"You keep out of this," said Beaufort. Then, turning to Penny again, "Will you get up and take your licking?" he demanded.
"No, he won't!" exclaimed Clint, jumping to his feet. "If you've got to fight someone, you fight me, you big overgrown bully!"
"Shut up, Thayer." Penny pulled his long length from the ground. "This is none of your business."
"I'm making it my business," replied Clint hotly. "You keep out of it, Durkin. I'll look after this fellow. If he wants a scrap he can have it." Clint peeled off his coat and tossed it aside.
But Penny calmly and good-naturedly thrust him away. "It's my row, Thayer," he said. "Thanks, just the same." He took off his coat and vest, exposing a pair of purple cotton suspenders. "Throw those down somewhere, will you? Look out for the watch in the vest."
"Don't be a fool, Durkin," begged Clint. "You can see it's a put-up job! Let me attend to it, won't you?"
Penny shook his head. "No, I've got to do it," he answered. He turned to Dreer. "Will you promise to keep mum about this?" he asked. "If you don't promise, I won't fight."
"It's nothing to me," muttered Dreer, maintaining a safe position.
"All right. Remember that. If I ever find you've spoken of it I'll half kill you, Dreer!"
"I guess I'd have something to say about that," said Dreer, blustering weakly. Beaufort cut in impatiently.