"What did they fire you for?" said Jimmy, touching up the horses.
"Who said they fired me?" said Stover, surprised.
"Well, what was it?" said Jimmy, disdaining an explanation.
"They fired me," said Stover, hesitating a moment—"they fired me for trying to kill a man."
"You don't say so!"
"I drew a knife on him," said Stover rapidly. "I'd 'a' done for him, too, the coward, if they hadn't hauled me off."
At this there was a chuckle from the passenger behind who said with great solemnity:
"Dear me, dear me, a dreadful state of affairs—quite thrilling."
"I saw red, everything—everything red," said Stover, breathing hard.
"What had he done to you?" said Jimmy, winking at Mr. Hopkins, alias Lucius Cassius, alias The Roman, master of the Latin line and distinguished flunker of boys.