me sick," said Sobber, when he
and Nick Pell were alone. "Everybody in this school seems to toady to
them."

"If I had been you I'd have pitched into Dick Rover on the gridiron,"
answered Pell.

"Well, I wanted to, but the others wouldn't have it. But I'll polish him
off some day--and polish off Tom, too," added Sobber, uglily.

Two of the small boys of the school had been taken sick, and in order to
keep them quiet they were removed to the top floor of the institution,
and one of the colored waiters was ordered to carry their meals up to
them. Dick knew both of the lads, and he frequently went up to pay them
a visit and cheer them up a bit.

One day he was just returning from a visit to the sick students when he
heard a noise in the hallway on the second floor. He looked down the
stairs and saw Tom and Tad Sobber near a landing, having a wordy
quarrel. Nick Pell was approaching and so were Fred and Hans.

"For two pins I'd give you a good thrashing, Rover," the bully was
saying. "You can't lord it over me, understand that."

"Well, I want you to keep your distance, Tad Sobber," returned Tom. "And
I stick to it that you kicked me on purpose during the football game."

Both boys were walking to the stairs landing, and Dick and the others
who heard the words followed. Then of a sudden the crowd that was
gathered saw Sobber catch Tom by the throat.

"Le--let go!" gasped Tom.

"Take that!" retorted the bully, and banged Tom's head against the wall.

There was a scuffle near the stairs, and both boys fell up against the
railing.

"Look out, Tom!" cried Dick. "He'll throw you down the stairs!" And he
tried to go to his brother's assistance. But before he could reach the
spot the two contestants had separated.

"That for you!" roared Sobber, and aimed a blow for Tom's eye. Tom
dodged, and then let out with his right fist. The blow landed on the
bully's chin. He tottered backward, lost his balance, and pitched down
the stairs.

Just as the bully went backwards, a side door of the mess hall opened
and the colored waiter who carried the food to the sick lads upstairs
came out. He held a trayful of dainties in his hands. Crash! came Sobber
into the tray, and he and the dishes and the waiter went to the floor in
a confused heap.

[Illustration: CRASH! CAME SOBBER INTO THE TRAY.]

"Fo' de lan' sake!" gasped the waiter. "What fo' you dun dat to me?"

"Oh!" groaned the bully, and tried to get up. On one cheek he ha