Some of them cried, "Go on! go on!" After some seconds he tried to speak.

At first he choked and could say nothing articulate.

After a little, he muttered: "I can't go on--I can't finish the story! You'll have to excuse me, fellows! I'm not feeling well!" And he withdrew from the jolly party as soon as possible.
From that day Frank Merriwell never attempted to tell a story that was in the slightest degree vulgar.

He had learned his lesson, and he never forgot it.
Some boys swagger, chew tobacco, talk vulgar, and swear because they do not wish to be called "sissies." They fancy such actions and language make them manly, but nothing could be a greater mistake.
Frank did nothing of the sort, and all who knew him regarded him as thoroughly manly.

Better to be called a "sissy" than to win reputed manliness at the cost of self-respect.
Frank had forced those who would have regarded him with scorn to respect him.