down a dark street. At length they came to an old brick structure, in
which not a light was to be seen. Down some slippery stone steps they
went, and the big soph let them in by unlocking a door.

It was dark inside. Browning closed and locked the door, after which he
conducted them along a narrow passage, opened another door, and ushered
them into a room.

The smell of cigarette smoke was strong there, and Frank knew the place
had been lately occupied by smokers.

A match spluttered, and then a lamp was lighted.

"Get ready for business," directed Browning. "I will bring the rapiers
and another light."

Then he vanished beyond a door that opened into another dark room.

Frank looked around and saw a table, upon which were cards and empty
beer bottles. There were chairs and some copies of illustrated sporting
papers. The walls were bare.

It was warm down there, and Frank immediately discarded his coat.

Diamond was about to follow Merriwell's example, when there was a sudden
rush of feet and the room filled in a twinkling with masked youths, who
flung themselves on the astonished freshmen and made all but Frank a
prisoner in a moment.

Frank instantly understood that they had been trapped and he knocked