Ned did not utter a sound, but his face was red and he was struggling desperately, while Tad stood grinning. Butler had expected this very result. It was as excellent a lesson for Ned as had been the previous lesson for the desperado.
Tad strolled over to them.
"Now, Smoky, you have done about enough for one night. Let go and sit down there. You know what will be done if you don't obey orders."
Griffin was too full of ferocious rage to obey. He was determined to inflict all the damage that he could, on the boy in his grip. Tad stepped quickly behind the bully. Placing a hand around over Smoky's forehead, the other hand pressing on the mountaineer's Adam's apple, Butler gave the head a quick backward jerk.
The fellow's grip on Ned relaxed almost instantly. He staggered back choking and gasping, whereupon Tad thrust the ruffian from him and leaped back out of the way of those powerful arms.
"Sit down before I put you down!" commanded the Pony Rider Boy sternly.
"Let me at him, let me at him!" yelled Rector.
His cry aroused the others. All hands tumbled out shouting.
"What's going on here?" thundered Professor Zepplin, charging into the scene clad only in his pajamas.
"Just a little bout with our friend," answered Tad, laughing. "Ned, you keep your head. Get down there as I told you, Griffin!"