"Merwell, are you going to take back what you said?" demanded Dave, again. And he held his fist ready to strike another blow.
"Ye—yes," stuttered Link Merwell. "Do—don't hit me again!" And then he collapsed in a heap at Dave's feet.
CHAPTER XII
THE MEETING OF THE GEE EYES
When Link Merwell went down again Dave looked at Nat Poole, thinking that lad might possibly attack him. But the dudish fellow was too scared to do anything but back away to a safe distance.
"Don—don't you dare to hit me, Porter!" he cried, in a trembling voice. "Don't you dare! If you do I'll tell Doctor Clay!"
"If you behave yourself I'll not lay my fingers on you, Nat Poole," was the reply. "Merwell brought this on himself—you know that as well as I do."
"He's pretty badly hurt, I fear."