“Look here, Jimmy, this isn’t any silly pageant! I don’t care whether anyone’s around or not. All you think about is making a public show of it! You make me tired!”
“Nothing of the sort,” returned Jimmy indignantly. “All I say is that if you’re going to do it you ought to do it right! What’s the good of balling it all up when, by using a little—er—a little headwork, you can make a great big hit? No, sir, you listen to me. I’m managing you in this affair, Dud. Just you sit still and leave the whole business to me.”
“Leave it to you——” began Dud bitterly.
“Besides, I’ve got a better scheme, old chap! Let’s do it shipshape, eh? After supper I’ll call on Star and take your challenge to him. Then, if he says he won’t fight, we’ll go ahead with the public insult scheme. But that will be giving him a chance to accept like a gentleman. And, of course, whether he accepts or doesn’t, the thing is just bound to leak out.” Jimmy grinned. “Those things always do.”
“I wish,” said Dud moodily, “I’d kept my mouth shut and not told you anything about it. You’re bound to go and hire a brass band and make a hullabaloo! I dare say”—sarcastically—“you’ll be selling tickets for the fight!”
“By Jove, that isn’t a bad idea! I don’t mean to sell tickets, but we might issue invitations or—or something. ‘You are cordially invited to be present at an informal scrap between Dudley Baker and Starling Meyer at five-thirty on Friday. R. S. V. P.’”
“I wish you’d quit making a silly joke of it,” complained Dud. “If you think it’s so terribly funny, why don’t you fight him yourself?”
“I would in a minute if he slapped my face,” replied Jimmy promptly. “Maybe he will when I take the challenge to him. Gee, I wish he’d try it! Still, I suppose you’d claim the right to the first scrap. Well, that’s settled, then. Come on to supper now. Better be sort of careful what you eat, you know. You want to keep in condition. What do you say to tomorrow afternoon before supper down at the Beach? We’d be out of sight there and it would be handy for fellows to get to after practice. No use staging the affair too far away if we want a good attendance, eh? Got to consider folks’ comfort some, you know. All ready?”