does that I'll punch his head for him!" roared Lew Flapp, who
had been drinking just enough to make him ugly and unreasonable.

"I did not come here to squeal on anybody," answered Dick.

"I know you did--and I'm going to pound you well for it!" howled Lew
Flapp, and on the instant he leaped forward and aimed a savage blow
with his fist at Dick's head.

CHAPTER XI

A QUARREL AND ITS RESULT

Had the blow landed as intended Dick Rover would have received a bloody
nose and might perhaps have lost one or two teeth.

But Dick was on the alert and he dodged to one side, so the blow landed
on Songbird Powell's shoulder.

"See here, what do you mean by that, Flapp?" demanded Powell, who was
no weakling.

"I meant to hit Rover," was the answer.

"Hands off, Flapp!" cried Dick. "I didn't come here to fight, but I can
defend myself."

"We'll see!" roared the unreasonable tall boy, and made another rush at
Dick. But in a twinkling he found himself flat on the floor, where he
had been thrown with a suddenness that took away his breath.

"Hi! that ain't fair," put in Rockley. "You let Lew alone."

"I will, when he leaves me alone," retorted Dick. He turned to Harry
Moss and Joe Davis. "Do you want to stay here any longer?"

"No," answered both of the small cadets promptly.

"I didn't wish to come at all, but Ben Hurdy urged it," continued Harry
Moss.

"And Pender said it would do no harm," added Joe Davis. "He said we
were going to have nothing but sandwiches, root beer, and soda."

"Look here, Davis, you keep your mouth shut!" cried Pender. "You knew
exactly what to expect. You know Mike Sherry don't run a temperance
hotel," he continued, with a sneer.

At these words Joe Davis grew pale.

"Yes, I know it--now, and if I ever get out of it, I shan't come again."

"Oh, you're too good to live!" broke in Jackson. "You ought to be laid
away in a glass case for safe keeping."

"Davis is all right, and he has more brains than you, Jackson," came
from Dick. "If you want to make a fool of yourself by drinking and
smoking, I shan't stop you. But you shan't drag Joe and Harry into it
against their will."

"That's the way to talk, Dick," said Powell. "Let us clear out, and
take the youngsters with us."

By this time Lew Flap had recovered from the flooring received and now
he approached Dick once more.

"Do you want me to hammer you good, Rover?" he panted.

"As I said before, Flapp, I didn't come here to