"You don't?" exclaimed Roland furiously.
"Didn't I speak plainly enough? I meant what I said."
"Go after that ball this instant!" shrieked Roland, stamping his foot; "or I'll make you!"
"Suppose you make me do it," said Oliver contemptuously, opening the gate, and entering the yard.
Roland had worked himself into a passion, and this made him reckless of consequences. He threw the bat in his hand at Oliver, and if the latter had not dodged quickly it would have seriously injured him. At the same time Roland rushed impetuously upon the boy who had offended him by his independence.
To say that Oliver kept calm under this aggravated attack would be incorrect. His eyes flashed with anger. He threw his books upon the lawn, and put himself in an instant on guard. A moment, and the two boys were engaged in a close struggle.
Roland was taller, and this gave him an advantage; but Oliver was the more sturdy and agile. He clasped Roland around the waist, lifted him off his feet, and laid him, after a brief resistance, on the lawn.
"You'd better not attack me again!" he said, looking with flushed face at his fallen foe.
Roland was furious. He sprang to his feet and flung himself upon Oliver, but with so little discretion that the latter, by a well-planted blow, immediately felled him to theground, and, warned by the second attack, planted his knee on Roland's breast, thus preventing him from rising.
"Let me up!" shrieked Roland furiously, struggling desperately but ineffectually.