"I don't want to," said Naïda tremulously. "I like you, too----"

"Well, _you're_ one if you don't!" retorted Geraldine. "You can like
anybody and have fun fighting them, too."

"Put on those clothes, Naïda," said Duane sternly. "Are you going to
take a dare?"

So she retired very unwillingly into the hedge to costume herself while
the two boys invested their fists with the soft chamois gloves of
combat.

"We won't bother to shake hands," observed Scott. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, you will, too," insisted Geraldine; "shake hands before you begin
to fight!"

"I won't," retorted Scott sullenly; "shake hands with anybody who calls
me--what he did."

"Very well then; if you don't, I'll put on those gloves and fight you
myself."

Duane's eyes flew wide open and he gazed upon Geraldine with newly mixed
emotions. She walked over to her brother and said:

"Remember what Howker told us that father used to say--that squabbling
is disgraceful but a good fight is all right. Duane called you a silly
name. Instead of disputing about it and calling each other names, you