his words by shaking that big fist of
his under Owen's nose.

"I haven't the least idea," replied Owen, steadily enough, considering
that he must surely know sufficient concerning Nick's ways to
understand the danger he was in. "All I say is that I had a perfect
right to ask any girl to come to the hop with me. Since she accepted,
you must look for an explanation from Peggy. I'm sure I don't feel
obliged to ask you whether I can breathe the same air as you do or not.
The country is big enough for both of us, Nick Lang. You go your way,
and I'll go mine."

"I'll go when I'm done with you, and not a minute before," snarled the
other. "So get ready to take your medicine. Mebbe when Peggy sees
your nose all bloody, and one eye closed up, with a black circle coming
around the other, she won't think you so pretty a sight."

"What's going on here?"

It was Hugh who asked this as he and Thad managed to arrive on the
scene, to discover a group of boys standing there on the moonlit road
surrounding the two principals in the heated argument, who were facing
each other so threateningly.

Nick turned his head to take a look. Even in the moonlight, the sudden
grin that came upon his red face was noticeable. Apparently it pleased
him to know that the boy whom he had never thus far been able to coax
into a row with him had arrived on the spot. He must have judged that
this was a piece of double luck, in that he might take revenge upon the
one who had interfered with his pleasure, and at the same time force
Hugh Morgan, who had never been known to engage in any rowdy practices,
to enter into a rough-and-tumble scrap with him.

"Hello! so you're there, are you, Hugh Morgan?" he called out, with a
ring of savage delight in his heavy voice. "Glad you've dropped in
just in time to see me give a good friend of yours a little lesson in
politeness. Here's Owen saying how he thinks it good taste to step in
between a fellow and his best girl. I'm meaning to knock a different
notion into his silly head. Sometimes you have to pound things into
some people, you understand."

"I'd advise you to try nothing of the sort, Nick," said Hugh, steadily.

At that the other laughed aloud.

"Why, you don't mean to tell me you'd stick in your little oar, Hugh,
and try to teach me a few tricks, do you? I could put you on your back
with one hand behind me. Fellers that are tied to their mother's apron
strings ain't apt to know a heap a