Knowing now that he had been tricked and brought to that old house for some evil reason, Merry was inwardly seething with anger, though outwardly he seemed perfectly cool.
“Before we engage in this little racket,” he said, “supposing you tell me what your name is. I’m all in the dark. Why have you lied to me and brought me out here?”
“Oh, just to have fun with yo’,” declared Cunningham, tearing off his coat and flinging it down. “Yo’ are a conceited college chap, an’ I’ve taken all this bother just to have a good chance to thump some of the conceit out of yo’.”
“Muldoon, I told you when you used the whip on your horses that you were a fool, but now I am forced to add that you are a liar!”
“Muldoon?” cried one of the other men. “What’s he callin’ yo’ that fer, Jack?”
“Why, because I’m Muldoon, brother to the strong man,” returned Cunningham. “An’ I’m goin’ to break this feller plumb in two. Look out, youngster!”
The upper hall, like the lower, was wide and roomy, giving them a very fair chance for the battle.
Cunningham rushed at Merry, but Frank side-stepped, avoiding him easily, and he gave the fellow a body-blow that knocked a great puff of wind out of him.
“Stand up, hang yo’!” grunted Cunningham. “Don’t try any of yoah monkey-tricks!”
“He hit you a thumper, Jack!” cried one of the watching men.