ttle all disputes fist and skull; and of
this Miss Holden, who was no pacifist, thoroughly approved. Now she was
in a community where the tendency to kill seemed well-nigh universal.
St. Hilda was a gentle soul, who would never even whip a pupil. She
might not approve--but Miss Holden had the spirit of the pioneer and
she must lead these people into the light. So she told her plan next
day to Pleasant Trouble and Lum Chapman, who were first to come. Stolid
Lum would have shown no surprise had she proposed that the two boys
dive from a cliff, and if one survived he won; but the wonder and
the succeeding joy in Pleasant's face disturbed Miss Holden. And when
Pleasant swung his hat from his head and let out a fox-hunting yelp
of pure ecstasy she rebuked him severely, whereat the man with the
crutch lapsed into solemnity.

"Will they fight this way?" she asked.

"Them two boys will fight a bee-gum o' sucklin' wildcats--tooth
and toe-nail."

"They aren't going to fight that way," protested Miss Holden. "They will
fight by the Marquis of--er--Somebody's rules." She explained the best
she could the intervals of action and of rest, and her hearers were
vastly interested.

"They can't kick?" asked Pleasant.

"No."

"Ner bite?"

"No!"

"Ner gouge?"

"What do you mean by 'gouge'?" Pleasant pantomimed with a thumbnail
crooked on the outer edge of each eye-socket.

"No!" was the horrified cry.

"Jest a square, stand-up and knock-down fight?"

"Yes," she said reluctantly but bravely.

"Lum will be timekeeper and referee to make them break away when they
clinch." When she explained that Pleasant scratched his head.

"They can't even _wrassle_?" Miss Holden understood and did not correct.

"They can't even _wrassle_. And you and I will be the seconds."

"Seconds--whut do we do?"

"Oh, we--we fan them and--and wash off the blood," she shivered a little
in spite of herself. Pleasant smiled broadly.

"Which one you goin' to wash off?"

"I--I don't know." Pleasant grinned.

"Well, we better toss up fer it an' _atter they git hyeh_." She did not
understand his emphasis.

"Very well," she assented carelessly.

Up the road came Ham Cage now, and down the road came King Camp--both
with a rapid stride. Though both had sworn to shoot on sight, they had
kept away from each other as they had promised, and now without speaking
they glowered unwinking into each other's eyes. Nor did either ask a
question when the littl