Part 21 (2/2)
”I'll get even--mark my words!” roared Baxter, and ran down the lake sh.o.r.e in the direction the _Falcon_ had taken.
When Baxter reached the yacht he was so weak he could scarcely stand. It was a long while before he could stop his nose from bleeding, and his eye stung with a pain that was maddening.
”Did little Sam Rover do that?” asked Mumps, while Josiah Crabtree looked on in curious silence.
”Sam Rover?” snorted Baxter. ”Not much! Why, the whole crowd piled on me six or seven of them at a time. They tried to kill me!”
”Didn't you defend yourself, Daniel?” asked Crabtree.
”Of course I did. I knocked two of them down and another fellow had two of his teeth broken. But I couldn't fight all six single handed.”
”Oh, I presume not--especially such brutes as Captain Putnam is now raising.”
”It's a pity we can't get square with them,” said Mumps.
”Oh, I'll get square! You just wait,” answered the bully cunningly. ”I'm not done with them yet by any means.”
”What will you do?”
”Just you wait and see.”
”I don't wish to have you interfere with our plans,” put in Josiah Crabtree.
”I won't interfere with the other plans. But I am going to get square.”
”We've had delay enough,” continued Josiah Crabtree.
”Well, that wasn't my fault. Mumps got sick, and that's all there is to it,” growled Dan Baxter, and then went to dressing his swollen eye once more.
In the meantime Sam and Tom had rejoined their fellows and told their story. All of the others were indignant at Baxter's doing and glad to learn he had been given a sound drubbing.
”I don't see why he hangs in this neighborhood,” said Larry.
”It's a wonder he doesn't try to join his father.”
”They are probably on the outs since Dan took that two hundred dollars,” answered Tom.
The boys were all tired that night, and the occupants of Dormitory No. 6 retired early in consequence.
It was a little after midnight that d.i.c.k awoke with a cough. He sat up in bed and opened his eyes to find the room almost filled with smoke.
”For gracious sake!” he muttered. ”What's the matter here? Sam!
Tom!”
”What's this?” came from Larry Colby. ”Is the house on fire?”
He leaped from his bed, and so did d.i.c.k. By this time the smoke in the dormitory was getting thicker and thicker. It was coming through the door, which stood partly open.
”Wake up, boys; the Hall is on fire!”
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