Fortunately for Bronson, his remark had not been heard by any except the boy next him, or he would have been drawn into the wrangle which was growing serious again as Taffy exclaimed:
"Fiddlesticks! I'll bet you saw the Head coming or you'd never dared to face Bart. You know he can whip——"
"You know better than that, Taffy Brown," rejoined Fred, flushing at the charge.
"Besides, Bart can't whip Fred," interposed Buttons.
"He can't, eh? Bart Montgomery can whip any boy in the Second Form, and all but Sandow Hill in the First," returned Taffy.
"Guess again," derided several of Fred's followers.
"I'll go sodas for the entire Form that Fred can lick Bart!" Soda exclaimed.
The size of the wager for a moment dampened Taffy's ardor, and he growled:
"If Fred wanted to fight Bart, why didn't he wait till after school?"
"I'll tell you why, Taffy Brown," retorted Fred hotly. "I'm not going to stand by and let any one make such a statement about my father, no matter where it is or who is 'round."