d to hit Joe
on the nose, but the boy dodged with ease, and Sam Cullum fell sprawling
over the rowboat.

"Hi! what did ye trip me up for?" spluttered the half-intoxicated man,
as he rose slowly. "Don't you do that ag'in, do yer hear?"

"Then don't try to strike me again."

There was a moment of silence and then Sam Cullum gathered himself for
another blow. By this time a small crowd of boys and hotel helpers began
to collect.

"Sam Cullum's going to fight Joe Bodley!"

"Sam'll most kill Joe!"

With all his strength the man rushed at Joe. But the boy dodged again
and put out his foot and the man went headlong.

"Now will you let me alone?" asked our hero, coolly.

"No, I won't!" roared Sam Cullum. "Somebody give me a club! I'll show
him!"

Arising once more, he caught up an oar and launched a heavy blow at
Joe's head. For a third time our hero dodged, but the oar struck him on
the arm, and the blow hurt not a little.

Joe was now angry and believed it was time to defend himself. He edged
towards the end of the dock and Sam Cullum followed. Then, of a sudden
the boy ducked under the man's arm, turned, and gave him a quick shove
that sent him with a splash into the lake.

"Hurrah! score one for Joe!"

"That will cool Sam Cullum's temper."

"Yes, and perhaps it will sober him a little," came from a man standing
by, who had witnessed the quarrel from the beginning. "He brought this
on himself; the boy had nothing to do with it."

Sam Cullum floundered around in the water like a whale cast up in the
shallows. The lake at that point was not over four feet deep, but he did
not know enough to stand upright.

"Save me!" he bellowed. "Save me! I don't want to drown!"

"Swallow a little water, it will do you good!" said a bystander, with a
laugh.

"Walk out and you'll be all right," added another.

At last Sam Cullum found his feet and walked around the side of the dock
to the shore. A crowd followed him and kept him from going at Joe again.

"I'll fix him another time," growled the intoxicated one, and shuffled
off, with some small boys jeering him.

"You treated him as he deserved," said one of the other boatmen to Joe.

"I suppose he'll try to square up another time," answered our hero.

"Well, I wouldn't take water for him, Joe."

"I don't intend to. If he attacks me I'll do the best I can to defend
myself."

"He has made a nuisance of himself for a long time. It's a wonder to me
that Mr. Malliso