“Oh, I don’t want any gas!”
“Baxter you are a bully and a brute!”
The big cadet glared at the speaker in amazement. Then he made another lunge forward, but his fist met only the empty air, for Pepper ducked just in time.
“I’ll fix you!” roared Baxter, as he staggered forward and then recovered himself.
“I didn’t want to fight, but since you force me to defend myself, why—take that!”
As Pepper finished he let out with his right fist and took the bully fairly and squarely in the ear. Then the Imp swung around his left fist and it came in contact with Baxter’s nose and made the blood spurt. The bully staggered, but before he went down there came another blow that loosened one of his teeth.
“Now have you had enough?” asked Pepper, standing over the fallen form of the bully.
“No!” snarled Baxter, and as quickly as he could he got on his feet. But the instant he was up again, Pepper knocked him down.
“I am going to give you a dose of your own medicine, Baxter,” said the Imp. “If you try to get up again, down you go once more.”
“Boys! boys! what does this mean?” came in a stern voice, and looking up they saw Captain Putnam approaching.