ainst the opposing end on defence. More than
that, he had once nailed the redoubtable Kendall well behind the line,
receiving an extremely hard look from the half-back, and had on two
occasions got down the field under the punt in time to tackle the
catcher. Yes, Clint was very well satisfied with himself today, so well
pleased that the fact that he had bruised his left knee so that he had
to limp a little as he went upstairs didn't trouble him a mite. He hoped
Amy would be back from that silly tennis tournament so that he might
tell him all about it. But Amy wasn't back, as he discovered presently.
What met his eyes as he opened the door from the staircase well,
however, put Amy quite out of his mind for awhile.

The door of his own room was closed, but the doors of 13 and 15 were
open, and midway between them a rather startling drama was being
enacted. The participants were Penny Durkin, Harmon Dreer and a smaller
boy whose name afterwards transpired to be Melville. Melville was no
longer an active participant, though, when Clint appeared unnoted on the
scene and paused across the corridor in surprise. It was Penny and
Harmon Dreer who held the centre of the stage.

"What are you butting in for?" demanded Dreer angrily. "I'll cuff the
kid if I want to. You get out of here, Penny."

"You weren't cuffing him," replied Penny hotly. "You were twisting his
arm and making him cry. Now you let the kid alone, Dreer. If you want to
try that sort of thing you try it on me."

"All right!" Dreer stepped forward and shot his closed fist into Penny's
face. The blow missed its full force, since Penny, seeing it coming,
dodged so that it caught him on the side of the chin. But it was enough
to send him staggering to the wall.

"You keep out of it, you skinny monkey!" shouted Dreer. "All you're good
for is to make rotten noises on that beastly fiddle of yours! Want
more, do you?"

Penny evidently did, for he came back with a funny sidelong shuffle,
arms extended, and Dreer, perhaps surprised at the other's pluck, moved
cautiously away.

"You've had what was coming to you, Durkin," he growled. "Now you keep
away from me or you'll get worse. Keep away, I tell you!"

But Penny Durkin suddenly jumped and landed, beating down the other's
guard. Dreer staggered back, ducking his head, and Penny shot a long arm
around in a swinging blow that caught the other under his ear and
Dreer's knees doubled up under him and he sprawled on the