"See here, Rover! you've no right to butt in like this," interposed Slugger Brown. "Why don't you let the pair finish it?"
"Those two fellows," cried Fred, pointing to Slugger Brown and Codfish, "tripped me up. It wasn't fair—three against one."
"We didn't trip him up at all," came from the two accused ones simultaneously.
"They did, Jack. First Codfish tried it, and then Brown put out his foot and I went down, and Martell at once pounced on me."
"That's no way to fight!" broke out Spouter.
"It was certainly a mean trick," was Gif's comment.
"If there is any fighting to be done, I guess we're on hand to see that it's done fairly," came from Walt Baxter.
A perfect war of words followed, in the midst of which Nappy Martell seemed to lose complete control of his temper. He rushed at Jack and hit the youth two quick blows, one in the chest and the other on the chin. The oldest Rover was not looking for this attack, and he staggered backward into some bushes, all but losing his balance.
"That's the way to do it, Nappy!" cried Slugger Brown, excitedly. "Give it to him!"
Jack was as much surprised as Fred had been when first hit, but he was able to recover much more quickly than his cousin. He leaped forward from the bushes, doubled up his fists, and the next instant sent in a crashing blow that landed straight on Martell's nose. He followed up this blow with another on the other youth's chin which sent Martell sprawling flat on his back.