an insult.

"You're scared," reiterated Mop with increasing contempt, "and you know
you're scared. You ain't got any spunk anyway. You ain't got the spunk
of a louse." With a quick grip he caught the boy by the collar (he was
almost twice Larry's size), and with a jerk landed him on his back in a
brush heap. The fall brought Larry no physical hurt, but the laughter of
Joe and especially of big Ben, who in his eyes was something of a hero,
wounded and humiliated him. The little smile, however, did not leave his
face and he picked himself up and settled his coat about his collar.

"You ain't no good anyway," continued Mop, with the native instinct of
the bully to worry his victim. "You can't play nothin' and you can't
lick nobody in the whole school."

Both of these charges Larry felt were true. He was not fond of games and
never had he experienced a desire to win fame as a fighter.

"Aw, let him alone, can't you, Mop?" said big Ben. "He ain't hurtin' you
none."

"Hurtin' me," cried Mop, who for some unaccountable reason had worked
himself into a rage. "He couldn't hurt me if he tried. I could lick him
on my knees with one hand behind my back. I believe Joe there could lick
him with one hand tied behind his back."

"I bet he can't," said Ben, measuring Larry with his eye and desiring to
defend him from this degrading accusation. "I bet he'd put up a pretty
fine scrap," continued Ben, "if he had to." Larry's heart warmed to his
champion.

"Yes, if he had to," replied Mop with a sneer. "But he would never have
to. He wouldn't fight a flea. Joe can lick him with one hand, can't you,
Joe?"

"I donno. I don' want fight me," said Joe.

"No, I know you don't want to, but you could, couldn't you?" persisted
Mop. Joe shrugged his shoulders. "Ha, I told you so. Hurrah for my man,"
cried Mop, clapping Joe on the back and pushing him toward Larry.

Ben began to scent sport. He was also conscious of a rising resentment
against Mop's exultant tone and manner.

"I bet you," he said, "if Larry wanted to, he could lick Joe even if he
had both hands, but if Joe's one hand is tied behind his back, why Larry
would just whale the tar out of him. But Larry does not want to fight."

"No," jeered Mop, "you bet he don't, he ain't got it in him. I bet you
he daren't knock a chip off Joe's shoulder, and I will tie Joe's hand
behind his back with his belt. Now there he is, bring your man on.
There's a chip on his shoulder too."

Lar