The Boy Allies under Two Flags Part 13

Stanley took one look at Jack's stalwart figure, fully his own height and equally as broad. Evidently he decided he cared nothing for a tussle with this opponent.

"I have nothing to say to you," he said. "But this fellow,"

pointing to Frank, "struck me and I demand satisfaction."

"Well," said Frank, interrupting. "You shall have it. Pull off your coat."

"I'm not a common bruiser," sneered Stanley. "I will fight you with revolvers at twenty paces."

"Enough of this," broke in Jack. "I will permit no duel."

"I do not want to kill you," said Frank.

"So!" exclaimed the enraged officer, "a coward, eh?"

Frank stepped quickly forward, an angry gleam in his eye.

"Enough," he said. "I'll fight you."

Again Jack started to protest, but Frank waved him aside and turned to the men gathered about.

"Can I depend upon you men not to let this go any further?" he asked.

"You can, sir," they answered in chorus.

"All right, then," said Frank. "Get ready, sir."

One sailor volunteered to act as second for Stanley and Jack stepped to Frank's side. Then the two seconds met and decided the details of the duel. The princ.i.p.als were to be allowed one shot each. This was to be all, whether either man was. .h.i.t or not.

Before accepting the revolver from the hand of his second, Stanley quickly drew his own revolver, and taking aim at a little k.n.o.b on a tree some fifty feet distant, fired quickly. The bullet splintered the bark on the tree and the pieces flew high in the air.

"Half an inch away!" called a sailor who stood near the tree.

Stanley turned to Frank with a sneering smile on his face.

"Say your prayers," he taunted. "They will be your last."

Frank smiled grimly.

"I heard a story once," he replied quietly, "about a man who could hit a dime every shot at a hundred yards. But when he fired with a loaded pistol pointed at him he didn't come off with such a good record."

The princ.i.p.als now stood back to back. Each was to take twenty paces forward--Jack had refused to make the distance any closer--turn and lire when ready.

"Ready, go!" came Jack's voice, and slowly the two started away from each other.

"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen--" counted Frank, and at that instant there was a sound of a shot and a bullet whistled over his head, grazing the scalp.

Stanley, nervous because of the lad's coolness, had fired at the count of nineteen.

"Twenty!" said Frank without a sign of nervousness in his voice.

He turned slowly, and aimed his revolver at the ground in front of him.

Very slowly he raised the barrel of his weapon until it pointed at the knees of his now shaking antagonist, then to his belt, to his chest, and finally to his head.

Beads of perspiration stood out on Stanley's forehead. Then, with a quick movement, Frank raised the muzzle of his weapon still higher, and fired over Stanley's head.

Then he calmly replaced the weapon in his pocket and walked back to where Jack was standing.

Having thus escaped what appeared almost certain death, Stanley became bold again. Evidently he had not realized that Frank had missed purposely.

"I demand another shot," he cried angrily.

"There will be no more duel so far as I am concerned," said Frank quietly.

Jack walked angrily up to Stanley.

"He spared your life," he said heatedly.

"Bah!" replied Stanley. "He missed cleanly, and he's afraid to try again."

Frank walked quickly over to his late opponent.

"You fool!" he said quietly. "Look here!"

Quickly he whipped his revolver out, and without taking aim, fired twice in rapid succession.

Although three times as far away as Stanley had been when he gave his exhibition of skill, the little knot on the tree leaped into the air, and as it fell, the second bullet caught it in midair and splintered it into little pieces.

Mids.h.i.+pman Stanley staggered back aghast.

"I could have killed you with ease," said Frank calmly, and walking away, he picked up his coat and put it on.

"I--I didn't know he could shoot like that!" sputtered Stanley to Jack.

"That's not so very good--for him," said Jack.

"Why, once--"

"Never mind," interrupted Mids.h.i.+pman Stanley, backing hurriedly away, "I'll take your word for it. But, remember, I am not through with either of you yet. My time will come, and when it does--"

He broke off abruptly, an evil sneer in his voice, and walked quickly away.

Now the sailors surrounded Frank and gave him three rousing British cheers.

"You're all right, Frank!" they called, some of them slapping him familiarly on the back.

Frank waved them laughingly aside, and turned to Jack.

"Any orders from Captain Marcus?" he asked, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.