"Look at that, Giant! They are trying to maul Snap and Shep!" The cry came from Whopper.
"Let up there!" added Will Caslette. And then, as small as he was, he ran out on the dock and toward the center of the melee. Frank came with him, and each caught one of the Spink faction by the arm and swung him backward.
"Good! Here are the others!" panted Shep. "Give it to 'em, fellows; they started it!"
The arrival of the pair somewhat disconcerted the Spink crowd, and they stopped fighting. They were still six to four, but to handle four was only half as easy as to handle two. The others looked inquiringly at their leader.
"Give it to 'em!" muttered Ham; but even as he spoke he edged to the upper end of the dock, past Giant and Whopper.
"Give it to 'em yourself," murmured a follower who had received a blow in the eye. "I guess I won't fight any more to-day."
As quickly as it could be done, Whopper and Giant ranged alongside of Snap and the doctor's son. They gazed defiantly at the crowd that confronted them. For a brief spell there was an ominous silence.
"Say, did we come here to fight or to start on our outing?" asked a lad of the Spink crowd. He was tall and thin, and evidently very nervous. He was a newcomer in the town and knew but little about the quarrels of bygone days.
"Don't waste time here," added another youth. "We can finish with them when we come back."
"You are afraid, now that we are four to six," said Snap. "You were willing enough to pitch into Shep and me when we were alone."