error. But there were others who fought valiantly enough,
taking punishment laughingly when it came and pressing the older
fellows closely. Steve was one of the more daring of the enemy and never
hesitated to dispute the possession of the ball with anyone. Once when
it came skipping along half the length of the tank, he went after it
hand over hand, only to miss it when Eric Sawyer reached it an instant
ahead of him. Sawyer, grinning, drew back the hand holding the tennis
ball.

"Want it, kid?" he asked.

Steve, guessing what was coming, dived, but he was not quick enough and
the ball landed with a round smack on his right ear. A wet tennis ball,
thrown from the distance of a few feet, is capable of hurting
considerably, and Steve, dashing the water from his face, felt very much
as though he had been kicked by a mule and had difficulty in keeping the
tears from his eyes.

"Get it?" laughed Sawyer.

"Yes, and so will you," gasped Steve. The ball lay bobbing about a yard
away and he grabbed it. Sawyer turned and struck out across the tank,
only his head above water. Steve, thoroughly angry, aimed at him,
changed his mind and swam after him, to the awed delight of the others.
Sawyer, thinking he had removed himself from danger, turned at the side
of the tank to look back. The next thing he knew the ball struck him
fairly on the nose, and, with a howl of pain and surprise, he
disappeared under the water.

"Swim, Edwards!" shrieked the youngsters. "He'll get you!"

Steve did turn away, but it seemed too much like running and so he
paused, treading water there, while the angry face of Sawyer popped into
view again. The ball had bounded away and been captured by one of the
youngsters, but Sawyer didn't look for it. With a leap he started toward
Steve. The latter realised that Sawyer meant to wreak vengeance, and
that the matter had got past the stage of fun. Here, it seemed, was a
time when discretion was the better part of valour, and Steve dived.

Fortunately, he was a good swimmer. Turning quickly under water, he
raced toward the far end of the tank. Dimly he heard shouts and laughter
above, but he didn't come to the surface until twenty long strokes had
taken him far away from where Sawyer, at a loss, was casting about the
middle of the tank for him. His reappearance was heralded by shouts of
applause from the younger fellows, many of whom, scenting real trouble,
had scrambled out of the water. Sawyer, warned of St