"Heavens!" he thought. "I hope that neither Inza, nor Elsie, nor any of my friends, saw that from the dormitory windows!"
Even in the midst of his rage against Pike, Badger was cut to the quick by this thought, for he was filled with a foolish pride.
"I'll thump Pike a few extra for that!" he snarled, as he got out of the crowd. His pulse was at fever-heat, and his face as hot as flame. He did not feel the bruises and blows which had been showered on him.
"I reckon I'll not get close to him again for a week!" he grumbled. "Why couldn't those ruffians attend to their own affairs and let me attend to mine? I allow that it was none of their business whatever! This is my trail, and I wasn't interfering none with their range. Confound the luck! But when I do meet him I'll make him pay for it!"
But the Westerner was mistaken in one portion of his surmise. He met Pike, or rather ran against him, at the first building he turned.
Donald had ventured back to see what had happened to his pursuer, and was looking at the shouting tumult in the campus, and did not observe Badger, who came along the walk close to the wall. The Kansan recognized Pike first, and leaped at him with a snarl like that of an enraged panther, and as he leaped he struck a blinding blow.
It knocked Donald backward, but it did not fall fairly enough to inflict serious injury. The next moment Badger was on him, and had him by the throat.
"By heavens! I've a notion to kill you right here!" he hissed, his fingers closing on Pike's throat.
"Don't!" Pike pleaded, gasping out the appeal.
"You told Fairfax Lee that I was drunk when I went on the Crested Foam. You scoundrel! You ruffian! You sneaking coyote!"