“He wants to fight,” said the Schooler. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Billy, to lose your temper. Look at us; we’re not angry!”
“That’s all right, but if you fellows think you can rough-house me, you’re mightily mistaken. I’m going home.”
“Oh, no, you’re not, Billy. We’re not through with you yet!”
“Keep off, I tell you!”
“Come on, fellows!”
The three sprang onto him together, and for a while there was a very lively tussle there by the fence. Cartwright fought like a tiger, thoroughly angry. Hansel received a blow from some one’s elbow that dazed him for a moment, but he clung hard to the victim’s legs, and in a moment Cartwright was down and they were on top of him listening to a torrent of abuse and threats.
“Oh, shut up,” said Hansel, a little out of temper now himself, since his nose was still aching with the blow he had received. “Can’t you take a joke? What’s the matter with you, anyhow?”
“Did you get him, fellows?” called Harry from up the road.