Frank Merriwell's Endurance; or, A Square Shooter — Story, Setting & Ideas

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In Category - Exploration Survival Adventure Tales

Authors: Standish, Burt L., 1866-1945 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2017 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Sports -- Juvenile fiction; Adventure stories; Merriwell, Frank (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 81,303

Reading time 354 min

Text sections 34

Before opening Frank Merriwell's Endurance; or, A Square Shooter — Story, Setting & Ideas, the edition data offers a quick orientation: 81,303 words, 5 hr 54 min estimated reading time, and 34 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 12.0 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Sports -- Juvenile fiction,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #56278

This editorial note examines how the opening, middle, and later excerpts of Frank Merriwell's Endurance guide a first reading, focusing on the athletic setting, character introductions, and the novel's emphasis on endurance and fair play.

Editorial Edition Score 4.9/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Calculated from edition completeness, EPUB availability, text structure and catalogue metadata. Not a user rating.

How this score is calculated

Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg56278

Read the Text

tled a point, and Hodge knew the man thought him presuming in fancying Frank’s information on fencing was to be compared with that of the great French master of the art.

In the meantime, all his enthusiasm aroused, L’Estrange ardently continued:

“You speak of ze brain, sare. When you fence, ze brain ees prompted to act without a moment of ze hesitation. To hesitate means to make ze failure. Ze fencer must be readee with hees wit, skill, and action, like ze flash of lightning. So ze fencer fits himself for ze struggle of life. He is full of ze resource, he is queek to detec’ ze strength or ze weakness, of an argument or situation, and he acts like electricity, sweeft and unerring. Zis make him a bettair business man zan other men.”

“Every word of this is true,” nodded Merry.

“In societee he is at perfect ease; in business he can stand ze great strain. His blood ees fresh, his tissues are firm and he has ze grand enthusiasm.”

“And enthusiasm is absolutely necessary for a man to make the best of himself,” said Frank. “The man who goes at any task with indifference is inviting failure. No matter how well he may think he knows his work, he must keep up his enthusiasm unless he is willing to see that work deteriorate. Lack of enthusiasm causes thousands to fail and fall by the wayside every year.”

“True, true, sare. I see you have ze enthusiasm of ze boy steel with you. You have nevare met with anything to dull eet.”

“Not yet; and I hope I never may.”

“To keep eet you should fence, Monsieur Merriwell. Some time eet may safe your life. _Oui!_ Once since I come to zis country I hear a noise in ze night. I rise and go to discovare ze matter. I find ze burglaire. He attack me wiz ze knife. He was beeg and strong—ze brute! I see ze umbrellare in ze corner. I seize eet. I keep ze burglaire off. I punish heem. I thrust, hit him in ze face. I give eet to him hard. Soon he try to get away. He rush for ze door. I sprang between. I continue to administaire ze punishment. I make him drop ze knife. Ze noise have aroused ze rest of ze house. Ze police come. Ze burglaire ees marched to ze jail. Ha! If I had been ze athlete, like you, zen with hees knife ze burglaire he cut me to pieces—he keel me.”

“That was fine work,” agreed Frank.

“Not yet you are too old to acquire ze skeel. You know a leetale about eet now. That help you. Find ze French master and keep at eet. Take no one but ze French master. Ze Italian style is not so good. That has been proved many time. Ze Frenchman is cool and he stands on guard with ease. Ze Italian he will move all ze time. He jump here, there, everywhere. He crouch, he stand straight, he dodge. Every minute he seem ready to jump. He makes strange sounds in hees throat; but he is not dangerous as he seem. Did you ever hear of Jean Louis?”

“Yes; he was a famous French duelist.”

“_Oui, oui!_ When ze French army invade Spain, in 1814, Jean Louis keeled thirteen Italian fencing masters, one after ze other. Zat profe ze superiority of ze French method, sare. Ze Italian believe strength is needed to make ze perfect fencer. That is wrong. In France manee persons of ze highest rank are wondairefully skillful in ze art, yet they are not remarkable for strength. Eet is ze light touch, ze grace, ze art, ze composure, ze ready wit that count.”

“How about duels at German colleges, like Leipzig and Heidelberg?”

“Oh, no, no, no! The German have a mixture of ze French and ze Italian method. Zey are fightaires, but zey count on ze strength, too. Years ago fencing was ze study paramount at ze great German colleges; but too manee students they are killed at eet. Ze most peaceable never was he sure of his life for one day. Later ze method change, and now eet is to cut and scar ze face of ze adversary. Ze German never have ze grace of ze French.

