conquered, though unable to make any further threatening gestures
toward his cruel oppressor.

Hugh had already started to quietly remove both his overcoat and the
under one. These he handed over to Thad for safe-keeping. Nick saw
his actions with keen delight. Apparently, the hope he had entertained
of forcing Hugh Morgan into meeting him in a clean-cut issue, to see
which would prove the better man, was about to be realized.

"It's just got to be done, I see," Hugh was saying, as he faced the
leering victor in the unequal affair just concluded. "You big coward,
I'm going to teach you that there's danger in picking on a boy smaller
than yourself. In other words, you're due for a thrashing you'll never
forget. Now look out for yourself!"




CHAPTER VI

MAKING A GOOD JOB OF IT

A fight between two boys is not a very pleasant subject with which to
deal. In this particular circumstance there were, however, mitigating
conditions that would almost make it a pleasure to describe the battle.
Hugh was standing up for the rights of the weak, and had only plunged
into the scrimmage when he saw that Nick had treated Owen in a most
cruel manner.

Once he started in and he meant business. There could be no half-way