Frank Merriwell's Nobility; Or, The Tragedy of the Ocean Tramp

. Merry fell into conversation with the man, w

led the engineer on, and it was not long before

r he knew it would be easy to arouse the engineer's sus

. When he expressed a desire to go below and have a look at th

on ladders. The clanking roar of the machinery came up to them. Fra

the massive machinery that moved with the regularity of clockwork and

ng, but Frank was anxi

adder there. You'll be able to see the furnaces and the stokers

hifted and changed, dying down suddenly at one moment and glaring out at

to scorch him. From that position he could look down into the stoke

ed down, but he saw them not. He had not observed a cleaner who was at work on the mach

fiery pit as they labored at the coal, which they w

he opening and closing of the fur

bar of light that gleamed out from a crack or draft, and then there would be a rattle o

s would shovel, shovel, shovel, till it seemed a wonder

seem open at once, and the glare and heat th

beings could live down th

hes and hoisting it by means of a

it was not so many months since he had applied for the position of wiper in an engine round-ho

men who labored down there in the glare and heat. Frank was so

ating. Something struck on his back, he was c

made a clutch to save himself, caught something, swung in, struc

he pit. One of the stokers had turned his back to the gleaming mouth

a man slip down the ladder behind Frank and spring on

d Frank laying there, severely injured or killed. He was astounded when he saw the

n the stoke-hole without being severely injured. He was on hi

sappeared. Merry reached the grating from which he

n in the e

swinging in a regular manner, while the engineer sat watching its

rank, his voice soundi

d at him i

?" asked the engin

into the stoke-hole," Merry explained

nto the s

es

m wh

the foot of th

eer looke

would have been maimed or killed

the engineer actua

id the assistant; "but it

wn down!" exclaimed Frank. "I managed to get ho

eer looke

st time I'll do it on my own responsibility. Now if you go out and tell yo

y, "and I want to know who did the trick. Someb

ossi

e did he c

ant looked at each other, a

think of it,

ll; but his story won't go. N

l for his word to be doubted, and he fel

witnessed the struggle and the fall appeared in t

wasn't killed. You came down with a rush, y

erstood i

!" he cried. "He will tel

r turned to

happen to fa

declared the beg

What

back and flung him down. It'

ed the engineer and his assista

imed the engineer. "Who cou

om this room!" rang o

k around! See if you can find the man who attacked you. T

at those wipe

and I were talking together over

said Merry; "but I want a

an who threw you i

, b

u know who it was

the act-a motive. He must have

nvited th

amid the sliding shafts and moving m

at this man, who did not

m before," co

r was di

called th

to hear. He pretended to be

cke

that. He kept his face t

s,

re. I wa

scarcely a bit of natural color showed, and his hat was pulled low over his eyes. He

en, in a perfectly calm manner, but with a

fellow who