“Look here!” Monty’s right hand traveled slowly up, bringing the boy’s left arm to his stomach. “Stop calling names!”
“Cad! Coward! Rotten Yank!”
“What’s to keep me from punching your face?” asked Monty grimly, drawing up one knee and setting it on the imprisoned wrist while his left hand strained at the captive’s right.
“Nothing! It’s what I’d expect of you, you—you——”
“Easy now! Be good or I’m likely to hurt you. It would be fierce if I made a mess of that pretty face of yours!”
He was having a hard time bringing that right arm around. Both boys were panting hard. Just how it happened, Monty never knew, but suddenly he found himself sprawled aside, and, although he tried desperately to hold his adversary, the latter eluded him like a cat and was on his feet. Monty had just time to spring erect before he was once more beset. A blow on the chest almost lost him his balance, and before he could recover the black-haired youth had landed again on that long suffering ear and had danced back. With a roar of rage Monty rushed, took a blow that almost dazed him and again wrapped his arm about the slim body of the opponent. For a moment they swayed, struggled, staggered about on the treacherous ground, and then went crashing to earth, Monty on top. But this time there was no need for him to grapple the other’s arms. The boy with the black hair lay still, with eyes nearly closed. Monty, suspicious, watched a moment and then got unsteadily to his feet.
“Stunned,” he muttered. “Great Snakes, I hope he isn’t hurt!” He went to the bank and dipped cupped hands in the water and splashed it over the boy’s face. He had to make three trips to and fro before the boy on the ground stirred, sighed deeply and opened his eyes. He viewed Monty at first blankly and then dubiously in the half-darkness.
“What happened?” he asked weakly.
“Guess you hit your head on a root or something,” answered Monty. “How do you feel?”
“All right now, thanks. What—oh, yes, I remember.” He frowned and closed his eyes tiredly. “Give me a minute or two and I’ll be ready,” he added apologetically.