Dick heard, and his face flushed. He took a step toward the two lads, but he was unsteady on his feet, for the blow on his head had been severe.
"You'll have to take that back Mr. Porter," said our hero a bit stiffly, "and you too, Mr. Weston."
It was seldom that the cadets addressed each other thus, and only when there was some feeling engendered.
"Take what back?" demanded Porter.
"What you said about favorites," went on Dick. "I won't stand for that."
There was that in his look and manner, and in his words that impressed not only his friends but the two cronies as well. They realized that Dick as an upper classman, had considerable influence, and, though they had their own following, due to their wealth and their willingness to spend money, they doubtless felt that they had gone too far.
"Oh, well, I didn't mean anything," said Porter, half sulkily. "I—I was only joking."
"I don't like such jokes," declared Dick grimly, and he looked at Weston.
"Same here," muttered Porter's crony. "I was only fooling."
"Your apologies are accepted," was Dick's reply. He walked on, half supported by Paul, and when his chums saw how evidently weak he was they wanted him to go to the doctor's office. But Dick would not.