ace and hands
were covered with dust and so was his elegant suit of clothing, while
the skin was cut on the side of his nose.

"Now, see what you have done!" he spluttered, gazing ruefully at
himself. "My suit is just about ruined!"

"And it serves you right, Bob Bangs," came warmly from Jack.

"That is what you get for trying to run away," added our hero.

"I'll have the law on you, Randy Thompson!"

"Maybe I'll have the law on you, Bob Bangs!"

"You had no right to throw me down in that fashion."

"Then why did you start to run away?"

"Because I didn't want to stay here--and you had no right to stop me."

"We wanted to know about this berry affair," said Jack. "And about the
dirty boat."

"I don't know what you are talking about," answered the big boy, but
his face showed his concern.

"You put mud in my boat and spilled our berries."

"Who says I did that?"

"We know you did."

"Did you see us?"

"No, but we know you did it and nobody else."

"You can't prove it," answered Bob, and now his face showed a sign of
relief. He had been afraid that there had been a witness of his
evil-doing.

"Perhaps we can," said Randy. "Bob Bangs, I think you are the meanest
boy in Riverport!" he continued, with spirit.

"I don't care what you think, Randy Thompson. Who are you, anyway? The
son of a poor carpenter. Why, you haven't got a decent suit of clothing
to your back!"

"For shame, Bob!" broke in Jack. "Randy is a good fellow, even if he is
poor."

"Well, if you think he is so good you can go with him. But I don't want
to associate with such a low fellow," went on the big youth, as he
started to brush himself off with a silk handkerchief.

"So I am a low fellow, am I?" said Randy, in a steady voice, and coming
up close to Bob, who promptly began to back away.

"Ye--as, you--you are," stammered the rich youth.

"I've a good mind to knock you down for saying it, Bob Bangs. I am not
as low as you."

"Humph!"

"I would never do the low things you have done. It was a mean,
contemptible trick that you played on Jack and me. By right you ought
to be made to scrub out the boat and pay for the berries you spoiled."

"Bah! I won't touch the boat, and I won't pay a cent."

"Then you admit that you are guilty?"

"I admit that I had some fun, at your expense, yes," answered Bob
Bangs. "You can't do anything to me, though, for you can't prove it
against me."

"That means, if you were brought up into cou