Realizing that they were in a bad position the two big men exerted all their strength in the struggle and finally broke away from the lighter cadets. They wasted no time but fled down the path, leaving the boys winded and bruised, for the fight, though short, had been determined. Vench was for chasing them, but Hudson was against it.
“Nothing doing,” he cried. “Those men know the path and we don’t. Don’s still got his man.”
The short laborer had made a strong effort to get away from Don, but the cadet had held onto him grimly, knocking him down with each attempt to get up. The others went to his aid and they hauled both Don and the man to their feet. The man gave one despairing look around and then, realizing that he was trapped, whimpered brokenly.
“Please! No send Peter to jail! Peter not a bad man! I not mean to hurt you!”
“Are you Peter Cozoza?” asked Don, wiping the mud from his face and his overcoat.
The man nodded miserably. “Oh, please, not de jail. Think, mister, Maretta and de five keeds! What dey do if Peter in jail?”
“You won’t go to jail,” Douglas reassured him. “All we want you to do is to talk. Did you saw the eagles off up at the school?”
The man nodded. “I was paid to do it, mister! Peter not a bad man, but he need de money so bad!”
The cadets understood readily. “Sure, we know that, Peter,” Don said. “You were paid to cut them off. Who paid you to go up to our school and cut off the eagles?”
The man hesitated, but feeling that the truth would serve him better than a lie, spoke out. “A man name Mr. Gates, up at the big house, he tell me!”