The High School Boys' Fishing Trip Part 12

"Oh, that's why you're afraid to act at all like a man, is it?"

scoffed Bert in his harshest voice.

"No; my main reason for not caring to fight you, Dodge, is that I don't like the idea of soiling my hands."

"What's that?" screamed Bert in added fury. "You insult me---you---you mucker?"

"If I'm a mucker, then you don't need to feel insulted at my opinion of you," d.i.c.k suggested, with a smile.

But this hesitancy on the part of Prescott was filling Bert Dodge with more valor every instant.

"Prescott, I've owed you something for a mighty long time," quivered Bert. "And now it's coming! Here it is!"

He aimed a savage blow at d.i.c.k. Young Prescott, who had really doubted that Dodge had courage enough to invite a fight, was not expecting it. The blow landed on d.i.c.k's chin, sending the leader of d.i.c.k & Co to the ground.

"Now, get up and answer that---you---you sneak!" dared Bert exultantly.

d.i.c.k was on his feet fast enough, side-stepping just in time to dodge a follow-up punch.

"Dodge," d.i.c.k remarked, as he threw up his guard, "there, is still time for you to beat it out of here if you don't want to take the consequences of that blow."

"You put me out of here!" Bert retorted defiantly.

Though d.i.c.k was quivering with indignation, he still hesitated to spring at Dodge. d.i.c.k didn't want to fight, on the sole ground that he felt too much contempt for his opponent.

"Come, on, you mucker!" challenged Bert, dancing about Prescott.

Then Dodge delivered two swift, straight-from-the-shoulder blows.

Of a sudden d.i.c.k jumped into the fray.

"Good!" quivered Darry, his eyes flashing. To Dave's way of thinking, d.i.c.k's swift vigorous defence should have followed that first knock-down.

"Come on, you mucker!" taunted Bert, while the interchange of blows now became fast and furious. "If there's anything you know how to do in this game, let us see what it is! Trot it out!"

"I'll attend to my side of this match," said d.i.c.k quietly. "My advice to you is that you keep quiet and save your wind for your own protection."

"Bosh! You can't do anything to anyone in my cla.s.s!" sneered Bert. Indeed, young Dodge's address to his task opened up particularly well. Dodge was rather heavy for his years, and he had been doing some good training work through the spring and early summer.

d.i.c.k, who was lighter and not noticeably quicker, confined himself, at the outset, to his old tactics of allowing his opponent to tire himself.

Bert, however, was soon quick to discover this. He moderated the savagery of his own attack somewhat, sparring cleverly for a chance to feint and then land a face blow.

d.i.c.k gave ground readily when it served his purpose, though he did not run.

"Keep back, fellows!" called Tom Reade. "Don't get near enough to interfere with either man."

"Don't interfere with either the man or the thing, you mean,"

interposed Danny Grin.

"Shut up, Dalzell!" ordered Reade with generous roughness. "Remember that you're not fighting Dodge, and that it's unfair to say anything to anger him. Be fair!"

Though d.i.c.k's chums followed the fighters, at a generous distance, they would have noticed, had they been less intent on the work of the combatants, that Bayliss kept well on the outskirts of the crowd. Bayliss didn't want to attract any dangerous notice to himself, nor was he at all sure that the farmer would interfere to see fair play for Dodge's side. In this, however, he really wronged the farmer.

In giving ground Prescott stepped backward, his feet becoming entangled with a vine running along the ground.

Down went d.i.c.k, just in time to save himself from a savage blow in the face.

"Stand up to the fight, like a man!" roared Dodge, for he felt that he was winning.

d.i.c.k drew himself to his knees. Ere he could gain his feet Bert landed a smashing blow on his left cheek. Down went d.i.c.k again.

"Stop that sort of thing, Dodge!" flared Dave Darrin. "Either man who goes down must have safety until he's on his feet again."

"Shut up!" flared Bert, but this time he waited, afraid to try to hit his opponent until d.i.c.k was on his feet.

"Can't Dodge run his own fight, hang you?" Bayliss demanded.

This was the first word he had had the courage to utter.

Quick as a flash Dave wheeled, running toward Dodge's companion.

"This isn't wholly Dodge's fight, Bayliss," Darry cried, his anger at a white heat. "Prescott has some rights in the game, and you know it, too."

"You're too fresh!" snapped Bayliss.

"You're no good, Bayliss," Darry remarked contemptuously.

"You're a sneak and a liar, and so-----"

"And so I shall claim some of your time just as soon as d.i.c.k and Dodge have finished," retorted Darry coldly. "Don't forget that, Bayliss, and don't show yourself up by trying to run away."

With that Darrin stalked back to watch the finish of the present affair.

d.i.c.k, on his feet again, renewed the battle in earnest. He found Dodge a really worthy opponent. Both boys soon had bruised faces to show.

Smash! That blow, delivered by Bert, almost ended the fight.

d.i.c.k staggered backward, the blood beginning to flow from his nose.

Dodge followed it up, driving in another hard blow. The pain stung d.i.c.k, not to madness, but into a more resolute defense, with more of offense in it.

Then d.i.c.k so manoeuvred that he had Dodge between himself and the sh.o.r.e of the lake. This advantage gave young Prescott slightly higher ground on the gentle slope toward the lake. Bert tried to manoeuvre for a more level footing, but Prescott drove him slowly backward.

Suddenly one of d.i.c.k's blows landed, with staggering force, on the tip of Dodge's chin. Bert went to earth, rolling over as he struck, and lying face downward. He was not knocked out, but he had had enough.

For a moment or two d.i.c.k glanced down at his adversary in cold contempt. Then suddenly, without a word, he bent over, seizing Dodge by the shirt collar and belt, and threw him sprawling out into the lake.

Young Dodge landed some distance from the bank. There was a loud splash and a yell from the vanquished one, then a gurgling noise as Bert's mouth went under water. He disappeared under the black surface of the lake.

d.i.c.k waited calmly, ready to go to Dodge's a.s.sistance if needed.

Bert, however, rose quickly, the water not much above his knees.