“We were only too glad of a chance to do it, as we were looking for a good opportunity to smash a few Chinks in the mug. Eh, boys?”
Merriwell looked at the men curiously, and he saw they were anything but ordinary sailors. All were fine-appearing men, and they spoke like persons of education.
“We will go along with you, if you don’t mind,” he said. “I think we have seen quite enough of Chinatown to suffice for to-night. What do you say, fellows?”
“You vos anodder,” grinned Hans, who meant to say he was quite willing to leave Chinatown for the night.
So the little party moved away, and as they went along the leader of the yachtsmen said:
“My name is Chandler and I am stopping at the Baldwin. Have been cruising in my yacht with several friends, but just now I am trying to sell her, as some business has arisen which defeats my plans for a summer’s outing.”
Frank introduced himself, and in a short time the boys were chatting freely with the yachtsmen, who proved to be rather jolly gentlemen.
Passing out of Chinatown they were soon on Market Street, and a walk of a few blocks brought them to the hotel where Merriwell and the friends who had accompanied him on the bicycle tour across the continent were stopping.
Chandler wished to go in and “blow off,” but Frank insisted that none of the party drank.
“If that is the case, you are a queer set of college lads,” said Chandler, with a laugh. “I never saw a college boy who would not swim in beer every chance he found.”
“I see, and I consider it most remarkable. Will you smoke?”
But Frank declined to drink or smoke, shook hands with his accidentally found friends, and they parted.
“Now,” he said, addressing Barney and Hans, “you must come in and see our rooms.”
They entered the hotel and ascended in the elevator to the floor on which the boys had their rooms.
A few minutes later Barney and Hans were thoroughly at home.
“Well, Oi nivver saw th’ loikes av this!” exclaimed Barney, in amazement. “It’s loike bein’ back at Fardale ag’in.”
“You pet my poots!” grinned the Dutch boy. “Id makes me think der time uf dot Hodge vos hazed der oldt poathouse in. You tidn’t like dot so much as you might, eh, Partly?”
“I can’t say that I ever took to hazing much,” confessed Hodge, who looked moody and worried.