“It was an accident!” explained Tommy, who had heard about the other boy—a crony of Jakie’s, and as cruel and mean as the bully himself. “It was an accident,” insisted Tommy. “I was only looking at his fish, but I’m willing to give him as many back as he had.”
“Oh, take ’em all, Jakie,” advised Sam Belton, the newcomer, with a short laugh. “He doesn’t need fish. We’ll divide ’em between us, Jakie.”
“No, you won’t!” cried Tommy, driven to anger, and he made a move toward the two boys.
“Say, I believe he wants to fight us!” exclaimed Sam. “Come on, Jakie, and we’ll throw him in the brook. It’ll do him good.”
Tommy paused. He could swim fairly well, but he knew it would be hard work with his clothes on. Besides, he did not want to get wet, as his suit was a good one, and the creek was deep at that point.
“That’s right, we’ll duck him!” agreed Jakie. “I owe him something for being so fresh about that bat.”
“It was my bat!” cried Tommy, “and those are my fish, and——”
He was going to add something about his shoes being hidden at the swimming hole, but thought better of it.
“Grab him, and toss him in!” suddenly called Sam, and he and his crony made a move for Tommy at the same time.
Now, Tommy was not a coward, but, he hastily reflected, he would be no match for two big boys. It was hardly worth while to be tossed in the creek for the sake of a few fish, and, even if they did throw him in, he would not get the fish after all. Besides, there was the danger of drowning.