his teacher asked him what the Pilgrim
Fathers did when they first came to settle in New England Bert looked
up in surprise, and said:

"They fought."

"Fought!" exclaimed the teacher. "The book says they gave thanks."

"Well, I meant they fought the--er--the Indians," stammered Bert.

Poor Bert was thinking of what might take place between himself and the
bully.

"Well, yes, they did fight the Indians," admitted the teacher, "but
that wasn't what I was thinking of. I will ask you another question in
history."

But I am not going to tire you with an account of what went on in the
classrooms. There were mostly lessons there, such as you have
yourselves, and I know you don't care to read about them.

Bert did not see Danny Rugg at the noon recess, when the Bobbsey twins
and the other children went home for lunch. But when school was let
out in the afternoon, and when Bert was talking to Charley Mason about
a new way of making a kite, Danny Rugg, accompanied by several of his
chums, walked up to Bert. It was in a field some distance from the
school, and no houses were near.

"Now I've got you, Bert Bobbsey!" taunted Danny, as he advanced with
doubledup fists. "What did you want to squirt the hose on me that time
for?"

"I told you it was an accident," said Bert quietly.

"And I say you did it on purpose. I said I'd get even with you, and
now I'm going to."

"I don't want to fight, Danny," said Bert quietly.

"Huh! he's afraid!" sneered Jack Westly, one of Danny's friends.

"Yes, he's a coward!" taunted Danny.

"I'm not!" cried Bert stoutly.

"Then take that!" exclaimed Danny, and he gave Bert a push that nearly
knocked him down. Bert put out a hand to save himself and struck
Danny, not really meaning to.

"There! He hit you back!" cried one boy.

"Yes, go on in, now, Dan, and beat him!" said another.

"Oh, I'll fix him now," boasted Danny, circling around Bert. Bert was
carefully watching. He did not mean to let Danny get the best of him
if he could help it, much as he did not like to fight.

Danny struck Bert on the chest, and Bert hit the bully on the cheek.
Then Danny jumped forward swiftly and tried to give Bert a blow on the
head. But Bert stepped to one side, and Danny slipped down to the
ground.

As he did so a white box fell from his pocket. Bert knew what kind of
a box it was, and what was in it, and he knew now, what had stained
Danny's fingers so yellow, and what made his