"I'm going to see that Andy has fair play," returned Pepper.
The encounter had occurred after Captain Putnam and the teachers had disappeared, so there was little chance of an interruption by the Hall authorities.
Andy stood up and tried to collect himself. He was "boiling mad," for the attack had been a dastardly one.
"Had enough?" demanded the bully, coming closer, and with his fists clenched.
"No, I haven't!" answered the acrobatic youth, and then, of a sudden, he sprang high in the air, to come down on Ritter's shoulder. Then he caught the bully around the neck with one arm.
"Hi! hi! let up——" began Ritter. "I—I——"
"I'll not let up!" retorted Andy. "You brought this on yourself, Reff Ritter, and now you can take the consequences. How do you like that, and that, and that?"
Each "that" was accompanied by a stinging blow, one on the ear, one on the eye and one on the nose. The second made the bully's left optic black, and the third caused the blood to spurt freely. Then Andy landed another blow on Ritter's mouth, leaped to the ground, and shoved the fellow from him.
"I'll give you those for an opener," he said, breathing heavily. "You can have some more in another minute."
"You—you rat!" hissed the bully and came at Andy with a rush. But the acrobatic youth dodged, and Ritter ran full tilt into Dan Baxter.