he was as good as his word. Immediately after the dismissal of the
school, while the boys still lingered on the playground, Shorty stalked
up to Bob Brandon, and told him if he didn't stop shoving Bert Lloyd out
of his proper place in the classes he would punch his head. Whereat Bob
Brandon laughed contemptuously, and was rewarded with a blow on the face
that fairly made him stagger. Then, of course, there was a fight, the
boys forming a ring around the combatants, and Bert holding his
champion's coat and hat, and hardly knowing whether to cry or to cheer.
The fight did not last long. Bob was the taller, but Frank the stouter
of the two. Bob, like most bullies, was a coward, but Frank was as
plucky as he was strong. Burning with righteous wrath, Frank went at his
opponent hammer and tongs, and after a few minutes' ineffective parrying
and dodging, the latter actually ran out of the ring, thoroughly beaten,
leaving Frank in possession of the field, to receive the applause of his
companions, and particularly of Bert, who gave him a warm hug, saying
gratefully:

"Dear, good Shorty. I'm so glad you beat him."

That fight united the two boys in firmer bonds of friendship than ever,
especially as it proved quite effective so far as Bob Brandon was
concerned, as he needed no other lesson. It was curious how Bert and
Frank reacted upon one another. At first the influence proceeded mainly
from Bert to Frank, the latter being much impressed by his friend's
attention to his lessons and good behaviour in school, and somewhat
stirred up to emulate these virtues. But after Bert had been going to
the school for some little time, and the novelty had all worn off, he
began to lose some of his ardour and to imitate Frank's happy-go-lucky
carelessness. Instead of being one of the first boys in the school of a
morning, he would linger and loiter on the playground until he would be
among those who were the last to take their places. He also began to
take less interest in his lessons, and in his standing in the classes,
and but for the care exercised at home would have gone to school very
ill prepared.

Frank Bowser was not by any means a bad boy. He had been carelessly
brought up, and was by nature of rather a reckless disposition, but he
generally preferred right to wrong, and could, upon the whole, be
trusted to behave himself under ordinary circumstances, at all events.
His influence upon Bert, while it certainly would not help him muc