"Yes, yer would lie about it too. Now, just hand over some o' them
crackers, or I'll duck you in the lake."

Frank made no reply to this rude speech. He heartily wished himself off
the island, and out of the company of the newcomers.

"Hit him, Tim!" cried one of the Bunkers.

"Hit him!" repeated the others.

"Want to fight?" said Tim, doubling up his fists, and assuming a
pugilistic attitude.

"No, I don't want to fight; I will not fight," replied Frank,
retreating backward from the quarrelsome boy.

[Illustration: I don't want to fight. _P._ 71.]

"Oh, you won't fight, eh? Then, you'll git licked," replied Tim,
following him.

"I have not injured you; I don't see why you should wish to fight with
me."

"You lie! yer have. Didn't yer tell me yer hadn't got no more
crackers?"

"I have not."

"Yes, yer have;" and Tim struck Frank a severe blow which made his lip
bleed.

"Don't do that again!" cried Tony Weston, his face flushed with
indignation.

"What are you going to do about it?" said Tim, turning to Tony.

"I don't want to fight, but I won't see him abused in that shape."

"Never mind him, Tony," interposed Frank. "He didn't hurt me much. Let
us go over to the other side of the island."

"No, yer won't!" said Tim Bunker, approaching Frank again, and giving
him another blow in the face.

Tony Weston could bear no more; and springing upon the leader of the
Bunkers, he struck him several times in rapid succession.

"Don't, Tony, don't," said Frank, trying to separate the combatants.

"Fair play!" cried the Bunkers.

Tony, though younger and lighter than his antagonist, pressed him so
severely that he brought him to the ground before Frank and Charles
could draw him off. Tim instantly leaped to his feet again.

"Come on!" said he.

"Don't, Tony."

"Mind your own business!" said Tim to Frank as he renewed the assault
upon him.

Frank tried to get away; and when Tony and Charles came to his
assistance the other Bunkers attacked them, and the fight became
general.

"Give it to 'em," shouted Tim, as he struck his opponent several times
on the head.

Frank saw that he had nothing to hope for unless he defended himself.
He had done his best to prevent the fight, and now he felt justified in
resorting to necessary violence to save himself from further injury.

Suddenly springing upon his assailant, he bore him to the ground, and
held him there. In the meantime Tony and Charles were getti