hat's two for you!" said Hugh, in a hissing voice, as though he might
be speaking between his set teeth. "Now, if you're able get up again,
and give me a chance to finish my job, of which I'm already sick."

Nick was not yet defeated, though it took him longer to rise this time
than before. He was wary, too, and plainly disliked the idea of coming
in contact with those sturdy arms of Hugh Morgan. Seeing that Nick did
not mean to attack him, but had commenced to say harsh things in the
endeavor to force his rival to assume the aggressive, in hopes that the
advantage would fall to his share, Hugh lost no time in obliging him.

Vain were Nick's most desperate efforts to ward off the inevitable.
Hugh had decided to finish the bout with this third round, and the way
he pummeled staggering Nick almost dazed Leon Disney and those other
fellows, staring as though in the throes of a nightmare.

When for the third time clumsy Nick went down heavily before the attack
of the aroused Hugh, he refused to make the least effort to get on his
feet. Evidently Nick was a wise boy in one sense; he knew when he had
had enough of an unpleasant thing.

"Are you through?" demanded Hugh, sternly. "If you say the word I'll
have some of your crowd stand you up on your pegs again, so I may knock
you down. While I'm at it I want to make it a thorough job. Have you
had all you want for tonight?"

In deadly fear lest Hugh be tempted to put his threat into execution,
Nick managed to swallow his pride, and mumble that he guessed he must
be out of condition just then, a fact so evident that Thad had to laugh
aloud.

"All right, then," said Hugh, stepping back, for he had been standing
over the fallen boy in a threatening attitude, like a Roman gladiator
who had thrown his rival, and was waiting to see what signal the
emperor gave so as to decide the vanquished man's fate.

He took one look around at Leon and those two other fellows. They
quailed before his fierce glance.

"If any of the rest of you feel like having a try with me while I'm in
the humor, now's your chance! Don't all speak at once, please," said
Hugh, grimly.

When they saw him take a step in their direction, they shrank back.
Although not averse to having a little entertainment of the sort at
times, none of them seemed to particularly fancy being made a scapegoat.

"We're satisfied, Hugh," said Leon, hurriedly. "Nick got trimmed neat
and good. It's been coming to him