“I guess you’ll get over it,” said Harry, who knew that the hurt could not be very serious.
“Jim Turner!” shouted the fallen hero.
James, who had witnessed his friend’s discomfiture, paused at a little distance. He began to doubt whether it would be prudent to take an active part in the hostilities. His confederate was disabled, and he strongly suspected that Harry was more than a match for him. Still he was rather ashamed to hold aloof.
“Let him alone!” he called out, from the place where he stood, making no motion to advance.
“Come and help me, Jim! You said you would,” said Tom.
“I’ll have you arrested,” said James, preparing to war with his tongue.
“Take him off!” entreated Tom.
Thus adjured, James advanced with hesitating steps to the rescue. He would rather have been excused, and had there been any decent pretext for giving up the undertaking he would have done so. But, though his sentiment of honor was not very keen, it did occur to him that it would be rather mean to leave Tom in the lurch, after he had urged him on to the assault with the promise of assistance.
“Let him alone!” he exclaimed, reinforcing his failing courage with a little bluster, “or you’ll get the worst licking you ever had.”