have a friendly bout with
the gloves, all right--even to a finish--but no bad blood."

Gus turned away. So did Siebold. Sadler, who was tired of being punched
at Siebold's request, would prefer to do a little looking on. With
satisfaction he saw Mr. Gay take his hat and leave the building. The
instructor may have seen a scrap on the way and wished to evade
responsibility. He was anxious to be popular with the boys.

Sadler offered a few suggestions. Immediately several boys surrounded
good-natured Gus and shoved him into the open center of the room. Then
they did the same to Siebold, but with more verbal persuasiveness and in
a moment the two were facing each other, and a pair of boxing-gloves was
handed to each.

CHAPTER XV

LOYALTY

The freshman's smile had returned, and he stood with the gloves swinging
by the strings from his hand. Siebold, who really was no piker, was
slipping on his gloves and having them laced up. Gus wished Bill to talk
for him--and Tony too--not that he needed moral support, but it was
pleasanter to have good friends along than to be entirely surrounded by
opponents. However, he felt quite equal to the physical task, and as
ready to stand his ground morally.

"See here, you sophs," he said. "I'll box and gladly, but not in the way
Siebold wants to."

"Aw, what do you care how the other fellow feels? It's a bout just the
same; isn't it?"

"But Mr. Gay doesn't want us to show any hard feelings," Gus urged, "and
he's decent to us. I don't believe Siebold really thinks I'm
yellow--_do_ you?"--this last to his intended opponent.

"Looks like it," growled Siebold, showing more indignation than he
really felt. Had he permitted himself to use his reason, he would only
have admired Gus and would not have quarreled with him. Probably it was
nothing more than an uneasy conscience that now asserted itself and made
him add, in self-defense: "I guess you're yellow enough."

Gus had but one reply to make to that--and his answer was not verbal. He
did not again take his eyes from Siebold, but he pulled on the gloves,
laced the right one with the clumsy stuffed thumb and his teeth. Then he
stepped forward. Siebold made a feint of extending his hand for the
customary shake; but Gus ignored it and the next moment the two were at
it in a way that showed clearly the desire to hurt each other and to
disregard the mere matter of point