"Hi! Let go of me!" spluttered Reff Ritter, as he found himself flat on his back, with the ax up-raised in his two hands.
"Ritter, you leave this boat alone!" exclaimed Pepper.
"Humph! so it's you, Ditmore," muttered the bully, and now he turned over and arose.
"Going to chop the boat to pieces, I suppose," went on Pepper, "Well, not if I can prevent it."
"I'll chop you to pieces!" roared the bully, and swung the ax so suggestively that Pepper leaped back in alarm. "You've got no right to interfere with me!"
"This is Jack Ruddy's sloop; you have no right to touch her."
"Aw, you shut up."
"I'll not shut up, Reff Ritter. If you make another mark on this boat I'll have you locked up!"
"Humph! you think you've got the best of me, don't you?" sneered the bully, but his manner showed that he was considerably disconcerted. He had imagined that all the cadets were at supper and that no one would see his foul actions.
"I want you to get off of this boat."