Tip Top Weekly No. 80: Frank Merriwell as 'Anchor' — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

8 FRANK MERRIWELL AS ANCHOR. wrestlers representing the other colleges, there was no one who could compare with him in strength, and his skill seemed to be all that would be needed. “They're taking in the town,’ an- swered Browning. “wWhat!?? exclaimed Frank, aghast. “QO, not in any improper sense,’’ said Browning. ‘‘They’re just out for a walk, and I didn’t see any objection to their taking it in such a way that they could see some of the principal streets.” “‘No, that’s all right,,’’ responded Frank in a tone of relief; ‘‘when are they due back?” “Tn about half an hour.” More than half an hour passed, and neither Higgins nor Mellor had shown up at that time. Rowland and Hill were away onsome other business concerned with the management. ‘Frank was getting anxious. He could not have said exactly-why, for so far as Mellor and Higgins were concerned, he had a good deal of respect for them, but he was fearful of accidents, as if they were little children unable | to care for them- selves. : He did not betray his anxiety to Browning or the others, but remarked after atime that he had another errand to do, and went away, leaving instruc- tions that no contestant should leave the hotel until his return. Then he went down to Madison square and stood for a moment looking doubt- fully at the several hotels in that vicinity, He knew that the Princeton athletes had had rooms engaged at the Fifth Avenue, but this*thought was not in his mind at the moment. . The Hoffman House,’ he was s think- ing, ‘fis one of the most celebrated hotels in New York, and a place to which all strangers like to go.”? ' As it was the time of year when days are short, it was already dark as night, him!” thought Frank angrily. although it was yet some time before the usual evening dinner hour. | Frank strolled across to the Hoffman House, and went in at the main entrance. A number of men were in the lobby, but apparently there were no students among them. He went slowly past group after group, and turned at length to the barroom. This place was famous at that time for its remarkable collection of valuable paintings and statuary; it was often re- ferred to jocosely as the ‘‘Art Gallery.”’ Every stranger in New York regarded it as one of the most interesting sights of the town. ‘It was pretty well filled with custom- ers when Frank entered, but everything was quiet and orderly. At the further side of the room, and partly concealed by the bar, which took up the very middle, was a group of young men just on the point of leaving by the door that opens upon Twenty-Fifth street. ‘“Too bad you’ve got to hurry,’’ one of them remarked in a pleasant voice. ‘Pm overdue at the hotel already,” said another, ‘‘and must get back before they become anxious about me.’”’ Frank could not see the speaker, but he recognized the voice as that of Hig- gins, ‘*He has no ‘business 3 in here, confound ‘*No one but a freshman would go into a barroom even out of carosity, 2 at such a time as this.”’ He crossed the room, intending to speak to Higgins and walk back to the hotel with him, and give him some earnest advice on the way. Higgins was a little in advance of the group as they went out, and so Frank did not catch up with him before they were all out upon the sidewalk. = He noticed that all the men who had been speaking with Higgins wore orange ribbons in their button holes, b Comics DO) Dols (SO)