“Don’t interfere with Jakie,” advised Billie. “He’s real mean, and he’s a bad fighter. Better let him go.”
“Let him go? With my new bat? Not much!” exclaimed Tommy. “I’m going to take it away from him.” And he set off on the run, while his two new friends looked after him with wonder, fear and admiration on their faces.
CHAPTER V
TOMMY MAKES A RUN
“Say, that new boy has nerve!” exclaimed Teddy, admiringly.
“Yes,” began Billie, “but if Jakie gets mad, he’ll hit him, and——”
By this time Tommy had nearly caught up to the boy who had his bat, and Jakie, wondering at the footsteps behind him, turned around. Billie was so interested in what he feared was going to happen, that he did not finish the sentence he had started.
“Well, what do you want?” asked Jakie, sneeringly, as he faced our hero.
“My bat, and I’m going to have it, too!” exclaimed Tommy, determinedly.
“Go on away, and don’t bother me! You’re too little for a bat. I’m going to keep this one, and I may let you play with it sometimes.”
Jakie turned and was about to walk off, but, to his surprise, as well as to the wonder of Teddy and Billie, Tommy stepped directly in front of the bully, who was head and shoulders taller than he.