Tip Top Weekly No. 80: Frank Merriwell as 'Anchor' — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

FRANK MERRIWELL AS ANCHOR. ri in which we are almost certain to win. The high leap, for example——” “That's just what I’ve been thinking of,’’ interrupted Frank. “Why, are you afraid of Higgins?” Higgins was a member of the freshman class who had shown most unusual power in jumping, and had easily beaten all the other Yale students who had tried for that event. : ““T hear that Cornell has a man named stover,’’ said Frank, ‘“who thinks he can beat everybody at the high jump.” “Yes, ve heard of him, too,’? Row- land responded, ‘‘but what of it? Hig- gins has broken the record in private practice——”? ‘“That doesn’t make it certain that he will do as well at the armory.”’ ‘‘No; but he’s in good condition, isn’t he? “First rate.” “Then I wouldn’t worry about him.” *'Pin not worrying, exactly, and in any case if our fellows do their best and we get beaten, there’s nothing to complain of.’? At this point in their conversation the two atrived at the Murray Hill hotel. They went at once to the suite of rooms that had been engaged for the athletes, aud found most of the contestants read- ing or dozing. A few were out for a walk. All the students asked eager questions as to the final arrangements and so -on. After several questiuns had been asked and answered, Rowland remarked: | “There'll be hard times in Princeton this winter if the orange doesn’t get most of the cups.”’ “Are the Princeton odds?’' asked Browning. ‘“Not quite so strong as that, but they’re putting up loads of money.”’ “Is the betting any heavier than usual?’ asked Frank. ‘‘Perhaps not,’? Rowland answered, men offering ‘but if not I must have come across the betting crowd. It seemed as if they had begged and borrowed every dollar thev could lay hold of and had brought it here to put up on the different events.’”? | ‘‘How is the betting going?’ asked Browning. ~“T didn’t pay very much attention to it, but it seemed to be about even as be- tween Princeton and Vale on the tug of war, and on some of the other events the Princeton men were asking for odds rather than giving them. ‘“What impressed mie most was that it looked as if it was the Princeton eroWwe that had the most money.”’ “Wihy,’? asked Frank in a surprised tone, ‘‘it wasn’t the Princeton contestants who were doing the betting, was it?’ ‘*No, but soine of the students,’ ‘That's queer.’’ ‘‘Here it is Tuesday afternoon and the Princeton fellows who are going to see. the contests are not due before to-morrow afternoon. It doesn’tseem: to me probable that the Princeton faculty would Jet the general run of students come up here at this time any more than the Yale faculty would allow our men to come.’’ | ‘“Can’t help that,’’ said Rowland, ‘“‘there’s a raft of Princeton men in town going around witli orange ribbons in their button holes and hunting for chances to bet money against Yale, Harvard and Cornell.’ Frank made no response, but remained for a inoment in thougiit while the others continued to talk about the betting. Presently Frank asked where Higgins and Mellor were. Mellor was another freshman athlete. He was a giant in stature, aud one of thie best wrestlers that had ever been seen at Yale. There was a good deal of confidence that he would win the cup for wrestling, for from all that could be learned. of the Con elooolk > (SO)