The two boys were laughing together over the success of their trick, when the figure of our hero, his face red with excitement, and his hands chafed and torn, presented itself unexpectedly.
Tom sprang to his feet in dismay.
“Look here, Tom Barton,” said Harry, in a quick, peremptory way, “what did you mean by pitching a stone into my basket of eggs?”
“Don’t be afraid,” said James Turner, in a low voice; “I’ll stand by you.”
This emboldened Tom. Though he would not have liked to engage in single combat with Harry, he concluded that our hero would be in no haste to engage both. So he answered, insolently:—
“None of your business!”
“It strikes me that it is my business,” said Harry, warmly. “It was a mean, contemptible trick.”
“What are you going to do about it?” sneered Tom.
Now I am not going to justify Harry for the course he took, but it was certainly very natural.