"I'll—I'll get even!"
"Go ahead. I'd like the satisfaction of fighting you to a finish."
"I will not fight with my fists," blustered Wat, trying to appear very fierce. "There are more deadly weapons."
"Name any weapon you choose. I will be only too glad to meet you. I am a good pistol shot, and Professor Rhynas says I handle the foils fairly well."
"Oh, you're a regular ruffian!" cried Snell, his chin beginning to quiver and his voice choking with anger that brought tears to his eyes. "I will not fight you in any way! I do not pretend to be a match for a ruffian of your sort. But I will get square just the same."
"I presume you will try to square the account in some sneaking manner. Well, I warn you now and here that it will not be healthy if you try any dirty tricks on me. If anything underhand happens to me, I'll know who was the originator of it, and I'll settle with you. That is business!"
With this, Bart turned to walk away, noting that a great many of the cadets were peering from the windows, some of them grinning with delight.
Snell shook his fist at Hodge's back, blustering:
"This is all right—all right, sir! It is not necessary for me to fight you; you are not on the same level with me."
"No," muttered the dark-haired boy, grimly, "I have never sunk as low as that."