’ place he was admitted to the room where
the poker game was in progress, and he appeared just as one of the
sailors vociferously announced that he had been cheated. There
were five persons in the game, and three of them proceeded to
jump on the two sailors without a moment’s delay. The encounter
that followed was decidedly brief, for McCord sailed into it and
McGinnis himself took a hand. In less than two minutes the sailors,
badly battered and minus their money, found themselves kicked into
the street.
McCord tapped a tall, perspiring, red-headed chap on the
shoulder.
“Seems ter me I dropped around jest in time, Mullin,” he said.
“That’s what!” growled Mullin, with a surly grin. “I saw you smash
one of them chaps under the ear and drop him into the corner. They
squealed over losing a little money. I’ve got some of it in my clothes.
Come over to Pete Daley’s and I’ll blow you off.”
“Over to Pete’s it is,” said McCord, in satisfaction. “I was jest going
to invite you over dere meself. Dere’s something doing, Tapper. I
want ter find Skip Billings.”
“Skip hangs around Pete’s most of the time.”
Together they proceeded to Daley’s barroom, which was well filled
with disreputable-looking and thirsty individuals. Neither of them
noted that as they entered the young hobo followed at their heels,
almost knocking against them.
Skip Billings, who had a broken nose and was thoroughly vicious
in his appearance, was leaning against one end of the bar. McCord
and Mullin joined him.
“This is on me,” said Mullin, as he ordered beer.
“I beg your pardon, gents!” exclaimed the hobo, as he seemed to
lose his balance and stumbled in among them. “Awful slippery floor!
Don’t waste your money. I will pay for the suds.”
“Well, dat saves you a swipe on de jaw,” said McCord. “You want
ter be careful about butting inter dis bunch or you may git your
block knocked off.”
The hobo looked them over in an interesting manner.
“One, two, three,” he counted, motioning toward each one of
them with his finger. “Mebbe there’s enough of you to do it.”
 “What’s that?” the trio exclaimed in a breath, as they turned
toward him.
“Wait a minute! wait a minute!” urged the tramp, holding up his
hand. “After I pay for the suds you can try it if you want to. No use
to fool yourself out of a drink in your haste.”
McCord began to laugh.
“I guess dat’s right, stranger,” he admitted. “We’ll drink on you and
den we’ll kick your face in.”
The tramp did not appear to be frightened. Instead of that,
standing in their midst, he coolly paid for the drinks from a small
amount of loose change.
“The last of a misspent fortune,” he said dolefully. “When that’s
gone I’ll have to work—or steal. What’s the use to quarrel, gents?
Mebbe the three of you can put me out in short order, but I will go
any one of you singly at any old thing. I will run, jump, wrastle, or
fight any man in the place.”
Now it happened that Skip Billings regarded himself as a clever
wrestler, while as a fighter Tapper Mullin was known on the Point to
be second only to Bingo McCord.
“Here’s where we have a little sport!” exclaimed Bingo. “Clear der
floor, gents, and see Skip pile this frisky chap up in a hurry.”
The prospect of a wrestling match seemed to delight every one
present, and without delay the space was cleared. Deliberately the
young hobo removed his ragged coat and tossed it into a corner,
flinging his battered hat after it.
“Better take your drink first,” grinned McCord, motioning toward
the single glass left standing on the bar.
“I’ll take that later,” said the hobo. “Had enough already. Mebbe I’ll
want it after I put this gent on his back.”
“If you wait until you put me on my back,” said Billings, “you’ll
never take another drink. Come on!”
 A moment later they clinched.
If any one present expected to see Skip Billings down the stranger
he was disappointed.
Although Billings seemed to obtain the best hold and made an
effort to hurl the tramp over his hip, the strength and skill of the
hobo enabled him to avoid a fall.
“Go on, Skip!” cried several. “Pile him up! Down him!”
“Down he goes!” panted Billings, as he back-locked his antagonist.
While they were falling the stranger seemed to fetch a remarkable
writhing twist in the air, and when they struck heavily on the floor a
shout of surprise went up, for Billings was underneath and flat on his
back.
