Bates looked as if Hector had been guilty of some enormity. What,
defy the wishes, the mandates, of Jim Smith, the king of the school
and the tyrant of all the small boys! He felt that Hector Roscoe was
rushing on his fate.

"I advise you to come," he said, "Jim's mad with you already, and
he'll lick you worse if you send him a message like that."

"He will probably have to take blows, as well as give them," said
Hector.

"Then I am to tell him what you said?"

"Of course."

With a look that seemed to say, "Your fate be on your own head!"
Bates walked away.

"John Bates is always toadying to Jim," said Wilkins. "So he's prime
favorite when Jim is good-natured--when he's cross, I've seen him
kick Bates."

"And Bates didn't resent it?"

"He didn't dare to. He'd come round him the next day the same as
ever."

"Has the boy no self-respect?" asked Hector, in a tone of disgust.

"He doesn't seem to have."