e
doubled with a groan. Before Wessner could straighten himself, Freckles
was on him, fighting like the wildest fury that ever left the beautiful
island. The Dutchman dealt thundering blows that sometimes landed and
sent Freckles reeling, and sometimes missed, while he went plunging into
the swale with the impetus of them. Freckles could not strike with half
Wessner's force, but he could land three blows to the Dutchman's one.
It was here that the boy's days of alert watching on the line, the
perpetual swinging of the heavy cudgel, and the endurance of all weather
stood him in good stead; for he was tough, and agile. He skipped,
ducked, and dodged. For the first five minutes he endured fearful
punishment. Then Wessner's breath commenced to whistle between his
teeth, when Freckles only had begun fighting. He sprang back with shrill
laughter.

"Begolly! and will your honor be whistling the hornpipe for me to be
dancing of?" he cried.

SPANG! went his fist into Wessner's face, and he was past him into the
swale.

"And would you be pleased to tune up a little livelier?" he gasped, and
clipped his ear as he sprang back. Wessner lunged at him in blind fury.
Freckles, seeing an opening, forgot the laws of a gentleman's game and
drove the toe of his heavy wading-boot in Wessner's middle until he
doubled and fell heavily. In a flash Freckles was on him. For a time
McLean could not see what was happening. "Go! Go to him now!" he
commanded himself, but so intense was his desire to see the boy win
alone that he did not stir.

At last Freckles sprang up and backed away. "Time!" he yelled as a fury.
"Be getting up, Mr. Wessner, and don't be afraid of hurting me. I'll let
you throw in an extra hand and lick you to me complate satisfaction all
the same. Did you hear me call the limit? Will you get up and be facing
me?"

As Wessner struggled to his feet, he resembled a battlefield, for his
clothing was in ribbons and his face and hands streaming blood.

"I--I guess I got enough," he mumbled.

"Oh, you do?" roared Freckles. "Well this ain't your say. You come on
to me ground, lying about me Boss and intimatin' I'd stale from his very
pockets. Now will you be standing up and taking your medicine like a
man, or getting it poured down the throat of you like a baby? I ain't
got enough! This is only just the beginning with me. Be looking out
there!"

He sprang against Wessner and sent him rolling. He attacked the
unresisting figur