The Wizard of the Sea | Page 4

fight you whenever you say," he said stoutly.
A boy standing near heard the remark, and the news spread like magic.
"A fight between Hoke and Mont. Come on down to the woods."
The schoolboy cadets needed no second invitation. A score started from the campus instantly.
They were about evenly divided as to who would win.
The bully was known to be heavy and strong.
Yet our hero had shown lots of pluck.
In a corner of the grounds, shut out from view from the school windows by a belt of trees, the boys assembled to witness the conflict.
Mont prepared for the encounter, assisted by Link.
Ummer, satisfied of an easy victory, placed himself in the hands of his toady and backer, Bill Goul.
When the combatants were declared ready they faced each other.
As Hoke looked into the unflinching eyes of his opponent the smile of satisfaction he had worn for the past few hours suddenly faded.
He could see he must do his best to win.
"But I'll mash him, see if I don't," he said to his toadies.
"That's right, Hoke!"
"Show him what you can do."
Mont said nothing.
"He's a tough one," whispered Link. "Beware of a foul."
"I'll have my eyes open."
The boys took off their coats and vests.
A ring was formed and our hero and the bully got into position.
"Time!" cried one of the older boys, and the great fight began.
At first Mont was cautious, for he wanted to take his opponent's measure, so to speak.
Sure of victory, the bully rushed at him, and aimed a blow at Mont's nose.
Our hero ducked, and Hoke's fist only sawed the air.
"That was a clean duck."
"Land him one, Hoke!"
"Go for him, Folsom!"
Around and around the ring went the two boys.
Then the bully aimed another blow at our hero.
As quick as a flash our hero warded it off.
Then out shot his fist, and the bully of Nautical Hall got a crashing blow in the chin that knocked him clean off his feet.
What a yell went up!
"Hoke is knocked out!"
"Did you ever see such a blow?"
Wild with rage, the bully was assisted to his feet by several friends.
The blood flowed from his chin and from a cut lip.
"I'll show you yet!" he hissed, and again went at Mont.
But our hero was cool and collected, while the bully was excited.
The bully got in one little body blow, but that was all, while our hero fairly played all over his face.
"Better give it up, Hoke!"
"You are outclassed against Mont Folsom!"
"Let me be!" howled the bully.
With every blow that our hero delivered Ummer's anger increased.
His reputation, he felt, was at stake.
If he was beaten that would be the end of him, so far as bossing the boys was concerned.
At last Mont hit him a stinging blow on the ear that caused him to roll over and over.
CHAPTER IV.
ON THE ROAD.
The bully was knocked out completely, and had to acknowledge Mont the victor of the encounter.
This he did with very bad grace, and a minute later sneaked off with his toady.
"I'll get even for that," he growled. "He'll be sorry he ever tackled me."
"You'll have to watch Hoke Ummer," said Link, some time later, when the crowd had dispersed. "He is a treacherous fellow."
"I'll have my eyes open," returned our hero.
Yet little did he dream of the dastardly way in which the bully would try to get even.
It did not take Mont long to settle down at Nautical Hall. The fight had made him many friends, and established him as a sort of leader among a certain set.
On the following Saturday Link proposed that he, Barry Powell, and Mont take a stroll down to the village.
The others were willing, and soon the party was on the way.
"I'll get some stuff for a midnight feast while I am at it," said Mont.
Soon the school was left behind, and they came out on the village highway.
"Hark!" cried Barry suddenly.
"What is it?" demanded Mont.
Barry was listening intently to a dull, heavy tramping sound, which was wafted faintly toward them on the breeze.
"Do you hear that?" he asked excitedly.
Link and Mont listened, and could distinctly hear a low thud, thud, thud in the distance.
"What does it mean?" Link asked.
"It means that a pair of ponies, or horses, have run away, and are coming along at a tearing gallop."
As if in corroboration of Barry's words, at that moment a light phaeton, drawn by two high-spirited ponies, which were pounding along at the top of their speed, burst round the bend of the road.
The vehicle was rocking from side to side, and every moment threatened to hurl it into one of the deep ditches which lined the road.
As the boys gazed at the approaching carriage Mont's heart seemed to stand still.
"Fellows!" he cried, "there is someone in the phaeton--a lady, I believe."
"So there is!" gasped Link, in tones of horror. "What shall we do?"
"We