wever, with a satisfied grin, had dropped
into the chair.

"Going to get up out of that, Jaggers?" challenged Jack Benson.

"Not as I know of," rejoined Dan, with a broader grin. "Why?"

"Because I'd hate to hit you while you're sitting down," replied Jack
so quietly that his voice sounded almost mild.

"What's that?" demanded Jaggers, with a guffaw of laughter.

"You heard what I said," Jack insisted. "You'd better get up."

"Spoiling for a fight, are ye?" questioned the bully.

"Not at all," Jack replied, still keeping his temper in check. "I never
go about looking for trouble. I suppose you didn't know any better than
to do what you did."

"What's that?" scowled Dan Jaggers.

"If you want to apologize, and get out of the chair, I'll let it go at
that," pursued Jack, coolly.

"Hey?" demanded Dan Jaggers, aghast. "_Me_--apologize?"

He sprang up suddenly, resting a broad paw heavily on Jack's shoulder.
But Benson, without flinching, or drawing back, returned the ugly look
steadfastly.

"You're behaving like a pretty poor grade of tough," spoke Jack, in deep
disgust.

"I am, hey?" roared Dan. He drew back, aiming a heavy fist for Benson's
chest. It was a mistake, as he quickly realized, for Jack Benson, from
much practice in boxing, was as agile and slippery as a monkey and an
eel combined. Jack dodged, then came up under with a cleanly aimed
though not hard blow on Jaggers's chin.

"I'll learn ye!" roared Dan, returning two ponderous blows in quick
succession. To his intense astonishment Jack wasn't in the way of
either blow, but came in with a neck blow on Jaggers's left side that
sent the bully reeling to the gravel beyond the porch.

"Come right down here!" challenged the bully, hoarsely. "We'll find out
about this."

Jack Benson hesitated. He did not care about fighting. Yet, seeing
that Jaggers meant to have a final encounter, Jack dropped nimbly
down to the gravel.

Dan Jaggers rushed at him, both fists up on guard, his whole attitude
more cautious since he had had a taste of the smaller youth's quality.
Jack was about two inches shorter and fully thirty pounds lighter, but
he made one think of a dancing master as he skipped away before the big
fellow's rushes.

"Stand still, won't ye, drat ye?" roared Dan, driving in another heavy
blow.

But Benson dodged, then came in under the bully's guard, landing a
stinging blow on the tip of his nose. Under punishment Dan let out a
no