Still Russ was no coward. He never would have gone after Violet’s doll that day when the truck was about to run over it if he were a coward. So Russ made up his mind he must do something.
He couldn’t get the lunch back—he knew that—but he might punish the lad who had taken it. So Russ doubled up his fists, and Laddie, seeing him, did the same, for Laddie had an idea.
“If we both go at him at once we can fight him, Russ!” whispered Laddie. “You go at him on one side and I’ll go at him on the other.”
Of course this was the proper way for two small boys to fight one large one. But Russ did not like to fight—especially when Rose and the other children were there.
“You’re a mean coward, that’s what you are!” cried Russ. “You sneaked up and took our lunch when we weren’t there. You wouldn’t dare take it when we were around.”
And this was true. The peddler boy was a coward, and he had watched his chance to sneak up to the lunch when the six little Bunkers were some distance from it.
“Pooh! I don’t care! I got your lunch, anyhow, and it tasted good and you can’t get it back!” boasted the boy.
“Oh, dear!” sighed Mun Bun, who didn’t quite understand what it was all about. “I’m hungry!”
“So’m I,” wailed Margy.
“I’m sorry,” said Rose, “but the mean boy ate up all the lunch.”