He pointed to Jed Burr, who was up to his usual trick of meddling with the affairs of others. Two little fellows were tossing a croquet ball to each other. Jed stood about half way between them, jumping up in the air, and trying to stop the ball.
“No, I don’t like his looks one bit,” said Tom.
Jed looked at Tom. He always had fun, as he called it, with green scholars. He made no move towards Tom, however, for he thought that Bob and the others had warned the fat boy against him. Besides that, Tom did not look as if he would mind one of Jed’s smart slaps on the back any more than he would a fly. Then again, it looked to Jed as if it would not be easy to pull the fat boy over with his famous hand-shake trick.
“I guess he’ll leave me alone,” grinned Tom.
“Well, look out for him, anyway,” warned Frank.
“See that, now!” cried Sammy.
Benny Lane sat on the grass near by, watching some girls skipping rope. The little crippled lad placed his crutch by his side. Suddenly Jed stooped down and picked it up. Swinging it as he would a club, he struck with all his might at the croquet ball three feet above his head.
Crack! went the ball, stopped in its flight, and falling to the ground.
Snap! echoed the crutch end, and went flying straight through the air, striking a little boy about twenty feet away.
The lad was playing “Duck on the Rock,” and was nearly knocked over. The crutch end struck his cheek, scratching and bruising it, and he gave a cry of pain. Then, seeing the cause of his hurt, he raised the brick he had been playing with, and hurled it at Jed with an angry cry.