“Am I?” asked Ned, cautiously feeling of his injured face.
“Well, just the same he was licking Big Mike, if they hadn’t all pitched on to him!” declared Tennie Loders, stanchly.
“Look at my knuckles, where I hit him in the mouth, will you!” said Ned, proudly.
“Here’s your necktie, Ned,” proffered Harriett Taylor, holding it out to the hero of the hour.
Ned tied it on in a crooked knot, while the crowd watched him admiringly.
“Where were you fellows? Who told you about it?” he queried.
“Why, we were going ahead coasting,” explained Hal. “Zu-zu was the one who told us, and then we came lickity-split.”
“Bully for Zu-zu!” exclaimed Ned. “She’s a dandy!”
“I had to run all the way up hill,” said Zu-zu, modestly, just arriving.