“That is what I said. Do you wish me to repeat it? I will do so, if your hearing is not good.”
“I said, how’s your red-headed friend this morning?” growled the bully, his chin protruding pugnaciously.
“Ask the master-at-arms if you wish to know. I am not obliged to answer your questions. There is no use in trying to be courteous with you. You wouldn’t understand it at all.”
“You take that back, or——”
“Look here, Kester,” hinted Dan, a new light appearing in his eyes. “Red-head, as you call him, may be easy, but don’t monkey with DYNAMITE. That’s all I’ve got to say to you.”
“You throw it at me, do you? What you need is a good licking, and that’s what you’re going to get. I’ll run both you landlubbers out of the service. I’ll trim your jib right now and make the job complete.”
Dan gazed at him calmly, and as he stood there facing the big man the Battleship Boy appeared almost frail beside the other and more powerfully built man.
“What is it that you propose to do? Don’t keep me waiting. I have things of more importance to attend to.”
Kester took one step forward, making a sudden, vicious pass at Dan Davis’s head. He followed it quickly with another blow with the left hand.
By this time several jackies had started up.