It was very evident that they did not. What they had seen of Bobby’s quickness and resource had been quite enough. And that baseball at such close quarters looked like a mighty powerful weapon. Besides, they could hear the shouts of other schoolboys not far away. All the easy victory the gang had promised itself over these younger and slighter opponents vanished like smoke.
There was no answer except mutterings and growls, and the fellow who had dropped from the tree slowly put on his coat.
“You boys have got the edge on us just now,” he snarled. “But don’t think for a minute that you’re through with us. We’ll get you some time, and what we’ll do to you will be a-plenty. Ain’t that so, Lemming?” he asked of the fellow who had been sat upon.
“We’ll take a chance on you,” replied Bobby heatedly.
The toughs started to go away from the tree, but one of them picked up the bag of apples they had gathered to take along.
“No, you don’t!” exclaimed Bobby. “Drop that.”
The fellow glared at him, but evidently thought it best to obey.
“Ain’t you going to let him up?” asked one of them, pointing to his prostrate leader. “Going to keep him there all night?”
“He’ll get up when you get on the other side of that fence,” replied Bobby.
They picked up the driver on the way and Bobby waited until they had all climbed into the car.