with.
For Dick, though he was just a little more than slightly alarmed, would
have been ashamed to call out for help.

"You think you're having a lot of fun," sputtered young Prescott
angrily, "but you'll be sorry for this before you are through!"

"Through with whom?" demanded Dexter blandly, now.

"Before you're through with me. You'll find that you can't act like this
around Gridley. Justice Lee will get hold of you again, first thing you
know."

"Huh! I'll talk to you about that in a few minutes!"

"See here, where are you taking me?"

"Wherever I please."

"Then I don't know about that, either, Dexter. I've about made up my
mind that I won't go any further with you."

"Oh, you won't, eh, boy! Well, just help yourself, if you can."

By this time Dexter had crossed the field and had run well inside of the
grove.

Dick wriggled, getting one hand free--and then he struck Dexter a
stinging blow in the face.

"Confound you!" growled the other. "I see that I've got to tame you, you
young hornet!"

"You put me down, or I'll sting worse than a hornet," threatened Dick
angrily. "I'm not a doormat that you can wipe your feet on."

"We'll see about that!" muttered Dexter, halting suddenly and throwing
Dick savagely to the ground. He followed this up by sitting on the
Grammar School boy.

Whack! Whack! Dexter struck him so savagely, both blows in the face,
that Prescott gasped.

"I've got a few hundred more of those in reserve if you want 'em--or
need 'em," Dick's captor advised him grimly. He still sat on the boy,
looking down at him in the darkness with evil satisfaction.

"It doesn't take one long to find your number, Dexter," observed the boy
undauntedly. "Your specialty is frightening women and pounding boys who
offend you."

"Well, a lot of you boys hammered me this noon, didn't you!"

"Yes; and I wish I had a couple of the fellows here now," retorted Dick
with spirit. "We'd soon make a coward like you seem small. You'd be on
your knees, begging, if I had a couple of my chums here to help me."

"Well, you haven't got 'em, and I'll do all the talking that amounts to
anything. Dick Prescott, you're the worst and freshest boy in Gridley!"

"Such a statement, coming from a fellow like you, amounts to high
praise, Dexter," Dick retorted doughtily.

"None of your impudence, now, Dick Prescott! I've stood all the
insolence from you that I'm going to allow."

"My! How big the man talks to the small b