“Here! Look out what you’re doing there, Taylor!” growled the youth in question.
“Yes, he’s getting too fresh!” chimed in Ike Blake. “I guess I’ll have something to say in this racket!”
As Clarence recovered himself, Ike doubled up his fists and the two of them came at Tom together. Our hero caught his breath. He was not afraid, but it was manifestly unfair. The injustice of it, however, did not seem to strike the cronies of Clarence.
The latter reached Tom first, who, being unwilling to take too many chances, led out with a blow that might have been effective had it landed. But Clarence dodged, and, a moment later a gruff voice called out:
“Here! What’s the meaning of this! How dare you attack my nephew? Stop it at once!”
The boys all turned to see the angry face of Captain Hawkesbury fairly glaring at them. But most of the anger seemed turned in Tom’s direction.
“Cease that attack at once!” came the order. “You, young Taylor, I mean!”
Tom was not going to be unjustly accused without a protest.
“Your nephew struck me first!” he retorted. “I was just defending myself, and it looks as though they all wanted to fight,” he added, with a nod toward the cronies of the rich and arrogant youth. “I don’t mind taking one at a time,” Tom said more calmly, “but if they want to pile on all at once I’m going to quit.”
“This fighting must cease!” declared the captain. “Let my nephew alone, Taylor!”