Haynes dropped his bridle, stepping toward Greg Holmes, who, however, neither flinched nor looked worried.
"Hold my lines, Dobbs," urged Pierson, passing his bridle over to a fellow classman.
Then Pierson sprang in front of Greg, facing his roommate.
"Softly, Haynes!" cried Pierson warningly.
"What is this to you?" demanded the turnback hotly.
"I am under the impression," replied Pierson, "that this is not a personal matter so much as it is a class affair."
But Haynes, feeling that he was almost cornered, became reckless and desperate.
"This is a personal matter, Pierson. Stand aside until I knock that cur down."
"From any other man in the detachment," spoke Greg bitterly, "I would regard the use of that word an insult. Haynes, if you hit me, I shall knock you clean into the Hudson River. But I will not accept any challenge to fight until the class has passed on this matter."
"The class has nothing to do with it," insisted Haynes.