“Oh, Belden and Rockledge will have many a fight yet,” he said, “but they’ll be good-natured fights on the baseball or football fields, and may the best school win.”
They exchanged hearty farewells with the Belden boys, and went out of the room and down the corridor. On the way they passed Bill Snath, who favored them with a malicious stare in passing and uttered the word “heroes,” in a sneering tone, as he went by. It was spoken in a low tone, but loud enough for Fred, who was nearest him, to hear it, and his temper took fire at once.
“What was that you said, Bill Snath?” he demanded, as he turned on his heel.
“Nobody spoke to you, redhead,” returned Snath, snapping out the epithet with a good deal of relish.
This was like a spark to powder, and Fred’s face became as red as his hair.
“You take that back!” he cried, rushing up to Snath, who had stopped and was regarding him with a tantalizing grin.
“Suppose I don’t, what are you going to do about it?” demanded the bully, his tone the more confident because he could see behind Fred’s back the tall figure of Mr. Leith, the head teacher, coming up from the other end of the hall.
“I’ll show you what I’m going to do about it,” Fred replied, and was starting to unbutton his coat, when Bobby, who had come up, restrained him.
“Mr. Leith’s coming, Fred,” he warned him. “Cool off now and come along. He’s close behind you now.”
There was no need of saying anything else, and Fred by a great effort restrained himself. Mr. Leith came by and looked curiously at the flushed face of the boy. He said nothing however, but when he had reached the other end of the hall stood there as if in meditation.