"Look at our two mates this sergeant boy has put out of action," growled Hinkey, trying to inflame his comrades.
"They were hit in fair fight," replied the leader. "The sergeant kid doesn't belong to our side, but I don't hold his fighting grit against him."
"You'd hold anything and everything against him if you knew him as well as I do," retorted Hinkey.
He was still standing over his young victim, gazing down gloatingly at him.
"And now the time has come to square matters up with you, younker," went on Hinkey tauntingly. "It's all my way now."
Hal looked up at him steadily, but without speaking. The boy knew better than to say anything foolish that would needlessly anger this brute, who now held the situation all in his own hands.
"Well, why don't you talk back, Overton?" demanded Hinkey sneeringly.
Just the ghost of a smile flickered over Overton's face.
"Laughing at me, are you?" yelled Hinkey, trying to work himself into a more brutal rage.
Hal spoke at last.