"I licked him!" he shouted, exultantly. "I licked him! Didn't I, now?"
From the Whilomville point of view he was entitled to a favorable answer. They made it. "Yes," they said, "you did."
"I run in," cried Willie, "an' I grabbed 'im, an' afore he knew what it was I throwed 'im. An' then it was easy." He puffed out his chest and smiled like an English recruiting-sergeant. "An' now," said he, suddenly facing Jimmie Trescott, "whose side were you on?"
The question was direct and startling. Jimmie gave back two paces. "He licked you once," he explained, haltingly.
"He never saw the day when he could lick one side of me. I could lick him with my left hand tied behind me. Why, I could lick him when I was asleep." Willie Dalzel was magnificent.
A gate clicked, and Johnnie Hedge was seen to be strolling towards them.
"You said," he remarked, coldly, "you licked me, didn't you?"
Willie Dalzel stood his ground. "Yes," he said, stoutly.
"Well, you're a liar," said the Hedge boy.
"You're another," retorted Willie.