Billings himself was astounded, for until he landed on the floor he
had fancied himself the victor. How he had been brought underneath
while falling he could not conceive.
“What’s dis?” shouted McCord, in great astonishment. “Did he
t’row you, Skip? What’s de matter wid yer?”
“Accident!” declared Billings savagely. “I had him going.”
The tramp laughed.
“The secret of success,” he observed, “is to keep a good thing up
after you’ve started. You can’t keep it up, me friend.”
Being released, Billings scrambled to his feet, his face flushed and
his eyes glaring.
“You’ll never fool me another time that way!” he declared. “You
can’t throw me again in a hundred years!”
“Various opinions about that, me friend,” chuckled the tramp. “But
I guess this business is settled. One fall was to end it.”
“One fall don’t end it!” snarled Billings. “You will have to try it
again.”
 “Now, hold on!” cried the stranger, holding up his hand. “I say it
ain’t fair—it ain’t fair!”
“Make him take his medicine, Skip!” exclaimed several.
In spite of his protest, the tramp was compelled to meet Billings
again.
The two men crouched at a little distance from each other, while
McCord gave the word.
“Are you ready?” was his question.
“Sure!” growled Billings.
“All ready,” said the stranger.
“Then fly at it!”
Round and round they circled, crouching low, their arms swinging,
watching for an opening. Suddenly the tramp seemed to give Billings
his chance. Skip rushed in and grabbed.
With a writhing twist, the tramp seemed to avoid the other man’s
hands, and an instant later he seized Billings about the body, flung
the fellow’s heels into the air, and hurled him fairly over his head.
The building shook and the glasses and bottles behind the bar
rattled as Skip came down with a terrible thump, flat on his shoulder
blades. The concussion stunned him for a moment, and he lay prone
on his back, blinking at the smoky ceiling.
After a moment’s silence the witnesses of this remarkable thing
uttered a shout. Never had they seen a handsomer piece of work.
Slowly Billings sat up, looking around for his antagonist.
“Go for him!” he weakly muttered. “Knock the stuffing out of him!”
“Hold on, gents!” urged the tramp, once more holding up his
hand. “I acknowledge you can do it if you all jump on me. There
ain’t no question about that. I’ll take you one at a time; but I throw
up the sponge if you’re going to tackle me in a bunch.”
 “Let me git at him!” urged Tapper Mullin. “Mebbe he can wrastle,
but when it comes to handling his dukes with me I think he’ll be out
of it. Where’s the gloves, Pete? Bring out the mitts and I will pound
him to a pulp!”
The prospect of a fistic encounter delighted the rough crowd and
they burst into applause, wildly calling for the gloves.
“I acknowledge, gents,” said the hobo, “that you’ve seen me at my
best. As a wrastler I’ve made my reputation. When it comes to the
gloves, I am nothing but a second-rater.”
This seemed to increase Mullin’s desire to get at the stranger.
“Be quiet as you can, gentlemen,” said Daley, the proprietor, as he
fished out a set of hard gloves from beneath the bar. “You know my
place is strictly quiet and respectable.”
“Where’s my second?” inquired the tramp, as he inspected the
gloves. “Ain’t I got no one ter back me up? Is this whole bunch agin’
me?”
To the surprise of all, Skip Billings immediately stepped forward.
“I’m behind you, pal,” he said. “A man that can throw me over his
head is pretty nifty, and I’m goin’ to prophesy that you make it lively
for Tapper.”
“Thanks!” grinned the hobo, his dark eyes flashing. “Jest you
watch out that I git fair play. Help me tie these mitts on, will you?”
Billings aided in tying the gloves onto the stranger’s hands. In the
meantime, McCord attended to Mullin, who had stripped down for
the encounter.
“Don’t let him touch you, Tapper,” urged Bingo.
“Don’t worry about that,” retorted Mullin. “You’re the only gent
around this town that can put me out of business.”
The interest of the crowd in the stranger had been thoroughly
aroused. They saw now that he was not a bad-looking fellow by any
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