“No, you don’t get off that way,” said Pewee. “You’ve got to stand up and see who is the best man, or I’ll kick you all the way home.”
“Didn’t you ever hear about Davy Crockett’s ’coon?” said Jack. “When the ’coon saw him taking aim, it said: ‘Is that you, Crockett? Well, don’t fire—I’ll come down anyway. I know you’ll hit anything you shoot at.’ Now, I’m that ’coon. If it was anybody but you, I’d fight. But as it’s you, Pewee, I might just as well come down before you begin.”
Pewee was flattered by this way of putting the question. Had he been alone, Jack would have escaped. But Will Riley, remembering all he had endured from Jack’s retorts, said:
“Oh, give it to him, Pewee; he’s always making trouble.”
At which Pewee squared himself off, doubled up his fists, and came at the slenderer Jack. The latter prepared to meet him, but, after all, it was hard for Pewee to beat so good-humored a fellow as Jack. The king’s heart failed him, and suddenly he backed off, saying:
“If you’ll agree to help Riley and me out with our lessons hereafter, I’ll let you off. If you don’t, I’ll thrash you within an inch of your life.” And Pewee stood ready to begin.
Jack wanted to escape the merciless beating that Pewee had in store for him. But it was quite impossible for him to submit under a threat. So he answered:
“If you and Riley will treat me as you ought to, I’ll help you when you ask me, as I always have. But even if you pound me into jelly I won’t agree to help you, unless you treat me right. I won’t be bullied into helping you.”
“Give it to him, Pewee,” said Ben Berry; “he’s too sassy.”
Pewee was a rather good-natured dog—he had to be set on. He now began to strike at Jack. Whether he was to be killed or not, Jack did not know, but he was resolved not to submit to the bully. Yet he could not do much at defence against Pewee’s hard fists. However, Jack was active and had long limbs; he soon saw that he must do something more than stand up to be beaten. So, when King Pewee, fighting in the irregular Western fashion, and hoping to get a decided advantage at once, rushed upon Jack and pulled his head forward, Jack stooped lower than his enemy expected, and, thrusting his head between Pewee’s knees, shoved his legs from under him, and by using all his strength threw Pewee over his own back, so that the king’s nose and eyes fell into the dust of the village street.