“Oh, these young cubs frightened this gentleman’s horse, the animal broke a shaft, and they won’t pay for it.”
“That isn’t true,” cried Bob. “We never refused to pay for the damage.”
“Make ’em pay!” cried Bill, slapping his hand on his thigh with a sound like a pistol shot. “Make ’em pay!”
In a fit of passion Noddy aimed a blow at Bob. The boy dodged it cleverly, and shot out his fist toward Noddy’s face. He only landed lightly on the bully’s nose, but that, with the overbalancing caused when he missed his mark, sent Noddy down in a heap.
“I’ll make you pay for this!” he fairly screamed as he scrambled up.
He rushed at Bob. Ned and Jerry ran up and were about to aid their chum.
“Let me attend to him alone!” pleaded Bob.
“I’ll fix you!” screamed the bully.
Once more he aimed a fearful blow at Bob, but the latter merely stepped to one side, and once more Noddy went down, without having been hit. He arose with his mouth full of dust.
At that instant the countryman’s horse, probably frightened by the noise and shouts, reared on its hind legs, broke the strap that fastened him to the fence, and galloped off down the road.