“You stay here, Monsieur Merriwell—you see ze finals? Well, zen you see my greatest pupil, Fred Darleton, defeat his opponent. Of Monsieur Darleton I am very proud. _Oui!_ He is a wondaire. I belief he can defeat any American in ze country.”

Hodge made a protesting sound in his throat; but again Frank shot Bart a glance of warning.

Continue Reading →

The excerpt from Chapter X places Frank Merriwell at the Ashport Athletic Association, observing a tryout from the clubhouse observatory. The detailed description of the track, the surrounding landscape, and the introduction of runners like Carl Prince, the "Georgetown Wonder," establishes a specific athletic milieu. Frank's technical analysis of running styles—sprinting versus long-distance—reveals his expertise and sets up a thematic contrast between speed and endurance. The dialogue with Paul Proctor, club president, introduces Mr. Robert Ashley, an Englishman who values cross-country running for developing "staying power." This opening primes readers for a story where physical and moral endurance will be tested.

Setting the Scene: The Ashport Athletic Association

The excerpt opens with a precise geographical description: the clubhouse at the shoulder of an oval mile track, with Ashport to the east, the river curving south, and Robert Ashley's estate to the north. This layout is not mere backdrop; it establishes a controlled environment where athletic competition and social observation occur. The observatory offers a "clear and complete view," suggesting that Frank's perspective is privileged. The mention of Ash Hall, modeled after an old English mansion, and Mr. Ashley's background as a cross-country runner at Oxford, ties the setting to a tradition of gentlemanly sport. Readers are thus oriented to a world where physical prowess is linked to character and heritage.

Frank Merriwell as Observer and Analyst

Frank's role in this excerpt is primarily that of a knowledgeable spectator. He uses field glasses to watch the runners and immediately critiques Carl Prince's form, noting his "stride, his carriage, and his tenseness." Frank explains that sprinters are "under strain from start to finish" and risk tying up in long runs, contrasting them with middle-distance or cross-country men who relax their muscles. This technical analysis demonstrates Frank's deep understanding of athletics, a trait consistent with the series' emphasis on sportsmanship. It also foreshadows that Frank's own endurance will be tested, though the excerpt does not reveal whether he competes. His dialogue with Proctor shows him as both respectful and discerning, qualities that define his character.

The Philosophy of Endurance

Through Paul Proctor, the excerpt introduces Mr. Ashley's philosophy: cross-country running develops "staying power," which is what "the modern young man needs to make him successful in business." Ashley criticizes "sprinters in business" who cannot maintain their pace. This explicit moral framework aligns with the series' reputation for "high moral tone" and its aim to "fire a boy's ambition to become a good athlete." Frank endorses this view, calling Ashley "a man of wisdom and generosity." The excerpt thus positions endurance not just as a physical attribute but as a virtue applicable to life. Readers are guided to expect that Frank will embody this principle, though the plot details remain unknown.

Narrative Structure and Reader Expectations

The excerpt is a dialogue-heavy scene that advances little plot but establishes key elements: the setting, supporting characters (Proctor, Prince, Hollingsworth), and thematic concerns. The narrative voice is straightforward, with descriptive passages interspersed with technical sports talk. The absence of action or conflict in this segment suggests that the story builds gradually, using observation and conversation to set up later events. For a first-time reader, this excerpt signals that the novel will reward attention to detail—both in the athletic descriptions and in the character dynamics. The mention of "tryouts" and the presence of multiple runners hint at competition to come, while Frank's analytical stance positions him as a central figure whose judgment readers can trust.

As you read further, note how Frank's expertise in athletics translates into his actions and decisions. The emphasis on endurance and fair play, introduced here through Mr. Ashley's philosophy, likely recurs in later challenges. Pay attention to how the setting—the Ashport Athletic Association and its surroundings—shapes the conflicts. The excerpts suggest a story where physical and moral stamina are intertwined, but the specific trials Frank faces remain to be discovered.

There’s something about Frank’s quiet, stubborn refusal to cut corners that stayed with me long after I closed the book. It made me think of another story I once leafed through, Hiking Westward Being the Story of Two Boys Whose Ambition Led Them to Face Privations and Hardships in Their Quest of a Home in the Great West — Key Ideas to Explore. Both have that same raw, honest struggle, where endurance isn’t a lesson but a slow, daily act of simply keeping on.